To amend section 5122.34 and to enact section 2305.51 of the Revised Code with regard to actions by mental health professionals and organizations to predict, warn of, or take precautions to prevent the violent behavior of mental health clients or patients.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:

Sec. 2305.51. (A) AS USED IN THIS SECTION:

(1) "MENTAL HEALTH CLIENT OR PATIENT" MEANS AN INDIVIDUAL WHO IS RECEIVING MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FROM A MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL OR ORGANIZATION.

(2) "MENTAL HEALTH ORGANIZATION" MEANS AN ORGANIZATION THAT ENGAGES ONE OR MORE MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS TO PROVIDE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES TO ONE OR MORE MENTAL HEALTH CLIENTS OR PATIENTS.

(3) "MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL" MEANS AN INDIVIDUAL WHO IS LICENSED, CERTIFIED, OR REGISTERED UNDER THE REVISED CODE, OR OTHERWISE AUTHORIZED IN THIS STATE, TO PROVIDE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR COMPENSATION, REMUNERATION, OR OTHER PERSONAL GAIN.

(4) "MENTAL HEALTH SERVICE" MEANS A SERVICE PROVIDED TO AN INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS INVOLVING THE APPLICATION OF MEDICAL, PSYCHIATRIC, PSYCHOLOGICAL, COUNSELING, SOCIAL WORK, OR NURSING PRINCIPLES OR PROCEDURES TO EITHER OF THE FOLLOWING:

(a) THE ASSESSMENT, DIAGNOSIS, PREVENTION, TREATMENT, OR AMELIORATION OF MENTAL, EMOTIONAL, PSYCHIATRIC, PSYCHOLOGICAL, OR PSYCHOSOCIAL DISORDERS OR DISEASES, AS DESCRIBED IN THE MOST RECENT EDITION OF THE "DIAGNOSTIC AND STATISTICAL MANUAL OF MENTAL DISORDERS" PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATION;

(b) THE ASSESSMENT OR IMPROVEMENT OF MENTAL, EMOTIONAL, PSYCHIATRIC, PSYCHOLOGICAL, OR PSYCHOSOCIAL ADJUSTMENT OR FUNCTIONING, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THERE IS A DIAGNOSABLE, PRE-EXISTING DISORDER OR DISEASE.

(5) "KNOWLEDGEABLE PERSON" MEANS AN INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS REASON TO BELIEVE THAT A MENTAL HEALTH CLIENT OR PATIENT HAS THE INTENT AND ABILITY TO CARRY OUT AN EXPLICIT THREAT OF INFLICTING IMMINENT AND SERIOUS PHYSICAL HARM TO OR CAUSING THE DEATH OF A CLEARLY IDENTIFIABLE POTENTIAL VICTIM OR VICTIMS AND WHO IS EITHER AN IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEMBER OF THE CLIENT OR PATIENT OR AN INDIVIDUAL WHO OTHERWISE PERSONALLY KNOWS THE CLIENT OR PATIENT.

(B) A MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL OR MENTAL HEALTH ORGANIZATION MAY BE HELD LIABLE IN DAMAGES IN A CIVIL ACTION, OR MAY BE MADE SUBJECT TO DISCIPLINARY ACTION BY AN ENTITY WITH LICENSING OR OTHER REGULATORY AUTHORITY OVER THE PROFESSIONAL OR ORGANIZATION, FOR SERIOUS PHYSICAL HARM OR DEATH RESULTING FROM FAILING TO PREDICT, WARN OF, OR TAKE PRECAUTIONS TO PROVIDE PROTECTION FROM THE VIOLENT BEHAVIOR OF A MENTAL HEALTH CLIENT OR PATIENT, ONLY IF THE CLIENT OR PATIENT OR A KNOWLEDGEABLE PERSON HAS COMMUNICATED TO THE PROFESSIONAL OR ORGANIZATION AN EXPLICIT THREAT OF INFLICTING IMMINENT AND SERIOUS PHYSICAL HARM TO OR CAUSING THE DEATH OF ONE OR MORE CLEARLY IDENTIFIABLE POTENTIAL VICTIMS, THE PROFESSIONAL OR ORGANIZATION HAS REASON TO BELIEVE THAT THE CLIENT OR PATIENT HAS THE INTENT AND ABILITY TO CARRY OUT THE THREAT, AND THE PROFESSIONAL OR ORGANIZATION FAILS TO TAKE ONE OR MORE OF THE FOLLOWING ACTIONS IN A TIMELY MANNER:

(1) EXERCISE ANY AUTHORITY THE PROFESSIONAL OR ORGANIZATION POSSESSES TO HOSPITALIZE THE CLIENT OR PATIENT ON AN EMERGENCY BASIS PURSUANT TO SECTION 5122.10 OF THE REVISED CODE;

(2) EXERCISE ANY AUTHORITY THE PROFESSIONAL OR ORGANIZATION POSSESSES TO HAVE THE CLIENT OR PATIENT INVOLUNTARILY OR VOLUNTARILY HOSPITALIZED UNDER CHAPTER 5122. OF THE REVISED CODE;

