Bill Text: TX HB1578 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to establishing the Mental Health Crisis and Suicide Prevention Task Force.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-05-01 - Left pending in committee [HB1578 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-HB1578-Introduced.html
86R5818 EAS-F | ||
By: Thierry | H.B. No. 1578 |
|
||
|
||
relating to establishing the Mental Health Crisis and Suicide | ||
Prevention Task Force. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS. In this Act: | ||
(1) "Commission" means the Health and Human Services | ||
Commission. | ||
(2) "Executive commissioner" means the executive | ||
commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission. | ||
(3) "N-1-1 dial code" means a three-digit telephone | ||
number that connects users to a public safety answering point | ||
through dialing the three-digit telephone number. | ||
(4) "Statewide mental health crisis line" means a | ||
telephonic or other electronic system operated 24 hours a day to | ||
connect a mental or behavioral health professional with persons | ||
experiencing a mental health crisis. | ||
(5) "Task force" means the Mental Health Crisis and | ||
Suicide Prevention Task Force. | ||
SECTION 2. ESTABLISHMENT OF TASK FORCE. The Mental Health | ||
Crisis and Suicide Prevention Task Force is established by the | ||
executive commissioner to study the efficacy and feasibility of | ||
creating a statewide mental health crisis line for treating mental | ||
health crises and preventing suicide. | ||
SECTION 3. COMPOSITION OF TASK FORCE. The task force is | ||
composed of: | ||
(1) the governor's designee; | ||
(2) two members of the senate, appointed by the | ||
lieutenant governor; | ||
(3) two members of the house of representatives, | ||
appointed by the speaker of the house; and | ||
(4) 10 members appointed by the executive commissioner | ||
as follows: | ||
(A) two representatives from the Commission on | ||
State Emergency Communications; | ||
(B) two representatives from the commission's | ||
mental health crisis services office; | ||
(C) two mental or behavioral health clinicians | ||
licensed to practice in this state; | ||
(D) two physicians licensed to practice in this | ||
state, one of whom specializes in psychiatry; | ||
(E) one social worker; and | ||
(F) one community advocate in a relevant field. | ||
SECTION 4. CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR. The executive | ||
commissioner shall appoint from among the task force members a | ||
chair and vice chair. | ||
SECTION 5. MEETINGS; QUORUM. (a) The task force shall meet | ||
at the call of the chair. The chair shall set the agenda for each | ||
meeting. | ||
(b) The action of a majority of a quorum constitutes the | ||
action of the task force. | ||
SECTION 6. COMPENSATION; REIMBURSEMENT. (a) Except as | ||
provided by Subsection (b), a member of the task force may not | ||
receive compensation or reimbursement for service on the task | ||
force. | ||
(b) A task force member who is a legislator engaged in the | ||
business of the task force is entitled to compensation and expenses | ||
as provided by Chapter 660, Government Code. | ||
SECTION 7. STUDY; REPORT. (a) In cooperation with the | ||
commission, the task force shall study: | ||
(1) the efficacy and feasibility of designating an | ||
N-1-1 dial code or another dialing code for use as a statewide | ||
mental health crisis line; and | ||
(2) the advantages and disadvantages of using a | ||
particular statewide N-1-1 dial code or another dialing code for a | ||
statewide mental health crisis line. | ||
(b) Not later than September 1, 2020, the task force shall | ||
prepare and submit to the legislature and the commission a written | ||
report containing the results of the study and a recommendation as | ||
to whether to establish a particular N-1-1 dial code or other | ||
covered dialing code for use as a statewide mental health crisis | ||
line. | ||
(c) If the report submitted under Subsection (b) includes a | ||
recommendation to establish a particular N-1-1 dial code or other | ||
covered dialing code for use as a statewide mental health crisis | ||
line, the report must also include: | ||
(1) an outline of the logistics of designating that | ||
dial code; | ||
(2) an estimate of the costs associated with | ||
designating that dial code, including costs incurred by: | ||
(A) service providers, including: | ||
(i) translation changes in the network; and | ||
(ii) cell site analysis and reprogramming | ||
by wireless carriers; and | ||
(B) the state and political subdivisions; | ||
(3) recommendations for designating the dial code; | ||
(4) a cost-benefit analysis comparing the recommended | ||
dial code with the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, as the | ||
lifeline exists on the date the report is submitted; and | ||
(5) other recommendations as appropriate for | ||
improving the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline generally, | ||
which may include: | ||
(A) increased public education and awareness; | ||
and | ||
(B) improved infrastructure and operations. | ||
SECTION 8. FUNDING. The task force, through the | ||
commission, may accept gifts and grants from any source to fund the | ||
duties of the commission and the task force under this Act. | ||
SECTION 9. APPLICABILITY OF OTHER LAW. Chapter 2110, | ||
Government Code, does not apply to the task force. | ||
SECTION 10. EXPIRATION. This Act expires September 1, | ||
2021. | ||
SECTION 11. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect | ||
September 1, 2019. |