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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to identification and development of mental health |
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resources for students. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 38, Education Code, is amended by adding |
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Subchapter F to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER F. MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES |
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Sec. 38.251. RUBRIC TO IDENTIFY RESOURCES. (a) The agency |
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shall develop a rubric for use by regional education service |
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centers in identifying resources related to student mental health |
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that are available to schools in their respective regions. The |
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agency shall develop the rubric in conjunction with: |
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(1) the Health and Human Services Commission; |
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(2) the Department of Family and Protective Services; |
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(3) the Texas Juvenile Justice Department; |
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(4) the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board; |
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(5) the Texas Workforce Commission; and |
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(6) any other state agency the agency considers |
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appropriate. |
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(b) The rubric developed by the agency must provide for the |
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identification of resources relating to: |
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(1) training and technical assistance on practices |
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that support the mental health of students; |
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(2) school-based programs that provide prevention or |
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intervention services to students; |
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(3) community-based programs that provide |
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school-based or school-connected prevention or intervention |
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services to students; |
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(4) school-based mental health providers; and |
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(5) public and private funding sources available to |
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address the mental health of students. |
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(c) Not later than December 1 of each odd-numbered year, the |
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agency shall revise the rubric as necessary to reflect changes in |
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resources that may be available to schools and provide the rubric to |
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each regional education service center. |
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Sec. 38.252. REGIONAL INVENTORY OF MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES. |
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(a) Each regional education service center shall use the rubric |
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developed under Section 38.251 to identify resources related to |
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student mental health available to schools in the center's region, |
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including evidence-based and promising programs and best |
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practices, that: |
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(1) create school environments that support the |
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social, emotional, and academic development of students; |
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(2) identify students who may need additional |
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behavioral or mental health support before issues arise; |
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(3) provide early, effective interventions to |
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students in need of additional support; |
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(4) connect students and their families to specialized |
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services in the school or community when needed; and |
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(5) assist schools in aligning resources necessary to |
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address the mental health of students. |
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(b) A regional education service center may consult with any |
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entity the center considers necessary in identifying resources |
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under Subsection (a), including: |
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(1) school districts; |
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(2) local mental health authorities; |
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(3) community mental health services providers; |
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(4) education groups; |
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(5) hospitals; and |
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(6) institutions of higher education. |
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(c) Not later than March 1 of each even-numbered year, each |
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regional education service center shall: |
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(1) use the revised rubric received from the agency |
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under Section 38.251 to identify, in the manner provided by this |
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section, any additional resources that may be available to schools |
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in the center's region; and |
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(2) submit to the agency a report on resources |
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identified through the process, including any additional resources |
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identified under Subdivision (1). |
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Sec. 38.253. STATEWIDE INVENTORY OF MENTAL HEALTH |
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RESOURCES. (a) The agency shall develop a list of statewide |
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resources available to school districts to address the mental |
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health of students, including: |
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(1) training and technical assistance on practices |
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that support the mental health of students; |
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(2) school-based programs that provide prevention or |
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intervention services to students; |
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(3) community-based programs that provide |
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school-based or school-connected prevention or intervention |
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services to students; |
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(4) school-based mental health providers; and |
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(5) public and private funding sources available to |
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address the mental health of students. |
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(b) In developing the list required under Subsection (a), |
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the agency shall collaborate with: |
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(1) the Health and Human Services Commission; |
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(2) the Department of Family and Protective Services; |
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(3) the Texas Juvenile Justice Department; |
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(4) the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board; |
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(5) the Texas Workforce Commission; |
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(6) hospitals or other health care providers; |
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(7) community service providers; |
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(8) parent, educator, and advocacy groups; and |
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(9) any entity the agency determines can assist the |
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agency in compiling the list. |
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(c) The agency shall include on the list any resource |
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available through an entity identified as a resource under |
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Subsection (b), including an entity described by Subsection (b), |
