| Chapter 395 |
| 2024 -- S 2557 AS AMENDED Enacted 06/26/2024 |
| A N A C T |
| RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- BEHAVIORAL HEALTH EDUCATION, TRAINING, AND COORDINATION FUND |
Introduced By: Senators DiPalma, Picard, Burke, Lauria, Miller, and Tikoian |
| Date Introduced: March 01, 2024 |
| It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: |
| SECTION 1. Title 23 of the General Laws entitled "HEALTH AND SAFETY" is hereby |
| amended by adding thereto the following chapter: |
| CHAPTER 100102 |
| BEHAVIORAL HEALTH EDUCATION, TRAINING, AND COORDINATION FUND |
| 23-100102-1. Definitions. |
| As used in this chapter, the following words shall be construed as follows unless the context |
| clearly indicates otherwise: |
| (1) “Behavioral health” means treatment and services for mental health and substance use |
| disorders. |
| (2) “Eligible organization(s)” means the Substance Use and Mental Health Leadership |
| Council of RI, and any other organization certified pursuant to the provisions of § 23-100102-2. |
| (3) “Eligible services” means the programs used for educational purposes, training, and |
| coordination of mental health or substance use disorder treatment providers. |
| 23-100102-2. Behavioral Health Education, Training, and Coordination Fund |
| established -- Uses of the fund. |
| (a) There is established a separate fund within the general fund to be called the behavioral |
| health education, training, and coordination fund which shall be administered by the general |
| treasurer in accordance with the same laws and fiscal procedures as the general funds of the state. |
| The fund shall consist of sums collected as a result of the taxpayer check-off as provided for in § |
| 44-30-2.12. The general treasurer is authorized to accept any grant, devise, bequest, donation, gift, |
| or assignment of money, bonds, or other valuable securities for deposit in and credit of the |
| behavioral health education, training, and coordination fund. |
| (b) The monies received under this chapter and § 44-30-2.12 shall be made available and |
| distributed by the treasurer annually by September 30, or as soon thereafter as the application is |
| approved, to eligible organizations certified by the department of behavioral healthcare, |
| developmental disabilities and hospitals for the calendar year. |
| (c) Upon distribution to eligible organizations with an approved application, the monies |
| shall be used exclusively to provide education, training, or coordination of behavioral health |
| treatment or service providers. |
| (d) Upon receipt of the annual application from an eligible organization as provided in this |
| section, the director of the department of behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities and |
| hospitals shall review each application to determine if it complies with the intent and requirements |
| of this chapter. Upon a finding by the director of the department of behavioral healthcare, |
| developmental disabilities and hospitals that the application complies with the intent and |
| requirements of this chapter, the director of the department of behavioral healthcare, developmental |
| disabilities and hospitals shall certify that the eligible organization has an approved application for |
| the calendar year. The director of the department of behavioral healthcare, developmental |
| disabilities, and hospitals shall provide notice of approval or denial of certification not later than |
| September 15 to each eligible organization that has submitted an annual application. |
| (fe) The director of the department of behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities and |
| hospitals is authorized to promulgate any rules or regulations and prescribe forms necessary to |
| implement the provisions of this chapter. |
| SECTION 2. Section 44-30-2.11 of the General Laws in Chapter 44-30 entitled "Personal |
| Income Tax" is hereby amended to read as follows: |
| 44-30-2.11. Refund deduction for contribution to the substance use and mental health |
| leadership council of RI. |
| (a) There shall be provided as a deduction from any refund from the Rhode Island personal |
| income tax otherwise due to a taxpayer for a taxable year a contribution to the substance use and |
| mental health leadership council of RI. The provision for the contribution shall appear on the state |
| personal income tax return as follows: |
| Substance use and mental health leadership council of RI. |
| Check if you wish to contribute |
| ___________ $1.00 |
| ___________ $5.00 |
| ___________ $10.00 |
| ___________ $ _______________ (write in amount of your tax REFUND for this |
| program.) |
| (b) The tax administrator shall annually forward by August 1, all contributions made to the |
| substance use and mental health leadership council of RI to the general treasurer to be deposited in |
| the fund created in § 23-14-3. The general treasurer shall annually distribute the proceeds of the |
| fund as prescribed in chapter 14 of title 23. |
| (c) The provisions of this section shall commence for returns filed for the tax year ending |
| December 31, 2018, and shall sunset and expire for the tax year ending December 31, 2023. |
| SECTION 3. Chapter 44-30 of the General Laws entitled "Personal Income Tax" is hereby |
| amended by adding thereto the following section: |
| 44-30-2.12. Refund deduction for contribution to the behavioral health education, |
| training, and coordination fund. |
| (a) There shall be provided as a deduction from any refund from the Rhode Island personal |
| income tax otherwise due to a taxpayer for a taxable year a contribution to the behavioral health |
| education, training, and coordination fund. The provision for the contribution shall appear on the |
| state personal income tax return as follows: |
| Behavioral health education, training, and coordination fund. |
| Check if you wish to contribute |
| ___________ $1.00 |
| ___________ $5.00 |
| ___________ $10.00 |
| ___________ $ _______________ (write in amount of your tax REFUND for this |
| program.) |
| (b) The tax administrator shall annually forward by August 1, contributions made to the |
| behavioral health education, training, and coordination fund to the general treasurer to be deposited |
| in the fund created in § 23-100102-2. The general treasurer shall annually distribute proceeds of |
| the fund as prescribed in chapter 100102 of title 23. |
| (c) The provisionprovisions of this section shall commence for returns filed for the tax |
| year ending December 31, 2024. |
| SECTION 4. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
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| LC004216 |
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