By: Blanco (Senate Sponsor - Menéndez, West) H.B. No. 4429

(In the Senate - Received from the House April 30, 2019; May 1, 2019, read first time and referred to Committee on Health & Human Services; May 20, 2019, reported adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 9, Nays 0; May 20, 2019, sent to printer.) Click here to see the committee vote

COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 4429 By: Perry

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to mental health first aid training for veterans and immediate family members of veterans.

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

SECTION 1. Section 434.352(b), Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

(b) For the mental health program for veterans, the commission shall:

(1) provide training to peer service coordinators and peers in accordance with Section 434.353;

(2) provide technical assistance to peer service coordinators and peers;

(3) identify, train, and communicate with community-based licensed mental health professionals, community-based organizations, and faith-based organizations; [and]

(4) coordinate services for justice involved veterans; and

(5) coordinate local delivery to veterans and immediate family members of veterans of mental health first aid for veterans training.

SECTION 2. Section 1001.205, Health and Safety Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 1001.205. REPORTS. (a) Not later than September 30 of each year, a local mental health authority shall provide to the department the number of:

(1) employees and contractors of the authority who were trained as mental health first aid trainers under Section 1001.202 during the preceding fiscal year;

(2) university employees, school district employees, and school resource officers who completed a mental health first aid training program offered by the authority under Section 1001.203 during the preceding fiscal year; [and]

(3) individuals who are not university employees, school district employees, or school resource officers who completed a mental health first aid training program offered by the authority during the preceding fiscal year; and

(4) veterans and immediate family members of veterans who completed the veterans module of a mental health first aid training program offered by the authority during the preceding fiscal year.

(b) Not later than December 1 of each year, the department shall compile the information submitted by local mental health authorities as required by Subsection (a) and submit a report to the legislature containing the number of:

(1) authority employees and contractors trained as mental health first aid trainers during the preceding fiscal year;

(2) university employees, school district employees, and school resource officers who completed a mental health first aid training program provided by an authority during the preceding fiscal year; [and]

(3) individuals who are not university employees, school district employees, or school resource officers who completed a mental health first aid training program provided by an authority during the preceding fiscal year; and

(4) veterans and immediate family members of veterans who completed the veterans module of a mental health first aid training program provided by an authority during the preceding fiscal year.

SECTION 3. Section 1001.222(a), Health and Safety Code, is amended to read as follows:

(a) The department shall develop a mental health intervention program for veterans. The program must include:

(1) peer-to-peer counseling;

(2) access to licensed mental health professionals for peer service coordinators and peers;

(3) training approved by the department for peer service coordinators, licensed mental health professionals, and peers;

(4) technical assistance for peer service coordinators, licensed mental health professionals, and peers;

(5) identification, retention, and screening of community-based licensed mental health professionals;

(6) suicide prevention training for peer service coordinators and peers; [and]

(7) veteran jail diversion services, including veterans treatment courts; and

(8) coordination of mental health first aid for veterans training to veterans and immediate family members of veterans.

SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.

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