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Kentucky · Snapshot 09/05/2026

KRS 533.270: Definitions for KRS 533.270 to 533.290.

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  1. KRS Chapter 533

As used in KRS 533.270 to 533.290:

(1) "Behavioral health conditional dismissal program" means a program designed to

provide an eligible person who has a behavioral health disorder and who has been

charged with a qualifying offense an alternative to receiv e treatment and recovery

support services addressing the behavioral health disorder instead of incarceration,

resulting in dismissal of the charges upon successful completion;

(2) "Behavioral health disorder" means a mental health disorder or substance use

disorder, or both;

(3) "Behavioral health treatment program" means a plan or recovery program, based

upon a clinical assessment, that:

(a) Identifies and incorporates recovery services to meet the specific treatment

and recovery goals and the needs of the individual served;

(b) Addresses the social determinants of health to include housing, transportation,

access to medical care, and meaningful employment; and

(c) Considers a full continuum of care;

(4) "Clinical assessment" means an assessment that is per formed by a qualified mental

health professional in accordance with the most recent American Society of

Addiction Medicine criteria for a substance use disorder and the most recent edition

of the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistica l Manual of

Mental Disorders for a mental health disorder;

(5) "Eligible applicant" or "eligible person" means an individual:

(a) Who has completed a clinical assessment and been referred to care; and

(b) Who meets the requirements of KRS 533.274;

(6) "Mental health disorder" is a diagnostic term that covers many clinical categories

typically including behavioral or psychological symptoms, or both, along with

impairment of personal and social function, and specifically defined and clinically

interpreted through reference to criteria contained in the most recent edition of the

American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental

Disorders;

(7) "Qualified mental health professional" means the same as in KRS 202A.011 and

shall include a licensed clinical alcohol and drug counselor under KRS Chapter 309;

(8) "Qualifying offense" means a misdemeanor or Class D felony that is not:

(a) An offense that would qualify the person as a violent offender under KRS

439.3401;

(b) A sex crime as defined by KRS 17.500;

(c) An offense under KRS 189A.010;

(d) An offense against a victim who has a protective order as defined in KRS

508.130 against the defendant at the time the offense is charged;

(e) An act of domestic violence and abus e as defined in KRS 403.720, or an act

of dating violence and abuse as defined in KRS 456.010, against the defendant

at the time the offense is charged; or

(f) An offense against a victim who has an interpersonal protective order issued

under KRS 456.060;

(9) "Recovery services" means rehabilitative treatment services that shall include but

not be limited to any or all of the following:

(a) Outpatient treatment;

(b) National Alliance of Recovery Residences or the Council on Accreditation of

Rehabilitation Facilities certified housing;

(c) Medication treatment;

(d) Personal and family counseling;

(e) Substance abuse education and prevention classes or counseling;

(f) Vocational training;

(g) Literacy training;

(h) Community service;

(i) Inpatient or residential behavioral health treatment as needed to address:

1. Impaired capacity to use self -control, judgment, or discretion related to

behavior;

2. Severe dependence;

3. Special detoxification;

4. Relapse; or

5. Other treatments recommended by a qualified menta l health

professional;

(j) Restorative practices designed to make the participant accountable to the

victim when there is an identified victim, and it is safe to do so;

(k) Recovery housing assistance; and

(l) Recovery housing programs that have an establi shed third -party outcome

evaluation; and

(10) "Substance use disorder" has the same meaning as in KRS 222.005.

Collected 2026-09-05T21:00:06Z. Source file · JSON

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