By: Nelson S.B. No. 55
(In the Senate - Filed November 10, 2014; January 26, 2015,
read first time and referred to Committee on Veteran Affairs and
Military Installations; March 16, 2015, reported favorably by the
following vote: Yeas 7, Nays 0; March 16, 2015, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the creation of a grant program to support community
mental health programs for veterans with mental illness.
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. (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 with mental
illness.
(b) The commission shall contract with a private entity to
support and administer the grant program. The contract between the
commission and the private entity must require that:
(1) the commission and the private entity each provide
one-half of the money that will be awarded under the grant program;
(2) the private entity develop eligibility criteria
for grant applicants, acceptable uses of grant money by grant
recipients, and reporting requirements for grant recipients; and
(3) the private entity obtain the commission's
approval of the eligibility criteria, acceptable uses, and
reporting requirements developed under Subdivision (2) before
awarding any grants under the program.
(c) The executive commissioner shall adopt any rules
necessary to implement the grant program under this section.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.
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