SRC-EPT, TBR S.B. 1470 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research CenterS.B. 1470
By: Moncrief
Health & Human Services
6/14/2001
Enrolled


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

The mental health needs of youths in Tarrant County are not being met.
S.B. 1470 creates a Youth Assertive Community Treatment pilot program in
Tarrant County to provide clinical and rehabilitative services to meet the
needs of children who have a history of mental or behavioral health
problems. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a
state officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Chapter 614, Health and Safety Code, by adding Section
614.019, as follows: 

Sec. 614.019.  YOUTH ASSERTIVE COMMUNITY TREATMENT PILOT PROGRAM. (a)
Authorizes the Texas Council on Offenders with Mental Impairments (council)
to establish in Tarrant County an assertive community treatment pilot
program to provide treatment, rehabilitation, and support services to
individuals in that county who meet certain requirements. 

(b)  Requires the pilot program to be modeled after other assertive
community treatment programs established by the Texas Department of Mental
Health and Mental Retardation.  Provides that the program is limited to
serving not more than 30 program participants at any time. 

(c)  Requires the council, if the council creates a pilot program under
this section, to provide for the program a team of licensed or degreed
professionals in the clinical treatment or rehabilitation field to
administer the pilot program.  Requires a team created under this
subsection to include certain individuals. 

(d)  Requires the pilot program's professional team, in administering the
program, to meet certain requirements. 

(e)  Requires the council and the pilot program to cooperate with or
contract with local agencies to avoid duplication of services and to
maximize federal Medicaid funding. 

SECTION 2.  Requires the Criminal Justice Policy Council to conduct a study
to evaluate the effectiveness of a pilot program established under Section
614.019, Health and Safety Code, as added by this Act.  Requires a study,
at a minimum, to provide certain information. 

(b)  Requires the Criminal Justice Policy Council to report the results of
the study to the governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the house or
representatives on or before December 31, 2002. 

SECTION 3.  Provides that Section 614.019, Health and Safety Code, as added
by this Act, is  effective only during a state fiscal biennium in which the
legislature has appropriated money to the Texas Council on Offenders with
Mental Impairments for the purposes of that section.  Provides that if the
legislature has not appropriated money for those purposes in a fiscal
biennium, the Texas Council on Offenders with Mental Impairments, with
appropriated money or other available resources, is required to attempt to
provide services during that biennium that are comparable to the services
the council may provide under that section. 

SECTION 4.  Effective date: September 1, 2001.