1-1 By: Raymond (Senate Sponsor - Zaffirini) H.B. No. 1154 1-2 (In the Senate - Received from the House May 11, 2001; 1-3 May 11, 2001, read first time and referred to Committee on Health 1-4 and Human Services; May 11, 2001, reported favorably by the 1-5 following vote: Yeas 7, Nays 0; May 11, 2001, sent to printer.) 1-6 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-7 AN ACT 1-8 relating to authorizing the Health and Human Services Commission to 1-9 make grants to community-based organizations to provide support for 1-10 long-term care services. 1-11 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-12 SECTION 1. Section 531.02481, Government Code, is amended by 1-13 amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (g) to read as 1-14 follows: 1-15 (a) The commission, the Texas Department of Human Services, 1-16 and the Texas Department on Aging shall assist communities in this 1-17 state in developing comprehensive, community-based support and 1-18 service delivery systems for long-term care services. At the 1-19 request of a community-based organization or combination of 1-20 community-based organizations, the commission may provide a grant 1-21 to the organization or combination of organizations in accordance 1-22 with Subsection (g). At the request of a community, the commission 1-23 shall provide resources and assistance to the community to enable 1-24 the community to: 1-25 (1) identify and overcome institutional barriers to 1-26 developing more comprehensive community support systems, including 1-27 barriers that result from the policies and procedures of state 1-28 health and human services agencies; 1-29 (2) develop a system of blended funds, consistent with 1-30 the requirements of federal law and the General Appropriations Act, 1-31 to allow the community to customize services to fit individual 1-32 community needs; and 1-33 (3) develop a local system of access and assistance to 1-34 aid clients in accessing the full range of long-term care services. 1-35 (g) In making a grant to a community-based organization, the 1-36 commission shall evaluate the organization's proposal based on 1-37 demonstrated need and the merit of the proposal. If a combination 1-38 of community-based organizations makes a proposal, the combination 1-39 must designate a single organization to receive and administer the 1-40 grant. The commission may adopt guidelines for proposals under 1-41 this subsection. The commission shall give priority to proposals 1-42 that will use the Internet and related information technologies to 1-43 provide to clients referral services, other information regarding 1-44 local long-term care services, and needs assessment. To receive a 1-45 grant under this section, a community-based organization must at 1-46 least partially match the state grant with money or other resources 1-47 obtained from a nongovernmental entity, from a local government, or 1-48 if the community-based organization is a local government, from 1-49 fees or taxes collected by the local government. The 1-50 community-based organization may then combine the money or 1-51 resources the organization obtains from a variety of state, local, 1-52 federal, or private sources to accomplish the purpose of the 1-53 proposal. If a community-based organization receives a grant on 1-54 behalf of a combination of community-based organizations or if the 1-55 community-based organization's proposal involved coordinating with 1-56 other entities to accomplish the purpose of the proposal, the 1-57 commission may condition receipt of the grant on the organization's 1-58 making a good faith effort to coordinate with other entities in the 1-59 manner indicated in the proposal. 1-60 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001. 1-61 * * * * *