S.B. No. 126
AN ACT
relating to the creation of a mental health and substance abuse
public reporting system.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 1001, Health and Safety
Code, is amended by adding Section 1001.078 to read as follows:
Sec. 1001.078. MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE PUBLIC
REPORTING SYSTEM. (a) The department, in collaboration with the
commission, shall establish and maintain a public reporting system
of performance and outcome measures relating to mental health and
substance abuse services established by the Legislative Budget
Board, the department, and the commission. The system must allow
external users to view and compare the performance, outputs, and
outcomes of:
(1) community centers established under Subchapter A,
Chapter 534, that provide mental health services;
(2) Medicaid managed care pilot programs that provide
mental health services; and
(3) agencies, organizations, and persons that
contract with the state to provide substance abuse services.
(b) The system must allow external users to view and compare
the performance, outputs, and outcomes of the Medicaid managed care
programs that provide mental health services.
(c) The department shall post the performance, output, and
outcome measures on the department's website so that the
information is accessible to the public. The department shall post
the measures quarterly or semiannually in accordance with when the
measures are reported to the department.
(d) The department shall consider public input in
determining the appropriate outcome measures to collect in the
public reporting system. To the extent possible, the department
shall include outcome measures that capture inpatient psychiatric
care diversion, avoidance of emergency room use, criminal justice
diversion, and the numbers of people who are homeless served.
(e) The commission shall conduct a study to determine the
feasibility of establishing and maintaining the public reporting
system, including, to the extent possible, the cost to the state and
impact on managed care organizations and providers of collecting
the outcome measures required by Subsection (d). Not later than
December 1, 2014, the commission shall report the results of the
study to the legislature and appropriate legislative committees.
(f) The department shall ensure that information reported
through the public reporting system does not permit the
identification of an individual.
SECTION 2. Not later than December 1, 2013, the Department
of State Health Services shall establish the public reporting
system as required under Section 1001.078, Health and Safety Code,
as added by this Act.
SECTION 3. Not later than December 1, 2014, the Department
of State Health Services shall submit a report to the legislature
and the Legislative Budget Board on the development of the public
reporting system as required by Section 1001.078, Health and Safety
Code, as added by this Act, and the outcome measures collected.
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 126 passed the Senate on
March 13, 2013, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0; and that
the Senate concurred in House amendment on May 24, 2013, by the
following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 126 passed the House, with
amendment, on May 22, 2013, by the following vote: Yeas 146,
Nays 1, one present not voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
Approved:
______________________________
Date
______________________________
Governor