COLUMBUS, Ohio—Gov. Mike DeWine on Tuesday signed bipartisan legislation designed to free up state psychiatric hospital beds and expand Ohioans’ access to online care from out-of-state psychologists.
Senate Bill 2, which passed the Ohio legislature unanimously, seeks to address a shortage of space at the state’s six psychiatric hospitals. Two-thirds of people at those hospitals right now are there for court-ordered treatment so they can be competent to stand trial, and about half of those patients have been charged with a misdemeanor, according to Republican state Sen. Theresa Gavarone, the bill’s sponsor, in written testimony earlier this year.
SB2 would require courts to consider treatment outside of a hospital for such defendants. During legislative testimony, Gavarone argued that many of these defendants facing low-level, non-violent charges can be treated at outpatient facilities instead of being fully admitted to a psychiatric hospital.
Under the current system, Gavarone testified, about half of those low-level defendants are released without connecting them to ongoing mental-health services, while the other half are released (because of the low level of the charge they’re facing) without getting to the point that they would be deemed competent to stand trial.
“That results in people going through a revolving door of courts, jails, and state hospitals without any progress,” Gavarone testified.
SB2 also makes Ohio the 16th state to join the Psychological Interjurisdictional Compact, or PSYPACT. That means psychologists licensed in Ohio can provide teletherapy to patients in other member states, and Ohioans can receive teleservices from psychologists living in those other states.
Right now Pennsylvania is the only PSYPACT member that borders Ohio, though Kentucky and West Virginia are each set to become member states this summer.
Gavarone said Tuesday the bill will allow many snowbirds or college students attending school outside Ohio to keep their psychologist.
Telepsychology had been growing even before the coronavirus crisis forced most therapy appointments to be conducted online, Ronald Ross, executive director of the Ohio Board of Psychology, testified in March.
“(As) competence and comfort with telepsychology grows among psychologists, PSYPACT will provide citizens with expanded access to care while providing Ohio’s psychologists with opportunities to expand practice into PSYPACT-member states,” Ross said in written remarks.
On Tuesday, DeWine also signed Senate Bill 57, which offers property tax exemptions to “permanent supportive housing,” which provides housing and services to people with mental illness or substance abuse issues.
The bill – which also passed unanimously – was introduced after Columbus City Schools handed a property tax bill to two such properties managed by a local nonprofit.
The Ohio Board of Tax Appeals sided with Columbus schools; the matter is now before the Ohio Supreme Court.
SB57 further allows county boards of revision to revise the taxable value of a property if its value went down because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Read more Ohio politics and government stories:
Nina Turner becomes first to go up on TV with $500,000 ad buy in 11th Congressional District
University of Akron to resume coronavirus vaccine clinics with J&J for students, employees
Ohio coronavirus cases and hospitalizations trend down; state and county updates
DeWine sets Aug. 3 as special primary election date for Steve Stivers’ congressional seat
Rep. Jim Jordan sets new record for conservatism, group says
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Gov. Mike DeWine signs legislation to free up psychiatric hospital beds, allow out-of-state teletherapy - cleveland.com
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