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Senate Bill 126 |
Senate Author: Nelson et al. |
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Effective: 9-1-13 |
House Sponsor: Davis, John |
Senate Bill 126 amends the Health and Safety Code to require the Department of State Health Services (DSHS), in collaboration with the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), to establish and maintain a public reporting system of performance and outcome measures relating to mental health and substance abuse services established by the Legislative Budget Board, DSHS, and HHSC. The bill requires the system to allow external users to view and compare performance, outputs, and outcomes of community centers that provide mental health services, Medicaid managed care programs and pilot programs that provide mental health services, and agencies, organizations, and persons that contract with the state to provide substance abuse services. The bill establishes posting and public input requirements for DSHS and requires DSHS, to the extent possible, to include outcome measures that capture inpatient psychiatric care diversion, avoidance of emergency room use, criminal justice diversion, and the number of people served who are homeless. The bill requires HHSC to conduct a study to determine the feasibility of establishing and maintaining the public reporting system and to report the results of the study to the legislature and appropriate legislative committees.