1. (1) The department shall coordinate behavioral health-related community crisis and disaster response. The department shall have primary responsibility and authority for planning and executing behavioral health-related community crisis response and behavioral health-related disaster response.

2. (2) The department shall:

   1. (a) Develop, update, and maintain a statewide community crisis response support plan for providing crisis response services;
   2. (b) Serve as the primary state agency for the core functional area of mental health and substance abuse care under Emergency Support Function #8, Public Health and Medical Services;
   3. (c) Annually review the behavioral health portion of the Kentucky Emergency Operations Plan and make recommendations for updates to the plan;
   4. (d) Participate in state-level planning workgroups to address the provision of crisis response services;
   5. (e) Establish and maintain memoranda of understanding and master agreements with local partners to provide crisis response services following a disaster or critical incident;
   6. (f) Develop, administer, and maintain a statewide system of registration and credentialing of community crisis response volunteers to provide crisis response services;
   7. (g) Actively recruit volunteers to serve on the community crisis response team and the local community crisis response teams, ensuring representation from a diversity of first responders and behavioral health provider peer groups;
   8. (h) Develop, administer, and maintain a statewide network of registered, credentialed, and regional response-ready volunteers to provide crisis response services following a disaster or critical the Commonwealth; incidents in
   9. (i) Participate in local and statewide all-hazards and terrorism disaster exercises focusing on meeting behavioral health needs of those affected;
   10. (j) Create and execute all-hazards and terrorism disaster exercises for volunteers for the community crisis response team and local community crisis response teams focusing on meeting behavioral health needs of those affected;
   11. (k) Apply for and administer Federal Emergency Management Agency crisis counseling grants following a Presidential declaration, in collaboration with local and regional behavioral health providers; and
   12. (l) Apply for and administer community crisis response and disaster specific behavioral health grants from: The federal government; 1. 2. Private foundations; and 3. Other sources that may be available for programs related to supporting survivors of crisis events or community disasters.

Effective: June 29, 2023

History: Created 2023 Ky. Acts ch. 58, sec. 2, effective June 29, 2023.