87R7547 JG-D
 
  By: Thierry H.B. No. 1662
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to an acute psychiatric bed registry to list available
  beds for the psychiatric treatment of certain individuals.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 531.0997 to read as follows:
         Sec. 531.0997.  ACUTE PSYCHIATRIC BED REGISTRY. (a)  In this
  section, "inpatient mental health facility" has the meaning
  assigned by Section 571.003, Health and Safety Code.
         (b)  The commission shall develop and administer an
  Internet-based and searchable acute psychiatric bed registry to
  collect, aggregate, and display information about beds at inpatient
  mental health facilities located in a county with a population of
  four million or more that are available for the inpatient
  psychiatric treatment of individuals. 
         (c)  For each inpatient mental health facility, the acute
  psychiatric bed registry must list:
               (1)  the name and contact information of the facility;
               (2)  the number of available beds;
               (3)  the type of individual who may be admitted;
               (4)  the level of security provided; and 
               (5)  any other information that may be necessary to
  identify appropriate beds for the inpatient psychiatric treatment
  of individuals.
         (d)  The commission shall make the acute psychiatric bed
  registry available to law enforcement agencies, community service
  boards, mental health facilities, public and private residential
  crisis stabilization units, emergency care facilities, and
  emergency care providers located in a county with a population of
  four million or more.  The commission may make the registry
  available to any other person the commission considers appropriate.
         (e)  An inpatient mental health facility located in a county
  with a population of four million or more shall submit to the
  commission information for the acute psychiatric bed registry as
  required by the commission and review the information and confirm
  its accuracy to the commission at least once daily and whenever
  there is a change in bed availability at the facility.
         (f)  An inpatient mental health facility located in a county
  with a population of four million or more shall designate an
  employee or employees as necessary to:
               (1)  submit to the commission the information required
  under Subsection (e) and review the information as required by that
  subsection; and 
               (2)  serve as a contact for questions about the
  information submitted.
         (g)  The commission may contract with any person the
  commission considers appropriate to develop and administer the
  acute psychiatric bed registry.
         (h)  The commission may accept gifts, grants, or donations
  from any public or private source for the purpose of carrying out
  this section.
         SECTION 2.  Not later than January 1, 2022, the Health and
  Human Services Commission shall establish the acute psychiatric bed
  registry required by Section 531.0997, Government Code, as added by
  this Act.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.