By Van de Putte, Park H.B. No. 2333
74R5146 KLL-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to health and human services strategic planning at the
1-3 regional level.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 10(c), Article 4413(502), Revised
1-6 Statutes, is amended to read as follows:
1-7 (c) In developing a strategic health and human services plan
1-8 and plan updates under this section, the commissioner shall
1-9 consider:
1-10 (1) <existing> strategic plans of health and human
1-11 services agencies and plans developed under Section 22 of this
1-12 article;
1-13 (2) facilitation of pending reorganizations or
1-14 consolidations of health and human services agencies and programs;
1-15 (3) public comment, including comment documented
1-16 through public hearings conducted under Section 11 of this article;
1-17 and
1-18 (4) budgetary issues, including projected agency needs
1-19 and projected availability of funds.
1-20 SECTION 2. Article 4413(502), Revised Statutes, is amended
1-21 by adding Section 22 to read as follows:
1-22 Sec. 22. REGIONAL PLANNING FOR HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.
1-23 (a) To promote regional accountability and local control, a health
1-24 and human services agency developing its strategic plan shall give
2-1 the governor's planning regions delineated under Chapter 391, Local
2-2 Government Code, and the council of governments in each region the
2-3 opportunity to be the primary agency for regional planning.
2-4 (b) A plan shall be developed by a regional health and human
2-5 services committee supported by regional councils of governments
2-6 and composed of representatives from:
2-7 (1) public and private health and human services
2-8 providers;
2-9 (2) consumer groups;
2-10 (3) the regional interagency council of state
2-11 agencies;
2-12 (4) state and local elected officials;
2-13 (5) local funding entities such as the United Way,
2-14 foundations, and corporate trusts;
2-15 (6) school districts;
2-16 (7) businesses; and
2-17 (8) professionals or governing body members of
2-18 political subdivisions.
2-19 (c) A plan must include:
2-20 (1) a description of the current health and human
2-21 services delivery status;
2-22 (2) the availability of local resources;
2-23 (3) prioritization of community health and human
2-24 services needs;
2-25 (4) ways to improve client access to services;
2-26 (5) measurable outcome objectives;
2-27 (6) evaluation design; and
3-1 (7) funding requirements and sources.
3-2 (d) If appropriate, regional plans shall be aggregated to
3-3 coincide with administrative regions of the commission and
3-4 submitted to the commissioner, the presiding officers of the senate
3-5 and house, the governor, and the executive director of the health
3-6 and human services agency requesting assistance with local plan
3-7 development.
3-8 (e) Each health and human services agency that develops a
3-9 strategic plan shall identify funds in its annual operating budget
3-10 to be provided by grant or contract to each of the regional
3-11 councils of governments to support regional health and human
3-12 services planning. A health and human services agency shall report
3-13 the amount of those funds, their use, and equitable distribution
3-14 throughout the state to the Legislative Budget Board and the
3-15 governor annually.
3-16 (f) Each regional council of governments shall report to the
3-17 state all public and private contributions to the regional health
3-18 and human services plan and to implementation of the plan. The
3-19 regional council of governments shall identify regional and local
3-20 expenditures that are eligible for a Medicaid match and aggregate
3-21 the dollars for state matching in a form prescribed by the state
3-22 Medicaid director.
3-23 (g) Regional health and human services plans must be
3-24 approved by the local elected officials and citizens on the
3-25 governing body of each regional council of governments. The
3-26 governing body shall evaluate plan accomplishments.
3-27 (h) Each regional health and human services committee shall
4-1 oversee implementation of regional health and human services plans
4-2 and report to the state through the regional councils of
4-3 governments' governing bodies. A health and human services
4-4 agency may waive rules and share resources and staff with local and
4-5 regional agencies for cooperative planning, colocation of
4-6 facilities, establishment of multiple access points for citizens,
4-7 training, data collection, technical assistance, fiscal management
4-8 and budgeting, and plan evaluation. Political subdivisions of the
4-9 state may share staff for purposes provided by this section.
4-10 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
4-11 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
4-12 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
4-13 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
4-14 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
4-15 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
4-16 passage, and it is so enacted.