88R8789 MPF-F
 
  By: West S.B. No. 1463
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to a grant program for a nonprofit organization or
  political subdivision to establish or expand a behavioral health
  crisis response program.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 531.09916 to read as follows:
         Sec. 531.09916.  GRANT PROGRAM FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CRISIS
  RESPONSE PROGRAMS. (a) In this section:
               (1)  "Behavioral health crisis response program" means
  a program operated under a grant awarded under this section.
               (2)  "Multidisciplinary response team" means a group
  composed of three or more persons that includes at least one
  paramedic, one law enforcement officer, and one behavioral health
  professional, who together provide services to persons
  experiencing a behavioral health crisis.
               (3)  "Nonprofit organization" means an organization
  that is exempt from federal income taxation under Section 501(a),
  Internal Revenue Code of 1986, by being listed as an exempt entity
  under Section 501(c)(3) of that code.
               (4)  "Political subdivision" means a county or
  municipality in this state.
         (b)  The executive commissioner shall establish and
  administer a grant program to award money to nonprofit
  organizations and political subdivisions for the purpose of
  establishing or expanding a behavioral health crisis response
  program to:
               (1)  operate one or more multidisciplinary response
  teams in the region in which the nonprofit organization is located
  or within the political subdivision, as applicable; and
               (2)  employ one or more behavioral health professionals
  to:
                     (A)  assist in screening telephone calls made to a
  9-1-1 emergency call center dispatcher for law enforcement or
  emergency medical assistance;
                     (B)  assist in determining whether to dispatch a
  multidisciplinary response team to service a call; and
                     (C)  provide consultation and information to the
  dispatched multidisciplinary response team.
         (c)  A behavioral health crisis response program that is
  awarded a grant under this section must operate in accordance with
  best practices for jail diversion and managing behavioral health
  crises.
         (d)  A nonprofit organization that is awarded a grant under
  this section must collaborate with one or more political
  subdivisions to operate the behavioral health crisis response
  program. A county that is awarded a grant under this section must
  collaborate with one or more municipalities in the county to
  operate the behavioral health crisis response program.
         (e)  A grant application from a nonprofit organization or
  political subdivision must:
               (1)  be submitted on a form prescribed by the
  commission;
               (2)  include, if the applicant is required to
  collaborate with a political subdivision under Subsection (d), a
  statement from the governing body of the political subdivision
  providing information about the collaboration; and
               (3)  include, if the applicant is required to
  collaborate with a political subdivision under Subsection (d), data
  from each collaborating political subdivision on:
                     (A)  the number of behavioral health-related
  telephone calls for assistance received by the political
  subdivision's 9-1-1 emergency call center;
                     (B)  the number of paramedics and behavioral
  health professionals available to serve on a political
  subdivision's multidisciplinary response team; and
                     (C)  the political subdivision's capacity to
  accurately collect and report information concerning:
                           (i)  the frequency and outcomes of
  behavioral health-related calls for assistance; and
                           (ii)  the number of telephone calls for
  assistance primarily identified as involving a criminal offense
  that also involved a demonstrated need for behavioral health
  intervention services, crisis care referrals to community-based
  providers, or de-escalation for the person making the call or for a
  person who was the subject of a call made by another.
         (f)  In addition to funding received under a grant under this
  section, a nonprofit organization or political subdivision grant
  applicant, or a political subdivision collaborating with a grant
  applicant under Subsection (d), may contribute local funds to the
  operation of the behavioral health crisis response program.
         (g)  The commission may use any available state and federal
  money and may accept gifts, grants, and donations from any source
  for the purpose of awarding grants under this section.
         (h)  The executive commissioner shall adopt all rules
  necessary for the establishment and governance of the grant program
  under this section.
         SECTION 2.  As soon as practicable after the effective date
  of this Act, the executive commissioner of the Health and Human
  Services Commission shall adopt rules necessary to implement
  Section 531.09916, Government Code, as added by this Act.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.