81R9671 YDB-F
By: Truitt H.B. No. 2196
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the establishment of a workgroup to study and make
recommendations on the integration of health and behavioral health
services.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. (a) The executive commissioner of the Health and
Human Services Commission shall establish a workgroup to recommend
best practices in policy, training, and service delivery to promote
the integration of health and behavioral health services in this
state.
(b) The executive commissioner of the Health and Human
Services Commission shall appoint members to serve on the
workgroup. The workgroup must include:
(1) at least one representative of the Department of
State Health Services;
(2) at least one representative of the Department of
Aging and Disability Services;
(3) at least one representative of the Department of
Family and Protective Services;
(4) at least one representative of the Health and
Human Services Commission;
(5) a representative of the Texas Department of
Insurance;
(6) a representative of a state organization that
represents community mental health and mental retardation centers;
(7) a representative of a state organization that
represents federally qualified health centers;
(8) a representative of a state organization that
represents substance abuse providers;
(9) at least one representative of state associations
that represent medical and behavioral health professionals;
(10) a representative of a mental health philanthropy
that is an administrative unit of a public institution of higher
education in this state and that agrees to provide administrative
support to the workgroup; and
(11) additional members who are recognized experts in
integrated health care in the state, who have direct experience
with the provision of integrated health care, or who represent the
interests of consumers, communities, family members, advocates,
business leaders, medical and behavioral health providers, and
insurers.
(c) The workgroup shall study and make recommendations on
the integration of health and behavioral health services in this
state. The workgroup may request any information it needs from
state agencies, and the state agencies shall comply with the
request.
(d) The executive commissioner of the Health and Human
Services Commission shall:
(1) not later than October 1, 2009, establish the
workgroup as required under Subsection (a) of this section; and
(2) not later than August 1, 2010, file with the
appropriate committees of the senate and the house of
representatives a report that describes the best practices for
health and behavioral health integration, barriers to implementing
the best practices in this state, and policy considerations for
improving integrated service delivery to the citizens of this
state.
(e) This section expires and the workgroup created under
this section is abolished on August 31, 2010.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.