(3) ESTABLISH AND UNDERTAKE A DOCUMENTED TREATMENT PLAN THAT IS REASONABLY CALCULATED, ACCORDING TO APPROPRIATE STANDARDS OF PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE, TO MINIMIZE THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE CLIENT OR PATIENT WILL CARRY OUT THE THREAT;

(4) COMMUNICATE TO A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY WITH JURISDICTION IN THE AREA WHERE EACH POTENTIAL VICTIM RESIDES OR WHERE THE MENTAL HEALTH CLIENT OR PATIENT RESIDES, AND IF FEASIBLE, COMMUNICATE TO EACH POTENTIAL VICTIM OR A POTENTIAL VICTIM'S PARENT OR GUARDIAN IF THE POTENTIAL VICTIM IS A MINOR OR HAS BEEN ADJUDICATED INCOMPETENT, ALL OF THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:

(a) THE NATURE OF THE THREAT;

(b) THE IDENTITY OF THE MENTAL HEALTH CLIENT OR PATIENT MAKING THE THREAT;

(c) THE IDENTITY OF EACH POTENTIAL VICTIM OF THE THREAT.

(C) ALL OF THE FOLLOWING APPLY WHEN A MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL OR ORGANIZATION TAKES ONE OR MORE OF THE ACTIONS SET FORTH IN DIVISIONS (B)(1) TO (4) OF THIS SECTION:

(1) THE MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL OR ORGANIZATION SHALL CONSIDER EACH OF THE ALTERNATIVES SET FORTH AND SHALL DOCUMENT THE REASONS FOR CHOOSING OR REJECTING EACH ALTERNATIVE.

(2) THE MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL OR ORGANIZATION MAY GIVE SPECIAL CONSIDERATION TO THOSE ALTERNATIVES WHICH, CONSISTENT WITH PUBLIC SAFETY, WOULD LEAST ABRIDGE THE RIGHTS OF THE MENTAL HEALTH CLIENT OR PATIENT ESTABLISHED UNDER THE REVISED CODE, INCLUDING THE RIGHTS SPECIFIED IN SECTIONS 5122.27 TO 5122.31 OF THE REVISED CODE.

(3) THE MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL OR ORGANIZATION IS NOT REQUIRED TO TAKE ANY ACTION THAT, IN THE EXERCISE OF REASONABLE PROFESSIONAL JUDGMENT, WOULD ENDANGER THE PROFESSIONAL OR ORGANIZATION, INCREASE THE DANGER TO A POTENTIAL VICTIM, OR INCREASE THE DANGER TO THE MENTAL HEALTH CLIENT OR PATIENT.

(4) THE MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL OR ORGANIZATION IS NOT LIABLE IN DAMAGES IN A CIVIL ACTION, AND SHALL NOT BE MADE SUBJECT TO DISCIPLINARY ACTION BY ANY ENTITY WITH LICENSING OR OTHER REGULATORY AUTHORITY OVER THE PROFESSIONAL OR ORGANIZATION, FOR DISCLOSING ANY CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION ABOUT A MENTAL HEALTH CLIENT OR PATIENT THAT IS DISCLOSED FOR THE PURPOSE OF TAKING ANY OF THE ACTIONS.

(D) THE IMMUNITIES FROM CIVIL LIABILITY AND DISCIPLINARY ACTION CONFERRED BY THIS SECTION ARE IN ADDITION TO AND NOT IN LIMITATION OF ANY IMMUNITY CONFERRED ON A MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL OR ORGANIZATION BY ANY OTHER SECTION OF THE REVISED CODE OR BY JUDICIAL PRECEDENT.

Sec. 5122.34. (A) Persons, including, but not limited to, boards of alcohol, drug addiction, and mental health services and community mental health agencies, acting in good faith, either upon actual knowledge or information thought by them to be reliable, who procedurally or physically assist in the hospitalization or discharge, determination of appropriate placement, or in judicial proceedings of a person under this chapter, do not come within any criminal provisions, and are free from any liability to the person hospitalized or to any other person. No

(B) REGARDLESS OF WHETHER ANY AFFIRMATIVE ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN UNDER THIS CHAPTER WITH RESPECT TO A MENTAL HEALTH CLIENT OR PATIENT AND EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE PROVIDED IN SECTION 2305.51 OF THE REVISED CODE, NO person shall be liable for any harm that results to any other person as a result of failing to disclose any confidential information about a THE mental health client OR PATIENT, or failing to otherwise attempt to protect such other person from harm by such client OR PATIENT. This

(C) THIS section applies to expert witnesses who testify at hearings under this chapter.

(D) THE IMMUNITY FROM LIABILITY CONFERRED BY THIS SECTION IS IN ADDITION TO AND NOT IN LIMITATION OF ANY IMMUNITY CONFERRED BY ANY OTHER SECTION OF THE REVISED CODE OR BY JUDICIAL PRECEDENT.