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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to increasing and improving the mental health and |
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substance use disorder workforce in this state and increasing the |
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capacity of local mental health authorities to provide access to |
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mental health services in certain counties. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Sections 531.0221 and 531.02253 to read as |
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follows: |
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Sec. 531.0221. INITIATIVE TO INCREASE MENTAL HEALTH |
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SERVICES CAPACITY IN RURAL AREAS. (a) In this section, "local |
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mental health authority group" means a group of local mental health |
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authorities established under Subsection (b)(2). |
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(b) Not later than January 1, 2020, the commission, using |
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existing resources, shall: |
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(1) identify each local mental health authority that |
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is located in a county with a population of 250,000 or less or that |
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the commission determines provides services predominantly in a |
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county with a population of 250,000 or less; |
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(2) in a manner that the commission determines will |
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best achieve the reductions described by Subsection (d), assign the |
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authorities identified under Subdivision (1) to regional groups of |
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at least two authorities; and |
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(3) notify each authority identified under |
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Subdivision (1): |
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(A) that the commission has identified the |
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authority under that subdivision; and |
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(B) which local mental health authority group the |
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commission assigned the authority to under Subdivision (2). |
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(c) The commission, using existing resources, shall develop |
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a mental health services development plan for each local mental |
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health authority group that will increase the capacity of the |
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authorities in the group to provide access to needed services. |
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(d) In developing a plan under Subsection (c), the |
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commission shall focus on reducing: |
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(1) the cost to local governments of providing |
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services to persons experiencing a mental health crisis; |
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(2) the transportation of persons served by an |
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authority in the local mental health authority group to mental |
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health facilities; |
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(3) the incarceration of persons with mental illness |
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in county jails that are located in an area served by an authority |
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in the local mental health authority group; and |
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(4) the number of hospital emergency room visits by |
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persons with mental illness at hospitals located in an area served |
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by an authority in the local mental health authority group. |
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(e) In developing a plan under Subsection (c): |
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(1) the commission shall assess the capacity of the |
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authorities in the local mental health authority group to provide |
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access to needed services; and |
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(2) the commission and the local mental health |
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authority group shall evaluate: |
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(A) whether and to what degree increasing the |
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capacity of the authorities in the local mental health authority |
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group to provide access to needed services would offset the cost to |
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state or local governmental entities of: |
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(i) the transportation of persons for |
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mental health services to facilities that are not local providers; |
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(ii) admissions to and inpatient |
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hospitalizations at state hospitals or other treatment facilities; |
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(iii) the provision of services by hospital |
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emergency rooms to persons with mental illness who are served by or |
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reside in an area served by an authority in the local mental health |
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authority group; and |
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(iv) the incarceration in county jails of |
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persons with mental illness who are served by or reside in an area |
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served by an authority in the local mental health authority group; |
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(B) whether available state funds or grant |
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funding sources could be used to fund the plan; and |
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(C) what measures would be necessary to ensure |
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that the plan aligns with the statewide behavioral health strategic |
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plan and the comprehensive inpatient mental health plan. |
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(f) In each mental health services development plan |
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produced under this section, the commission, in collaboration with |
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the local mental health authority group, shall determine a method |
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of increasing the capacity of the authorities in the local mental |
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health authority group to provide access to needed services. |
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(g) The commission shall compile and evaluate each mental |
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health services development plan produced under this section and |
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determine: |
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(1) the cost-effectiveness of each plan; and |
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(2) how each plan would improve the delivery of mental |
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health treatment and care to residents in the service areas of the |
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authorities in the local mental health authority group. |
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(h) Not later than December 1, 2020, the commission, using |
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existing resources, shall produce and publish on its Internet |
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website a report containing: |
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(1) the commission's evaluation of each plan under |
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Subsection (g); |
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(2) each mental health services development plan |
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evaluated by the commission under Subsection (g); and |
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(3) a comprehensive statewide analysis of mental |
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health services in counties with a population of 250,000 or less, |
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including recommendations to the legislature for implementing the |
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plans developed under this section. |
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(i) The commission and the authorities in each local mental |
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health authority group may implement a mental health services |
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development plan evaluated by the commission under this section if |
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the commission and the local mental health authority group to which |
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the plan applies identify a method of funding that implementation. |
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(j) This section expires September 1, 2021. |
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Sec. 531.02253. COMPREHENSIVE WORKFORCE PLAN FOR MENTAL |
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HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE. (a) The statewide behavioral health |
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coordinating council, under the direction of the commission, shall |
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develop and the commission shall implement a comprehensive plan to |
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increase and improve the workforce in this state to serve persons |
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with mental health and substance use issues. In developing the |
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plan, the council shall analyze and consider available studies, |
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reports, and recommendations regarding that segment of the |
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workforce in this state or elsewhere. |
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(b) The plan must include: |
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(1) a strategy and timeline for implementing the plan, |
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including short-term, medium-term, and long-term goals; |
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(2) a system for monitoring the implementation of the |
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plan; and |
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(3) a method for evaluating the outcomes of the plan. |
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SECTION 2. Not later than September 1, 2020, the statewide |
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behavioral health coordinating council shall develop and the Health |
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and Human Services Commission shall begin implementing the plan |
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required under Section 531.02253, Government Code, as added by this |
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Act. |
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SECTION 3. The statewide behavioral health coordinating |
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council and the Health and Human Services Commission are required |
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to implement a provision of this Act only if the legislature |
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appropriates money specifically for that purpose. If the |
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legislature does not appropriate money specifically for that |
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purpose, the council and the commission may, but are not required |
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to, implement the provision using other appropriations made to the |
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commission that are available for that purpose. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |
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