By: Watson S.B. No. 2111
 
 
 
   
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the Health and Human Services Commission developing a
  plan to contract with public institutions of higher education to
  operate state hospitals.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Chapter 552, Health and Safety Code, is amended
  by adding Subchapter E to read as follows:
  SUBCHAPTER E. STATE HOSPITAL OPERATIONS
         Sec. 552.151.  TRANSITION PLANNING FOR CONTRACTED
  OPERATIONS OF CERTAIN STATE HOSPITALS. The commission shall
  establish a plan under which the commission would contract with
  local, public institutions of higher education to transfer the
  operations of certain state hospitals, to include Austin State
  Hospital, from the commission to a local, public institution of
  higher education.
         Sec. 552.152.  PLAN REQUIREMENTS. (a)  In developing the
  plan, the commission shall:
               (1)  consult with local, public institutions of higher
  education; 
               (2)  establish procedures and policies to ensure that a
  public institution of higher education that contracts with the
  commission to operate a state hospital operates the hospital at a
  quality level at least equal to the quality level achieved by the
  commission; and
               (3)  establish procedures and policies to monitor the
  care of state hospital patients.
         (b)  The procedures and policies required to be established
  under Subsection (a) must ensure that the commission is able to
  obtain and maintain information on activities carried out under the
  contract without violating privacy or confidentiality rules. The
  procedures and policies must account for the commission obtaining
  and maintaining information on:
               (1)  client outcomes;
               (2)  individual and average lengths of stay, including
  computation of lengths of stay according to the number of days a
  patient is in the facility during each calendar year, regardless of
  discharge and readmission;
               (3)  the number of incidents in which patients were
  restrained or secluded;
               (4)  the number of incidents of serious assaults in the
  hospital setting; and 
               (5)  the number of occurrences in the hospital setting
  involving contacts with law enforcement personnel.
         Sec. 552.153.  GOVERNING BOARDS FOR STATE HOSPITALS.
  (a)  The plan required under this subchapter must establish
  guidelines for developing a governing board for each state hospital
  for independent governance of the state hospital. The governing
  board must be vested with a fiduciary responsibility.
         (b)  A state hospital's governing board must include
  stakeholders interested in the provision of mental health services
  as follows:
               (1)  at least one representative of the commission;
               (2)  at least one sheriff working in the catchment
  area;
               (3)  at least one judge presiding over mental health
  issues working in the catchment area;
               (4)  at least one leader from an organization serving
  persons with mental illness;
               (5)  at least one person with expertise in private
  health care system management;
               (6)  at least one representative from a local mental
  health authority serving the catchment area; and
               (7)  at least one representative from the local, public
  institution of higher education.
         (c)  The commission's plan may provide for a state hospital's
  governing board to include any other person considered suitable by
  the commission in developing the plan.
         Sec. 552.154.  GOVERNING BOARD RESPONSIBILITIES. The plan
  must account for the governing board overseeing the performance of
  the state hospital operated by a public institution of higher
  education. Each governing board shall undertake to develop
  regional cross-service care integration.
         Sec. 552.155.  REPORT. Not later than September 1, 2020, the
  commission shall prepare and deliver to the governor, the
  lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives,
  and the legislature a written report containing the plan and any
  recommendations for legislation or other actions necessary.
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.