| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to an instruction guide for family members and caregivers |
|
|
of veterans who have mental health disorders. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is |
|
|
amended by adding Section 531.0932 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 531.0932. INSTRUCTION GUIDE FOR FAMILY MEMBERS AND |
|
|
CAREGIVERS OF VETERANS WHO HAVE MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS. (a) The |
|
|
commission and the Texas Veterans Commission jointly shall produce |
|
|
and make publicly available an instruction guide for family members |
|
|
and caregivers of veterans who have mental health disorders. |
|
|
(b) The instruction guide produced under this section must |
|
|
include: |
|
|
(1) general education about different mental health |
|
|
disorders, including instruction intended to improve understanding |
|
|
about the experience of persons suffering from those mental health |
|
|
disorders; |
|
|
(2) techniques for handling crisis situations and |
|
|
administering mental health first aid to persons suffering from |
|
|
mental health disorders; |
|
|
(3) techniques for coping with the stress of living |
|
|
with a person with a mental health disorder; and |
|
|
(4) information about related services available for |
|
|
family members and caregivers of veterans who have mental health |
|
|
disorders that are provided by the commission, the Texas Veterans |
|
|
Commission, other state agencies, community organizations, and |
|
|
mental health services providers. |
|
|
(c) The commission and the Texas Veterans Commission each |
|
|
shall publish the guide produced under this section on the |
|
|
respective agency's Internet website. |
|
|
SECTION 2. 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, 2023. |