80R8684 UM-D

By: Menendez H.B. No. 2477

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to establishing a cross-system coordinated behavioral health intervention pilot project.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. (a) The Department of State Health Services shall establish a cross-system coordinated behavioral health intervention pilot project for children in Bexar County.

(b) In implementing the pilot project, the department shall require a local mental health authority serving Bexar County to:

(1) enter into a memorandum of understanding or other agreement with state and local agencies that work directly with children, including the Department of State Health Services, the Department of Family and Protective Services, the Texas Youth Commission, and the Texas Education Agency, to:

(A) permit cross-system collaboration in the provision of uniform early intervention behavioral health assessments to children; and

(B) to the extent allowed by other law, identify children in the educational, juvenile justice, and child protective services systems who have or are at risk of developing mental health or substance abuse problems, divert the children to integrated systems of care services, and reduce cross-system gaps or inefficiencies in the provision of care;

(2) develop, in collaboration with the state and local agencies, a best practices plan regarding:

(A) cross-system informed consent and confidentiality practices;

(B) uniform behavioral health screening for children;

(C) uniform referral processes between systems and agencies related to behavioral health services;

(D) the delivery of early intervention and treatment services; and

(E) an information exchange process between agencies to facilitate faster identification and assessment of behavioral health problems and integrate service delivery;

(3) identify outcome measures that may be used to measure the efficiency of cross-system coordination; and

(4) ensure that an extensive listing of providers is available for children and their families, including information regarding the services offered and the behavioral health issues addressed by the provider.

(c) The department may use funds for crisis prevention programs in collaboration with funds from local authorities, including school districts and criminal justice agencies, to implement the pilot project.

(d) Not later than December 1, 2008, the local mental health authority involved in the pilot project shall submit a report to the department regarding the cross-system coordinated behavioral health intervention pilot project, including:

(1) a comprehensive analysis of the efficacy of the project; and

(2) the local authority's findings and recommendations.

(e) This section expires September 1, 2009.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2007.