Bill Text: TX HB1904 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Introduced


Bill Title: Relating to the establishment of a border county mental health task force.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2023-03-08 - Referred to Public Health [HB1904 Detail]

Download: Texas-2023-HB1904-Introduced.html
 
 
  By: Gamez H.B. No. 1904
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the establishment of a border county mental health task
  force.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Chapter 533, Health and Safety Code, is amended
  by adding Subchapter F to read as follows:
  SUBCHAPTER F. BORDER COUNTY MENTAL HEALTH TASK FORCE
         Sec. 533.151.  DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "task force"
  means the Border County Mental Health Task Force established under
  this subchapter.
         Sec. 533.152.  SUNSET PROVISION. The task force is subject
  to Chapter 325, Government Code (Texas Sunset Act). Unless
  continued in existence as provided by that chapter, the task force
  is abolished and this subchapter expires September 1, 2035.
         Sec. 533.153.  TASK FORCE; DUTIES. (a) The department shall
  establish the task force to advise the commissioner regarding the
  mental and behavioral health problems, conditions, challenges, and
  needs of the population of a county that:
               (1)  is adjacent to the international border with
  Mexico; and
               (2)  has a population of less than 500,000 and more than
  400,000.
         (b)  The task force shall advise the commissioner on:
               (1)  policy priorities addressing major issues
  affecting the mental and behavioral health of county residents;
               (2)  raising public awareness of the issues described
  by Subdivision (1); and
               (3)  other mental and behavioral health issues
  affecting county residents, as determined by the commissioner,
  including:
                     (A)  barriers to accessing mental and behavioral
  health care;
                     (B)  mental and behavioral health problems,
  including, but not limited to:
                           (i)  suicide;
                           (ii)  depression;
                           (iii)  eating disorders;
                           (iv)  substance abuse;
                           (v)  schizophrenia; and
                           (vi)  bipolar disorder;
                     (C)  factors that impede access to mental and
  behavioral health care, including:
                           (i)  socioeconomic conditions;
                           (ii)  linguistic and cultural barriers;
                           (iii)  low population density; and
                           (iv)  lack of health insurance;
                     (D)  surveillance and tracking of factors that
  negatively affect the residents' mental and behavioral health;
                     (E)  standardization of information collection
  procedures to ensure the compatibility of data collected on both
  sides of the international border with Mexico;
                     (F)  identifying best practices and
  standardization of first responder and law enforcement response to
  individuals suffering mental health crisis;
                     (G)  mental and behavioral health infrastructure
  that includes the establishment of:
                           (i)  education and research institutions to
  train culturally competent mental and behavioral health care
  providers; and
                           (ii)  local and regional mental and
  behavioral health programs that build on local resources and
  maximize the use of public money to address the needs of indigent
  populations; and
                     (H)  consult, collaboration, and cooperation at
  with any:
                           (i)  other health and human services
  agencies;
                           (ii)  other appropriate state or federal
  agencies;
                           (iii)  health science centers and medical
  schools; and
                           (iv)  public and private health care
  providers and hospitals.
                           (v)  Mexican counterparts of the task force;
  or
                           (vi)  federal counterparts of the task force
  operating in the United States.
         Sec. 533.154.  COLLABORATION WITH OFFICE OF BORDER HEALTH.
  The Office of Border Health established under Section 12.071 shall
  provide:
               (1)  staff support to the task force; and
               (2)  to the extent practicable, any other assistance
  required by the task force.
         Sec. 533.155.  COMPOSITION; TERMS. (a) The task force is
  composed of:
               (1)  one member appointed by the commissioner who is a
  first responder or emergency personnel in the county to which this
  task force applies with experience treating patients experiencing
  mental and behavioral health problems;
               (2)  two ex officio nonvoting members who are members
  of the legislature:
                     (A)  one of whom is appointed by the lieutenant
  governor; and
                     (B)  one of whom is appointed by the speaker of the
  house of representatives; and
               (3)  additional voting members appointed by the
  commissioner from the county to which this task force applies
  including but not limited to representatives from:
                     (A)  hospitals;
