{"data":{"id":"us-dc/d.c.-code-44-901","jurisdiction":"us-dc","citation":"D.C. Code § 44-901","heading":"Findings and purposes.","body":"(a)\nThe Congress makes the following findings:\n(1)\nGovernmentally administered mental health services in the District of Columbia are currently provided through 2 separate public entities, the federally administered Saint Elizabeths Hospital and the Mental Health Services Administration of the District of Columbia Department of Human Resources.\n(2)\nThe District of Columbia has a continuing responsibility to provide mental health services to its residents.\n(3)\nThe federal government, through its operation of a national mental health program at Saint Elizabeths Hospital, has for over 100 years assisted the District of Columbia in carrying out that responsibility.\n(4)\nSince its establishment by Congress in 1855, Saint Elizabeths Hospital has developed into a respected national mental health hospital and study, training, and treatment center, providing a range of quality mental health and related services, including:\n(A)\nAcute and chronic inpatient psychiatric care;\n(B)\nOutpatient psychiatric and substance abuse clinical and related services;\n(C)\nFederal court system forensic psychiatry referral, evaluation, and patient treatment services for prisoners, and for individuals awaiting trial or requiring post-trial or post-sentence psychiatric evaluation;\n(D)\nPatient care and related services for designated classes of individuals entitled to mental health benefits under federal law, such as certain members and employees of the United States Armed Forces and the Foreign Service, and residents of American overseas dependencies;\n(E)\nDistrict of Columbia court system forensic psychiatry referral, evaluation, and patient treatment services for prisoners, and for individuals awaiting trial or requiring post-trial or post-sentence psychiatric evaluation;\n(F)\nPrograms for special populations such as the mentally ill deaf;\n(G)\nSupport for basic and applied clinical psychiatric research and related patient services conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health and other institutions; and\n(H)\nProfessional and paraprofessional training in the major mental health disciplines.\n(5)\nThe continuation of the range of services currently provided by federally administered Saint Elizabeths Hospital must be assured, as these services are integrally related to:\n(A)\nThe availability of adequate mental health services to District of Columbia residents, nonresidents who require mental health services while in the District of Columbia, individuals entitled to mental health services under federal law, and individuals referred by both federal and local court systems; and\n(B)\nThe Nation’s capacity to increase our knowledge and understanding about mental illness and to facilitate and continue the development and broad availability of sound and modern methods and approaches for the treatment of mental illness.\n(6)\nThe assumption of all or selected functions, programs, and resources of Saint Elizabeths Hospital from the federal government by the District of Columbia, and the integration of those functions, resources, and programs into a comprehensive mental health care system administered solely by the District of Columbia, will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the services currently provided through those 2 separate entities by shifting the primary focus of care to an integrated community-based system.\n(7)\nSuch assumption of all or selected functions, programs, and resources of Saint Elizabeths Hospital by the District of Columbia would further the principle of home rule for the District of Columbia.\n\n(b)\nIt is the intent of Congress that:\n(1)\nThe District of Columbia have in operation no later than October 1, 1991, an integrated coordinated mental health system in the District which provides:\n(A)\nHigh quality, cost-effective, and community-based programs and facilities;\n(B)\nA continuum of inpatient and outpatient mental health care, residential treatment, and support services through an appropriate balance of public and private resources; and\n(C)\nAssurances that patient rights and medical needs are protected;\n(2)\nThe comprehensive District mental health care system be in full compliance with the federal court consent decree in Dixon v. Heckler;\n(3)\nThe District and federal governments bear equitable shares of the costs of a transition from the present system to a comprehensive District mental health system;\n(4)\nThe transition to a comprehensive District mental health system provided for by this subchapter be carried out with maximum consideration for the interests of employees of the Hospital and provide a right-of-first-refusal to such employees for employment at comparable levels in positions created under the system implementation plan;\n(5)\nThe federal government have the responsibility for the retraining of Hospital employees to prepare such employees for the requirements of employment in a comprehensive District mental health system;\n(6)\nThe federal government continue high quality mental health research, training, and demonstration programs at Saint Elizabeths Hospital;\n(7)\nThe District government establish and maintain accreditation and licensing standards for all services provided in District mental health facilities which assure quality care consistent with appropriate federal regulations and comparable with standards of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals; and\n(8)\nThe comprehensive mental health system plan include a component for direct services for the homeless mentally ill.","path":["Title 44. Charitable and Curative Institutions.","Chapter 9. Mental Health Services.","Subchapter I. District of Columbia Mental Health Services."],"source_url":"https://code.dccouncil.gov/us/dc/council/code/sections/44-901","current_through":"2026-08-20 (D.C. Law 26-175)","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-08-29T05:44:07Z","sha256":"e6cf06b30c50d57b529e457b67b92584c31c6d503857bfc398e4b7a4eaaaced5","source_id":"us-dc","stale":false,"prev":"us-dc/d.c.-code-44-805","next":"us-dc/d.c.-code-44-902"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}