Amends TCA Title 33.
Present law authorizes the commissioner of mental health and substance abuse services to designate certain mental health professionals to perform the responsibilities of a physician with regard to the emergency involuntary admission to inpatient treatment (including making determinations necessary for emergency detention, examinations, and issuing a certificate of need for care) for a person with a mental illness or serious emotional disturbance who poses an immediate substantial likelihood of serious harm). The professionals whom the commissioner may appoint to perform such responsibilities include the following persons who are licensed in Tennessee, if a license is required for the profession: (1) Psychiatrists; (2) Physicians with expertise in psychiatry as determined by training, education, or experience; (3) Psychologists with health service provider designation; (4) Psychological examiners and senior psychological examiners; (5) Licensed master's social workers with two years of mental health experience; (6) Licensed clinical social workers; (7) Marital and family therapists; (8) Nurses with a master's degree in nursing who function as psychiatric nurses; (9) Professional counselors; (10) If the person is providing service to service recipients who are children, any of the educational credentials in (1)-(9) plus mental health experience with children; and (11) Licensed physician assistants with a master's degree and expertise in psychiatry as determined by the department based upon training, education or experience. This bill authorizes a physician assistant, as described in (11), to perform the responsibilities of a physician with regard to the emergency involuntary admission to inpatient treatment, without having first been designated by the commissioner, when no officer authorized to make arrests in Tennessee, licensed physician, or psychologist who meets the requirements for designation is available to examine a person to determine whether to issue a certificate of need for emergency diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment.
Present law authorizes the commissioner of mental health and substance abuse services to designate certain mental health professionals to perform the responsibilities of a physician with regard to the emergency involuntary admission to inpatient treatment (including making determinations necessary for emergency detention, examinations, and issuing a certificate of need for care) for a person with a mental illness or serious emotional disturbance who poses an immediate substantial likelihood of serious harm). The professionals whom the commissioner may appoint to perform such responsibilities include the following persons who are licensed in Tennessee, if a license is required for the profession: (1) Psychiatrists; (2) Physicians with expertise in psychiatry as determined by training, education, or experience; (3) Psychologists with health service provider designation; (4) Psychological examiners and senior psychological examiners; (5) Licensed master's social workers with two years of mental health experience; (6) Licensed clinical social workers; (7) Marital and family therapists; (8) Nurses with a master's degree in nursing who function as psychiatric nurses; (9) Professional counselors; (10) If the person is providing service to service recipients who are children, any of the educational credentials in (1)-(9) plus mental health experience with children; and (11) Licensed physician assistants with a master's degree and expertise in psychiatry as determined by the department based upon training, education or experience. This bill authorizes a physician assistant, as described in (11), to perform the responsibilities of a physician with regard to the emergency involuntary admission to inpatient treatment, without having first been designated by the commissioner, when no officer authorized to make arrests in Tennessee, licensed physician, or psychologist who meets the requirements for designation is available to examine a person to determine whether to issue a certificate of need for emergency diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment.
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