Bill Text: TX SB193 | 2025-2026 | 89th Legislature | Introduced


Bill Title: Relating to a model suicide prevention policy, suicide prevention and intervention strategies incorporated into a state agency crisis or disaster plan, suicide death information maintained by the Department of State Health Services, and the Texas Violent Death Reporting System.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-11-12 - Filed [SB193 Detail]

Download: Texas-2025-SB193-Introduced.html
  89R3313 EAS-D
 
  By: Menéndez S.B. No. 193
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to a model suicide prevention policy, suicide prevention
  and intervention strategies incorporated into a state agency crisis
  or disaster plan, suicide death information maintained by the
  Department of State Health Services, and the Texas Violent Death
  Reporting System.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Chapter 547, Government Code, as effective April
  1, 2025, is amended by adding Subchapter J to read as follows:
  SUBCHAPTER J.  SUICIDE PREVENTION
         Sec. 547.0451.  MODEL SUICIDE PREVENTION POLICY. (a) In
  this section, "postvention" includes activities that promote
  healing necessary to reduce the risk of suicide by an individual
  affected by the suicide of another individual.
         (b)  The commission shall develop and publish on the
  commission's Internet website a model suicide prevention policy to
  be implemented at state agencies, community coalitions, and other
  public or private institutions or facilities that serve populations
  at higher risk for suicide, including veterans, individuals with
  disabilities, and individuals who live in rural areas of this
  state.  The policy must be designed for implementation by
  individuals who may not be mental health professionals.
         (c)  The policy must include:
               (1)  information on suicide prevention, intervention,
  and postvention;
               (2)  information on recognizing warning signs of
  suicide; and
               (3)  resources, including local mental health
  authorities, for individuals at risk of suicide.
         (d)  The policy must address the development of community
  coalitions to engage in suicide prevention, intervention, and
  postvention activities, especially in high-risk rural areas of this
  state.
         (e)  In developing the policy under this section, the
  commission:
               (1)  shall collaborate with the statewide behavioral
  health coordinating council established under Subchapter D and the
  Texas Suicide Prevention Collaborative; and
               (2)  may receive information or assistance from any
  other interested statewide or local entities engaged in suicide
  prevention, intervention, and postvention.
         Sec. 547.0452.  CRISIS AND DISASTER PLANS. (a) Not later
  than August 31, 2026, the commission, in collaboration with the
  Disaster Behavioral Health Consortium, shall:
               (1)  for the purpose of identifying opportunities to
  incorporate suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention
  strategies:
                     (A)  conduct a review of crisis plans and disaster
  plans of state agency consortium members; and
                     (B)  identify lessons learned from responses by
  state agency consortium members during prior crises or disasters;
  and
               (2)  based on the information obtained under
  Subdivision (1), recommend to each state agency consortium member
  incorporating suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention
  strategies into a crisis plan or disaster plan.
         (b)  Not later than August 1, 2027, each state agency member
  of the Disaster Behavioral Health Consortium shall incorporate
  recommendations the commission made under Subsection (a) into the
  agency's crisis plan or disaster plan.
         (c)  This section expires September 1, 2027.
         SECTION 2.  Section 191.002(b), Health and Safety Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         (b)  The department shall:
               (1)  establish a vital statistics unit in the
  department with suitable offices that are properly equipped for the
  preservation of its official records;
               (2)  establish a statewide system of vital statistics;
               (3)  provide instructions and prescribe forms for
  collecting, recording, transcribing, compiling, and preserving
  vital statistics;
               (4)  require the enforcement of this title and rules
  adopted under this title;
               (5)  prepare, print, and supply to local registrars
  forms for registering, recording, and preserving returns or
  otherwise carrying out the purposes of this title; [and]
               (6)  propose legislation necessary for the purposes of
  this title; and
               (7)  provide access to information regarding suicides
  in this state to the statewide suicide prevention coordinator of
  the Health and Human Services Commission's office of mental health
  coordination.
         SECTION 3.  Subchapter D, Chapter 1001, Health and Safety
  Code, is amended by adding Section 1001.090 to read as follows:
         Sec. 1001.090.  TEXAS VIOLENT DEATH REPORTING SYSTEM. (a)
  The department shall establish and operate the Texas Violent Death
  Reporting System for the purpose of participating in the National
  Violent Death Reporting System operated by the Centers for Disease
  Control and Prevention.
         (b)  The department shall provide access to suicide data
  obtained or maintained through the Texas Violent Death Reporting
  System to the statewide suicide prevention coordinator of the
  commission's office of mental health coordination.
         (c)  The executive commissioner may adopt rules necessary to
  implement this section.
         SECTION 4.  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, 2025.
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