AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

This legislation creates a grant program at the Health and Human Services Commission, which will receive 100 percent matching funds from a private third party, to support community programs for veterans' mental health.

 

As proposed, S.B. 55 amends current law relating to the creation of a grant program to support community mental health programs for veterans with mental illness.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission in SECTION 1 (Section 531.0992, Government Code) of this bill.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, by adding Section 531.0992, as follows:

 

Sec. 531.0992. GRANT PROGRAM FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR VETERANS. (a) Requires the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to establish a grant program for the purpose of supporting community mental health programs providing services and treatment to veterans with mental illness, to the extent funds are appropriated for that purpose.

 

(b) Requires HHSC to contract with a private entity to support and administer the grant program. Requires that the contract between HHSC and the private entity require that:

 

(1)  HHSC and the private entity each provide one-half of the money that will be awarded under the grant program;

 

(2)  the private entity develop eligibility criteria for grant applicants, acceptable uses of grant money by grant recipients, and reporting requirements for grant recipients; and

 

(3)  the private entity obtain HHSC's approval of the eligibility criteria, acceptable uses, and reporting requirements developed under Subdivision (2) before awarding any grants under the program.

 

(c) Requires the executive commissioner of HHSC to adopt any rules necessary to implement the grant program under this section.

 

SECTION 2.  Effective date: September 1, 2015.