By: Cortez, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Zaffirini) H.B. No. 114

(In the Senate - Received from the House April 29, 2025; April 30, 2025, read first time and referred to Committee on Veteran Affairs; May 19, 2025, reported adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 6, Nays 0; May 19, 2025, sent to printer.) Click here to see the committee vote

COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 114 By: Parker

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the transfer of functions relating to certain veteran mental health programs and plans to the Texas Veterans Commission.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

ARTICLE 1. TRANSFER OF MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAM FOR VETERANS

SECTION 1.01. The heading to Subchapter H, Chapter 434, Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

SUBCHAPTER H. [STATEWIDE COORDINATION OF] MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAM

FOR VETERANS

SECTION 1.02. Section 1001.222, Health and Safety Code, is transferred to Subchapter H, Chapter 434, Government Code, redesignated as Section 434.3515, Government Code, and amended to read as follows:

Sec. 434.3515 [1001.222]. MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAM FOR VETERANS: ADMINISTRATION AND PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS [GENERAL POWERS AND DUTIES]. (a) The commission [department] shall develop and administer a mental health [intervention] program for veterans. The program must include:

(1) peer-to-peer counseling;

(2) access to licensed mental health professionals for peer service coordinators and peers;

(3) training approved by the commission [department] for peer service coordinators, licensed mental health professionals, and peers;

(4) technical assistance for peer service coordinators, licensed mental health professionals, and peers;

(5) identification, retention, and screening of community-based licensed mental health professionals;

(6) suicide prevention training for peer service coordinators and peers;

(7) veteran jail diversion services, including veterans treatment courts; and

(8) coordination of mental health first aid for veterans training to veterans and immediate family members of veterans.

(b) [(a-1)] As part of the mental health [intervention] program for veterans, the commission [department] shall develop:

(1) a women veterans mental health initiative; and[.]

(2) [(a-2) As part of the mental health intervention program for veterans, the department shall develop] a rural veterans mental health initiative.

(c) [(b)] The commission [department] shall solicit and ensure that specialized training is provided to persons who are peers and who want to provide peer-to-peer counseling or other peer-to-peer services under the program.

[(c) The executive commissioner may adopt rules necessary to implement this subchapter.]

SECTION 1.03. Sections 434.352(b) and (f), Government Code, are amended to read as follows:

(b) For the mental health program for veterans, the commission shall:

(1) provide training to peer service coordinators and peers in accordance with Section 434.353;

(2) provide technical assistance to peer service coordinators and peers;

(3) identify, train, and communicate with community-based licensed mental health professionals, community-based organizations, and faith-based organizations;

(4) coordinate services for justice involved veterans;

(5) coordinate local delivery to veterans and immediate family members of veterans of mental health first aid for veterans training; and

(6) employ and train mental health professionals to assist [the Health and Human Services Commission] in the administration of the program.

(f) The commission [and the Department of State Health Services] shall [jointly] verify that each state agency authorized to award a grant subject to the requirements of Subsection (e) has adopted policies to ensure compliance with Subsection (e).

SECTION 1.04. Section 1001.224, Health and Safety Code, is transferred to Subchapter H, Chapter 434, Government Code, redesignated as Section 434.354, Government Code, and amended to read as follows:

Sec. 434.354 [1001.224]. ANNUAL REPORT. Not later than December 1 of each year, the commission [department] shall submit a report to the governor and the legislature that includes:

(1) the number of veterans who received services through the mental health program for veterans;

(2) the number of peers and peer service coordinators trained;

(3) an evaluation of the services provided under this subchapter; and

(4) recommendations for program improvements.

SECTION 1.05. Subchapter H, Chapter 434, Government Code, is amended by adding Section 434.355 to read as follows:

Sec. 434.355. RULES. The commission may adopt rules to administer this subchapter.

ARTICLE 2. TRANSFER OF TEXAS VETERANS AND FAMILY ALLIANCE GRANT

PROGRAM

SECTION 2.01. Subchapter G, Chapter 547, Government Code, is transferred to Chapter 434, Government Code, redesignated as Subchapter J, Government Code, and amended to read as follows:

SUBCHAPTER J [G]. MATCHING GRANT PROGRAM FOR COMMUNITY MENTAL

HEALTH PROGRAMS ASSISTING VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES

Sec. 434.421 [547.0301]. DEFINITIONS [DEFINITION]. In this subchapter:

(1) "Commission" means the Texas Veterans Commission.

(2) "Executive director" means the executive director of the commission or the executive director's designee.

(3) "Matching [, "matching] grant program" means the matching grant program established under this subchapter.

Sec. 434.422 [547.0302]. MATCHING GRANT PROGRAM. To the extent funds are appropriated to the commission for that purpose, the commission shall establish a matching grant program to support community mental health programs that provide services and treatment to veterans and their families.

Sec. 434.423 [547.0303]. MATCHING CONTRIBUTIONS REQUIRED. (a) The commission shall ensure that each grant recipient obtains or secures contributions to match a grant awarded to the recipient in amounts of money or other consideration as required by Section 434.424 [547.0304] or 434.425 [547.0305].

(b) The money or other consideration obtained or secured by the commission may, as the executive director [commissioner] determines, include cash or in-kind contributions from private contributors or local governments but may not include state or federal funds.

Sec. 434.424 [547.0304]. MATCHING GRANT CONDITIONS: SINGLE COUNTIES. For services and treatment provided in a single county, the commission shall condition each grant provided under this subchapter on a potential grant recipient providing funds from non-state sources in a total amount at least equal to:

(1) 25 percent of the grant amount if the community mental health program to be supported by the grant provides services and treatment in a county with a population of less than 100,000;

(2) 50 percent of the grant amount if the community mental health program to be supported by the grant provides services and treatment in a county with a population of 100,000 or more but less than 250,000; or

(3) 100 percent of the grant amount if the community mental health program to be supported by the grant provides services and treatment in a county with a population of 250,000 or more.

