AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

The purpose of S.B. 294 is to extend a Bexar County local behavioral health pilot project to September 1, 2023. 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 behavior health pilot intervention program, known as Bexar Cares, was implemented to eliminate barriers allowing 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, 2013.

 

Bexar Cares is a program specific to Bexar County managed by the Center for Health Care Services (Center).  The report conducted by the Center states that through December 1, 2012, Bexar Cares served 267 families, up from the 67 families served through December of 2010.  Of the children screened, 60 percent tested positive for a behavioral health problem.  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 will result in cost savings for the community and improvement in the lives of youth and families. 

 

S.B. 294 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 behavioral health intervention pilot project, not later than December 1 of each even-numbered year, rather than not later than December 1, 2012, to submit a report to the  Department of State Health Services regarding the local behavioral health intervention pilot project, including:

 

(1)  a comprehensive analysis of the efficacy of the project; and

 

(2)  the local authority's findings and recommendations.

 

(j)  Provides that this Act expires September 1, 2023, rather than September 1, 2013.

 

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 83rd Legislature, Regular Session, 2013, are required to be harmonized, if possible, as provided by Section 311.025(b) (relating to the required procedure for amendments to the same statute that are enacted at the same session of the legislature), Government Code, so that effect may be given to each amendment.

 

(b)  Provides that it is the intent of the legislature, 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 83rd Legislature, Regular Session, 2013, are irreconcilable, 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:  upon passage or the 91st day after the last day of the legislative session.