SRC-VRA S.B. 1182 78(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 1182
78R6798 JJT-DBy: Deuell
Health & Human Services
3/24/2003
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Texas Community Mental Health and Mental Retardation Centers have become
integral parts of their local communities.  Through the eyes of their
communities, centers have developed a unique view of service needs and
service priorities.  As proposed, S.B. 1182 requires local mental health
or mental retardation authorities to develop a local service plan to help
each center meet the needs of its community. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

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

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Chapter 533B, H.ealth and Safety Code, by adding
Section 533.0354, as follows: 

Sec.  533.0354(c).  LOCAL AUTHORITY PLANNING FOR LOCAL SERVICE AREA. (a)
Requires each local mental health or mental retardation authority to
develop a local service area plan to maximize the authority's services by
using the best and most cost-effective means of using federal, state, and
local resources to meet the needs of the local community according to the
relative priority of those needs. 

(b) Requires a local service area plan to be consistent with the purposes,
goals, and policies stated in Section 531.001 and the Texas Department of
Mental Health and Mental Retardation's (MHMR) long-range plan developed
under Section 533.032. 

(c) Requires MHMR and a local mental health or mental retardation
authority to use the local authority's local service plan as the basis for
contracts between MHMR and the local authority and for establishing the
local authority's responsibility for achieving outcomes related to the
needs and characteristics of the authority's local service area. 

(d) Requires the local mental health or mental retardation authority, in
developing the local service area plan, to perform certain tasks.   

SECTION 2.(a) Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2003.
  
  (b) Makes application of Section 533.0354(c) prospective to January 1,
2004.