85R10979 JG-F

By: White H.B. No. 2786

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to a system of care framework for certain minors receiving mental health services.

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

SECTION 1. Section 531.251, Government Code, is reenacted to read as follows:

Sec. 531.251. TEXAS SYSTEM OF CARE FRAMEWORK. (a) In this section:

(1) "Minor" means an individual younger than 18 years of age.

(2) "Serious emotional disturbance" means a mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder of sufficient duration to result in functional impairment that substantially interferes with or limits a person's role or ability to function in family, school, or community activities.

(3) "System of care framework" means a framework for collaboration among state agencies, minors who have a serious emotional disturbance or are at risk of developing a serious emotional disturbance, and the families of those minors that improves access to services and delivers effective community-based services that are family-driven, youth- or young adult-guided, and culturally and linguistically competent.

(b) The commission shall implement a system of care framework to develop local mental health systems of care in communities for minors who are receiving residential mental health services and supports or inpatient mental health hospitalization, have or are at risk of developing a serious emotional disturbance, or are at risk of being removed from the minor's home and placed in a more restrictive environment to receive mental health services and supports, including an inpatient mental health hospital, a residential treatment facility, or a facility or program operated by the Department of Family and Protective Services or an agency that is part of the juvenile justice system.

(c) The commission shall:

(1) maintain a comprehensive plan for the delivery of mental health services and supports to a minor and a minor's family using a system of care framework, including best practices in the financing, administration, governance, and delivery of those services;

(2) enter memoranda of understanding with the Department of State Health Services, the Department of Family and Protective Services, the Texas Education Agency, the Texas Juvenile Justice Department, and the Texas Correctional Office on Offenders with Medical or Mental Impairments that specify the roles and responsibilities of each agency in implementing the comprehensive plan described by Subdivision (1);

(3) identify appropriate local, state, and federal funding sources to finance infrastructure and mental health services and supports needed to support state and local system of care framework efforts;

(4) develop an evaluation system to measure cross-system performance and outcomes of state and local system of care framework efforts; and

(5) in implementing the provisions of this section, consult with stakeholders, including:

(A) minors who have or are at risk of developing a serious emotional disturbance or young adults who received mental health services and supports as a minor with or at risk of developing a serious emotional disturbance; and

(B) family members of those minors or young adults.

SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date of this Act, the Health and Human Services Commission shall implement the system of care framework and perform other actions corresponding with the system of care framework as required by Section 531.251, Government Code, as reenacted by this Act.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2017.