| 1 | 1 | | 85R4599 GCB-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Coleman H.B. No. 3853 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to the availability of certain behavioral health |
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| 8 | 8 | | professionals at certain public schools. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 33, Education Code, is |
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| 11 | 11 | | amended by adding Section 33.910 to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | Sec. 33.910. BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL. (a) In this |
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| 13 | 13 | | section, "behavioral health professional" means: |
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| 14 | 14 | | (1) a licensed specialist in school psychology |
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| 15 | 15 | | licensed under Chapter 501, Occupations Code; |
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| 16 | 16 | | (2) a licensed professional counselor licensed under |
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| 17 | 17 | | Chapter 503, Occupations Code; |
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| 18 | 18 | | (3) a licensed clinical social worker licensed under |
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| 19 | 19 | | Chapter 505, Occupations Code; or |
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| 20 | 20 | | (4) a school counselor with an appropriate certificate |
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| 21 | 21 | | or permit issued under Subchapter B, Chapter 21. |
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| 22 | 22 | | (b) A school district that receives additional state aid |
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| 23 | 23 | | under Section 42.2519 shall: |
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| 24 | 24 | | (1) assign a behavioral health professional to each |
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| 25 | 25 | | campus in the district; or |
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| 26 | 26 | | (2) ensure the services of a behavioral health |
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| 27 | 27 | | professional are provided to students at each campus in the |
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| 28 | 28 | | district through a contract with one or more behavioral health |
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| 29 | 29 | | professionals or a private or nonprofit organization that employs |
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| 30 | 30 | | or provides the services of behavioral health professionals. |
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| 31 | 31 | | (c) A school district may not require a behavioral health |
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| 32 | 32 | | professional assigned under this section to administer assessment |
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| 33 | 33 | | instruments or provide other assistance in connection with |
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| 34 | 34 | | assessment instruments. |
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| 35 | 35 | | SECTION 2. Subchapter E, Chapter 42, Education Code, is |
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| 36 | 36 | | amended by adding Section 42.2519 to read as follows: |
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| 37 | 37 | | Sec. 42.2519. ADDITIONAL STATE AID FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH |
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| 38 | 38 | | PROFESSIONALS. (a) For each school year, the commissioner may |
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| 39 | 39 | | provide additional state aid to each school district in an amount, |
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| 40 | 40 | | as determined by the commissioner, sufficient to assist the |
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| 41 | 41 | | district in employing or contracting for the services of behavioral |
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| 42 | 42 | | health professionals under Section 33.910, if funds are available |
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| 43 | 43 | | for that purpose. |
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| 44 | 44 | | (b) The commissioner shall adopt rules as necessary to |
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| 45 | 45 | | administer this section. |
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| 46 | 46 | | SECTION 3. This Act applies beginning with the 2018-2019 |
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| 47 | 47 | | school year. |
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| 48 | 48 | | SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |
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