BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	S.B. 1677
88R12942 MPF-D	By: Perry
	Health & Human Services
	4/1/2023
	As Filed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

There has been a shortage of mental health beds across Texas and competency restoration wait lists that are months long.

S.B. 1677 requires the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, to the extent that funds are appropriated for this purpose, to contract with nonprofit organizations to establish or expand behavioral health centers or jail diversion centers primarily in rural areas to:

Provide additional forensic hospital beds and competency restoration services;

Provide inpatient and outpatient mental health services to adults and children; and

Provide services to reduce recidivism and the frequency of arrest, incarceration, and emergency detentions among persons with mental illness in the service areas.

As proposed, S.B. 1677 amends current law relating to the establishment or expansion of behavioral health centers or jail diversion centers in certain local mental health authority service areas.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission in SECTION 2 of this bill.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, by adding Section 531.09936, as follows:

Sec. 531.09936. ESTABLISHMENT OR EXPANSION OF REGIONAL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CENTERS OR JAIL DIVERSION CENTERS. (a) Defines "local mental health authority" and "nonprofit organization."

(b) Requires the Health and Human Service Commission (HHSC), in cooperation with local mental health authorities located primarily in rural areas of this state, to the extent money is appropriated to HHSC for that purpose, to contract with nonprofit organizations to establish or expand behavioral health centers or jail diversion centers in the authorities' local service areas to:

(1) provide additional forensic hospital beds and competency restoration services;

(2) provide inpatient and outpatient mental health services to adults and children; and

(3) provide services to reduce recidivism and the frequency of arrest, incarceration, and emergency detentions among persons with mental illness in the service areas.

(c) Requires the executive commissioner of HHSC (executive commissioner) to develop criteria for the evaluation of applications or proposals submitted by a nonprofit organization seeking to contract with HHSC under this section.

SECTION 2. Requires the executive commissioner to adopt rules necessary to implement Section 531.09936, Government Code, as added by this Act, as soon as practicable after the effective date of this Act.

SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2023.