BILL ANALYSIS
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Senate Research Center |
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AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Texas is experiencing a mental health workforce shortage crisis. A majority of Texas counties have been designated by the federal government as Health Professional Shortage Areas for mental health, with many of those shortage areas identified as not having a single psychiatrist.
H.B. 1023 creates a task force to examine the existence, severity, and causes of mental health workforce shortages in this state. The task force will identify the specific types of providers and licensed mental health professionals for which shortages exist, the regions of the state with the most severe shortages, the effect of the shortages on the ability of individuals with mental illness to obtain services, and the economic and societal effect the shortages have in Texas.
The task force will be required to report to the legislature the results of their examination and recommendations to reduce mental health workforce shortages.
H.B. 1023 amends current law relating to the creation of a task force to investigate and make recommendations regarding mental health workforce shortages.
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. TASK FORCE ON MENTAL HEALTH WORKFORCE SHORTAGE. (a) Requires the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), or a health and human services agency designated by HHSC, not later than October 1, 2013, to establish a task force to investigate and make recommendations regarding mental health workforce shortages in this state.
(b) Requires the task force to investigate the existence, severity, and causes of mental health workforce shortages in this state. Requires that the investigation specifically identify:
(1) the types of providers for which shortages exist, including types such as licensed professionals, certified peer specialists, and direct care staff;
(2) the types of licensed professionals, specialists, or staff for which shortages exist;
(3) the locations or regions in this state in which shortages exist and in which extraordinary shortages exist;
(4) the effect the shortages have on the ability of persons with mental illness to receive services in this state and in those locations or regions identified under Subdivision (3) of this subsection; and
(5) the economic and societal effect the shortages have in this state and in those locations or regions identified under Subdivision (3) of this subsection.
SECTION 2. REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS. Requires HHSC, or the health and human services agency designated by HHSC under Section 1 of this Act, not later than December 1, 2014, to submit a report to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the appropriate standing committees of the legislature that includes the results of the task force's investigation, and recommended means to alleviate identified mental health workforce shortages.
SECTION 3. EFFECTIVE DATE. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2013.