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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the establishment or expansion of behavioral health |
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centers or jail diversion centers in certain local mental health |
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authority service areas. |
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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 531.09936 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 531.09936. ESTABLISHMENT OR EXPANSION OF REGIONAL |
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BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CENTERS OR JAIL DIVERSION CENTERS. (a) In this |
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section: |
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(1) "Local mental health authority" has the meaning |
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assigned by Section 531.002, Health and Safety Code. |
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(2) "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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(b) To the extent money is appropriated to the commission |
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for that purpose, the commission, in cooperation with local mental |
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health authorities located primarily in rural areas of this state, |
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shall contract with nonprofit organizations to establish or expand |
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behavioral health centers or jail diversion centers in the |
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authorities' local service areas to: |
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(1) provide additional forensic hospital beds and |
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competency restoration services; |
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(2) provide inpatient and outpatient mental health |
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services to adults and children; and |
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(3) provide services to reduce recidivism and the |
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frequency of arrest, incarceration, and emergency detentions among |
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persons with mental illness in the service areas. |
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(c) The executive commissioner shall develop criteria for |
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the evaluation of applications or proposals submitted by a |
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nonprofit organization seeking to contract with the commission |
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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 531.09936, Government Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |