Relating to: clinician initiation of emergency detention of a minor and providing a penalty.

SB 109 allows licensed mental health clinicians (like psychologists, psychiatrists, or clinical social workers) in counties with fewer than 750,000 residents to initiate emergency detentions for minors under specific conditions. To qualify, clinicians must complete county-approved training, document their belief that a minor is mentally ill, drug-dependent, or developmentally disabled, and confirm that custody is the least restrictive option. The county department of community programs must approve the detention before a minor can be taken into custody and transported to a treatment facility. This bill directly affects clinicians who may now initiate such detentions, minors in crisis, and county departments responsible for oversight and transportation.