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that provides evidence-based and promising programs and best |
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practices that: |
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(1) create school environments that support the |
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social, emotional, and academic development of students; |
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(2) identify students who may need additional |
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behavioral or mental health support before issues arise; |
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(3) provide early, effective interventions to |
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students in need of additional support; and |
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(4) connect students and their families to specialized |
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services in the school or community when needed. |
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(d) The agency shall revise the list not later than March 1 |
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of each even-numbered year. |
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Sec. 38.254. STATEWIDE PLAN FOR STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH. (a) |
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The agency shall develop a statewide plan to ensure all students |
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have access to adequate mental health resources. The agency shall |
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include in the plan: |
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(1) a description of any revisions made to the rubric |
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required by Section 38.251; |
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(2) the results of the most recent regional inventory |
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of mental health resources required by Section 38.252, including |
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any additional resources identified; |
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(3) the results of the most recent statewide inventory |
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of mental health resources required by Section 38.253, including |
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any additional resources identified; |
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(4) the agency's goals for student mental health |
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access to be applied across the state, including goals relating to: |
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(A) methods to objectively measure positive |
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school climate; |
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(B) increasing the availability of early, |
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effective school-based or school-connected mental health |
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interventions and resources for students in need of additional |
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support; and |
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(C) increasing the availability of referrals for |
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students and families to specialized services for students in need |
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of additional support outside the school; |
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(5) a list of actions the commissioner may take |
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without legislative action to help all districts reach the agency's |
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goals described by the plan; and |
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(6) recommendations to the legislature on methods to |
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ensure that all districts can meet the agency's goals described in |
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the plan through legislative appropriations or other action by the |
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legislature. |
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(b) In developing the agency's goals under Subsection |
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(a)(4), the agency shall consult with any person the agency |
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believes is necessary to the development of the goals, including: |
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(1) educators; |
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(2) mental health practitioners; |
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(3) advocacy groups; and |
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(4) parents. |
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(c) The agency shall revise the plan not later than April 1 |
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of each even-numbered year. |
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(d) As soon as practicable after completing or revising the |
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plan, the agency shall: |
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(1) submit an electronic copy of the plan to the |
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legislature; |
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(2) post the plan on the agency's Internet website; and |
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(3) hold public meetings in each regional education |
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service center's region to present the statewide plan and shall |
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provide an opportunity for public comment at each meeting. |
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Sec. 38.255. AGENCY USE OF STATEWIDE PLAN. (a) The agency |
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shall use the statewide plan for student mental health required by |
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Section 38.254 to develop and revise the agency's long-term |
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strategic plan. |
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(b) The agency shall use the recommendations to the |
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legislature required by Section 38.254(a)(6) to develop each agency |
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legislative appropriations request. |
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Sec. 38.256. REPORTS TO LEGISLATURE. In addition to any |
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other information required to be provided to the legislature under |
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this chapter, not later than November 1 of each even-numbered year |
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the agency shall provide to the legislature: |
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(1) a description of any changes the agency has made to |
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the rubric required by Section 38.251; and |
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(2) an analysis of each region's progress toward |
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meeting the agency's goals developed under Section 38.254. |
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SECTION 2. (a) Not later than December 1, 2019, the Texas |
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Education Agency shall develop and distribute to each regional |
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education service center the rubric required by Section 38.251, |
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Education Code, as added by this Act. |
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(b) Not later than March 1, 2020: |
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(1) each regional education service center shall |
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complete the regional inventory of mental health resources required |
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by Section 38.252, Education Code, as added by this Act, and report |
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to the Texas Education Agency on the resources identified through |
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the inventory; and |
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(2) the Texas Education Agency shall complete the |
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statewide inventory of mental health resources required by Section |
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38.253, Education Code, as added by this Act, and develop a list of |
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resources available to school districts statewide to address the |
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mental health of students. |
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(c) Not later than April 1, 2020, the Texas Education Agency |
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shall develop the statewide plan for student mental health required |
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by Section 38.254, Education Code, as added by this Act, submit an |
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electronic copy of the plan to the legislature, and post the plan on |
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the agency's Internet website. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |