By: Zaffirini, Blanco  S.B. No. 1521
         (In the Senate - Filed March 11, 2021; March 24, 2021, read
  first time and referred to Committee on Higher Education;
  April 22, 2021, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
  Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 8, Nays 0; April 22, 2021,
  sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
  COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1521 By:  West
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to creating a mental health task force to study mental
  health services provided at institutions of higher education.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter Z, Chapter 51, Education Code, is
  amended by adding Section 51.91931 to read as follows:
         Sec. 51.91931.  COLLABORATIVE TASK FORCE ON HIGHER EDUCATION
  MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES. (a) In this section:
               (1)  "Coordinating board" means the Texas Higher
  Education Coordinating Board.
               (2)  "Institution of higher education" has the meaning
  assigned by Section 61.003.
               (3)  "Task force" means the Collaborative Task Force on
  Higher Education Mental Health Services.
         (b)  The Collaborative Task Force on Higher Education Mental
  Health Services is established to study and evaluate mental health
  services provided at institutions of higher education directly to
  students enrolled at the institution. The task force shall:
               (1)  research the capacity of institutions of higher
  education to identify and address the mental health needs of
  students, including for each institution:
                     (A)  performing an equity analysis of the
  provision of services at the institution, including analyzing the
  number of mental health providers on campus, the length of time a
  student must wait for an appointment, partner referrals, length of
  treatment, and the types of services provided;
                     (B)  the mental health provider-to-student
  ratios;
                     (C)  the number of community partnerships and
  referrals for inpatient or outpatient mental health treatment;
                     (D)  the total amount of funds and the total
  amount of funds as a percentage of the institution's budget
  allocated to direct mental health support services;
                     (E)  campus-wide needs assessment of mental
  health climate and student experiences accessing mental health
  care; and
                     (F)  staff and faculty mental health training
  opportunities, such as mental health first aid and suicide
  prevention initiatives, as well as staff and faculty opportunities
  to receive mental health care;
               (2)  identify institutional, environmental, and social
  barriers that directly impact student mental health and well-being;
  and
               (3)  explore innovative and effective approaches to
  meeting the mental health needs of students, with specific focus on
  first generation college students, students of color, economically
  disadvantaged students, students who are parents, students of
  various sexual orientations, survivors of sexual assault, students
  who are immigrants, students who are or were previously in the
  conservatorship of the Department of Family and Protective
  Services, and students from rural communities, including:
                     (A)  stigma reduction and awareness initiatives;
                     (B)  peer support initiatives;
                     (C)  action plans based on campus assessment;
                     (D)  recruiting and retaining counseling staff of
  color;
                     (E)  telehealth accessibility and expansion; and
                     (F)  addressing trauma and cultivating
  resiliency.
         (c)  The task force is composed of:
               (1)  the commissioner of higher education or the
  commissioner's designee;
               (2)  the following additional members appointed by the
  commissioner of higher education:
                     (A)  three students who are enrolled at an
  institution of higher education in this state, at least one of whom
  is enrolled in a certificate program or a junior college;
                     (B)  two persons who provide mental health
  services at an institution of higher education and who are:
                           (i)  a psychologist, as defined by Section
  501.002, Occupations Code;
                           (ii)  a licensed professional counselor, as
  defined by Section 503.002, Occupations Code; or
                           (iii)  a licensed clinical social worker, as
  defined by Section 505.002, Occupations Code;
                     (C)  one person who is a psychiatrist;
                     (D)  two persons who are higher education
  administrators and who oversee the provision of mental health
  services at an institution of higher education;
                     (E)  one person who is a member of a foundation
  that invests in mental health services provided at institutions of
  higher education;
                     (F)  one person who is an employee of an
  institution of higher education designated under Subsection (k) or
  (l); and
                     (G)  three people who are employees of nonprofit
  organizations that specialize in mental health for young adults or
  college students; and
               (3)  for any other entity the task force considers
  necessary, one person appointed by the task force for each such
  entity.
         (d)  Persons appointed to serve on the task force shall be
  selected to represent the racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic
  diversity of this state.
         (e)  Chapter 2110, Government Code, does not apply to the
  task force.
         (f)  The commissioner of higher education is designated as
  the interim presiding officer for purposes of calling and
  conducting the initial meeting of the task force.
         (g)  The task force:
               (1)  shall at its initial meeting select a presiding
  officer from among its members for the purpose of calling and
  conducting meetings; and
               (2)  may select an assistant presiding officer and a
  secretary from among its members.
         (h)  A member of the task force may not receive compensation
  or reimbursement for service on the task force.
         (i)  After its initial meeting, the task force shall meet at
  least twice each year at a time and place determined by the
  presiding officer. The task force may meet at other times the task
  force considers appropriate. The presiding officer may call a
  meeting on the presiding officer's own motion.
         (j)  The task force may meet by teleconference.
         (k)  The commissioner of higher education shall designate
  one institution of higher education with experience in evaluating
  mental health services to serve as the lead institution for the task
  force. The institution designated under this subsection shall
  provide faculty, staff, and administrative support services to the
  task force as determined necessary by the task force.
         (l)  The commissioner of higher education shall designate
  two institutions of higher education with experience in evaluating
  mental health services to assist the task force and the lead
  institution. 
         (m)  In making a designation under Subsections (k) and (l),
  the commissioner of higher education shall give preference to at
  least one predominantly black institution, as defined by 20 U.S.C.
  Section 1067q(c)(9).
         (n)  The coordinating board shall maintain the data
  collected by the task force and the work product of the task force.
         (o)  The task force shall ensure that data gathered,
  information studied, and evaluations conducted under this section:
               (1)  are collected and maintained in compliance with
  federal law regarding confidentiality of student medical or
  educational information, including the Health Insurance
  Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (42 U.S.C. Section 1320d
  et seq.) and any state law relating to the privacy of student or
  health information; and
               (2)  may not be shared with a federal agency or state
  agency, except as otherwise provided by law.
         (p)  The coordinating board may accept gifts, grants, or
  donations on behalf of the task force to carry out the task force's
  duties under this section.
         (q)  Not later than December 1, 2024, the task force shall
  submit to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the
  house of representatives, and the coordinating board a report of
  the results of the task force's activities conducted under this
  section and any recommendations for legislative or other action.
         (r)  The task force is abolished and this section expires
  September 1, 2025.
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.
 
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