H.B. No. 1486
AN ACT
relating to peer specialists, peer services, and the provision of
those services under the medical assistance program.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 531.0999 to read as follows:
Sec. 531.0999. PEER SPECIALISTS. (a) With input from
mental health and substance use peer specialists and the work group
described by Subsection (b), the commission shall develop and the
executive commissioner shall adopt:
(1) rules that establish training requirements for
peer specialists so that they are able to provide services to
persons with mental illness or services to persons with substance
use conditions;
(2) rules that establish certification and
supervision requirements for peer specialists;
(3) rules that define the scope of services that peer
specialists may provide;
(4) rules that distinguish peer services from other
services that a person must hold a license to provide; and
(5) any other rules necessary to protect the health
and safety of persons receiving peer services.
(b) The commission shall establish a stakeholder work group
to provide input for the adoption of rules under Subsection (a).
The work group is composed of the following stakeholders appointed
by the executive commissioner:
(1) one representative of each organization that
certifies mental health and substance use peer specialists in this
state;
(2) three representatives of organizations that
employ mental health and substance use peer specialists;
(3) one mental health peer specialist who works in an
urban area;
(4) one mental health peer specialist who works in a
rural area;
(5) one substance use peer specialist who works in an
urban area;
(6) one substance use peer specialist who works in a
rural area;
(7) one person who trains mental health peer
specialists;
(8) one person who trains substance use peer
specialists;
(9) three representatives of mental health and
addiction licensed health care professional groups who supervise
mental health and substance use peer specialists;
(10) to the extent possible, not more than three
persons with personal experience recovering from mental illness,
substance use conditions, or co-occurring mental illness and
substance use conditions; and
(11) any other persons considered appropriate by the
executive commissioner.
(c) The executive commissioner shall appoint one member of
the work group to serve as presiding officer.
(d) The work group shall meet once every month.
(e) The work group is automatically abolished on the
adoption of rules under Subsection (a).
(f) The executive commissioner may not adopt rules under
Subsection (a) that preclude the provision of mental health
rehabilitative services under 25 T.A.C. Chapter 416, Subchapter A,
as that subchapter existed on January 1, 2017.
(g) If the executive commissioner has not adopted rules by
September 1, 2018, the executive commissioner shall submit on that
date a written report to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the
speaker of the house of representatives, the chair of the Senate
Health and Human Services Committee, and the chair of the House
Public Health Committee explaining why the rules have not yet been
adopted. This subsection expires September 1, 2019.
SECTION 2. Section 32.024, Human Resources Code, is amended
by adding Subsection (kk) to read as follows:
(kk) The commission in its rules and standards governing the
scope of services provided under the medical assistance program
shall include peer services provided by certified peer specialists
to the extent permitted by federal law.
SECTION 3. As soon as practicable after the effective date
of this Act, the executive commissioner of the Health and Human
Services Commission shall:
(1) adopt the rules required by Section 531.0999(a),
Government Code, as added by this Act; and
(2) appoint the members of the stakeholder work group
established by Section 531.0999(b), Government Code, as added by
this Act.
SECTION 4. If before implementing any provision of this Act
a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a
federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision,
the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or
authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the
waiver or authorization is granted.
SECTION 5. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b) of this
section, 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, 2017.
(b) This Act takes effect only if the 85th Legislature
appropriates money specifically for the purpose of implementing
this Act. If the legislature does not appropriate money
specifically for that purpose, this Act does not take effect.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 1486 was passed by the House on April
20, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 146, Nays 0, 1 present, not
voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
No. 1486 on May 24, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 140, Nays 0,
2 present, not voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 1486 was passed by the Senate, with
amendments, on May 22, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays
0.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: __________________
Date
__________________
Governor