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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the duties of the statewide behavioral health |
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coordinating council regarding suicide prevention, intervention, |
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and postvention policies and procedures. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 531.471, Government Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 531.471. DEFINITIONS [DEFINITION]. In this |
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subchapter: |
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(1) "Council [, "council]" means the statewide |
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behavioral health coordinating council. |
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(2) "Postvention" includes activities that promote |
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healing necessary to reduce the risk of suicide by a person affected |
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by the suicide of another. |
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SECTION 2. Section 531.476, Government Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 531.476. POWERS AND DUTIES. The council: |
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(1) shall develop and monitor the implementation of a |
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five-year statewide behavioral health strategic plan; |
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(2) shall develop a biennial coordinated statewide |
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behavioral health expenditure proposal; |
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(3) shall annually publish an updated inventory of |
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behavioral health programs and services that are funded by the |
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state that includes a description of how those programs and |
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services further the purpose of the statewide behavioral health |
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strategic plan; |
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(4) shall examine the policies and procedures |
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regarding suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention of |
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each entity represented on the council to determine whether the |
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policies and procedures are: |
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(A) in accordance with best practices for suicide |
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prevention, intervention, and postvention; and |
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(B) in alignment with the policies and procedures |
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of the other entities on the council; |
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(5) shall establish model policies and procedures |
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regarding suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention, |
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ensuring that those policies and procedures: |
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(A) include information about identifying |
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persons at high risk for suicide; |
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(B) support best practices for suicide |
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prevention, intervention, and postvention; |
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(C) align with the policies and procedures of |
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entities represented on the council; and |
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(D) are research-based; |
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(6) shall require each entity represented on the |
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council that provides suicide prevention, intervention, and |
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postvention services to adopt the model policies and procedures |
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established under Subdivision (5); |
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(7) shall provide the model policies and procedures |
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established under Subdivision (5) to each state agency that |
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provides suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention |
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services; |
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(8) may create subcommittees to carry out the |
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council's duties under this subchapter; and |
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(9) [(5)] may facilitate opportunities to increase |
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collaboration for the effective expenditure of available federal |
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and state funds for behavioral and mental health services in this |
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state. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |