S.B. No. 421
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to the Texas System of Care and the development of local
  mental health systems of care for certain children.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  The heading to Subchapter G-1, Chapter 531,
  Government Code, is amended to read as follows:
  SUBCHAPTER G-1. DEVELOPING LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH [CARE] SYSTEMS OF
  CARE FOR CERTAIN CHILDREN
         SECTION 2.  Section 531.251, Government Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 531.251.  TEXAS SYSTEM OF CARE [PILOT PROJECT]
  CONSORTIUM[; EXPANSION PLAN]. (a)  The commission shall form a
  consortium to have responsibility [develop criteria] for and
  oversight over a state system of care [implement the expansion of
  the Texas Integrated Funding Initiative pilot project and] to
  develop local mental health systems of care [systems] in
  communities for minors who are receiving residential mental health
  services or inpatient mental health hospitalization or who are at
  risk of being removed from the minor's home and placed in a more
  restrictive environment to receive mental health services,
  including an inpatient mental health hospital, a residential
  treatment facility, or a facility or program operated by the
  Department of Family and Protective Services or an agency that is
  part of the juvenile justice system [placement to receive mental
  health services].
         (a-1)  The consortium must include:
               (1)  representatives of the [Texas] Department of State
  [Mental] Health Services [and Mental Retardation], Department of
  Family and Protective [and Regulatory] Services, Health and Human
  Services Commission's Medicaid program, Texas Education Agency,
  [Texas Youth Commission,] Texas Juvenile Justice Department
  [Probation Commission], and Texas Correctional Office on Offenders
  with Medical or Mental Impairments;
               (2)  one youth or young adult who has a serious
  emotional disturbance and has received mental health services and
  supports; or
               (3)  a family member of a youth or young adult described
  by Subdivision (2) [Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse and an
  equal number of family advocates].
         (a-2)  The consortium may coordinate with the Children's
  Policy Council for the purposes of including the representation
  required by Subsections (a-1)(2) and (3).
         (b)  The commission and the consortium shall:
               (1)  maintain [develop] a comprehensive plan [model and
  guidelines] for the delivery of mental health services and supports
  [support] to a minor and a minor's family using a system of care
  framework[, initiated before the person's 18th birthday],
  including best practices in the financing, administration,
  governance, and delivery of those services;
               (2)  implement strategies [establish a plan] to expand
  the use of system of care practices [Texas Integrated Funding
  Initiative so that the initiative may operate] in the planning and
  delivery of services throughout the state [up to six communities];
  [and]
               (3)  identify appropriate local, [sources of] state,
  and federal funding sources to finance infrastructure and mental
  health services needed to support state and local system of care
  efforts; and
               (4)  develop an evaluation system to measure outcomes
  of state and local system of care efforts [under the initiative from
  a central fund for expansion communities].
         (b-1)  Not later than November 1 of each even-numbered year,
  the consortium shall submit a report to the legislature and the
  Council on Children and Families that contains an evaluation of the
  outcomes of the Texas System of Care and recommendations on
  strengthening state policies and practices that support local
  systems of care, including recommendations relating to:
               (1)  methods to increase access to effective and
  coordinated services and supports;
               (2)  methods to increase community capacity to
  implement local systems of care through training and technical
  assistance;
               (3)  use of cross-system performance and outcome data
  to make informed decisions at individual and system levels; and
               (4)  strategies to maximize public and private funding
  at the local, state, and federal levels.
         SECTION 3.  Subsection (a), Section 531.255, Government
  Code, is amended to read as follows:
         (a)  The commission and the [Texas] Department of State
  [Mental] Health Services [and Mental Retardation] jointly shall
  monitor the progress of the [expansion] communities that implement
  a local system of care, including monitoring cost avoidance and the
  net savings that result from implementing a local system of care.
         SECTION 4.  Section 531.257, Government Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 531.257.  TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR [GRANT] PROJECTS.
  The commission may provide technical assistance to a community that
  implements a local system of care [receives a grant under Section
  531.256].
         SECTION 5.  Sections 531.252, 531.253, and 531.254,
  Subsections (b), (c), and (d), Section 531.255, and Sections
  531.256 and 531.258, Government Code, are repealed.
         SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2013.
 
 
 
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 421 passed the Senate on
  April 11, 2013, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0; and that
  the Senate concurred in House amendment on May 23, 2013, by the
  following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
 
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate    
 
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 421 passed the House, with
  amendment, on May 20, 2013, by the following vote: Yeas 145,
  Nays 0, two present not voting.
 
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
 
 
  Approved:
 
  ______________________________ 
              Date
 
 
  ______________________________ 
            Governor