                     (B)  community health centers;
                     (C)  the local mental health authority;
                     (D)  the county health administration;
                     (E)  a judge with experience in mental health
  diversion proceedings; and
                     (F)  the district attorney's office.
         (b)  The commissioner shall designate a chair and vice chair
  of the task force from among the task force members.
         (c)  The members appointed by the lieutenant governor and the
  speaker of the house of representatives serve three-year terms. The
  remaining members of the task force serve at the pleasure of the
  commissioner.
         Sec. 533.156.  MEETINGS. (a) The task force shall meet at
  least quarterly each fiscal year. Members may hold meetings by
  conference calls and through videoconference in accordance with
  Section 551.127, Government Code.
         (b)  Section 551.125, Government Code, applies to a meeting
  held by conference call under this section, except that Subsection
  (b) of that section does not apply.
         Sec. 533.157.  COMPENSATION AND REIMBURSEMENT. A task force
  member is not entitled to compensation or reimbursement for
  expenses incurred in performing the member's duties.
         Sec. 533.158.  SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM BORDER COUNTY MENTAL
  HEALTH IMPROVEMENT PLANS: TASK FORCE, COMMISSIONER, AND EXECUTIVE
  COMMISSIONER DUTIES. (a) The task force shall make
  recommendations to the commissioner for short-term and long-term
  border county mental health improvement plans. The short-term plan
  shall identify mental and behavioral health objectives proposed to
  be accomplished not later than the fourth anniversary of the date
  the plan is adopted. The long-term plan shall identify mental and
  behavioral health objectives proposed to be accomplished not later
  than the ninth anniversary of the date the plan is adopted.
         (b)  The commissioner shall review the task force's
  recommendations and, based on those recommendations, recommend
  short-term and long-term border county mental health improvement
  plans to the executive commissioner, identifying specific mental
  and behavioral health objectives that may be implemented under
  existing law in counties located along the international border
  with Mexico.
         (c)  The executive commissioner shall adopt short-term and
  long-term border county mental health improvement plans and direct
  the department to implement the portions of the plans that may be
  implemented within existing appropriations and under existing law
  in counties located along the international border with Mexico.
         Sec. 533.159.  APPLICATION OF OTHER LAW. Chapter 2110,
  Government Code, does not apply to the task force.
         Sec. 533.160.  ASSISTANCE FROM STATE AGENCIES AND POLITICAL
  SUBDIVISIONS. At the request of the task force, a state agency or
  political subdivision of this state may cooperate with the task
  force in implementing the task force's statutory duties.
         Sec. 533.161.  REPORTS. (a) Not later than September 1 of
  each even-numbered year, the task force shall submit to the
  commissioner a report of the task force's recommendations,
  including recommendations under Section 533.158 relating to
  short-term and long-term border county mental health improvement
  plans.
         (b)  Not later than December 1 of each even-numbered year,
  the executive commissioner shall submit to the legislature a report
  detailing the actions taken by the task force. The report must
  include:
               (1)  the status of all projects and activities
  involving the mental and behavioral health issues described under
  Section 533.153(b)(3);
               (2)  the funding for the expenditures; and
               (3)  recommendations for legislation necessary to
  implement the short-term and long-term border county mental health
  improvement plans.
         SECTION 2.  Not later than October 1, 2023, the commissioner
  of the Department of State Health Services, lieutenant governor,
  and speaker of the house of representatives shall appoint the
  members of the Border County Mental Health Task Force established
  under Subchapter F, Chapter 533, Health and Safety Code, as added by
  this Act.
         SECTION 3.  The initial short-term mental health improvement
  plan adopted under Section 533.158, Health and Safety Code, as
  added by this Act, must include a mental health improvement plan for
  implementation beginning not later than September 1, 2024. The
  Department of State Health Services shall implement the initiatives
  in the short-term mental health improvement plan, as directed by
  the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services
  Commission, not later than September 1, 2028.
         SECTION 4.  The initial long-term mental health improvement
  plan adopted under Section 533.158, Health and Safety Code, as
  added by this Act, must include a mental health improvement plan for
  implementation beginning not later than September 1, 2026. The
  Department of State Health Services shall implement the initiatives
  in the long-term mental health improvement plan, as directed by the
  executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission,
  not later than September 1, 2033.
         SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2023.
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