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


Senate Research CenterC.S.S.B. 1470
77R11750 JJT-FBy: Moncrief
Health & Human Services
4/26/2001
Committee Report (Substituted)


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Currently, the mental health needs of youths in Tarrant County are not
being met.  As proposed, C.S.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 program's professional team, in administering the
program, to meet certain requirements. 

(e)  Requires the council and the 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 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.

SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE CHANGES

SECTION 1.  Amends As Filed S.B. 1470 by adding Section 614.019, Health and
Safety Code, rather than amending Chapter 533B, Health and Safety Code. 

SECTION 2.  Amends As Filed S.B. 1470, by adding SECTION 2.  

SECTION 3.  Amends As Filed S.B. 1470, by adding SECTION 3.  

SECTION 4.  Effective date.  Redesignated from SECTION 3.