Vermont H 227: An act relating to establishing a residential peer respite facility in southern Vermont

Bill Text

BILL AS INTRODUCED H.227
2025 Page 1 of 3

VT LEG #379609 v.4
H.227 1
Introduced by Representatives Bos-Lun of Westminster, Austin of Colchester, 2
Bishop of Colchester, Burtt of Cabot, Campbell of St. 3
Johnsbury, Carris-Duncan of Whitingham, Chapin of East 4
Montpelier, Christie of Hartford, Cina of Burlington, Coffin of 5
Cavendish, Cordes of Bristol, Dodge of Essex, Donahue of 6
Northfield, Eastes of Guilford, Headrick of Burlington, Hooper 7
of Burlington, Kleppner of Burlington, Lipsky of Stowe, Logan 8
of Burlington, McCann of Montpelier, McGill of Bridport, 9
Morrow of Weston, Mrowicki of Putney, Olson of Starksboro, 10
Pezzo of Colchester, Pouech of Hinesburg, and Surprenant of 11
Barnard 12
Referred to Committee on 13
Date: 14
Subject: Health; mental health; crisis diversion; peer respite facility 15
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to establish a 16
residential peer respite facility that provides support and services to individuals 17
experiencing a mental health crisis. 18
An act relating to establishing a residential peer respite facility in southern 19
Vermont 20

BILL AS INTRODUCED H.227
2025 Page 2 of 3

VT LEG #379609 v.4
It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont: 1
Sec. 1. LEGISLATIVE INTENT 2
It is the intent of the General Assembly that: 3
(1) by increasing from four to six the number of psychiatric residential 4
beds that the Department of Mental Health oversees or contracts for statewide, 5
in addition to those currently available in northern and central Vermont, a 6
greater number of individuals in crisis will be successfully diverted from 7
inpatient psychiatric settings; 8
(2) by providing adequate residential alternatives to hospitalization for 9
individuals in mental health crisis, Vermonters will have greater access to 10
residential support and various therapeutic options during mental health crisis; 11
(3) by expanding peer-supported programming, individuals in mental 12
health crisis seeking an alternative to hospitalization receive effective, 13
compassionate, and affordable care; 14
(4) the State and those individuals seeking support during a mental 15
health crisis may avoid incurring expensive hospitalization costs; and 16
(5) by providing more residential beds for short- to medium-term stays, 17
individuals in mental health crisis will have fewer long-term stays in Vermont 18
hospital emergency departments. 19

BILL AS INTRODUCED H.227
2025 Page 3 of 3

VT LEG #379609 v.4
Sec. 2. RESIDENTIAL PEER RESPITE FACILITY 1
(a) The Department of Mental Health shall issue a request for proposals to 2
establish a two-bed residential peer respite facility in southern Vermont based 3
on an existing model that provides supports and services to individuals 4
experiencing a mental health crisis. 5
(b) A successful applicant shall ensure that: 6
(1) at least one bed in the facility may be reserved for stays of up to four 7
weeks; and 8
(2) the remaining bed is reserved for short-term residential stays of up to 9
two weeks. 10
(c) On or before January 1, 2026, the Department shall contract with an 11
eligible applicant to establish and operate a residential peer respite facility in 12
accordance with this section. 13
Sec. 3. APPROPRIATION; RESIDENTIAL PEER RESPITE FACILITY 14
In fiscal year 2026, $515,000.00 is appropriated from the General Fund to 15
the Department of Mental Health for the purpose of contracting with an entity 16
to establish and operate a residential peer respite facility pursuant to Sec. 2 17
(residential peer respite facility) of this act. 18
Sec. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE 19
This act shall take effect on July 1, 2025. 20