AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

The purpose of H.B. 35 is to extend a Bexar County local behavioral health intervention pilot project to September 1, 2013.  The program provides for diversion to a system of care including a behavioral health treatment placement for children and youth in Bexar County who are at risk of placement in an alternative setting for behavior management.  The behavioral health intervention pilot program, known as Bexar Cares, was implemented to eliminate barriers to allowing the sharing of information and resources in order to provide coordinated and collaborative health care for children and youth.  Prior to the program's implementation, children with behavioral health problems were served by many separate local agencies in Bexar County, which resulted in duplication of assessments, treatment modalities, and case management.  Bexar Cares addresses this issue by requiring extensive information sharing among state entities and contracted workers.  Currently, the program is set to expire on September 1, 2011.

 

Bexar Cares is a program specific to Bexar County managed by the Center for Health Care Services.  A report prepared by the Center for Health Care Services states that through November 19, 2010, Bexar Cares served 67 families, including 163 children.  Of the 163 children, 60 percent tested positive for a behavioral health problems.  A large portion of the caregivers of these children are plagued by drug and alcohol abuse, are teen parents, or are severely economically disadvantaged.  The program has successfully identified child mental health-related issues in the community and has been successful in addressing these issues more quickly and efficiently for the families involved in the program.  Bexar County benefits from this program because it provides the Center and local child serving agency partners with an opportunity to intervene for the benefit of children and youth who need behavioral health treatment rather than expulsion, restricted settings, detention, and incarceration and results in cost savings for the community and improvement in the lives of youth and families.

 

H.B. 35 amends current law relating to extending a local behavioral health intervention pilot project.

 

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 Sections 1(f) and (j), Chapter 356 (H.B. 1232), Acts of the 81st Legislature, Regular Session, 2009, as follows:

 

(f) Requires the local mental health authority involved in the local behavioral health intervention pilot project (pilot project), not later than December 1, 2012, rather than December 1, 2010, to submit a report to the Department of State Health Services regarding the pilot project, including a comprehensive analysis of the efficacy of the project, and the local authority's findings and recommendations.

 

(j) Provides that this Act expires September 1, 2013, rather than September 1, 2011.

 

SECTION 2.  (a) Provides that it is the intent of the legislature that amendments to Chapter 356 (H.B. 1232), Acts of the 81st Legislature, Regular Session, 2009, made by this Act and any other amendments to that chapter made by another Act of the 82nd Legislature, Regular Session, 2011, be harmonized, if possible, as provided by Section 311.025(b) (relating to requiring that amendments, if amendments to the same statute are enacted at the same session of the legislature, one amendment without reference to another, be harmonized), Government Code, so that effect may be given to each amendment.

 

(b) Provides that if an amendment to Chapter 356 (H.B. 1232), Acts of the 81st Legislature, Regular Session, 2009, made by this Act and an amendment to that chapter made by another Act of the 82nd Legislature, Regular Session, 2011, are irreconcilable, it is the intent of the legislature that the amendment to Chapter 356 (H.B. 1232), Acts of the 81st Legislature, Regular Session, 2009, made by this Act prevail, regardless of the relative effective dates or dates of enactment of the irreconcilable amendments.

 

SECTION 3.  Effective date: September 1, 2011.