| TO: | Honorable Richard Pena Raymond, Chair, House Committee on Human Services |
| FROM: | John S O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | SB219 by Nelson (Relating to health and mental health services for children in foster care and kinship care.), As Engrossed |
SECTION 1 of the bill adds supervisors to the list of staff to whom the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) is required to provide training in trauma-informed programs and services. DFPS would be required to annually evaluate the effectiveness of training in trauma-informed programs and services. Department caseworkers and supervisors would be required to complete an annual refresher course in trauma-informed programs and services. DFPS would also be required to assist certain other entities in developing training in and locating resources to assist in providing trauma-informed programs and services. According to DFPS, any cost to provide training to supervisors, provide annual refresher training, annually evaluate training effectiveness, or assist other entities in developing training would be minimal and could be absorbed within available resources.
SECTION 2 of the bill would require the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to explore opportunities to increase STAR Health program providers' use of telemedicine in medically underserved areas and to encourage STAR Health providers to use telemedicine as appropriate. According to HHSC, this section would have no significant fiscal impact.
SECTION 3 of the bill would require that STAR Health contracts with managed care organizations (MCOs) include a requirement that trauma-informed care training be offered to each contracted physician or provider; SECTION 4 of the bill would limit this requirement to contracts entered into or renewed on or after the effective date of the bill, but would direct HHSC to amend contracts entered into before the effective date to the extent permitted by law. SECTION 3 of the bill would further require HHSC to encourage each MCO providing services to STAR Health recipients to make available training in post-traumatic stress disorder and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder to contracted providers and physicians. SECTION 3 would also require HHSC to encourage each MCO providing services to STAR Health recipients to ensure that providers comply with the regimen of care prescribed by the Texas Health Steps program, including the requirement to provide a mental health screening during each Texas Health Steps medical exam. According to HHSC, training is already offered but not required; there would be no additional cost from requiring that training be offered. No additional cost is expected from ensuring that providers comply with Texas Health Steps requirements, including providing a mental health screening.
The bill would take effect on September 1, 2011.
| Source Agencies: | 529 Health and Human Services Commission, 530 Family and Protective Services, Department of
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| LBB Staff: | JOB, CL, LR, MB, NB, NM
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