| TO: | Honorable Jane Nelson, Chair, Senate Committee on Health & Human Services |
| FROM: | Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | HB1023 by Burkett (Relating to the creation of a task force to investigate and make recommendations regarding mental health workforce shortages.), As Engrossed |
The bill would require the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), or the delegated health and human services agency, to establish a task force by October 1, 2013, to investigate the types of providers and licensed professionals for which shortages exist, the locations and degrees of shortages, the effect of the shortages on the ability of persons with mental illness to receive services, and the economic and societal effect of the shortages.
The bill would require HHSC to submit a report by December 1, 2014, to the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the house, and the appropriate legislative committees with the results of the task force's investigations and recommendations.
The bill would take effect immediately if a two-thirds majority vote in both houses of the Legislature is received; otherwise, the bill would take effect on September 1, 2013.
Based on the analysis provided by HHSC and the Department of State Health Services, it is assumed that the provisions of the bill can be implemented within existing resources.
| Source Agencies: | 529 Health and Human Services Commission, 537 State Health Services, Department of
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| LBB Staff: | UP, CL, CH, NB
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