Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 98 Part 3.djvu/998

 98 STAT. 3370

Home rule.

Employment and unemployment.

PUBLIC LAW 98-621—NOV. 8, 1984 (vii) support for basic and applied clinical psychiatric research and related patient services conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health and other institutions; and (viii) professional and paraprofessional training in the major mental health disciplines. (5) The continuation of the range of services currently provided by federally administered Saint Elizabeths Hospital must be assured, as these services are integrally related to— (i) the 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 (ii) the 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. (6) The 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 two separate entities by shifting the primary focus of care to an integrated community-based system. (7) Such 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. (b) It is the intent of Congress that— (1) the District of Columbia have in operation no later than October 1, 1991, an integrated coordinated mental health system in the District which provides— (A) high quality, cost-effective, and community-based programs and facilities; (B) a continuum of inpatient and outpatient mental health care, residential treatment, and support services through an appropriate balance of public and private resources; and (C) assurances that patient rights and medical needs are protected; (2) the comprehensive District mental health care system be in full compliance with the Federal court consent decree in Dixon V. Heckler; (3) the District and Federal Governments bear equitable shares of the costs of a transition from the present system to a comprehensive District mental health system; (4) the transition to a comprehensive District mental health system provided for by this Act 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;

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