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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the establishment of regional assisted outpatient |
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treatment programs to provide court-ordered outpatient mental |
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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 C, Chapter 574, Health and Safety |
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Code, is amended by adding Sections 574.038 and 574.039 to read as |
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follows: |
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Sec. 574.038. ESTABLISHMENT OF REGIONAL ASSISTED |
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OUTPATIENT TREATMENT PROGRAMS. The commissioners courts of two or |
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more counties may establish a regional assisted outpatient |
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treatment program to provide court-ordered outpatient mental |
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health services under this chapter in the participating counties. |
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Sec. 574.039. PROGRAM IN CERTAIN COUNTIES MANDATORY. (a) |
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The commissioners court of a county with a population of more than |
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200,000 shall undertake to establish a program under this chapter |
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and apply for federal and state funding to cover program costs. The |
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criminal justice division of the governor's office may assist a |
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county in applying for federal funding. |
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(b) A county is required to establish a program under this |
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section only if the county receives federal or state funding |
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specifically for that purpose in an amount sufficient to pay the |
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program costs. |
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(c) A county that is required to establish a program under |
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this section and fails to establish or to maintain that program is |
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ineligible to receive grant funding from this state or any state |
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agency. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |