Texas 2013 - 83rd Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB898 Compare Versions

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1	1	By: Van de Putte S.B. No. 898
2	2	(In the Senate - Filed February 27, 2013; March 5, 2013,
3	3	read first time and referred to Committee on Veteran Affairs and
4	4	Military Installations; April 8, 2013, reported adversely, with
5	5	favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote:
6	6	Yeas 5, Nays 0; April 8, 2013, sent to printer.)
7	7	COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 898 By: Van de Putte
8	8
9	9
10	10	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
11	11	AN ACT
12	12	relating to the mental health program for veterans.
13	13	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
14	14	SECTION 1. Section 1001.071, Health and Safety Code, is
15	15	amended to read as follows:
16	16	Sec. 1001.071. GENERAL POWERS AND DUTIES OF DEPARTMENT
17	17	RELATED TO HEALTH CARE. The department is responsible for
18	18	administering human services programs regarding the public health,
19	19	including:
20	20	(1) implementing the state's public health care
21	21	delivery programs under the authority of the department;
22	22	(2) administering state health facilities, hospitals,
23	23	and health care systems;
24	24	(3) developing and providing health care services, as
25	25	directed by law;
26	26	(4) providing for the prevention and control of
27	27	communicable diseases;
28	28	(5) providing public education on health-related
29	29	matters, as directed by law;
30	30	(6) compiling and reporting health-related
31	31	information, as directed by law;
32	32	(7) acting as the lead agency for implementation of
33	33	state policies regarding the human immunodeficiency virus and
34	34	acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and administering programs
35	35	related to the human immunodeficiency virus and acquired
36	36	immunodeficiency syndrome;
37	37	(8) investigating the causes of injuries and methods
38	38	of prevention;
39	39	(9) administering a grant program to provide
40	40	appropriated money to counties, municipalities, public health
41	41	districts, and other political subdivisions for their use to
42	42	provide or pay for essential public health services;
43	43	(10) administering the registration of vital
44	44	statistics;
45	45	(11) licensing, inspecting, and enforcing regulations
46	46	regarding health facilities, other than long-term care facilities
47	47	regulated by the Department of Aging and Disability Services;
48	48	(12) implementing established standards and
49	49	procedures for the management and control of sanitation and for
50	50	health protection measures;
51	51	(13) enforcing regulations regarding radioactive
52	52	materials;
53	53	(14) enforcing regulations regarding food, bottled
54	54	and vended drinking water, drugs, cosmetics, and health devices;
55	55	(15) enforcing regulations regarding food service
56	56	establishments, retail food stores, mobile food units, and roadside
57	57	food vendors; [and]
58	58	(16) enforcing regulations controlling hazardous
59	59	substances in households and workplaces; and
60	60	(17) implementing a mental health program for
61	61	veterans.
62	62	SECTION 2. Chapter 1001, Health and Safety Code, is amended
63	63	by adding Subchapter H to read as follows:
64	64	SUBCHAPTER H. MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAM FOR VETERANS
65	65	Sec. 1001.201. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
66	66	(1) "Peer" means a person who is a veteran or a
67	67	veteran's family member.
68	68	(2) "Veteran" means a person who has served in:
69	69	(A) the army, navy, air force, coast guard, or
70	70	marine corps of the United States;
71	71	(B) the state military forces as defined by
72	72	Section 431.001, Government Code; or
73	73	(C) an auxiliary service of one of those branches
74	74	of the armed forces.
75	75	(3) "Volunteer coordinator" means a person who
76	76	recruits and retains veterans, peers, and volunteers to participate
77	77	in the mental health program for veterans and related activities.
78	78	Sec. 1001.202. GENERAL POWERS AND DUTIES. (a) The
79	79	department shall develop a mental health intervention program for
80	80	veterans. The program must include:
81	81	(1) peer-to-peer counseling;
82	82	(2) access to licensed mental health professionals for
83	83	volunteer coordinators and peers;
84	84	(3) training approved by the department for peers;
85	85	(4) technical assistance for volunteer coordinators
86	86	and peers;
87	87	(5) grants to regional and local organizations
88	88	providing services under this subchapter;
89	89	(6) recruitment, retention, and screening of
90	90	community-based therapists;
91	91	(7) suicide prevention training for volunteer
92	92	coordinators and peers; and
93	93	(8) veteran jail diversion services, including
94	94	veterans courts.
95	95	(b) The department shall solicit and ensure that
96	96	specialized training is provided to persons who are peers and who
97	97	want to provide peer-to-peer counseling or other peer-to-peer
98	98	services under the program.
99	99	(c) The department may adopt rules necessary to implement
100	100	this subchapter.
101	101	Sec. 1001.203. GRANTS. (a) The department shall establish
102	102	a grant program through which the department may award grants to
103	103	regional and local organizations for the delivery of programs or
104	104	services described by this subchapter.
105	105	(b) A grant awarded under this section must:
106	106	(1) emphasize direct services to veterans provided by
107	107	peers;
108	108	(2) leverage additional local resources to provide
109	109	funding for programs or services for veterans; and
110	110	(3) increase the capacity of the mental health program
111	111	for veterans.
112	112	(c) A grant awarded under this section may not be used to
113	113	supplant existing expenditures associated with programs or
114	114	services within the department.
115	115	Sec. 1001.204. ANNUAL REPORT. Not later than December 1 of
116	116	each year, the department shall submit a report to the governor and
117	117	the legislature that includes:
118	118	(1) the number of veterans who received services
119	119	through the mental health program for veterans;
120	120	(2) the number of peers and volunteer coordinators
121	121	trained;
122	122	(3) a summary of the grants awarded and services
123	123	provided through those grants;
124	124	(4) an evaluation of the services provided under this
125	125	subchapter; and
126	126	(5) recommendations for program improvements.
127	127	SECTION 3. Section 1001.076, Health and Safety Code, is
128	128	repealed.
129	129	SECTION 4. Not later than January 1, 2014, the Department of
130	130	State Health Services shall modify the mental health intervention
131	131	program for veterans as required by Subchapter H, Chapter 1001,
132	132	Health and Safety Code, as added by this Act.
133	133	SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013.
134	134	* * * * *