86R10407 GCB-F
By: Menéndez S.B. No. 1176
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to a requirement that the Statewide Behavioral Health
Coordinating Council prepare a report regarding suicide rates in
this state and state efforts to prevent suicides.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS; PURPOSE. The
legislature finds that:
(1) suicide is a public health crisis that affects
residents of all ages in every region of this state; and
(2) policymakers need a better understanding of the
issue to determine the appropriate state and regional efforts
necessary to decrease suicide rates in this state across different
ages, places, and groups and to address the patchwork of state laws,
policies, programs, and efforts that are currently being used to
address suicide.
SECTION 2. DEFINITIONS. In this Act:
(1) "Council" means the Statewide Behavioral Health
Coordinating Council.
(2) "Postvention" includes activities that promote
healing necessary to reduce the risk of suicide by a person affected
by the suicide of another.
SECTION 3. SUMMARY REPORT. (a) The Health and Human
Services Commission, in conjunction with the Department of State
Health Services, shall prepare a summary report on the prevalence
of suicide in this state and state policies and programs adopted
across state systems and agencies to prevent suicides. The summary
report must:
(1) include available statewide and regional data on
the prevalence rates of suicide-related events, including suicidal
thoughts, suicide attempts, and deaths caused by suicide, that to
the extent practicable, is presented in a form that:
(A) is disaggregated by county and recognized
categories of risk; and
(B) is longitudinal to identify changes in
suicide prevalence rates since 2000;
(2) identify the highest categories of risk with
correlational data;
(3) list state statutes, agency rules, and policies
related to suicide and suicide prevention, intervention, and
postvention; and
(4) describe state agency initiatives since 2000 to
address suicide and include the following information relating to
each initiative:
(A) the administering state agency;
(B) the funding sources, including whether the
funding was provided by:
(i) a federal block grant;
(ii) a federal discretionary grant; or
(iii) state appropriations;
(C) the years of operation; and
(D) whether the initiative is an example of a
community-based effort to address suicide.
(b) Not later than December 1, 2019, the Health and Human
Services Commission shall provide a copy of the summary report to
the council, the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of
the house of representatives, and each standing legislative
committee with primary jurisdiction over health and mental health.
SECTION 4. LEGISLATIVE REPORT. (a) Using the summary
report on suicide prepared under Section 3 of this Act and with
input from the stakeholder workgroup established under Subsection
(b) of this section, the council shall prepare a legislative report
on suicide in this state that identifies opportunities and makes
recommendations, including those that require legislative action,
for state agencies to:
(1) improve statewide and regional data collection on
suicide-related events;
(2) use data to guide and inform decisions and policy
development relating to suicide prevention; and
(3) decrease suicide in this state while targeting the
highest categories of risk.
(b) The council shall establish a stakeholder workgroup to
assist member agencies in preparing the report that includes:
(1) a representative of a nonprofit group that
supports community-based suicide prevention activities in this
state; and
(2) representatives of other groups involved in
suicide prevention activities.
(c) The chief administrator of each state agency
represented on the council is entitled to a copy of the legislative
report prepared under this section.
(d) Not later than September 1, 2020, the council shall
submit a copy of the legislative report to the governor, the
lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives,
and each standing legislative committee with primary jurisdiction
over health and mental health.
SECTION 5. EXPIRATION. This Act expires December 1, 2020.
SECTION 6. EFFECTIVE DATE. 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, 2019.