| 1 | 1 | | By: Burkett, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Zaffirini) H.B. No. 1191 |
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| 2 | 2 | | (In the Senate - Received from the House April 29, 2013; |
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| 3 | 3 | | April 30, 2013, read first time and referred to Committee on Health |
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| 4 | 4 | | and Human Services; May 15, 2013, reported favorably by the |
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| 5 | 5 | | following vote: Yeas 8, Nays 0; May 15, 2013, sent to printer.) |
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| 6 | 6 | | |
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| 7 | 7 | | |
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| 8 | 8 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 9 | 9 | | AN ACT |
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| 10 | 10 | | relating to certain information about housing for persons with |
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| 11 | 11 | | mental illness provided through the Texas Information and Referral |
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| 12 | 12 | | Network Internet site. |
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| 13 | 13 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 14 | 14 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is |
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| 15 | 15 | | amended by adding Section 531.03132 to read as follows: |
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| 16 | 16 | | Sec. 531.03132. ELECTRONIC ACCESS TO REFERRAL INFORMATION |
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| 17 | 17 | | ABOUT HOUSING OPTIONS FOR PERSONS WITH MENTAL ILLNESS. (a) The |
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| 18 | 18 | | commission shall make available through the Texas Information and |
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| 19 | 19 | | Referral Network Internet site established under Section 531.0313 |
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| 20 | 20 | | information regarding housing options for persons with mental |
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| 21 | 21 | | illness provided by public or private entities throughout the |
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| 22 | 22 | | state. The Internet site will serve as a single point of access |
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| 23 | 23 | | through which a person may be directed on how or where to apply for |
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| 24 | 24 | | housing for persons with mental illness in the person's community. |
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| 25 | 25 | | In this subsection, "private entity" includes any provider of |
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| 26 | 26 | | housing specifically for persons with mental illness other than a |
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| 27 | 27 | | state agency, municipality, county, or other political subdivision |
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| 28 | 28 | | of this state, regardless of whether the provider accepts payment |
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| 29 | 29 | | for providing housing for persons with mental illness. |
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| 30 | 30 | | (b) To the extent resources are available, the Internet site |
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| 31 | 31 | | must be geographically indexed and designed to inform a person |
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| 32 | 32 | | about the housing options for persons with mental illness provided |
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| 33 | 33 | | in the area where the person lives. |
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| 34 | 34 | | (c) The Internet site must contain a searchable listing of |
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| 35 | 35 | | available housing options for persons with mental illness by type, |
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| 36 | 36 | | with a definition for each type of housing and an explanation of the |
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| 37 | 37 | | populations of persons with mental illness generally served by that |
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| 38 | 38 | | type of housing. The list must contain at a minimum the following |
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| 39 | 39 | | types of housing for persons with mental illness: |
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| 40 | 40 | | (1) state hospitals; |
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| 41 | 41 | | (2) step-down units in state hospitals; |
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| 42 | 42 | | (3) community hospitals; |
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| 43 | 43 | | (4) private psychiatric hospitals; |
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| 44 | 44 | | (5) a provider of inpatient treatment services in the |
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| 45 | 45 | | network of service providers assembled by a local mental health |
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| 46 | 46 | | authority under Section 533.035(e), Health and Safety Code; |
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| 47 | 47 | | (6) assisted living facilities; |
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| 48 | 48 | | (7) continuing care facilities; |
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| 49 | 49 | | (8) boarding homes; |
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| 50 | 50 | | (9) emergency shelters for homeless persons; |
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| 51 | 51 | | (10) transitional housing intended to move homeless |
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| 52 | 52 | | persons to permanent housing; |
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| 53 | 53 | | (11) supportive housing, or long-term, |
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| 54 | 54 | | community-based affordable housing that provides supportive |
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| 55 | 55 | | services; |
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| 56 | 56 | | (12) general residential operations, as defined by |
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| 57 | 57 | | Section 42.002, Human Resources Code; and |
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| 58 | 58 | | (13) residential treatment centers, or a type of |
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| 59 | 59 | | general residential operation that provides services to children |
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| 60 | 60 | | with emotional disorders in a structured and supportive |
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| 61 | 61 | | environment. |
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| 62 | 62 | | (d) For each housing facility named in the listing of |
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| 63 | 63 | | available housing options for persons with mental illness, the |
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| 64 | 64 | | Internet site must indicate whether the provider that operates the |
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| 65 | 65 | | housing facility is licensed by the state. |
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| 66 | 66 | | (e) The Internet site must display a disclaimer that the |
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| 67 | 67 | | information provided is for informational purposes only and is not |
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| 68 | 68 | | an endorsement or recommendation of any type of housing or any |
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| 69 | 69 | | housing facility. |
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| 70 | 70 | | (f) Each entity providing housing specifically for persons |
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| 71 | 71 | | with mental illness in this state, including the Department of |
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| 72 | 72 | | State Health Services, municipalities, counties, other political |
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| 73 | 73 | | subdivisions of this state, and private entities, shall cooperate |
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| 74 | 74 | | with the Texas Information and Referral Network as necessary in the |
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| 75 | 75 | | administration of this section. |
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| 76 | 76 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 77 | 77 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 78 | 78 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 79 | 79 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 80 | 80 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |
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| 81 | 81 | | * * * * * |
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