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


Senate Research Center   S.B. 1470
2001SO722/1 03/06/01By: Moncrief
Health & Human Services
4/27/2001
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Currently, the mental health needs of youths in Tarrant County are not
being met.  As proposed, 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 533B, Health and Safety Code, by adding Section
533.048, as follows: 

Sec. 533.048.  YOUTH ASSERTIVE COMMUNITY TREATMENT PILOT PROGRAM. (a)
Defines, "ACT pilot program," "ACT team," and "targeted youth." 

(b)  Requires the Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation
(department) to establish a Youth Assertive Community Treatment pilot
program in Tarrant County to provide treatment, rehabilitation, and support
services to targeted youth in Tarrant County.  Requires the ACT pilot
program to be modeled on other Assertive Community Treatment programs that
have been established across the state by the department. 

(c)  Requires the department to create an ACT team consisting of degreed or
licensed professionals in the clinical treatment or rehabilitation fields
to be responsible for administering the ACT pilot program.  Requires the
professionals chosen for the ACT team to include a full-time registered
nurse, who will provide direct services to the targeted youth, and a
psychiatrist, who will be available to the ACT pilot program for a minimum
of 10 hours per week.  Requires the ACT team to maintain a ratio of not
less than one ACT team member for each 10 targeted youth, with a maximum of
30 targeted youth receiving services at any one time. 

(d)  Requires the ACT team, in administering the ACT pilot program, to
provide and maintain certain services. 

SECTION 2.  Requires the Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental
Retardation, not later than January 15, 2003, to submit to the governor and
the legislature a report concerning the effectiveness of the Youth
Assertive Community Treatment pilot program established under Section
533.048, Health and Safety Code, as added by this Act. 

SECTION 3.  Effective date: September 1, 2001.