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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the creation of a task force to examine the |
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effectiveness of school counseling programs provided for students |
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enrolled in public schools. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 38, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 38.038 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 38.038. PUBLIC SCHOOL MENTAL HEALTH TASK FORCE; |
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REPORT. (a) In this section: |
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(1) "Public school chief executive officer" means the |
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superintendent of a school district or the chief executive officer |
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of an open-enrollment charter school. |
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(2) "Public school mental health professional" means a |
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person who provides counseling services in a public school and is: |
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(A) a counselor certified under Subchapter B, |
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Chapter 21; |
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(B) a licensed physician who is: |
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(i) a graduate of an accredited psychiatric |
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residency training program; or |
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(ii) certified in psychiatry by: |
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(a) the American Board of Psychiatry |
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and Neurology; or |
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(b) the American Osteopathic Board of |
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Neurology and Psychiatry; |
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(C) an advanced practice registered nurse, as |
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defined by Section 301.152, Occupations Code, who holds a |
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nationally recognized board certification in psychiatric or mental |
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health nursing; |
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(D) a psychologist, as defined by Section |
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501.002, Occupations Code; |
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(E) a licensed professional counselor, as |
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defined by Section 503.002, Occupations Code; or |
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(F) a licensed clinical social worker, as defined |
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by Section 505.002, Occupations Code. |
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(b) The Public School Mental Health task force is |
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established under this section to examine the effectiveness of |
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school counseling programs provided for students enrolled in public |
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schools. |
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(c) The task force is composed of the following 25 members |
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appointed by the commissioner: |
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(1) 10 public school mental health professionals; |
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(2) five public school chief executive officers; |
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(3) four representatives of regional education |
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service centers who have experience with school counseling; |
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(4) one representative of the State Board of |
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Education; |
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(5) one representative of the agency; |
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(6) two representatives of professional counseling |
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organizations; and |
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(7) two representatives of research organizations |
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that have conducted academic research on school counseling. |
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(d) The commissioner shall appoint the members of the task |
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force not later than December 31, 2020. The commissioner shall fill |
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a vacancy in the task force by the appointment of another person |
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with the same qualifications as the original appointee. |
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(e) The representative of the agency shall serve as the |
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presiding officer of the task force. |
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(f) The presiding officer shall call the initial meeting of |
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the task force on or before January 31, 2021. The task force shall |
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meet at least twice each year in Austin, Texas, and at other times |
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and places that the presiding officer determines are appropriate. |
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(g) Chapter 2110, Government Code, does not apply to the |
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task force. |
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(h) The task force shall: |
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(1) examine whether public schools are using school |
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counseling programs, including the national framework developed by |
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the American School Counselor Association; |
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(2) examine other existing measures used by schools |
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that positively affect student mental health; |
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(3) determine which school counseling programs |
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achieve the best performance, considering the cost of the program, |
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the number of students served, and the effectiveness of the |
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program; |
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(4) determine which school counseling programs |
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schools prefer to use; and |
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(5) conduct a statistical analysis, incorporating |
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information on student demographics, including student family |
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average income, to determine the overall effectiveness of school |
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counseling programs and the impact on student achievement and |
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performance. |
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(i) Not later than August 31, 2022, the task force shall |
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deliver a report to the commissioner detailing the task force's |
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findings and recommendations and the results of the statistical |
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analysis conducted by the task force. |
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(j) The task force is abolished, and this section expires, |
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December 1, 2022. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |