By: Zaffirini S.B. No. 2926

(In the Senate - Filed March 14, 2025; April 7, 2025, read first time and referred to Committee on Veteran Affairs; April 24, 2025, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 7, Nays 0; April 24, 2025, sent to printer.) Click here to see the committee vote

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the transition of certain veterans' mental health initiatives from the Texas Health and Human Services Commission to the Texas Veterans Commission.

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

SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 434, Government Code, is amended by adding Section 434.0172 to read as follows:

Sec. 434.0172. GRANT PROGRAM FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES. (a) To the extent funds are appropriated to the commission for that purpose, the commission shall establish a grant program for the purpose of supporting community mental health programs providing services and treatment to veterans and their families.

(b) The commission shall ensure that each grant recipient obtains or secures contributions to match awarded grants in amounts of money or other consideration. The money or other consideration obtained or secured by the commission may, as determined by the executive director, include cash or in-kind contributions from private contributors or local governments but may not include state or federal funds.

(c) Money appropriated to, or obtained by, the commission for the grant program must be disbursed directly to grant recipients by the commission, as authorized by the executive director.

(c-1) For services and treatment provided in a single county, the commission shall condition each grant provided under this section 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.

(c-2) 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 section 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.

(d) All grants awarded under the grant program must be used for the sole purpose of supporting community programs that provide mental health care services and treatment to veterans and their families and that coordinate mental health care services for veterans and their families with other transition support services.

(e) The commission shall select grant recipients based on the submission of applications or proposals by nonprofit and governmental entities. The executive director shall develop criteria for the evaluation of those 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 considers relevant.

(f) A reasonable amount not to exceed five percent of the money appropriated by the legislature for the purposes of this section may be used by the commission to pay administrative costs of implementing this section.

SECTION 2. Section 434.352, Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 434.352. GENERAL POWERS AND DUTIES. (a) The commission [and the Health and Human Services Commission] shall [coordinate to] administer the mental health program for veterans developed under this chapter [Chapter 1001, Health and Safety Code].

(a-1) The mental health program for veterans 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 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) 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 administer [assist the Health and Human Services Commission in the administration of] the program;

(7) develop a rural veterans mental health initiative and a women veterans mental health initiative; and

(8) 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) Subject to Section 434.3525, the executive director of the commission shall appoint a program director to administer the mental health program for veterans.

(d) The commission shall provide appropriate facilities in support of the mental health program for veterans to the extent funding is available for that purpose.

(e) A state agency may not award a grant to an entity for the provision of mental health services to veterans or veterans' families unless the entity demonstrates the entity:

(1) has previously received and successfully executed a grant from the state agency; or

(2) provides training on military informed care or military cultural competency to entity personnel who provide mental health services to veterans or veterans' families or requires those personnel to complete military competency training provided by any of the following:

(A) the commission;

(B) the Health and Human Services Commission;

(C) the Military Veteran Peer Network;

(D) the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration within the United States Department of Health and Human Services;

(E) the United States Department of Defense;

(F) the United States Department of Veterans Affairs; or

(G) a nonprofit 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, with experience in providing training or technical assistance to entities that provide mental health services to veterans or veterans' families.

(f) The commission and the Health and Human Services Commission [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 3. Subchapter H, Chapter 434, Government Code, is amended by adding Section 434.354 to read as follows:

Sec. 434.354. ANNUAL REPORT. Not later than December 1 of each year, the commission 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 4. Chapter 434, Government Code, is amended by adding Subchapter J to read as follows:

SUBCHAPTER J. VETERAN SUICIDE PREVENTION ACTION PLAN.

Sec. 434.501. 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, medical 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 short-term and 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 must be fully implemented by September 1, 2027.

(d) This subchapter expires September 1, 2027.

SECTION 5. The following provisions are repealed:

(1) Subchapter I, Chapter 1001, Health and Safety Code; and

(2) Sections 531.0925 and 531.0992, Government Code.

SECTION 6. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2025.

* * * * *