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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the creation of the Texas Mental Health Profession |
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Pipeline Program by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 61.070 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 61.070. TEXAS MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSION PIPELINE |
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PROGRAM. (a) In this section, "participating institution" means a |
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public senior college or university or a private or independent |
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institution of higher education that offers baccalaureate degree |
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programs and postbaccalaureate degree and certificate programs. |
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(b) The board shall establish the Texas Mental Health |
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Profession Pipeline Program and encourage participating |
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institutions to develop pipeline programs for the purpose of |
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providing a clear, guided program of study for public junior |
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college students to transfer to a participating institution to |
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pursue a baccalaureate degree or a postbaccalaureate degree or |
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certificate leading to licensure and practice as: |
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(1) a psychologist, as defined by Section 501.002, |
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Occupations Code; |
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(2) a licensed professional counselor, as defined by |
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Section 503.002, Occupations Code; |
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(3) an advanced practice registered nurse, as defined |
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by Section 301.152, Occupations Code, who holds a nationally |
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recognized board certification in psychiatric or mental health |
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nursing; |
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(4) a licensed master social worker or a licensed |
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clinical social worker, as defined by Section 505.002, Occupations |
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Code; |
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(5) a licensed specialist in school psychology, as |
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defined by Section 501.002, Occupations Code; or |
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(6) a licensed marriage and family therapist, as |
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defined by Section 502.002, Occupations Code. |
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(c) A participating institution that develops a pipeline |
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program under Subsection (b) shall: |
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(1) partner with one or more public junior colleges to |
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create a guided program of study for public junior college |
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students; and |
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(2) ensure that a public junior college student who |
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transfers to the participating institution: |
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(A) does not lose any credits earned before |
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transferring; |
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(B) can earn a baccalaureate degree in less than |
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two years following the transfer; and |
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(C) after earning a baccalaureate degree, is |
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automatically admitted to a postbaccalaureate degree or |
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certificate program at the participating institution if: |
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(i) the student meets the minimum academic |
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requirements, as determined by the participating institution; and |
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(ii) the postbaccalaureate degree or |
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certificate program has the capacity to admit new students based |
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on: |
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(a) student-to-faculty ratios |
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required by state law, federal law, the appropriate accrediting |
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organization, or institutional policy; and |
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(b) the availability of clinical |
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placements and the faculty or preceptors that supervise those |
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placements. |
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(d) The board shall designate a program of study that meets |
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the requirements of Subsection (c) as a pipeline program. |
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(e) The board shall maintain on the board's Internet website |
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information that clearly displays: |
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(1) a list of each pipeline program operating in this |
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state; |
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(2) a list of each participating institution that has |
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established a pipeline program; |
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(3) a map displaying the location of each |
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participating institution that has established a pipeline program; |
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and |
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(4) data regarding each pipeline program based on |
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information provided to the board under Subsection (f). |
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(f) Each participating institution shall submit an annual |
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report to the board that includes: |
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(1) the total number of students in the participating |
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institution's pipeline program; |
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(2) the number of students in the participating |
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institution's pipeline program who have transferred from a public |
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junior college to the participating institution without losing any |
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credits previously earned at the public junior college; |
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(3) the number of students in the participating |
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institution's pipeline program who in the preceding academic year |
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earned a baccalaureate degree from the participating institution |
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that was completed in two years or less; |
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(4) the capacity of the participating institution's |
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pipeline program to prepare more students for licensure and |
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practice as mental health professionals in the fields described by |
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Subsection (b); |
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(5) the financial resources allocated by the |
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participating institution to increase the number of students who |
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are able to complete the course of study under the participating |
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institution's pipeline program; and |
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(6) the average time for a student to complete the |
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course of study under the participating institution's pipeline |
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program from the date the student enrolls in a public junior college |
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to the date of the student's graduation from a postbaccalaureate |
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degree or certificate program. |
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(g) The board shall adopt rules consistent with this section |
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as necessary to implement this section, including rules for |
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designating pipeline programs as described by Subsection (d). |
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SECTION 2. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board |
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shall adopt rules as required by Section 61.070(g), Education Code, |
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as added by this Act, as soon as practicable after the effective |
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date of this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |