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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to funding of entities through the community collaborative |
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grant program. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 539.002(b), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(b) Except as provided by Subsection (c), the department |
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shall require each entity awarded a grant under this section to: |
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(1) leverage additional funding or in-kind |
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contributions from private sources or local governmental sources in |
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an amount that is at least equal to the amount of the grant awarded |
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under this section; |
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(2) provide evidence of significant coordination and |
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collaboration between the entity, local mental health authorities, |
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municipalities, local law enforcement agencies, and other |
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community stakeholders in establishing or expanding a community |
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collaborative funded by a grant awarded under this section; and |
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(3) provide evidence of a local law enforcement policy |
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to divert appropriate persons from jails or other detention |
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facilities to an entity affiliated with a community collaborative |
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for the purpose of providing services to those persons. |
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SECTION 2. Section 539.003, Government Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 539.003. ACCEPTABLE USES OF GRANT MONEY. An entity |
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shall use money received from a grant made by the department and |
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private funding sources for the establishment or expansion of a |
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community collaborative[, provided that the collaborative must be |
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self-sustaining within seven years]. Acceptable uses for the money |
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include: |
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(1) the development of the infrastructure of the |
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collaborative and the start-up costs of the collaborative; |
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(2) the establishment, operation, or maintenance of |
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other community service providers in the community served by the |
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collaborative, including intake centers, detoxification units, |
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sheltering centers for food, workforce training centers, |
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microbusinesses, and educational centers; |
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(3) the provision of clothing, hygiene products, and |
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medical services to and the arrangement of transitional and |
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permanent residential housing for persons served by the |
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collaborative; |
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(4) the provision of mental health services and |
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substance abuse treatment not readily available in the community |
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served by the collaborative; |
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(5) the provision of information, tools, and resource |
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referrals to assist persons served by the collaborative in |
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addressing the needs of their children; and |
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(6) the establishment and operation of coordinated |
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intake processes, including triage procedures, to protect the |
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public safety in the community served by the collaborative. |
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SECTION 3. Section 539.0051(a), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) The governing body of a county shall develop and make |
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public a plan detailing: |
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(1) how local mental health authorities, |
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municipalities, local law enforcement agencies, and other |
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community stakeholders in the county could coordinate to establish |
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or expand a community collaborative to accomplish the goals of |
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Section 539.002; |
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(2) how entities in the county may leverage funding |
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from private sources or local governmental sources to accomplish |
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the goals of Section 539.002 through the formation or expansion of a |
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community collaborative; and |
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(3) how the formation or expansion of a community |
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collaborative could establish or support resources or services to |
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help local law enforcement agencies to divert persons who have been |
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arrested to appropriate mental health care or substance abuse |
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treatment. |
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SECTION 4. Section 539.007, Government Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 539.007. REDUCTION AND CESSATION OF FUNDING. The |
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department shall establish processes by which the department may |
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reduce or cease providing funding to an entity if the community |
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collaborative operated by the entity does not meet the outcome |
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measures selected by the entity for the collaborative under Section |
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539.005 [or is not self-sustaining after seven years]. The |
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department shall redistribute any funds withheld from an entity |
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under this section to other entities operating high-performing |
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collaboratives on a competitive basis. |
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SECTION 5. The changes in law made by this Act apply to a |
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grant awarded on or after the effective date of this Act. A grant |
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awarded under a provision amended by this Act is governed by the law |
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in effect on the date the grant was awarded, and the former law is |
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continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |