86R3761 JG-D

By: Moody H.B. No. 1613

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the provision of recovery community organization services under Medicaid.

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

SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is amended by adding Section 531.09991 to read as follows:

Sec. 531.09991. RECOVERY COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS. (a) In this section, "recovery community organization" means a nonprofit organization that mobilizes resources inside and outside of a local community to increase the prevalence and quality of long-term recovery for persons with substance use disorder and their family members and that is wholly or partly governed by persons recovering from a substance use disorder or their family members.

(b) The executive commissioner, with input from the work group established under Subsection (c), shall adopt rules to provide Medicaid reimbursement for services provided by recovery community organizations, which must include:

(1) rules that establish training requirements for recovery community organization service providers;

(2) rules that establish certification and supervision requirements for recovery community organizations;

(3) rules that define the scope of services that recovery community organizations may provide;

(4) rules that distinguish services provided by recovery community organizations from other services that a person must hold a license to provide; and

(5) any other rules necessary to protect the health and safety of persons receiving services provided by recovery community organizations.

(c) The executive commissioner shall establish a work group to provide input for the adoption of rules under Subsection (b). The work group is composed of at least nine and not more than 13 members with expertise in substance use recovery or recovery community organizations. The executive commissioner shall ensure that at least half of the members in the work group are from rural communities in this state.

(d) The executive commissioner shall appoint one member of the work group to serve as presiding officer.

(e) The work group is automatically abolished on the adoption of rules under Subsection (b).

(f) Subsections (c), (d), and (e) and this subsection expire September 1, 2021.

SECTION 2. Effective January 1, 2021, Section 32.024, Human Resources Code, is amended by adding Subsection (pp) to read as follows:

(pp) The commission in its rules and standards governing the scope of services provided under the medical assistance program shall include services provided by recovery community organizations as defined by Section 531.09991, Government Code, to the extent permitted by federal law.

SECTION 3. Not later than December 31, 2019, the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission shall establish the work group required by Section 531.09991, Government Code, as added by this Act.

SECTION 4. Not later than December 31, 2020, the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission shall adopt the rules required by Section 531.09991, Government Code, as added by this Act.

SECTION 5. If before implementing any provision of this Act a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision, the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the waiver or authorization is granted.

SECTION 6. Except as otherwise provided by this Act, this Act takes effect September 1, 2019.