Sec. 434.425 [547.0305]. MATCHING GRANT CONDITIONS: MULTIPLE COUNTIES. For a community mental health program that provides services and treatment in more than one county, the commission shall condition each grant provided under this subchapter on a potential grant recipient providing funds from non-state sources in a total amount at least equal to:

(1) 25 percent of the grant amount if the county with the largest population in which the community mental health program to be supported by the grant provides services and treatment has a population of less than 100,000;

(2) 50 percent of the grant amount if the county with the largest population in which the community mental health program to be supported by the grant provides services and treatment has a population of 100,000 or more but less than 250,000; or

(3) 100 percent of the grant amount if the county with the largest population in which the community mental health program to be supported by the grant provides services and treatment has a population of 250,000 or more.

Sec. 434.426 [547.0306]. SELECTION OF RECIPIENTS; APPLICATIONS AND PROPOSALS. (a) The commission shall select grant recipients based on the submission of applications or proposals by nonprofit and governmental entities.

(b) The executive director [commissioner] shall develop criteria for evaluating the applications or proposals and the selection of grant recipients. The selection criteria must:

(1) evaluate and score:

(A) fiscal controls for the project;

(B) project effectiveness;

(C) project cost; and

(D) an applicant's previous experience with grants and contracts;

(2) address the possibility of and method for making multiple awards; and

(3) include other factors that the executive director [commissioner] considers relevant.

Sec. 434.427 [547.0307]. USE OF GRANTS AND MATCHING AMOUNTS. A grant awarded under the matching grant program must be used for the sole purpose of supporting community mental health programs that:

(1) provide mental health services and treatment to veterans and their families; and

(2) coordinate mental health services for veterans and their families with other transition support services.

Sec. 434.428 [547.0308]. DISTRIBUTING AND ALLOCATING APPROPRIATED MONEY. (a) As the executive director [commissioner] authorizes, the commission shall disburse money appropriated to or obtained by the commission for the matching grant program directly to grant recipients.

(b) The commission may use a reasonable amount not to exceed five percent of the money appropriated by the legislature for the purposes of this subchapter to pay the administrative costs of implementing this subchapter.

Sec. 434.429 [547.0309]. RULES. The commission [executive commissioner] shall adopt rules necessary to implement the matching grant program.

ARTICLE 3. TRANSFER OF VETERAN SUICIDE PREVENTION ACTION PLAN

SECTION 3.01. Chapter 434, Government Code, is amended by adding Subchapter K to read as follows:

SUBCHAPTER K. VETERAN SUICIDE PREVENTION ACTION PLAN

Sec. 434.451. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "commission" means the Texas Veterans Commission.

SECTION 3.02. Section 547.0004, Government Code, is transferred to Subchapter K, Chapter 434, Government Code, as added by this Act, redesignated as Section 434.452, Government Code, and amended to read as follows:

Sec. 434.452 [547.0004]. VETERAN SUICIDE PREVENTION ACTION PLAN. (a) The commission, in collaboration with the Texas Coordinating Council for Veterans Services, the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, the Service Members, Veterans, and their Families Technical Assistance Center Implementation Academy of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, veteran advocacy groups, health care providers, and any other organization or interested party the commission considers appropriate, shall develop a comprehensive action plan to increase access to and availability of professional veteran health services to prevent veteran suicides.

(b) The action plan must:

(1) identify opportunities for raising awareness of and providing resources for veteran suicide prevention;

(2) identify opportunities to increase access to veteran mental health services;

(3) identify funding resources to provide accessible, affordable veteran mental health services;

(4) provide measures to expand public-private partnerships to ensure access to quality, timely mental health services;

(5) provide for proactive outreach measures to reach veterans needing care;

(6) provide for peer-to-peer service coordination, including training, certification, recertification, and continuing education for peer coordinators; and

(7) address suicide prevention awareness, measures, and training regarding veterans involved in the justice system.

(c) The commission shall make specific long-term statutory, administrative, and budget-related recommendations to the legislature and the governor regarding the policy initiatives and reforms necessary to implement the action plan developed under this section. The initiatives and reforms in the long-term plan must be fully implemented by September 1, 2027.

(d) The commission shall include in the commission's strategic plan under Chapter 2056 the plans for implementing the long-term recommendations under Subsection (c).

(e) This subchapter [section] expires September 1, 2027.

ARTICLE 4. REPEALER; TRANSITIONS; EFFECTIVE DATE

SECTION 4.01. The following provisions are repealed:

(1) Section 434.352(a), Government Code;

(2) the heading to Subchapter I, Chapter 1001, Health and Safety Code;

(3) Section 1001.221, Health and Safety Code; and

(4) Section 1001.225, Health and Safety Code.

SECTION 4.02. (a) On the effective date of this Act, the following are transferred from the Health and Human Services Commission to the Texas Veterans Commission:

(1) the powers, duties, functions, programs, and activities of the Health and Human Services Commission relating to the mental health programs under Subchapters H, J, and K, Chapter 434, Government Code, as redesignated by this Act;

(2) any obligations and contracts of the Health and Human Services Commission that are directly related to a power, duty, function, program, or activity transferred under this Act; and

(3) all property and records in the custody of the Health and Human Services Commission that are related to a power, duty, function, program, or activity transferred under this Act and all funds appropriated by the legislature for that power, duty, function, program, or activity.

(b) The Health and Human Services Commission and the Texas Veterans Commission shall establish a plan for the transfer of personnel whose functions predominantly involve a power, duty, function, program, or activity transferred under this Act.

SECTION 4.03. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.

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