Sec. 17a-456. (Formerly Sec. 17-207). Board of Mental Health and Addiction Services.
Sec. 17a-456. (Formerly Sec. 17-207). Board of Mental Health and Addiction
Services. (a) There shall be a Board of Mental Health and Addiction Services that shall
consist of: (1) Nineteen members appointed by the Governor, subject to the provisions
of section 4-9a, five of whom shall have had experience in the field of substance abuse,
five of whom shall be from the mental health community, three of whom shall be physicians licensed to practice medicine in this state who have had experience in the field of
psychiatry, two of whom shall be psychologists licensed to practice in this state, two of
whom shall be persons representing families of individuals with psychiatric disabilities,
and two of whom shall be persons representing families of individuals recovering from
substance abuse problems; (2) the chairmen of the regional mental health boards established pursuant to section 17a-484; (3) one designee of each such board; (4) two designees from each of the five subregions represented by the substance abuse subregional
planning and action councils established pursuant to section 17a-671; (5) one designee
from each mental health region established pursuant to section 17a-478, each of whom
shall represent individuals with psychiatric disabilities, selected by such regional mental
health boards in collaboration with advocacy groups; and (6) one designee from each
of the five subregions represented by such substance abuse subregional planning and
action councils, each of whom shall represent individuals recovering from substance
abuse problems, selected by such substance abuse subregional planning and action councils in collaboration with advocacy groups. The members of the board shall serve without
compensation except for necessary expenses incurred in performing their duties. The
members of the board may include representatives of nongovernment organizations or
groups, and of state agencies, concerned with planning, operation or utilization of facilities providing mental health and substance abuse services, including consumers and
providers of such services who are familiar with the need for such services, except that
no more than half of the members of the board shall be providers of such services.
Appointed members shall serve on the board for terms of four years each and members
who are designees shall serve on the board at the pleasure of the designating authority.
No appointed member of the board shall be employed by the state or be a member of
the staff of any institution for which such member's compensation is paid wholly by
the state. No appointed member may serve more than two successive terms plus the
balance of any unexpired term to which such member has been appointed. A majority
of the board shall constitute a quorum.
(b) Whenever the term "Board of Mental Health" is used or referred to in the following sections of the general statutes, the term "Board of Mental Health and Addiction
Services" shall be substituted in lieu thereof: 2c-2b, 17a-457, 17a-460, 17a-467, 17a-473, 17a-564.
(1953, S. 1524d; 1957, P.A. 73; 650, S. 21; 652, S. 2; 1969, P.A. 212; 1972, P.A. 145, S. 5; P.A. 76-339, S. 4, 5; P.A.
81-473, S. 40, 43; P.A. 95-257, S. 13, 58; P.A. 00-101.)
History: 1969 act increased number of members from 7 to 9, added appointment provisions and established 4-year
terms; 1972 act limited number of terms members allowed to serve; P.A. 76-339 included as board member the chairmen
of the regional mental health boards; P.A. 81-473 increased membership of board from 13 to 20 and conformed board
make-up to federal requirements for a mental health advisory body; Sec. 17-207 transferred to Sec. 17a-456 in 1991; P.A.
95-257 increased membership from 10 to 15, specified 5 with substance abuse experience and 5 from mental health
community, added Subsec. (a)(4) re additional designees, changed the name of the board by adding "addiction services"
and added Subsec. (b) re substitution of the new name, effective July 1, 1995; P.A. 00-101 amended Subsec. (a) by increasing
the number of board members, adding provisions in Subdivs. (1) and (4) and new Subdivs. (5) and (6) specifying the
additional appointees and designees, changing from mandatory to discretionary a provision re certain representatives
included as board members, adding provisions re service of appointed members and members who are designees, and
making conforming and technical changes.
See title 2c re termination under "Sunset Law".