Behavioral Health Administration

The act creates the behavioral health administration (BHA) in the department of human services (department) to create a coordinated, cohesive, and effective behavioral health system in the state. The BHA will handle most of the behavioral health programs that were previously handled by the office of behavioral health in the department. The act establishes a commissioner as the head of the BHA and authorizes the commissioner and state board of human services to adopt and amend rules that previously were promulgated by the executive director of the department.