81R10316 EAH-F
By: Coleman H.B. No. 2715
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to grants for school-based health centers.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Sections 38.063(a), (b), (d), (e), (f), and (g),
Education Code, are amended to read as follows:
(a) Subject to the availability of federal or state
appropriated funds, the commissioner of state [public] health
services shall administer a program under which grants are awarded
to assist school districts and nonprofit organizations or
governmental entities that collaborate with school districts with
the costs of [operating] school-based health centers in accordance
with this section.
(b) The commissioner of state [public] health services, by
rules adopted in accordance with this section, shall establish
procedures for awarding grants. The rules must provide that:
(1) grants are awarded annually [to school districts
on an annual basis] through a competitive process to:
(A) school districts; and
(B) nonprofit organizations or governmental
entities that collaborate with school districts to establish and
operate school-based health centers; and
(2) a preference is given to school-based health
centers in school districts that are located in rural areas or that
have low property wealth per student.
(d) A school district, nonprofit organization, or
governmental entity may not receive more than $250,000 per state
fiscal biennium through grants awarded under this section.
(e) To be eligible to receive a grant, a school district,
nonprofit organization, or governmental entity must provide
matching funds in accordance with rules adopted under Subsection
(b). The matching funds may be obtained from any source available to
the district, nonprofit organization, or governmental entity,
including in-kind contributions, community or foundation grants,
individual contributions, and local governmental agency operating
funds.
(f) The commissioner of state [public] health services
shall adopt rules establishing standards for health care centers
funded through grants that place primary emphasis on delivery of
health services and secondary emphasis on population-based models
that prevent emerging health threats.
(g) The commissioner of state [public] health services
shall require client surveys to be conducted in school-based health
centers funded through grants awarded under this section, and the
results of those surveys must be included in the annual report
required under Section 38.064.
SECTION 2. Section 38.064, Education Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 38.064. REPORT TO LEGISLATURE. (a) Based on
statistics obtained from each [every] school-based health center
that receives a grant under Section 38.063 [in this state], the
commissioner of state [public] health services shall issue an
annual report to the legislature about the relative efficacy of
services delivered by school-based health centers that receive
state grants and any increased academic success of students at
campuses served by those centers, with special emphasis on any:
(1) increased attendance;
(2) [decreased drop-out rates;
[(3)] improved student health; and
(3) [(4)] improved performance on student assessment
instruments administered under Subchapter B, Chapter 39.
(b) In obtaining statistics for preparation of the report
required by this section, the commissioner of state [public] health
services shall ensure that data is collected [for each county] and
aggregated appropriately according to geographical region.
SECTION 3. 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, 2009.