S.B. No. 126

AN ACT

relating to the creation of a mental health and substance abuse public reporting system.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 1001, Health and Safety Code, is amended by adding Section 1001.078 to read as follows:

Sec. 1001.078. MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE PUBLIC REPORTING SYSTEM. (a) The department, in collaboration with the commission, shall establish and maintain a public reporting system of performance and outcome measures relating to mental health and substance abuse services established by the Legislative Budget Board, the department, and the commission. The system must allow external users to view and compare the performance, outputs, and outcomes of:

(1) community centers established under Subchapter A, Chapter 534, that provide mental health services;

(2) Medicaid managed care pilot programs that provide mental health services; and

(3) agencies, organizations, and persons that contract with the state to provide substance abuse services.

(b) The system must allow external users to view and compare the performance, outputs, and outcomes of the Medicaid managed care programs that provide mental health services.

(c) The department shall post the performance, output, and outcome measures on the department's website so that the information is accessible to the public. The department shall post the measures quarterly or semiannually in accordance with when the measures are reported to the department.

(d) The department shall consider public input in determining the appropriate outcome measures to collect in the public reporting system. To the extent possible, the department shall include outcome measures that capture inpatient psychiatric care diversion, avoidance of emergency room use, criminal justice diversion, and the numbers of people who are homeless served.

(e) The commission shall conduct a study to determine the feasibility of establishing and maintaining the public reporting system, including, to the extent possible, the cost to the state and impact on managed care organizations and providers of collecting the outcome measures required by Subsection (d). Not later than December 1, 2014, the commission shall report the results of the study to the legislature and appropriate legislative committees.

(f) The department shall ensure that information reported through the public reporting system does not permit the identification of an individual.

SECTION 2. Not later than December 1, 2013, the Department of State Health Services shall establish the public reporting system as required under Section 1001.078, Health and Safety Code, as added by this Act.

SECTION 3. Not later than December 1, 2014, the Department of State Health Services shall submit a report to the legislature and the Legislative Budget Board on the development of the public reporting system as required by Section 1001.078, Health and Safety Code, as added by this Act, and the outcome measures collected.

SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013.

______________________________ ______________________________

President of the Senate Speaker of the House

I hereby certify that S.B. No. 126 passed the Senate on March 13, 2013, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0; and that the Senate concurred in House amendment on May 24, 2013, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.

______________________________ Secretary of the Senate

I hereby certify that S.B. No. 126 passed the House, with amendment, on May 22, 2013, by the following vote: Yeas 146, Nays 1, one present not voting.

______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House

Approved:

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Date

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Governor