85R6873 JG-F
By: Thompson of Harris H.B. No. 1600
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to certain mental health screenings under the Texas Health
Steps program.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 32, Human Resources Code,
is amended by adding Section 32.0249 to read as follows:
Sec. 32.0249. MENTAL HEALTH SCREENINGS IN TEXAS HEALTH
STEPS PROGRAM. The executive commissioner, in the rules governing
the Texas Health Steps program, shall:
(1) require that at least one mental health screening
be provided under the program using one or more validated,
standardized mental health screening tools to each recipient who is
at least 12 years of age but younger than 19 years of age;
(2) require the mental health screening described in
Subdivision (1) to be conducted during a recipient's annual medical
exam;
(3) allow a provider to conduct a mental health
screening using one or more validated, standardized mental health
screening tools during each annual medical exam of a recipient
described by Subdivision (1); and
(4) only allow a provider to be reimbursed for
conducting one mental health screening using one or more validated,
standardized mental health screening tools during each annual
medical exam of a recipient described by Subdivision (1).
SECTION 2. 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 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.