By: Perry S.B. No. 1677
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the establishment and administration of Health and
  Human Services Commission programs providing mental health
  services to certain individuals in this state.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 531.0991, Government Code, is amended by
  adding Subsection (e-1) to read as follows:
         (e-1)  If the commission is appropriated money to implement
  this section for a state fiscal year in an amount that exceeds the
  total amount of grants awarded under this section in the previous
  state fiscal year, the commission, in selecting grant recipients
  for the excess amount, must accept applications or proposals from
  applicants that were not selected as grant recipients under this
  section in the previous state fiscal year or applicants that were
  selected as grant recipients but require additional funding for the
  recipient's community mental health program for purposes of this
  section.
         SECTION 2.  Section 531.0993, Government Code, is amended by
  adding Subsections (d-1) and (d-2) to read as follows:
         (d-1)  The commission shall establish procedures to assist a
  community collaborative that includes a county with a population of
  less than 250,000 with submission of a petition under Subsection
  (d).
         (d-2)  If the commission is appropriated money to implement
  this section for a state fiscal year in an amount that exceeds the
  total amount of grants awarded under this section in the previous
  state fiscal year, the commission, in selecting grant recipients
  for the excess amount, must accept petitions from community
  collaboratives that were not selected as grant recipients under
  this section in the previous state fiscal year or collaboratives
  that were selected as grant recipients in the previous state fiscal
  year but require additional funding for the recipient's
  collaborative for purposes of this section.
         SECTION 3.  Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 531.09936 to read as follows:
         Sec. 531.09936.  ESTABLISHMENT OR EXPANSION OF REGIONAL
  BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CENTERS OR JAIL DIVERSION CENTERS. (a)  In this
  section:
               (1)  "Local mental health authority" has the meaning
  assigned by Section 531.002, Health and Safety Code.
               (2)  "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.
         (b)  To the extent money is appropriated to the commission
  for that purpose, the commission, in cooperation with local mental
  health authorities located primarily in rural areas of this state,
  shall contract with nonprofit organizations to establish or expand
  behavioral health centers or jail diversion centers in the
  authorities' local service areas to:
               (1)  provide additional forensic hospital beds and
  competency restoration services;
               (2)  provide inpatient and outpatient mental health
  services to adults and children; and
               (3)  provide services to reduce recidivism and the
  frequency of arrest, incarceration, and emergency detentions among
  persons with mental illness in the service areas.
         (c)  The executive commissioner shall develop criteria for
  the evaluation of applications or proposals submitted by a
  nonprofit organization seeking to contract with the commission
  under this section.
         (d)  This section may not be construed to affect a grant
  program established by the commission under this code.
         SECTION 4.  (a) The state auditor's office shall conduct an
  audit of the inmates in county jails who are waiting for a forensic
  hospital bed for the provision of competency restoration services.
  The audit must identify any issues and inefficiencies in the
  commitment process.
         (b)  Not later than December 1, 2024, the state auditor shall
  prepare a report of the audit conducted under Subsection (a) of this
  section and publish the report on the state auditor's Internet
  website.  The report must include:
               (1)  a review of the history and status of the waitlist
  beginning September 2018 through the most current year for which
  information is available;
               (2)  any disparities in treatment in the forensic
  commitment process based on race, gender, ethnicity, or age; and
               (3)  any other analysis the state auditor determines
  appropriate.
         (c)  This section expires September 1, 2025.
         SECTION 5.  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
  Sections 531.0993(d-1) and 531.09936, Government Code, as added by
  this Act.
         SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.