HBA-CCH H.B. 2326 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2326
By: Kitchen
Human Services
3/14/2001
Introduced



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.   House Bill 2326 requires the council
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

House Bill 2326 requires the Texas Interagency Council for the Homeless
(council), in cooperation with relevant state agencies, to develop and
administer a pilot case management program (program) for homeless people
with chronic illnesses such as diabetes and HIV/AIDS.    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 a chronic illness,
identify and use existing federal, state, county, and local financial
sources to fund the program, make recommendations to the council for
streamlining the delivery of services and filling the gaps in the services
provided.  The program must provide case management, health-related
education, and access to housing, medical, job training, and other
necessary services for the participants in the program. 

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, 2002, regarding the program's
effectiveness in reducing the number of homeless people and in increasing
the participants' ability to manage their chronic illness, and to make
recommendations for statewide implementation    

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2001.