In Idaho, doctors and advanced nurses soon may be able to commit teens with severe mental illness into temporary custody.
The Associated Press: Idaho House Panel Approves Teen Mental Health Custody Bill
Physicians and nurse practitioners soon may have the authority to order juveniles who are suicidal, severely mentally ill or pose a threat to others into temporary custody at a hospital or some other health care facility. A bill approved Thursday by the House Health and Welfare Committee sets out to fix a void in Idaho law and streamline a process that now requires law enforcement involvement (2/28).
Lawmakers in Texas are also considering changes to their mental health program: greater funding to treat mental illness and more training for their teachers --
The Associated Press: Texas Lawmakers Hear Mental Health Concerns
Advocates for enhanced mental health care are taking their cause to the [Texas] state Capitol. At an outdoor rally on Thursday, a bipartisan group of lawmakers spoke in support of more funding for treatment programs. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, Texas spends $39 per capita on mental health services every year compared to a national average of $121. Only Idaho spends less (Brick, 2/28).