BILL ANALYSIS



S.C.R. 88
By: Cain (Glaze)
05-02-95
Committee Report (Unamended)


BACKGROUND

Prior to 1993, Texas Mental Health and Mental Retardation (TxMHMR)
state hospitals provided substance abuse treatment services to
persons who were mentally ill. The 72nd Legislature made the
decision that all substance abuse services should be funnelled
through the Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse (TCADA), and
that detoxification services that had been provided through state
hospitals would no longer be provided.

The separation of the substance abuse treatment services and the
mental illness treatment causes territorialism within the two
agencies. The question that is often asked is "Which problem, the
substance abuse or the mental illness, do we treat first?" TxMHMR
actually has money designated for "dual diagnosis" treatment, but
apparently the catch is that such treatment is only available when
the primary diagnosis is mental illness and the secondary,
substance abuse.

PURPOSE

S.C.R. 88 would establish a plan for a "dual diagnosis crisis
intervention pilot program" through which the individual's
condition could be properly diagnosed. The resolution would require
TxMHMR and TCADA to jointly prepare a report for the 75th
Legislature by no later than December 31, 1996, outlining the
conclusions and recommendations concerning the pilot program.

SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE ACTION

S.C.R. 88 was considered by the Public Health Committee in a public
hearing on May 2, 1995. The resolution was reported favorably
without amendment, with the recommendation that it do pass and be
printed and be sent to the Committee on Local and Consent
Calendars, by a record vote of 5 AYES, 0 NAYS, 0 PNV, and 4 ABSENT.