COLUMBUS, Ohio — On Tuesday, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed into law two bills with elements that focus on mental health.
Senate Bill 2, sponsored by Sen. Theresa Gavarone (R-Bowling Green), expands competency evaluations and mental health treatment in criminal cases, and enters Ohio into the Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact (PSYPACT).
The law allows nonviolent, misdemeanor offenders to get competency evaluations in outpatient settings, freeing up state psychiatric hospital beds for Ohioans suffering from serious mental illness.
"If someone needs that state psychiatric hospital bed, we certainly want to make sure they've got that, but not everybody needs 60 days in a state hospital. Sometimes they can be there for a week or two and then maybe go to a step-down service," Gavarone said in February.
Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact (PSYPACT) is an agreement that lets psychologists practice temporary, in-person psychology and tele-psychology across participating states. PSYPACT has been enacted by 15 other states.
The second bill signed into law was Senate Bill 57. Sponsored by Senator Bob Hackett and Senator Nickie Antonio, Senate Bill 57 authorizes a property tax exemption for permanent supportive housing properties used by individuals suffering from a mental disability or substance abuse disorder.
