| TO: | Honorable Joe Straus, Speaker of the House, House of Representatives |
| FROM: | John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | HB2196 by Truitt (Relating to the establishment of a workgroup to study and make recommendations on the integration of health and behavioral health services.), As Passed 2nd House |
The bill would require the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to establish a workgroup to recommend best practices in policy, training, and service delivery to promote integration of health and behavioral health services in the state. The executive commissioner would be required to form the workgroup by October 1, 2009 and to submit a report by August 1, 2010 to the appropriate committees of the Senate and House of Representatives. It is assumed that costs would be minimal and can be absorbed within existing resources.
The bill would require the HHSC to hire a full-time director and administrative assistant to support the duties and functions of the new Interagency Task Force for Children with Special Needs. It would also require HHSC to provide administrative support related to quarterly meetings of the task force. The costs associated with performing these duties are assumed to be within the agency's available resources. It is assumed that the new staff would be accommodated within the existing full-time equivalent cap. Costs for task force members to attend quarterly meetings and participate in planning and reporting are assumed to be minimal.
| Source Agencies: | 529 Health and Human Services Commission
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| LBB Staff: | JOB, SD, CL, PP, MB
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