85R10979 JG-F
By: White H.B. No. 2786
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to a system of care framework for certain minors receiving
mental health services.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 531.251, Government Code, is reenacted
to read as follows:
Sec. 531.251. TEXAS SYSTEM OF CARE FRAMEWORK. (a) In this
section:
(1) "Minor" means an individual younger than 18 years
of age.
(2) "Serious emotional disturbance" means a mental,
behavioral, or emotional disorder of sufficient duration to result
in functional impairment that substantially interferes with or
limits a person's role or ability to function in family, school, or
community activities.
(3) "System of care framework" means a framework for
collaboration among state agencies, minors who have a serious
emotional disturbance or are at risk of developing a serious
emotional disturbance, and the families of those minors that
improves access to services and delivers effective community-based
services that are family-driven, youth- or young adult-guided, and
culturally and linguistically competent.
(b) The commission shall implement a system of care
framework to develop local mental health systems of care in
communities for minors who are receiving residential mental health
services and supports or inpatient mental health hospitalization,
have or are at risk of developing a serious emotional disturbance,
or are at risk of being removed from the minor's home and placed in a
more restrictive environment to receive mental health services and
supports, including an inpatient mental health hospital, a
residential treatment facility, or a facility or program operated
by the Department of Family and Protective Services or an agency
that is part of the juvenile justice system.
(c) The commission shall:
(1) maintain a comprehensive plan for the delivery of
mental health services and supports to a minor and a minor's family
using a system of care framework, including best practices in the
financing, administration, governance, and delivery of those
services;
(2) enter memoranda of understanding with the
Department of State Health Services, the Department of Family and
Protective Services, the Texas Education Agency, the Texas Juvenile
Justice Department, and the Texas Correctional Office on Offenders
with Medical or Mental Impairments that specify the roles and
responsibilities of each agency in implementing the comprehensive
plan described by Subdivision (1);
(3) identify appropriate local, state, and federal
funding sources to finance infrastructure and mental health
services and supports needed to support state and local system of
care framework efforts;
(4) develop an evaluation system to measure
cross-system performance and outcomes of state and local system of
care framework efforts; and
(5) in implementing the provisions of this section,
consult with stakeholders, including:
(A) minors who have or are at risk of developing a
serious emotional disturbance or young adults who received mental
health services and supports as a minor with or at risk of
developing a serious emotional disturbance; and
(B) family members of those minors or young
adults.
SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date
of this Act, the Health and Human Services Commission shall
implement the system of care framework and perform other actions
corresponding with the system of care framework as required by
Section 531.251, Government Code, as reenacted by this Act.
SECTION 3. 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.