By Kitchen                                            H.B. No. 2326
         77R8065 YDB-F                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to creating a pilot case management program to provide
 1-3     health-related education, medical, housing, and job training
 1-4     services to homeless people with chronic illnesses.
 1-5           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-6           SECTION 1. (a)  The Texas Interagency Council for the
 1-7     Homeless shall develop a pilot case management program for homeless
 1-8     people with chronic illnesses, including diabetes and HIV infection
 1-9     or AIDS.  The council in cooperation with relevant state agencies
1-10     shall administer the pilot program under the direction of the
1-11     council.
1-12           (b)  Using existing resources of the agencies composing the
1-13     council, the staff of the Texas Interagency Council for the
1-14     Homeless shall:
1-15                 (1)  select a county with a population of more than 2.8
1-16     million in which to implement the program;
1-17                 (2)  identify existing services provided to homeless
1-18     people with chronic illnesses through programs of the agencies
1-19     composing the council;
1-20                 (3)  identify existing federal, state, county, and
1-21     local sources from which money may be available to fund the pilot
1-22     program;
1-23                 (4)  create a pilot case management program for
1-24     homeless people with chronic illnesses using existing financial and
 2-1     agency resources; and
 2-2                 (5)  make recommendations to the council for
 2-3     streamlining the existing service delivery and filling gaps in the
 2-4     services provided.
 2-5           (c)  The pilot program established under this Act must
 2-6     provide case management, health-related education, and access to
 2-7     housing, medical, job training, and other necessary services for
 2-8     the participants of the program.
 2-9           (d)  The Texas Interagency Council for the Homeless shall
2-10     implement the pilot program established under this Act not later
2-11     than November 1, 2001.
2-12           (e)  Not later than December 15, 2002, the Texas Interagency
2-13     Council for the Homeless shall submit a report to the governor, the
2-14     lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the house of
2-15     representatives regarding the pilot program established under this
2-16     Act that includes:
2-17                 (1)  an analysis of the pilot program's effectiveness
2-18     in reducing the number of homeless people;
2-19                 (2)  an analysis of the pilot program's effectiveness
2-20     in increasing the participants' abilities to manage chronic
2-21     illness; and
2-22                 (3)  recommendations for statewide implementation of
2-23     the program.
2-24           (f)  This section expires September 1, 2003.
2-25           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
2-26     a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
2-27     provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
 3-1     Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
 3-2     Act takes effect September 1, 2001.