HBA-MPM, CCH C.S.H.B. 2326 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisC.S.H.B. 2326 By: Kitchen Human Services 5/15/2001 Committee Report (Substituted) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The Interagency Council for Services for the Homeless (council) was created in 1989 to coordinate and improve services and resources to homeless individuals throughout Texas. In 1991, the council recommended the development of affordable housing and emergency shelters, better coordination and delivery of mental health services, and other actions taken to prevent homelessness. The Sunset Advisory Commission recommends that the council, now named the Texas Interagency Council for the Homeless, increase their visibility and accountability to better serve the homeless, especially those with a chronic illness. Creating a pilot program using a case management approach could alleviate and help solve issues of homelessness and chronic illnesses. C.S.H.B. 2326 requires the council in cooperation with the Health and Human Services Commission to develop a pilot case management program for homeless individuals with chronic illnesses. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS C.S.H.B. 2326 amends the Government Code to require the Texas Interagency Council for the Homeless (council), in cooperation with the Health and Human Services Commission, to develop a pilot case management program (program) for homeless people with chronic illnesses such as diabetes and HIV/AIDS, and to administer the program in cooperation with relevant state agencies. Using existing resources of the agencies composing the council, the bill requires the staff of the council to select a county with a population of more than 2.8 million in which to implement the program, identify existing state agency services provided to homeless people with chronic illness, and identify existing federal, state, county, and local financial sources that may be available to fund the program. The bill requires council staff to create a program for not more than 75 homeless people with chronic illnesses using existing financial and agency resources. The council is required to select through a competitive bidding process a nonprofit entity to implement the program. The program must provide case management and existing health-related education services and coordinate housing, medical, job training, and other necessary services for program participants. C.S.H.B. 2326 requires the council to implement the program no later than November 1, 2001. The bill also requires the council to submit a report to the governor, lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the house of representatives no later than December 15 of each even-numbered year regarding the program's effectiveness. The program expires September 1, 2005. EFFECTIVE DATE On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2001. COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE C.S.H.B. 2326 differs from the original by requiring the Texas Interagency Council for the Homeless (council) to develop the pilot case management program (program) in cooperation with the Health and Human Services Commission. The substitute specifies that no more than 75 homeless people participate in the program and requires the council to select a nonprofit entity to implement the program. The bill removes the requirement that the staff of the council make recommendations for streamlining the delivery of services and filling the gaps in the services provided through the program. The substitute provides that the program coordinate, rather than provide access to, housing, medical, job training and other necessary services. The substitute specifies that the program provide existing health-related education services. The substitute specifies that the council's report on the program's effectiveness be submitted no later than December 15 of each even-numbered year, rather than December 15, 2002. The substitute removes provisions that specified the general subject matter of the report. The substitute extends the expiration date of the program from September 1, 2003 to September 1, 2005.