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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a grant program for a nonprofit organization or |
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political subdivision to establish or expand a behavioral health |
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crisis response program. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 531.09916 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 531.09916. GRANT PROGRAM FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CRISIS |
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RESPONSE PROGRAMS. (a) In this section: |
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(1) "Behavioral health crisis response program" means |
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a program operated under a grant awarded under this section. |
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(2) "Multidisciplinary response team" means a group |
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composed of three or more persons that includes at least one |
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paramedic, one law enforcement officer, and one behavioral health |
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professional, who together provide services to persons |
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experiencing a behavioral health crisis. |
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(3) "Nonprofit organization" means an organization |
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that is exempt from federal income taxation under Section 501(a), |
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Internal Revenue Code of 1986, by being listed as an exempt entity |
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under Section 501(c)(3) of that code. |
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(4) "Political subdivision" means a county or |
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municipality in this state. |
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(b) The executive commissioner shall establish and |
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administer a grant program to award money to nonprofit |
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organizations and political subdivisions for the purpose of |
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establishing or expanding a behavioral health crisis response |
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program to: |
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(1) operate one or more multidisciplinary response |
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teams in the region in which the nonprofit organization is located |
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or within the political subdivision, as applicable; and |
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(2) employ one or more behavioral health professionals |
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to: |
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(A) assist in screening telephone calls made to a |
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9-1-1 emergency call center dispatcher for law enforcement or |
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emergency medical assistance; |
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(B) assist in determining whether to dispatch a |
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multidisciplinary response team to service a call; and |
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(C) provide consultation and information to the |
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dispatched multidisciplinary response team. |
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(c) A behavioral health crisis response program that is |
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awarded a grant under this section must operate in accordance with |
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best practices for jail diversion and managing behavioral health |
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crises. |
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(d) A nonprofit organization that is awarded a grant under |
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this section must collaborate with one or more political |
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subdivisions to operate the behavioral health crisis response |
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program. A county that is awarded a grant under this section must |
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collaborate with one or more municipalities in the county to |
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operate the behavioral health crisis response program. |
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(e) A grant application from a nonprofit organization or |
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political subdivision must: |
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(1) be submitted on a form prescribed by the |
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commission; |
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(2) include, if the applicant is required to |
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collaborate with a political subdivision under Subsection (d), a |
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statement from the governing body of the political subdivision |
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providing information about the collaboration; and |
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(3) include, if the applicant is required to |
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collaborate with a political subdivision under Subsection (d), data |
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from each collaborating political subdivision on: |
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(A) the number of behavioral health-related |
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telephone calls for assistance received by the political |
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subdivision's 9-1-1 emergency call center; |
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(B) the number of paramedics and behavioral |
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health professionals available to serve on a political |
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subdivision's multidisciplinary response team; and |
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(C) the political subdivision's capacity to |
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accurately collect and report information concerning: |
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(i) the frequency and outcomes of |
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behavioral health-related calls for assistance; and |
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(ii) the number of telephone calls for |
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assistance primarily identified as involving a criminal offense |
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that also involved a demonstrated need for behavioral health |
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intervention services, crisis care referrals to community-based |
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providers, or de-escalation for the person making the call or for a |
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person who was the subject of a call made by another. |
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(f) In addition to funding received under a grant under this |
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section, a nonprofit organization or political subdivision grant |
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applicant, or a political subdivision collaborating with a grant |
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applicant under Subsection (d), may contribute local funds to the |
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operation of the behavioral health crisis response program. |
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(g) The commission may use any available state and federal |
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money and may accept gifts, grants, and donations from any source |
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for the purpose of awarding grants under this section. |
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(h) The executive commissioner shall adopt all rules |
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necessary for the establishment and governance of the grant program |
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under this section. |
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SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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of this Act, the executive commissioner of the Health and Human |
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Services Commission shall adopt rules necessary to implement |
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Section 531.09916, Government Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |