AB 774

This bill provides that the Department of Corrections' training program for

correctional officers must include training to identify symptoms of active psychosis

among prisoners and training on how to report such symptoms to the superintendent

of the correctional institution and to appropriate medical personnel at the

correctional institution.

Under current law, DOC may authorize a voluntary transfer of a prisoner from

a jail or prison to a mental health treatment facility if, in the opinion of a physician

or psychologist of the jail, the prison, or DOC, the prisoner meets the requirements

for the voluntary transfer. Under the bill, DOC may authorize a voluntary transfer

if, in the opinion of a health care professional of the jail, the prison, or DOC, the

prisoner meets the requirements for the voluntary transfer. The bill defines a

“health care professional” as a physician, psychologist, registered nurse, licensed

practical nurse, or physician assistant.

The bill also provides that DOC must authorize an emergency transfer of a

prisoner from a prison or jail to a mental health treatment facility or the Wisconsin

Resource Center if there is cause to believe the prisoner is in active psychosis and is

a danger to himself or herself or to others. If 48 hours have passed since DOC

authorized an emergency transfer of a prisoner in active psychosis, the bill requires

the attending health care professional of the sending institution to evaluate the

prisoner every 24 hours until the prisoner is transferred. Upon an emergency

transfer of a prisoner from a prison or jail to a mental health treatment facility or the

Wisconsin Resource Center, the correctional custodian and the attending health care

professional of the sending institution must jointly execute a statement of emergency

detention or a petition for emergency commitment for the prisoner and deliver it to

the mental health treatment facility or the Wisconsin Resource Center. Under

current law, only the correctional custodian of the sending institution must execute

the statement of emergency detention or petition for emergency commitment.