Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Legal and Ethical Assessment Concerning Mental and Behavioral Health Preparedness

The Johns Hopkins Preparedness and Emergency Response Research Center (JH~PERRC), sponsored by the CDC, conducts research that aims to strengthen public health preparedness systems and infrastructure, with a focus on mental and behavioral health. One of the JH~PERRC’s core projects, “Legal and Ethical Assessment Concerning Mental and Behavioral Health Preparedness,” explores and analyzes the many unresolved legal and ethical issues, as well as potential solutions, related to the identification, accommodation, response, and treatment of mental and behavioral health conditions before, during, and after emergencies and disasters. The Project team has produced several publications which are listed below. In addition, the Project team has created a variety of translational tools, accessible through the links below, which provide concise information about key topics.

Publications:

Rutkow L, Vernick JS, Mojtabai R, Rodman SO, Kaufmann CN. Legal challenges for substance abuse treatment during disasters. Psychiatr Serv. 2012;63:7-9.

Rutkow L, Vernick JS, Wissow LS, Kaufmann CN, Hodge JG. Prescribing authority during emergencies: challenges for mental health care providers. J Leg Med. 2011;32:249-260.

Rabins PV, Kass NE, Rutkow L, Vernick JS, Hodge JG. Challenges for mental health services raised by disaster preparedness: mapping the ethical and therapeutic terrain. Biosecur Bioterror. 2011;9:175-179.

Rutkow L, Gable L, Links JM. Protecting the mental health of first responders: legal and ethical considerations. J Law Med Ethics. 2011;39 Supp.1:56-59.

Hodge JG, Rutkow L, Corcoran AJ. A hidden epidemic: assessing the legal environment underlying mental and behavioral health preparedness in emergencies. St. Louis U J Health Law & Policy. 2010;4:33-92.

Hodge JG, Rutkow L, Corcoran AJ. Mental and behavioral health legal preparedness in major emergencies. Public Health Rep. 2010;125:759-762.

Translational Tools:

The Potential Implications of CALIF v. City of Los Angeles for Mental and Behavioral Health Preparedness

Frequently Asked Questions about Legal Preparedness for Health Care Providers and Administrators, Public Health Officials, Emergency Planners, and Others Regarding Mental and Behavioral Health

Prescribing Authority During Declared Emergencies for Mental and Behavioral Health Care Providers

Sample Legal Guidance Letter – Liability for Mental Health Care Providers