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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to repayment of certain mental health professional |
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education loans. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 61.603, Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 61.603. ELIGIBILITY. (a) Except as provided by |
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Subsection (b), to [To] be eligible to receive repayment assistance |
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under this subchapter, a mental health professional must: |
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(1) apply to the board; |
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(2) have completed one, two, or three[, four, or five] |
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consecutive years of practice in a mental health professional |
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shortage area designated by the Department of State Health |
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Services; and |
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(3) provide mental health services in this state to: |
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(A) recipients under the medical assistance |
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program authorized by Chapter 32, Human Resources Code; |
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(B) enrollees under the child health plan program |
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authorized by Chapter 62, Health and Safety Code; or |
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(C) persons committed to a secure correctional |
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facility operated by or under contract with the Texas Juvenile |
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Justice Department or persons confined in a secure correctional |
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facility operated by or under contract with any division of the |
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Texas Department of Criminal Justice. |
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(b) A mental health professional may also establish |
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eligibility for the repayment assistance under this subchapter by |
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satisfying the requirements of this subsection. To establish |
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eligibility under this subsection, the mental health professional |
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must: |
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(1) apply to the board; |
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(2) provide mental health services to: |
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(A) patients in a state hospital, as defined by |
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Section 552.0011, Health and Safety Code; or |
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(B) individuals receiving community-based mental |
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health services from a local mental health authority that provides |
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the services in accordance with Subchapter B, Chapter 534, Health |
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and Safety Code; and |
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(3) have completed one, two, or three consecutive |
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years of practice in this state as described by Subdivision (2). |
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[In addition to satisfying the requirements under Subsection (a), |
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for a licensed physician to be eligible to receive repayment |
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assistance under this subchapter after the physician's third |
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consecutive year of practice described under Subsection (a)(2), the |
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physician must be certified in psychiatry by: |
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[(1) the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology; |
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or |
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[(2) the American Osteopathic Board of Neurology and |
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Psychiatry.] |
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SECTION 2. Section 61.604(a), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) A mental health professional may receive repayment |
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assistance under this subchapter for not more than three [five] |
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years. |
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SECTION 3. Section 61.607(a), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) A mental health professional may receive repayment |
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assistance under this subchapter for each year the mental health |
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professional establishes eligibility for the assistance in an |
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amount determined by applying the following applicable percentage |
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to the maximum total amount of assistance allowed for the mental |
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health professional under Subsection (b): |
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(1) for the first year, 33.33 [10] percent; |
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(2) for the second year, 33.33 [15] percent; and |
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(3) for the third year, 33.33 [20] percent[; |
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[(4) for the fourth year, 25 percent; and |
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[(5) for the fifth year, 30 percent]. |
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SECTION 4. Section 61.608, Education Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (e) to read as follows: |
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(e) The board shall administer the program under this |
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subchapter in a manner that, as program openings occur, allows for |
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the continuous: |
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(1) approval or disapproval of applications; |
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(2) determination of applicant eligibility; and |
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(3) acceptance of eligible applicants into the |
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program. |
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SECTION 5. The changes in law made by this Act to Sections |
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61.603, 61.604(a), and 61.607(a), Education Code, apply only to a |
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person who first establishes eligibility for loan repayment |
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assistance under Subchapter K, Chapter 61, Education Code, as |
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amended by this Act, on the basis of an application submitted on or |
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after September 1, 2023. A person who first establishes |
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eligibility on the basis of an application submitted before |
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September 1, 2023, is governed by the law in effect at the time the |
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application was submitted, and the former law is continued in |
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effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
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* * * * * |