§225g Financing Provisions

Summary

The law approves federal money for the District of Columbia’s mental health system: $30,000,000 for fiscal year 1988, $24,000,000 for fiscal year 1989, $18,000,000 for fiscal year 1990, and $12,000,000 for fiscal year 1991. Starting October 1, 1987, the right federal agency must pay the District the full cost of mental health diagnosis and treatment for certain people: those sent to the system by a federal law or agency; those taken into custody and placed for emergency detention or involuntary commitment after actions or threats against a federal official or on the grounds of the White House or the Capitol, or under chapter 9 of title 21 of the D.C. Code; and those sent after federal criminal proceedings (including people admitted for observation or found incompetent to stand trial or not guilty by reason of insanity). That rule applies to referrals before or after November 8, 1984. This federal payment rule does not change the District’s duties under the Interstate Compact on Mental Health. During the service coordination and transition period, the District will gradually take on more of the costs for people not covered by the federal rule. Capital improvements at Saint Elizabeths Hospital during the transition will be paid partly by the District and partly by the federal government under existing law. Any unassigned hospital debts found by the required audit will be the federal government’s sole responsibility. After the transition, the Secretary must audit accrued annual leave for employees taken by the District, and the federal government must pay the audited amount to the District. The District keeps its power to bill for mental health services under other laws, but the same cost cannot be billed to more than one party. The United States is solely responsible for claims and any judgments against Saint Elizabeths that arose before October 1, 1987; for tort claims the United States is responsible only for those that arose before that date, and it may not settle claims that would make the District liable without the District’s consent, which must not be unreasonably withheld.