| 1 | 1 | | 84R2701 LEH-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Menéndez H.B. No. 756 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to the creation of a rural veterans mental health |
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| 8 | 8 | | initiative within the mental health intervention program for |
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| 9 | 9 | | veterans. |
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| 10 | 10 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 11 | 11 | | SECTION 1. Section 1001.202, Health and Safety Code, as |
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| 12 | 12 | | added by Chapter 352 (H.B. 2392), Acts of the 83rd Legislature, |
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| 13 | 13 | | Regular Session, 2013, is reenacted and amended to read as follows: |
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| 14 | 14 | | Sec. 1001.202. GENERAL POWERS AND DUTIES. (a) The |
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| 15 | 15 | | department shall develop a mental health intervention program for |
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| 16 | 16 | | veterans. The program must include: |
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| 17 | 17 | | (1) peer-to-peer counseling; |
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| 18 | 18 | | (2) access to licensed mental health professionals for |
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| 19 | 19 | | volunteer coordinators and peers; |
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| 20 | 20 | | (3) training approved by the department for peers; |
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| 21 | 21 | | (4) technical assistance for volunteer coordinators |
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| 22 | 22 | | and peers; |
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| 23 | 23 | | (5) grants to regional and local organizations |
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| 24 | 24 | | providing services under this subchapter; |
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| 25 | 25 | | (6) recruitment, retention, and screening of |
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| 26 | 26 | | community-based therapists; |
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| 27 | 27 | | (7) suicide prevention training for volunteer |
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| 28 | 28 | | coordinators and peers; and |
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| 29 | 29 | | (8) veteran jail diversion services, including |
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| 30 | 30 | | veterans courts. |
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| 31 | 31 | | (a-2) As part of the mental health intervention program for |
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| 32 | 32 | | veterans, the department shall develop a rural veterans mental |
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| 33 | 33 | | health initiative. |
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| 34 | 34 | | (b) The department shall solicit and ensure that |
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| 35 | 35 | | specialized training is provided to persons who are peers and who |
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| 36 | 36 | | want to provide peer-to-peer counseling or other peer-to-peer |
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| 37 | 37 | | services under the program. |
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| 38 | 38 | | (c) The department may adopt rules necessary to implement |
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| 39 | 39 | | this subchapter. |
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| 40 | 40 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 41 | 41 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 42 | 42 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 43 | 43 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 44 | 44 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |
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