BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center S.B. 1058
Veteran Affairs & Military Installations
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Many veterans struggle with traumatic brain injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder and, as a result, have trouble reintegrating into family and work life upon returning from combat.
S.B. 1058 requires the adjutant general's department to develop a referral program to provide referrals to servicemembers for reintegration services. The bill also requires the Department of State Health Services and the Health and Human Services Commission to develop a directory of services and other resources, tools, and counseling programs available to aid veterans and their immediate families in the reintegration process.
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 Section 431.001, Government Code, by adding Subdivision (1-a), to define “servicemember.”
SECTION 2. Amends Subchapter B, Chapter 431, Government Code, by adding Section 431.0291, as follows:
Sec. 431.0291. SERVICE REFERRAL PROGRAM. (a) Requires the adjutant general's department (department) to develop a program to provide referrals to servicemembers for reintegration services.
(b) Sets forth the requirements of the program.
(c) Requires the department to ensure that each person who provides referrals to servicemembers under the referral program has received sufficient training to ensure that servicemembers receive accurate information and servicemembers are notified in a timely manner about the service referral program.
(d) Requires the department, in developing the program, to consult with the state military forces, the National Guard Bureau, the United States Veterans Health Administration, the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine, and The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.
SECTION 3. Amends Section 434.007, Government Code, to require the Texas Veterans Commission (commission) to collect and maintain for each county the number of servicemembers and veterans residing in the county, through surveys or other reasonable and accurate estimation methods, and to annually publish the information on the commission’s website.
SECTION 4. Amends Subchapter C, Chapter 434, Government Code, by adding Section 434.107, as follows:
Sec. 434.107. DIRECTORY OF SERVICES. (a) Requires the commission to collaborate with and assist the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) and the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) in compiling and maintaining the directory of services established under Section 161.552, Health and Safety Code (directory).
(b) Requires the commission to provide the directory on or through links on the commission’s website.
SECTION 5. Amends Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, by adding Section 531.093, as follows:
Sec. 531.093. SERVICES FOR MILITARY PERSONNEL. (a) Defines “servicemember.”
(b) Requires the executive commissioner of HHSC (executive commissioner) to ensure that each health and human services agency (agency) adopts policies requiring the agency to take certain actions set forth in this subsection related to direction of servicemembers to appropriate service providers.
(c) Requires the executive commissioner to make the directory accessible to each agency.
SECTION 6. Amends Chapter 161, Health and Safety Code, by adding Subchapter U, as follows:
SUBCHAPTER U. INFORMATION REGARDING PROGRAMS FOR
MILITARY PERSONNEL AND THEIR FAMILIES
Sec. 161.551. DEFINITIONS. Defines “commission,” “department,” and “servicemember.”
Sec. 161.552. DIRECTORY OF SERVICES. (a) Requires DSHS and HHSC to compile, maintain, and disseminate through the Texas Information and Referral Network (network) and other appropriate media a directory of services and other resources, tools, and counseling programs available to servicemembers and their immediate family.
(b) Sets forth the required information to be included in the directory.
(c) Requires DSHS and HHSC to organize the directory in a manner allowing a person to locate services in a specific community in the state.
(d) Requires DSHS and HHSC to develop and maintain the directory in
collaboration with local, state, and national private and governmental
organizations, including certain entities set forth in this subsection.
(e) Requires DSHS to provide the directory to the network in the time periods and in the manner and format specified by the network.
(f) Requires DSHS to provide the directory on or through links appearing on its website.
SECTION 7. Effective date: September 1, 2007.