BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 2111

By: Watson

Public Health

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The 85th Legislature appropriated $300 million to begin a multi-biennium effort to replace deteriorating state mental health hospitals and expand state inpatient mental health capacity, including $15.5 million to begin the pre-planning and planning process for the redesign of the operation of Austin State Hospital. A recent report on this redesign recommended the development of a plan to transfer the operation of the state hospital to an academic partner, a model that has been employed for decades at the Harris County Psychiatric Center. S.B. 2111 requires the Health and Human Services Commission to develop such a plan.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

S.B. 2111 amends the Health and Safety Code to require the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to establish a plan under which HHSC may contract with a local public institution of higher education to transfer the operations of Austin State Hospital from HHSC to a local public institution of higher education. The bill requires HHSC to do the following in developing the plan:

· consult with local public institutions of higher education;

· establish procedures and policies to ensure that a local public institution of higher education that contracts with HHSC to operate the state hospital operates the state hospital at a quality level at least equal to the quality level achieved by HHSC; and

· establish procedures and policies to monitor the care of affected state hospital patients.

S.B. 2111 requires the procedures and policies established by HHSC to ensure that HHSC is able to obtain and maintain information on activities carried out under the contract without violating privacy or confidentiality rules and account for HHSC obtaining and maintaining information on the following:

· client outcomes;

· individual and average lengths of stay, including computation of lengths of stay according to the number of days a patient is in the facility during each calendar year, regardless of discharge and readmission;

· the number of incidents in which patients were restrained or secluded;

· the number of incidents of serious assaults in the hospital setting; and

· the number of occurrences in the hospital setting involving contacts with law enforcement personnel.

S.B. 2111 requires HHSC, not later than September 1, 2020, to prepare and deliver to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the legislature a written report containing the plan developed under the bill's provisions and any recommendations for legislation or other actions necessary.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2019.