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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to notice of rights provided to a patient receiving |
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involuntary inpatient mental health services. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 576.009, Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 576.009. NOTIFICATION OF RIGHTS. (a) A patient |
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receiving involuntary inpatient mental health services shall be |
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informed of the rights provided by this subtitle: |
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(1) through a poster prominently and conspicuously |
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displayed in an area frequented by both patients and employees of |
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the mental health facility; and |
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(2) either: |
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(A) orally, in simple, nontechnical terms, and in |
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writing that[, if possible,] is in the person's primary language; |
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or |
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(B) [(2)] through the use of a means reasonably |
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calculated to communicate with a hearing impaired or visually |
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impaired person, if applicable. |
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(b) The poster described by Subsection (a)(1) must: |
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(1) include the name and contact information of the |
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person with whom a complaint regarding a violation of the rights |
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provided by this subtitle may be filed; and |
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(2) be in English and in a second language appropriate |
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to the demographic composition of the community served by the |
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mental health facility. |
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(c) The oral and written communication required by |
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Subsection (a)(2)(A) must be provided on two separate days as |
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follows: |
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(1) if English is the patient's primary language: |
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(A) at the time the patient is admitted to the |
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mental health facility; and |
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(B) not later than the third day after the date |
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the patient is admitted to the mental health facility; or |
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(2) if English is not the patient's primary language: |
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(A) not later than 24 hours after the patient is |
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admitted to the mental health facility; and |
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(B) not later than the third day after the date |
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the patient is admitted to the mental health facility. |
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SECTION 2. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to |
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a patient's admittance to an inpatient mental health facility on or |
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after the effective date of this Act. A patient's admittance to an |
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inpatient mental health facility before the effective date of this |
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Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the patient was |
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admitted, and the former law is continued in effect for that |
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purpose. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |