Whereas, there are currently insufficient community mental health resources to prevent otherwise unnecessary hospitalization of persons with mental illness; and

Whereas, the Riverview Psychiatric Center being constructed in Augusta will have fewer beds than the facility that it is replacing, the Augusta Mental Health Institute; and

Whereas, the lack of an adequate number of inpatient psychiatric beds imposes long delays in providing definitive care for patients requiring hospitalization; and

Whereas, patients waiting for an acute inpatient psychiatric hospital bed to become available often spend hours to days in emergency departments throughout the State with the secondary result that emergency departments have reduced ability to care for all emergency patients needing care; and

Whereas, the Maine Medical Association, Maine Psychiatric Association, Maine Osteopathic Association, Maine Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians, the Citizens Advisory Group on Mental Health and the Maine Chapter of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill agree that the number of beds planned for the Riverview Psychiatric Center is inadequate; and

Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, therefore, be it

Sec. 1. Maintenance of bed capacity at Augusta Mental Health Institute. Resolved: That the Department of Behavioral and Developmental Services shall maintain one unit of between 18 and 24 beds in the Stone Building at the Augusta Mental Health Institute in a condition and configuration appropriate for patient care for a period of one year after the opening of the Riverview Psychiatric Center; and be it further

Sec. 2. Report of transfer requests. Resolved: That from April 1, 2003 to April 1, 2006 the Department of Behavioral and Developmental Services shall report quarterly to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over health and human services matters the number of requests for transfer to the Augusta Mental Health Institute and the Riverview Psychiatric Center, which is scheduled to open and replace the