BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 1225

By: Campos

Human Services

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Many states have used the 2-1-1 technology and collaboration infrastructure to support specialized populations. For example, this infrastructure has been used to enable closed-loop referrals for young families, provide care coordination and navigation services for children and families on Medicaid, and implement a coordinated entry process for services provided to vulnerable populations, such as veterans and individuals experiencing homelessness. There have been calls to identify strategies on how to best leverage the 2-1-1 Texas system capabilities for these purposes and to provide for better use of that system in disaster response and recovery. While significant improvements were made in the 86th Legislative Session to enhance the state's ability to support Texans during times of disaster through 2-1-1 services, implementation has been delayed and improvements are still needed. C.S.H.B. 1225 seeks to address this issue by tasking the housing and health services coordination council with an annual evaluation of the 2‑1‑1 services provided by the Texas Information and Referral Network.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 1225 amends the Government Code to require the housing and health services coordination council, not later than August 1 of each year and for purposes of helping to inform an expansion of service-enriched housing throughout Texas, to complete and submit to the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA) an evaluation of the 2-1-1 services provided by the Texas Information and Referral Network that considers the following:

· data collection from user calls and website visits for purposes of making certain determinations regarding the use of 2-1-1 Texas services;

· the database of the Texas Information and Referral Network with respect to certain topics relating to integration status and database updates, including emergency-related updates;

· 2-1-1 Texas user interviews and recommendations with respect to a user's point-of-entry experience and satisfaction with any community resource information or referrals resulting from the use of the service, and any other applicable 2-1-1 Texas user recommendations;

· referral outcome statistics for 2-1-1 Texas users; and

· 2-1-1 Texas leadership interviews and recommendations with respect to the following:

o technology and communication enhancements, including texting and a two-way application programming interface;

o measures designed to connect specialized populations with available state and local services;

o practices that support area information centers in any efforts to join with community partners to engage in special projects that leverage the 2-1-1 Texas platform, technology, and system; and

o increasing innovation, efficiency, and system integration with state agencies and community partners.

The bill requires the Texas Information and Referral Network to work with the council to determine what de-identified information could be included in the evaluation to improve the provision of service-enriched housing.

C.S.H.B. 1225 authorizes the TDHCA to use funds from general revenue to contract for services on the council's behalf in relation to the council's duties regarding the annual evaluation. The bill expands the purposes for which the council is required to develop a biennial plan to include improving the delivery of community resource information and referrals through the consideration of the evaluation results.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2021.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.H.B. 1225 may differ from the original in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following summarizes the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.

The substitute omits requirements from the original for the evaluation to consider certain scenario testing that evaluates local call specialists at area information centers and the 2-1-1 Texas website.

The original required the evaluation to consider 2-1-1 Texas leadership interviews and recommendations with respect to the Texas Information and Referral Network program manager, area information center coordinators, local call specialists, local service providers, and council members. The substitute requires the evaluation instead to consider 2-1-1 Texas leadership interviews and recommendations with respect to certain enhancements, connectivity measures, practices to support area information centers, and increases in innovation, efficiency, and system integration.

The substitute includes a requirement absent from the original for the Texas Information and Referral Network to work with the council to determine what de-identified information could be included in the evaluation to improve the provision of service-enriched housing.