S.B. No. 55
AN ACT
relating to the creation of a grant program to support community
mental health programs for veterans and their families.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 531.0992 to read as follows:
Sec. 531.0992. GRANT PROGRAM FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR
VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES. (a) To the extent funds are
appropriated to the commission for that purpose, the commission
shall establish a grant program for the purpose of supporting
community mental health programs providing services and treatment
to veterans and their families.
(b) The commission shall enter into an agreement with a
qualified nonprofit or private entity to serve as the administrator
of the grant program. The duties of the administrator must include
assisting, supporting, and advising the commission in fulfilling
the commission's responsibilities with respect to the grant
program. The administrator may advise the commission on:
(1) designing, developing, implementing, and managing
the program;
(2) determining criteria for local community
collaboration and the types of services and deliveries eligible for
grants;
(3) eligibility requirements for grant recipients;
(4) designing and managing the competitive bidding
processes for applications or proposals and the evaluation and
selection of grant recipients;
(5) contractual requirements for grant recipients;
(6) grant requisites and mechanisms;
(7) roles and responsibilities of grant recipients;
(8) reporting requirements for grant recipients;
(9) support and technical capabilities;
(10) requisite timelines and deadlines for the
program;
(11) evaluation of the program and grant recipients;
and
(12) requirements for reporting on the program to
policy makers.
(c) The private entity that supports and administers the
grant program shall obtain or secure contributions to the grant
program in an amount of money or other consideration at least equal
in value to the amount of money awarded to grant recipients by the
commission under the grant program. The money or other
consideration obtained or secured by the private entity may, as
determined by the executive commissioner, include cash or in-kind
contributions from private contributors or local governments but
may not include state or federal funds.
(d) Money appropriated to, or obtained by, the commission
for the grant program must be disbursed directly to grant
recipients by the commission, as authorized by the executive
commissioner. Money or other consideration obtained or secured by
the private entity must be disbursed or provided directly to grant
recipients by the private entity, private contributors, or local
governments, as authorized by the executive commissioner.
(e) All grants awarded under the grant program must be used
for the sole purpose of supporting community programs that provide
mental health care services and treatment to veterans and their
families and that coordinate mental health care services for
veterans and their families with other transition support services.
(f) The commission shall select grant recipients based on
the submission of applications or proposals by nonprofit and
governmental entities. The executive commissioner shall develop
criteria for the evaluation of those applications or proposals and
the selection of grant recipients. The selection criteria must:
(1) evaluate and score:
(A) fiscal controls for the project;
(B) project effectiveness;
(C) project cost; and
(D) an applicant's previous experience with
grants and contracts;
(2) address the possibility of and method for making
multiple awards; and
(3) include other factors that the executive
commissioner considers relevant.
(g) The executive commissioner shall use a noncompetitive
procurement procedure to select a qualified nonprofit or private
entity to administer a pilot program of the grant program
established under this section. In selecting the qualified
nonprofit or private entity, the executive commissioner must
consider the purposes of the program and the duties of the program
administrator described in this section.
(h) The executive commissioner shall adopt any rules
necessary to implement the grant program under this section.
SECTION 2. 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, 2015.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 55 passed the Senate on
April 9, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0;
May 20, 2015, Senate refused to concur in House amendments and
requested appointment of Conference Committee; May 24, 2015, House
granted request of the Senate; May 30, 2015, Senate adopted
Conference Committee Report by the following vote: Yeas 31,
Nays 0.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 55 passed the House, with
amendments, on May 19, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 136,
Nays 5, one present not voting; May 24, 2015, House granted request
of the Senate for appointment of Conference Committee;
May 30, 2015, House adopted Conference Committee Report by the
following vote: Yeas 136, Nays 7, two present not voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
Approved:
______________________________
Date
______________________________
Governor