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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to innovation grant programs to support residency training |
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programs in psychiatric specialty fields and recruitment, |
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training, and retention programs in behavioral health fields. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 58A, Education Code, is amended by |
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adding Subchapter D to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER D. PSYCHIATRIC SPECIALTY INNOVATION GRANT PROGRAM |
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Sec. 58A.071. PSYCHIATRIC SPECIALTY INNOVATION GRANT |
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PROGRAM. Subject to available funds, the board shall establish an |
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innovation grant program under which the board awards incentive |
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payments to medical schools that administer innovative residency |
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training programs designed to increase the number of physicians in |
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this state who specialize in pediatric or adult psychiatric care. |
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Sec. 58A.072. FEDERAL FUNDS AND GIFTS, GRANTS, AND |
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DONATIONS. In addition to other money appropriated by the |
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legislature, for the purpose of promoting pediatric or adult |
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psychiatric care under the program established under this |
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subchapter the board may: |
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(1) seek and apply for any available federal funds; |
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and |
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(2) solicit and accept gifts, grants, and donations |
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from any other source, public or private, as necessary to ensure |
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effective implementation of the program. |
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Sec. 58A.073. RULES. In consultation with each medical |
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school in this state, the board shall adopt rules for the |
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administration of the program established under this |
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subchapter. The rules must include: |
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(1) administrative provisions relating to the |
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awarding of grants under this subchapter, such as: |
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(A) eligibility criteria for medical schools, |
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including a requirement that the medical school demonstrate |
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regional and state workforce need; |
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(B) grant application procedures; |
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(C) guidelines relating to grant amounts; |
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(D) procedures for evaluating grant |
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applications; and |
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(E) procedures for monitoring the use of grants; |
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and |
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(2) methods for tracking the effectiveness of grants |
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that: |
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(A) using data reasonably available to the board, |
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consider relevant information regarding the career paths of medical |
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school graduates during the four-year period following their |
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graduation; and |
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(B) evaluate whether and for how long those |
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graduates practice in a psychiatric specialty field in this state. |
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Sec. 58A.074. AWARD OF GRANTS. (a) In awarding grants |
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under the program, the board shall award: |
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(1) 60 percent of the amount available in each program |
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year to medical schools with innovative residency programs that |
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train physicians to specialize in pediatric psychiatric care; and |
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(2) 40 percent of the amount available in each program |
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year to medical schools with innovative residency programs that |
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train physicians to specialize in adult psychiatric care. |
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(b) Within each category of grants prescribed by Subsection |
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(a), the board shall give priority to grants to medical schools with |
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innovative residency programs based in rural or underserved areas. |
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Sec. 58A.075. GRANT AMOUNT. The amount of a grant awarded |
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under this subchapter may not exceed $1 million. |
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Sec. 58A.076. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS. A medical school |
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that receives a grant awarded under this subchapter shall submit to |
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the board an annual report on the amounts and purposes for which |
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grant funds were spent during the year covered by the report. |
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Sec. 58A.077. ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS. A reasonable amount, |
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not to exceed five percent, of any general revenue appropriated for |
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purposes of this subchapter may be used by the board to pay the |
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costs of administering this subchapter. |
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SECTION 2. Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding |
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Subchapter RR to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER RR. BEHAVIORAL HEALTH INNOVATION GRANT PROGRAM |
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Sec. 61.9991. BEHAVIORAL HEALTH INNOVATION GRANT PROGRAM. |
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Subject to available funds, the board shall establish an innovation |
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grant program under which the board awards incentive payments to |
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institutions of higher education that administer innovative |
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recruitment, training, and retention programs designed to increase |
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the number of mental health professionals, as defined by Section |
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61.601, or professionals in related fields, as determined by the |
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board, including by providing a salary increase or stipend to a |
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faculty member who provides instruction to additional students in a |
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degree or certificate program that graduates those professionals. |
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Sec. 61.9992. FEDERAL FUNDS AND GIFTS, GRANTS, AND |
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DONATIONS. In addition to other money appropriated by the |
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legislature, for the purpose of increasing the behavioral health |
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workforce in this state under the program established under this |
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subchapter the board may: |
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(1) seek and apply for any available federal funds; |
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and |
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(2) solicit and accept gifts, grants, and donations |
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from any other source, public or private, as necessary to ensure |
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effective implementation of the program. |
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Sec. 61.9993. RULES. (a) The board shall adopt rules for |
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the administration of the program established under this |
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subchapter. In adopting the rules, the board shall solicit from the |
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Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council information necessary to |
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identify programs anticipated to produce the best outcomes and |
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serve the greatest need. |
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(b) The rules must include: |
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(1) administrative provisions relating to the |
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awarding of grants under this subchapter, such as: |
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(A) eligibility criteria for institutions of |
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higher education, including a requirement that the institution |
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demonstrate regional and state workforce need; |
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(B) grant application procedures; |
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(C) guidelines relating to grant amounts; |
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(D) procedures for evaluating grant |
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applications; and |
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(E) procedures for monitoring the use of grants; |
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and |
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(2) methods for tracking the effectiveness of grants |
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that: |
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(A) using data reasonably available to the board, |
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consider relevant information regarding the career paths of |
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professionals described by Section 61.9991 during the four-year |
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period following their graduation; and |
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(B) evaluate whether and for how long those |
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professionals practice in a field described by Section 61.9991 in |
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this state. |
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Sec. 61.9994. AWARD OF GRANTS. In awarding grants under the |
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program, the board shall give priority to applicants that propose |
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to: |
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(1) enhance or leverage existing degree programs that |
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graduate professionals described by Section 61.9991; |
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(2) establish or maintain a program that serves a |
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rural or underserved area; |
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(3) partner with: |
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(A) another institution of higher education to |
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develop a joint program; or |
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(B) a public school to implement early |
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recruitment in high school; |
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(4) establish or maintain a program that incentivizes |
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professionals described by Section 61.9991 to serve in their field |
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or a related field of study for at least three consecutive years |
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following graduation in an inpatient or outpatient behavioral |
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health facility or program that receives state funding; |
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(5) establish or maintain a degree or certificate |
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program to educate professionals in specialties that face |
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significant workforce shortages, including those described by |
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Section 61.601; or |
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(6) establish or maintain psychiatric fellowship |
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programs that serve correctional facilities or inpatient |
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psychiatric facilities. |
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Sec. 61.9995. GRANT AMOUNT. The amount of a grant awarded |
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under this subchapter may not exceed $1 million. |
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Sec. 61.9996. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS. An institution of |
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higher education that receives a grant awarded under this |
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subchapter shall submit to the board an annual report on the amounts |
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and purposes for which grant funds were spent during the year |
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covered by the report. |
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Sec. 61.9997. ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS. A reasonable amount, |
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not to exceed five percent, of any general revenue appropriated for |
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purposes of this subchapter may be used by the board to pay the |
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costs of administering this subchapter. |
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SECTION 3. (a) As soon as practicable after the effective |
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date of this Act, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board |
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shall adopt rules for the implementation and administration of the |
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innovation grant programs established under Subchapter D, Chapter |
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58A, Education Code, and Subchapter RR, Chapter 61, Education Code, |
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as added by this Act. |
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(b) Not later than September 1, 2024, the Texas Higher |
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Education Coordinating Board shall establish the innovation grant |
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programs required by Subchapter D, Chapter 58A, Education Code, and |
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Subchapter RR, Chapter 61, Education Code, as added by this Act, and |
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shall begin to award grants under each program as soon as |
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practicable after the program is established. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |