The Government Modernization, Efficiency, Accountability, and Transparency Act of 2005 requires State agencies to post information on their websites about public meetings, proposed regulations, and how to comment or otherwise participate. The Department of Mental Health (DMH) seeks comments on all proposed regulations, in keeping with Vermont’s commitment to provide meaningful involvement in government decisions. DMH also welcomes your participation in public meetings.

A list of Statutes that Affect Mental Health can also be found at the bottom of this page.

Department of Mental Health Strategic Planning 

The Department of Mental Health is in the process of developing a 3-5 year strategic plan, and we are soliciting feedback from interested parties about our plan. For more information about the strategic planning process that has occurred to date and the feedback we have received, please view the Strategic Planning page.

Mental Health Legislation

To learn about current legislative bills and their status, please visit the "bill tracking" section of Vermont State Legislature's Home Page by clicking here.

To access recent Legislative Reports, please see the Legislative section of the Reports and Data page.

Policies Under Review

• Development and Dissemination of DMH Policies

• Please use the DMH Policy Comment Form if you would like to give feedback on the policies under review.

Adult Mental Health

• CRT Eligibility for Schizophrenia Memo from Commissioner Hartman - (October 16, 2009)  (Sent to Designated Agency and Designated Hospital Medical Director's, CRT Directors, Designated Agency Executive Directors and Children Directors)

• Community Rehabilitation and Treatment (CRT) Client Handbook (January 2008) for people who are new to the CRT Program

• Community Rehabilitation and Treatment (CRT) Provider Manual Sections 1 through 3 and Sections 4 through 8 (March 2004) describes the necessary policies and procedures in detail and contains prototype policies to be adapted by each CRT program.

• Revised Grievances and Appeals Provider Manual (Updated August 2012)

• Grievances and Appeals Training Guide for Designated Agencies (April 2008)

• Qualified Mental Health Professional Guide for Involuntary Psychiatric Evaluations and Hospitalization (November 2011) this manual provides mental health practitioners with a guide to procedures for involuntary psychiatric evaluations in the State of Vermont.

• Qualified Mental Health Professional Designation Guidelines Medicaid Fee-For-Service Procedures Manual (October 20, 2006)

• Medicaid Inpatient Authorization Manual (December 17, 2012)

Children & Family

• Revised Grievances and Appeals Provider Manual (Updated August 2012)

• Procedural Guidelines for Prior Authorization of Out-of-Home Treatment (January 2011)

• Procedural Guidelines for Prior Authorization of Out-of-State Residential Treatment (January 2011)

• Minimum Standards for Behavior Interventionists (March 2009)

• Referrals to the Case Review Committee (CRC) for Residential Treatment or Assessment For Children/Youth in the Custody of Their Parents or Guardians (April 2008)

• Policies and Procedures for the Case Review Committee (April 2012)

• Procedure for notifying the Department for Children and Families for children placed out of home who have Adoption Assistance Subsidies (April 2008)

• Transporation Memo of Children Under 10 (March 17, 2011)

Green Mountain Psychiatric Care Center 

• Admission Certification (October 23, 2012)

• Admissions of Persons Under the Age of 18 (October 23, 2012)

• Admissions (October 23, 2012)

• Advance Directives (October 23, 2012)

• Court Orders (Order for Hospitalization) (October 31, 2012)

• Duty to Notify (October 23, 2012)

• Duty to Warn (October 30, 2012)

• Elopement-Late Return  (October 29, 2012)

• Emergency Involuntary Procedures (October 30, 2012)

• Emergency Medical Response (October 23, 2012)

• Employee Injury Reporting (October 30, 2012)

• Escorting Patients (October 23, 2012)

• Event Reporting (October 31, 2012)

• Event Review (October 30, 2012)

• Governance (November 6, 2012)

• Grievance and Appeals (October 23, 2012)

• Hospital Access (October 30, 2012)

• Informed Consent (October 23, 2012)

• Isolation Procedure: Airborne Precautions (October 31, 2012)

• Law Enforcement Contract with Patients (October 31, 2012)

• Levels of Autonomy and Supervision (October 31, 2012)

• Levels of Observation (October 30, 2012)

• License Validation (October 30, 2012)

• Limited English Proficiency (October 31, 2012)

• Mandatory Reporting (October 23, 2012)

• Media (October 30, 2012)

• Medical Records (October 30, 2012)

• Medical Records Access by the Patient (October 30, 2012)

• Non-Discrimination (October 30, 2012)

• Non-Emergency Involuntary Medication (October 30, 2012)

• Organ and Tissue Donation (October 23, 2012)

• Orientation Conditions of Employment, Conflicts of Interest (October 23, 2012)

• Patient Court Restrictions (November 6, 2012)

• Patient Death (October 31, 2012)

• Patient Identification (October 23, 2012)

• Patient Internet Access (October 23, 2012)

• Patient Rights (October 30, 2012)

• Patient Vehicle (October 23, 2012)

• Patient Visitors (October 23, 2012)

• Positive Behavior Supports (October 23, 2012)

• Professional Behavior and Personal Boundaries (October 23, 2012)

• Rehabilitation Services (October 30, 2012)

• Reporting Patient Criminal Activity to Law Enforcement (October 23, 2012)

• Representative Payee (October 30, 2012)

• Respiratory Therapy Services (October 30, 2012)

• Restricted Items and Search (October 23, 2012)

• Risk Assessment (October 30, 2012)

• Securing the Scene (October 31, 2012)

• Services to the Deaf and Hearing Impaired Patients (October 23, 2012)

• Short Visit and Intrastate Transfer (October 23, 2012)

• Staff Access to Patient Information and Confidentiality (October 23, 2012)

• Staff Phone Use (November 6, 2012)

• Tobacco-Free Hospital (October 30, 2012)

• Training (October 30, 2012)

• Transporting Patients (October 30, 2012)

• Treatment Planning (October 30, 2012)

• Volunteer (October 30, 2012)

• Waived Testing (October 30, 2012)

• Weapons (October 23, 2012)

Statutes and Rules that Affect Mental Health Services

• Act 79

• Administrative Rules on Agency Designation - June 2003

Home Providers and Respite Workers (18 V.S.A. § 7103) (Also known as Peggy's Law) was passed in Vermont in May 2002 to assure that home providers and day/overnight respite workers have relevant information about mental health and developmental services consumers so that providers can make an informed decision about whether to agree to provide care for a consumer in their own home. Additional information and the disclosure form can be found in the following documents.

• Mandatory Disclosure Form for Home Providers and Respite Workers
• Mandatory Disclosure Guidelines for Home Providers & Respite Workers
• Mandatory Disclosure Frequently Asked Questions

Act 264: Relating to the Creation of an Advisory Board and State and Local Interagency Teams to Assist in the Provision of Care for Children and Adolescents with Severe Emotional Disturbances - June 1988 Approved; Revised April 1990

• SAMHSA STATEMENT OF POSITION - 06.10.10