1-1 By: Cain S.C.R. No. 88
1-2 (In the Senate - Filed March 13, 1995; March 16, 1995, read
1-3 first time and referred to Committee on Health and Human Services;
1-4 April 5, 1995, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 9,
1-5 Nays 0; April 5, 1995, sent to printer.)
1-6 SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
1-7 WHEREAS, The State of Texas through the Texas Department of
1-8 Mental Health and Mental Retardation provides mental health
1-9 services for persons with severe and persistent mental illness; and
1-10 WHEREAS, The state provides substance abuse treatment
1-11 services through the Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse;
1-12 and
1-13 WHEREAS, There now exists sufficient medical data to confirm
1-14 that persons with certain mental illnesses such as schizophrenia,
1-15 depression, and attention deficit disorder are likely to have a
1-16 co-occurring chemical addiction; and
1-17 WHEREAS, Approximately 50 percent of persons with severe and
1-18 persistent mental illness who also have a co-occurring substance
1-19 addiction do not receive adequate services to effectively treat
1-20 their disorders; and
1-21 WHEREAS, Evidence now exists to support the philosophy that
1-22 medical models of care which integrate mental health and substance
1-23 abuse treatments can succeed where our parallel, separate systems
1-24 of care have failed; and
1-25 WHEREAS, A high percentage of persons with a co-occurring
1-26 substance addiction and mental illness are committed to jails and
1-27 prisons and do not receive appropriate treatment and subsequently
1-28 evidence high rates of recidivism; now, therefore, be it
1-29 RESOLVED, That the Texas Legislature support the study and
1-30 evaluation of an integrated treatment approach for persons with a
1-31 co-occurring substance addiction and mental illness; and, be it
1-32 further
1-33 RESOLVED, That the Texas Department of Mental Health and
1-34 Mental Retardation and the Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug
1-35 Abuse cooperate in designing and implementing at least one pilot
1-36 program of an integrated evaluation and treatment plan that can
1-37 help to identify barriers to an integrated system for persons with
1-38 a co-occurring substance addiction and mental illness, the
1-39 elimination of such barriers, and the costs of evaluation and
1-40 treatment; and, be it further
1-41 RESOLVED, That such a pilot program reflect and evidence the
1-42 maximum utilization of federal funds, to include Medicaid and local
1-43 funds, in combination with state funds; and, be it further
1-44 RESOLVED, That no later than December 31, 1996, the Texas
1-45 Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation and the Texas
1-46 Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse shall jointly prepare a report
1-47 for the 75th Legislature that outlines their conclusions and
1-48 recommendations concerning the integrated evaluation and treatment
1-49 model. The report will include:
1-50 (1) a description of the integrated evaluation and treatment
1-51 program;
1-52 (2) a description of the client population served;
1-53 (3) an accurate evaluation and the treatment costs;
1-54 (4) an analysis of third-party revenue potential, including
1-55 Medicaid and local revenue;
1-56 (5) the impact of integrated treatment on recidivism upon
1-57 the mental health, substance abuse, and justice systems;
1-58 (6) the feasibility of implementing such programs statewide;
1-59 and
1-60 (7) relevant research on similar pilots in other states;
1-61 and, be it further
1-62 RESOLVED, That the Texas Department of Mental Health and
1-63 Mental Retardation and the Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug
1-64 Abuse immediately initiate a memorandum of understanding outlining
1-65 the responsibilities and contributions of each agency to this
1-66 project and begin implementation as soon as possible.
1-67 * * * * *