2022 Wyoming Statutes
Title 9 - Administration of the Government
Chapter 2 - Agencies, Boards, Commissions and Departments Generally
Article 1 - Department of Health
Section 9-2-130 - Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Programming; Department of Corrections; Criminal Justice Populations.
9-2-130. Mental health and substance use disorder programming; department of corrections; criminal justice populations.
(a) Pursuant to this section and W.S. 25-1-105(f) and (g), the department of health shall collaborate with the department of corrections to reduce recidivism rates for persons with behavioral health needs and substance use disorders who are involved in the criminal justice system and improve mental health and substance use disorder programming by:
(i) Creating a behavioral health services enhancement program for community providers to improve outcomes for persons involved in the criminal justice system through a separate contract, or in a separate provision in an existing contract, administered by the department of health;
(ii) Adopting standardized, evidence based treatment practices and guidelines for treating and providing programming to persons involved in the criminal justice system with behavioral health and substance use needs;
(iii) Increasing communication between the department of health, the department of corrections and contracted behavioral health providers working with persons involved in the criminal justice system;
(iv) Promoting and requiring to the maximum extent practical and permissible under applicable laws and regulations the portability and universal recognition of mental health and substance use disorder assessment tools and other assessment tools that may be applicable to mental health and substance use disorder treatment; and
(v) Creating a competitive and outcomes based funding stream for behavioral health providers to:
(A) Expand existing services for criminal justice involved populations;
(B) Improve the quality and availability of services and programs;
(C) Train and develop the skills of providers and stakeholders working with persons who have behavior health needs and substance use disorders and who are involved in the criminal justice system.
(b) This section shall not be interpreted to require the creation or maintenance of any duplicate functions, services or programs in the department of health and the department of corrections, but shall be interpreted with W.S. 25-1-105(f) and (g) to require coordination and collaboration between the agencies to assure the creation and maintenance of independent or coordinated functions, services and programs to meet the goals of this section and W.S. 25-1-105(f) and (g).
