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HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, National Mental Health Month is observed each May to |
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raise awareness about mental illness and related issues in the |
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United States; and |
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WHEREAS, Good mental health is essential to one's overall |
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health and well-being, but each year one in five adults, of any age, |
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gender, race, ethnicity, religion, and economic status, face mental |
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health issues; and |
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WHEREAS, Studies have shown that about a third of all people |
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experiencing mental illnesses and about half of the people living |
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with severe mental illnesses also confront or battle against |
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substance abuse, and about a third of all alcohol abusers and more |
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than half of all drug abusers report experiencing a mental illness; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, People with mental illness can achieve recovery and |
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wellness when appropriate mental health services and support are |
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available; cognitive behavioral therapy is particularly effective |
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in helping people with dual diagnoses learn to cope and to change |
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ineffective patterns of thinking, and involving families through |
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psychoeducation is an important component of successful mental |
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health and substance abuse treatment; also, publication of a |
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diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders has vastly |
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increased innovation in psychiatric treatment and clarified |
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diagnosis in a wide range of practice settings, and current |
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treatment is now more objective, consistent, and effective than |
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treatment in the past; and |
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WHEREAS, Recovery does not happen in isolation, however; it |
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requires a sufficient number of licensed health care providers, |
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including psychologists, marriage and family therapists, licensed |
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professional counselors, social workers, and psychiatrists, who |
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use their training and clinical skills to diagnose and treat |
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patients; and |
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WHEREAS, "The Mental Health Workforce Shortage in Texas" |
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report identifies the lack of mental health professionals and |
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primary care practitioners in rural communities, and this shortage |
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results in greater difficulty in developing the multidisciplinary, |
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integrated service that would be optimal for people with comorbid |
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conditions; and |
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WHEREAS, As of March 2009, 173 out of 254 Texas counties and |
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two partial counties were designated as Health Profession Shortage |
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Areas for mental health; state agencies and community health care |
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organizations report extensive problems in recruiting and training |
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psychologists, marriage and family therapists, licensed |
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professional counselors, social workers, and psychiatrists, and it |
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is estimated that only 39 percent of persons with mental illness and |
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11 percent of persons with substance abuse issues receive needed |
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treatment; and |
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WHEREAS, The economic value of providing appropriate and |
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timely access to mental health services can be measured beyond |
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individual patient benefits to include cost savings to state and |
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local hospitals and reduced expenditures by state agencies and |
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programs, including the criminal and juvenile justice systems, |
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children and family services, housing, and employment; and |
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WHEREAS, Increased funding has been provided, but even with |
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these new funds, challenges remain to keep up with demand, to ensure |
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that the delivery system is strong, and to better integrate |
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behavioral health into the traditional health care system; |
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professional oversight, training, and clinical experience all are |
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essential to the effectiveness of mental health licensees, and |
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their success is crucial to meeting the ongoing challenges facing |
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the efficient delivery of quality mental health services; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 84th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby direct the licensure boards governing the state's mental |
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health providers to use the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of |
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Mental Disorders, the International Classification of Diseases, |
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and any other appropriately recognized diagnostic classification |
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systems, and the billing codes therein, for evaluation, |
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classification, treatment, and other activities by their licensees |
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and in connection with any claim for payment or reimbursement from a |
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health insurance policy issuer or any other payer; and, be it |
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further |
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RESOLVED, That the 84th Texas Legislature hereby affirm the |
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laws and rules applicable to licensed mental health care |
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professionals who reach those in need of mental health services. |
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Clardy |
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______________________________ |
______________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.C.R. No. 84 was adopted by the House on April |
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23, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 139, Nays 0, 2 present, not |
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voting. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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I certify that H.C.R. No. 84 was adopted by the Senate on May |
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4, 2015, by a viva-voce vote. |
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______________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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APPROVED: __________________ |
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Date |
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__________________ |
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Governor |