Appropriation; additional to DMH-Children & Youth PRTF, ARPA funds.

This Mississippi bill appropriates $20 million from the state's Capital Expense Fund to support the construction and renovation of the CARES Center, a facility for children and youth psychiatric treatment. The funds are designated for a subgrant to Canopy Children's Solutions, which must agree to reserve at least 33 beds for patients under state care and meet specific health regulatory standards. To protect state investment, the legislation requires Canopy to provide a financial security interest in the facility and allows the state to recoup the funds if the facility fails to meet standards for three consecutive months or ceases operations. Additionally, the bill explicitly prohibits using these funds to pay employee premium payments and releases the state from any future obligation to maintain the center if the agreement is breached.