Enrolled Bill Summary

House Bill 19	House Author:  King, Susan et al.
Effective:  6-4-15	Senate Sponsor:  Campbell et al.

House Bill 19 amends the Government Code to require the Texas Veterans Commission and Department of State Health Services (DSHS) to provide statewide coordination for the administration of the state's mental health intervention program for veterans. The bill establishes requirements relating to such coordination, including requirements that the commission develop and implement methods for providing volunteer coordinator certification training and that the commission manage and coordinate the peer training program. In addition, the commission and DSHS must include a community collaboration initiative to encourage local communities to conduct cross-sector collaboration to synchronize locally accessible resources available for veterans and military service members. 

House Bill 19 amends the Human Resources Code to establish a preventive services program, developed and implemented by the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS), to serve veterans and military families who have committed or experienced or who are at a high risk of family violence, abuse, or neglect. The program must initially be established as a pilot program, and the bill requires DFPS to evaluate program outcomes and ensure that the program is producing positive results before statewide implementation. The bill sets out additional preventive services program requirements, including a requirement that the program coordinate with the veterans mental health program community collaboration initiative developed under the bill's provisions.