| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to the provision of employment assistance and supported |
|
|
employment to certain Medicaid waiver program participants. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 32, Human Resources Code, |
|
|
is amended by adding Section 32.075 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 32.075. EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORTED |
|
|
EMPLOYMENT. (a) In this section: |
|
|
(1) "Employment assistance" means assistance provided |
|
|
to an individual to help the individual locate paid employment in |
|
|
the community. Employment assistance includes: |
|
|
(A) identifying an individual's employment |
|
|
preferences, job skills, and requirements for a work setting and |
|
|
work conditions; |
|
|
(B) locating prospective employers offering |
|
|
employment compatible with an individual's identified preferences, |
|
|
skills, and requirements; and |
|
|
(C) contacting a prospective employer on behalf |
|
|
of an individual and negotiating the individual's employment. |
|
|
(2) "Supported employment" means employment in which |
|
|
assistance is provided, in order to sustain paid employment, to an |
|
|
individual who, because of a disability, requires intensive, |
|
|
ongoing support to perform in a work setting. Supported employment |
|
|
is provided at a work site at which individuals without |
|
|
disabilities are employed and includes adaptations, supervision, |
|
|
and training related to an individual's diagnosis. |
|
|
(b) This section applies only to the following medical |
|
|
assistance waiver programs: |
|
|
(1) the community based alternatives program; |
|
|
(2) the community living assistance and support |
|
|
services program; |
|
|
(3) the deaf-blind with multiple disabilities |
|
|
program; |
|
|
(4) the home and community-based services program; |
|
|
(5) the medically dependent children program; |
|
|
(6) the STAR + PLUS Medicaid managed care program; and |
|
|
(7) the Texas home living program. |
|
|
(c) The department shall provide employment assistance and |
|
|
supported employment to participants in the waiver programs |
|
|
identified in Subsection (b). |
|
|
SECTION 2. As soon as possible after the effective date of |
|
|
this Act, the Health and Human Services Commission shall apply for |
|
|
any waiver or other authorization necessary to implement this Act. |
|
|
The commission may delay implementing this Act until the waiver or |
|
|
authorization is granted. |
|
|
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
|
|
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
|
|
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
|
|
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
|
|
Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |