24 U.S.C. § 225g — Financing provisions

(a) Authorization of appropriations: Congress may appropriate grant money, through the Secretary of Health and Human Services, for the District of Columbia comprehensive mental health system: $30,000,000 for fiscal year 1988, $24,000,000 for 1989, $18,000,000 for 1990, and $12,000,000 for 1991. (b) Federal agencies; payments to District of costs for treatment of certain patients; responsibility of U.S. for service costs: (1) Starting October 1, 1987, and every year after, the appropriate federal agency must pay the District the full cost of mental health diagnostic and treatment services for: (A) anyone referred to the system under a federal law or by a federal agency; (B) anyone referred for emergency detention or involuntary commitment after being taken into custody because of (i) an act or threat of action against a federal official, (ii) an act or threat of action on White House or Capitol grounds, or (iii) a District criminal-commitment law (chapter 9 of title 21, D.C. Code); and (C) anyone referred because of a federal criminal case, including people admitted for observation and diagnosis, found incompetent to stand trial, or found not guilty by reason of insanity. This rule covers referrals made both before and after November 8, 1984. (2) The federal government paying for these patients doesn't change the District's duties under the Interstate Compact on Mental Health. (c) Financial responsibility during coordination period: (1) During the service coordination and financial transition periods, the District must gradually take on a bigger share of the cost of mental health services provided to patients not covered by subsection (b). (2) This paragraph was omitted from the law. (d) Shared responsibility for capital improvements: Subject to section 225b(f)(2), the District and the federal government share responsibility for capital improvements made to Saint Elizabeths Hospital buildings during the service coordination period, following Public Law 83–472. (e) Unassigned liabilities; sole responsibility of Federal Government: Based on the financial audit required by section 225b(f), any unassigned liabilities of the Hospital become the sole responsibility of the federal government. (f) Audit to determine liability of Federal Government for accrued annual leave balances; authorization of appropriations: (1) After the service coordination period ends, the Secretary must audit, using standard accounting procedures, how much the federal government owes for unused annual leave for employees the District took on under the system implementation plan. (2) Congress may appropriate money for the federal government to pay the District an amount equal to what that audit finds. (g) Authority; District; collection of costs for mental health services: Nothing in this subchapter limits the District's existing power under other laws to collect costs it bills for mental health services — but the District cannot collect the same costs from more than one party. (h) Responsibility of United States for certain claims: The federal government alone is responsible for: (1) all claims and lawsuits against Saint Elizabeths Hospital that arose before October 1, 1987, no matter when the lawsuit was filed — except that for tort claims, the United States is only responsible for claims against it that arose before that date, and the United States cannot settle a claim in a way that makes the District liable without the District's consent, which cannot be unreasonably withheld; and (2) all claims that resulted in a judgment or award against Saint Elizabeths Hospital before October 1, 1987.