86R4706 JG-D

By: Thierry H.B. No. 628

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to an acute psychiatric bed registry to list available beds for the psychiatric treatment of certain individuals.

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

SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is amended by adding Section 531.0995 to read as follows:

Sec. 531.0995. ACUTE PSYCHIATRIC BED REGISTRY. (a) In this section, "inpatient mental health facility" has the meaning assigned by Section 571.003, Health and Safety Code.

(b) The commission shall develop and administer an Internet-based and searchable acute psychiatric bed registry to collect, aggregate, and display information about beds at inpatient mental health facilities located in a county with a population of four million or more that are available for the inpatient psychiatric treatment of individuals.

(c) For each inpatient mental health facility, the acute psychiatric bed registry must list:

(1) the name and contact information of the facility;

(2) the number of available beds;

(3) the type of individual who may be admitted;

(4) the level of security provided; and

(5) any other information that may be necessary to identify appropriate beds for the inpatient psychiatric treatment of individuals.

(d) The commission shall make the acute psychiatric bed registry available to law enforcement agencies, community service boards, mental health facilities, public and private residential crisis stabilization units, emergency care facilities, and emergency care providers located in a county with a population of four million or more. The commission may make the registry available to any other person the commission considers appropriate.

(e) An inpatient mental health facility located in a county with a population of four million or more shall submit to the commission information for the acute psychiatric bed registry as required by the commission and review the information and confirm its accuracy to the commission at least once daily and whenever there is a change in bed availability at the facility.

(f) An inpatient mental health facility located in a county with a population of four million or more shall designate an employee or employees as necessary to:

(1) submit to the commission the information required under Subsection (e) and review the information as required by that subsection; and

(2) serve as a contact for questions about the information submitted.

(g) The commission may contract with any person the commission considers appropriate to develop and administer the acute psychiatric bed registry.

(h) The commission may accept gifts, grants, or donations from any public or private source for the purpose of carrying out this section.

SECTION 2. Not later than January 1, 2022, the Health and Human Services Commission shall establish the acute psychiatric bed registry required by Section 531.0995, Government Code, as added by this Act.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.