LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 81ST LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

April 27, 2009

TO:	Honorable Frank Corte Jr., Chair, House Committee on Defense & Veterans' Affairs
FROM:	John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	SB1325 by Nelson (Relating to the creation of a mental health intervention program for military veterans.), As Engrossed

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would require the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) to develop a mental health intervention program for veterans. The bill would require that the program provide for peer-to-peer counseling and would require DSHS to solicit and train volunteers to provide the peer-to-peer counseling. The bill would require the program to be developed by January 1, 2010.  It is assumed that the costs for the development and administration of the program and for the training of volunteer peer-to-peer counselors could be covered with existing resources.

 

The bill, however, does not limit services to volunteer peer-to-peer counseling. DSHS estimates there are 1.7 million veterans residing in Texas. The number of veterans who might seek services through the program cannot be determined. Type and duration of services are also unknown and variations in these factors could result in substantially different costs. Providing services other than volunteer peer-to-peer counseling to even a small percentage of the veterans in the state could have a substantial cost.

Local Government Impact

There could be substantial costs to local mental health authorities to provide services other than volunteer peer-to-peer counseling to veterans.

Source Agencies:

537 State Health Services, Department of

LBB Staff:

JOB, KK, LR, JJ