BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	H.B. 1758
86R6568 JG-D	By: White (Miles)
	Health & Human Services
	5/14/2019
	Engrossed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

In Texas, which has the largest rural population in the United States, more rural families are vulnerable to substance use disorder (SUD) than those in urban areas. Rural communities that are at risk of SUD often lack services such as SUD treatment facilities. Due to this lack of services, those impacted by SUD permanently migrate to cities in order to sustain long-term treatment. With families moving out to receive treatment, rural communities are drained of their recovery capital and cannot hold individuals who can lead others to recovery.

Recovery community organizations (RCOs) are non-profits that mobilize resources within and outside of the recovery community to increase the prevalence and quality of long-term recovery from SUD for individuals and their affected family members. These treatment facilities are staffed by individuals who are in recovery themselves and create a local network for the community to rely on.

H.B. 1758 proposes the development of a grant program that will sustain and support RCOs as the anchor for a sustainable system of care to address SUD in rural communities. The Health and Human Services Commission will develop these grants and fund the RCOs for rural areas with a population under 100,000.

H.B. 1758 amends current law relating to a grant program and interagency review of resources to support and sustain recovery community organizations.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission in SECTION 3 of this bill.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, by adding Section 531.02253, as follows:

Sec. 531.02253. RECOVERY COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION GRANT PROGRAM. (a) Defines "recovery community organization (RCO)."

(b) Requires the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to develop and operate a grant program to award grants to RCOs to:

(1) establish a network of five RCOs in geographical areas throughout this state to provide services in one or more counties with populations of not more than 100,000; and

(2)� assist each RCO described by Subdivision (1) in developing:

(A) a structure of governance that aligns with national best practice standards for substance use recovery services; and

(B) a strategic plan to identify:

(i) available resources within a community served by the RCO;

(ii) the prioritized needs of a community served by the RCO;

(iii) recovery support solutions; and

(iv) short- and long-term goals for the sustained operation of the RCO and the recovery of persons within a community served by the RCO.

(c)� Authorizes HHSC to provide a grant under Subsection (b) only in accordance with a contract between HHSC and the RCO. Requires the contract to include provisions under which HHSC is granted sufficient control to ensure the public purpose of substance use recovery is accomplished and the state receives the return benefit.

(d) Authorizes HHSC, in addition to money appropriated by the legislature, to solicit and accept gifts, grants, or donations from any source to administer or finance the grant program established under this section.

SECTION 2. (a) Defines "recovery community organization."

(b) Requires certain state agencies to identify available resources under the state agency's control that may be used to support and sustain RCOs throughout this state.

(c) Requires each state agency described by Subsection (b) of this section, not later than September 1, 2020, to prepare and submit to the legislature a written report that outlines the available resources identified by the state agency under Subsection (b).

SECTION 3. Requires the executive commissioner of HHSC, as soon as practicable after the effective date of this Act, to adopt rules as necessary to implement Section 531.02253, Government Code, as added by this Act.

SECTION 4. Effective date: September 1, 2019.