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.