88R1233 JG-D
 
  By: Thierry H.B. No. 470
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to an acute psychiatric bed registry to list available
  beds for the inpatient psychiatric treatment of certain
  individuals.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subtitle A, Title 7, Health and Safety Code, is
  amended by adding Chapter 535 to read as follows:
  CHAPTER 535.  ACUTE PSYCHIATRIC BED REGISTRY IN CERTAIN COUNTIES
         Sec. 535.001.  DEFINITION.  In this chapter, "inpatient
  mental health facility" has the meaning assigned by Section
  571.003.
         Sec. 535.002.  APPLICABILITY.  This chapter applies only to
  counties with a population of four million or more.
         Sec. 535.003.  DEVELOPMENT AND ADMINISTRATION OF REGISTRY.  
  (a)  The commission shall develop and administer an Internet-based
  and searchable acute psychiatric bed registry to collect,
  aggregate, and display information on available beds at inpatient
  mental health facilities located in a county to which this chapter
  applies for the inpatient psychiatric treatment of individuals.
         (b)  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.
         (c)  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 to which this chapter
  applies.  The commission may make the registry available to any
  other person the commission considers appropriate.
         (d)  The commission may contract with any person the
  commission considers appropriate to develop and administer the
  acute psychiatric bed registry.
         Sec. 535.004.  INPATIENT MENTAL HEALTH FACILITY
  REQUIREMENTS.  (a)  An inpatient mental health facility located in
  a county to which this chapter applies shall submit to the
  commission information for the acute psychiatric bed registry as
  required by the commission and review the information and confirm
  the information's accuracy to the commission at least once daily
  and whenever there is a change in bed availability at the facility.
         (b)  An inpatient mental health facility located in a county
  to which this chapter applies shall designate an employee or
  employees as necessary to:
               (1)  submit to the commission the information required
  under Subsection (a) and review the information as required by that
  subsection; and 
               (2)  serve as a contact for questions about the
  information submitted.
         Sec. 535.005.  GIFTS, GRANTS, AND DONATIONS.  The commission
  may accept gifts, grants, or donations from a public or private
  source to carry out this chapter.
         SECTION 2.  Not later than January 1, 2024, the Health and
  Human Services Commission shall establish the acute psychiatric bed
  registry required by Chapter 535, Health and Safety Code, as added
  by this Act.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.