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Senate Bill 50 |
Senate Author: Zaffirini |
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Effective: 9-1-13 |
House Sponsor: Guillen |
Previously, the Children's Policy Council was required to assist applicable state health and human services agencies in developing, implementing, and administering family support policies and related long-term care and health programs for children. Senate Bill 50 amends the Human Resources Code to require the council to assist those agencies in developing, implementing, and administering family support policies for children with disabilities relating to long-term services and supports, health services, and mental health services and to revise the composition of the council. The bill authorizes, rather than requires, the council to study and make recommendations in certain specified areas of study and revises certain of those areas to include mental health services. The bill requires the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), after evaluating and considering the recommendations reported from the council, to adopt rules to implement guidelines for providing mental health services to children with disabilities.
Senate Bill 50 amends the Government Code to authorize, rather than require, HHSC to seek input from the council in developing the procedures by which HHSC is required to conduct certain reviews regarding a child who is placed in an applicable residential institution, nursing facility, or group home.