(1) The department shall not place a person with a behavioral or serious mental health disorder in long- term isolated confinement except when exigent circumstances are present. (2) (a) There is hereby established within the department a serious mental illness in long- term isolated confinement work group, referred to in this section as the "work group". The work group consists of: (I) The deputy executive director of the department, or his or her designee, who shall convene and serve as the chair of the work group; (II) The director of clinical and correctional services, within the department, or his or her designee; (III) The director of prisons, within the department, or his or her designee; (IV) The chief of psychiatry, within the department, or his or her designee; (V) The director of behavioral health, within the department, or his or her designee; (VI) Two representatives from a nonprofit prisoners' rights advocacy group, one who is appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives and one who is appointed by the president of the senate; and (VII) Two mental health professionals independent from the department with particular knowledge of prisons and conditions of confinement, one who is appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives and one who is appointed by the president of the senate. (b) (I) The work group shall advise the department on policies and procedures related to the proper treatment and care of offenders with serious behavioral or mental health disorders in long-term isolated confinement, with a focus on persons with serious behavioral or mental health disorders in long-term isolated confinement. (II) The work group has the power to request, on a periodic basis, information and data from the department on the status of the department's work on the subject matter of the work group. (c) The chair of the work group shall convene the work group's first meeting no later than July 1, 2014, and the work group must meet at least semi-annually thereafter. The chair shall schedule and convene the work group's meetings. (d) The chair shall provide the work group with quarterly updates on the department's policies related to the work group's subject area. (3) (a) The department shall allow medication-assisted treatment, as it is defined in section 23-21-803, to be provided to individuals who are placed in the custody of the department who were receiving such treatment in a local jail prior to being placed in the custody of the department. (b) The department may enter into agreements with community agencies, behavioral health organizations, and substance use disorder treatment organizations to assist in the development and administration of medication-assisted treatment pursuant to this section. (4) Repealed.
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