Pennsylvania Act 1987-32 — COMMISSIONER OF MENTAL HEALTH - APPOINTMENT, POWERS & DUTIES

Act text

AN ACT

Providing for the appointment of a Commissioner of Mental Health; establishing powers and duties of the commissioner; and making a repeal.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1. Commissioner of Mental Health.

The Secretary of Public Welfare shall appoint, with the approval of the Governor, a deputy secretary who shall have the title of Commissioner of Mental Health and who shall have training and experience in the field of mental health, as well as broad administrative experience. The commissioner, with the approval of the secretary, shall develop plans and programs and make recommendations with respect to the general policy of the Commonwealth's mental health program. The commissioner shall initiate, develop and, with the approval of the secretary, carry into effect plans and programs designed to prevent, treat and cure the mentally ill. The commissioner shall recommend to the secretary such professional and skilled personnel as may be necessary to carry out the plans and programs of the department in the field of mental health. The commissioner shall organize and institute intensive and specialized training of mental health personnel in order to qualify them for dealing with special problems presented by the criminal population and shall establish, operate and maintain, in the larger district offices of the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole, units to provide psychological and psychiatric services to the board and shall assign to these units trained personnel specialized in psychiatry and psychology. The commissioner shall recommend to the secretary the appointment of the superintendents of State mental institutions who in turn shall assign, appoint and dismiss personnel of the institutions.

Compiler's Note: The Secretary of Public Welfare, referred to in this section, was redesignated as the Secretary of Human Services by Act 132 of 2014.

Section 2. Repeals.

Section 1111 of the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), known as the Public Welfare Code, is hereby repealed.

Compiler's Note: The short title of the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), known as the Public Welfare Code, referred to in this section, was amended by the act of December 28, 2015 (P.L.500, No.92). The amended short title is now the Human Services Code.

Section 3. Effective date.

This act shall take effect in 60 days.