By: Kolkhorst, et al. S.B. No. 454
 
  (Lambert, Guillen)
 
   
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to mental health services development plans as updated by
  the Health and Human Services Commission and local mental health
  authority groups.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 531.0222 to read as follows:
         Sec. 531.0222.  LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH AUTHORITY GROUP REGIONAL
  PLANNING. (a) In this section, "local mental health authority
  group" means a group of local mental health authorities established
  by the commission under Chapter 963 (S.B. 633), Acts of the 86th
  Legislature, Regular Session, 2019.
         (b)  The commission shall require each local mental health
  authority group to meet at least quarterly to collaborate on
  planning and implementing regional strategies to reduce:
               (1)  costs to local governments of providing services
  to persons experiencing a mental health crisis;
               (2)  transportation to mental health facilities of
  persons served by an authority that is a member of the group;
               (3)  incarceration of persons with mental illness in
  county jails that are located in an area served by an authority that
  is a member of the group; and
               (4)  visits by persons with mental illness at hospital
  emergency rooms located in an area served by an authority that is a
  member of the group.
         (c)  The commission shall use federal funds in accordance
  with state and federal guidelines to implement this section.
         (d)  The commission, in coordination with each local mental
  health authority group, shall annually update the mental health
  services development plan that was initially developed by the
  commission and each local mental health authority group under
  Chapter 963 (S.B. 633), Acts of the 86th Legislature, Regular
  Session, 2019. The commission and each group's updated plan must
  include a description of:
               (1)  actions taken by the group to implement regional
  strategies in the plan; and
               (2)  new regional strategies identified by the group to
  reduce the circumstances described by Subsection (b), including the
  estimated number of outpatient and inpatient beds necessary to meet
  the goals of each group's regional strategy.
         (e)  Not later than December 1 of each year, the commission
  shall produce and publish on its Internet website a report
  containing the most recent version of each mental health services
  development plan developed by the commission and a local mental
  health authority group.
         SECTION 2.  Notwithstanding Section 531.0222, Government
  Code, as added by this Act, a local mental health authority group
  and the Health and Human Services Commission are not required to
  produce or publish a report required by that section before
  December 1, 2022.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect on the 91st day after the last day of the
  legislative session.