85R6873 JG-F
 
  By: Thompson of Harris, Price, Lucio III, H.B. No. 1600
      Bonnen of Galveston, Wu
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to certain mental health screenings under the Texas Health
  Steps program.
         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 32.0249 to read as follows:
         Sec. 32.0249.  MENTAL HEALTH SCREENINGS IN TEXAS HEALTH
  STEPS PROGRAM. The executive commissioner, in the rules governing
  the Texas Health Steps program, shall:
               (1)  require that at least one mental health screening
  be provided under the program using one or more validated,
  standardized mental health screening tools to each recipient who is
  at least 12 years of age but younger than 19 years of age;
               (2)  require the mental health screening described in
  Subdivision (1) to be conducted during a recipient's annual medical
  exam;
               (3)  allow a provider to conduct a mental health
  screening using one or more validated, standardized mental health
  screening tools during each annual medical exam of a recipient
  described by Subdivision (1); and
               (4)  only allow a provider to be reimbursed for
  conducting one mental health screening using one or more validated,
  standardized mental health screening tools during each annual
  medical exam of a recipient described by Subdivision (1).
         SECTION 2.  If before implementing any provision of this Act
  a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a
  federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision,
  the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or
  authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the
  waiver or authorization is granted.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.