87R18058 EAS-D
By: Rosenthal, Geren H.B. No. 697
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to requiring entities that provide mental health services
to veterans or veterans' families to provide military informed care
or military cultural competency training to certain entity
personnel to accept a grant from a state agency.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 434.352, Government Code, is amended by
adding Subsections (e) and (f) to read as follows:
(e) A state agency may not award a grant to an entity for the
provision of mental health services to veterans or veterans'
families unless the entity demonstrates that the entity:
(1) has previously received and successfully executed
a grant from the state agency; or
(2) provides training on military informed care or
military cultural competency to entity personnel who provide mental
health services to veterans or veterans' families or requires those
personnel to complete military competency training provided by any
of the following:
(A) the commission;
(B) the Health and Human Services Commission;
(C) the Military Veteran Peer Network;
(D) the Substance Abuse and Mental Health
Services Administration within the United States Department of
Health and Human Services;
(E) the United States Department of Defense;
(F) the United States Department of Veterans
Affairs; or
(G) a nonprofit organization that is exempt from
federal income taxation under Section 501(a), Internal Revenue Code
of 1986, as amended, by being listed as an exempt entity under
Section 501(c)(3), with experience in providing training or
technical assistance to entities that provide mental health
services to veterans or veterans' families.
(f) The commission and the Department of State Health
Services shall jointly undertake to ensure that a state agency that
may award a grant subject to the requirements of Subsection (e) has
adopted policies to ensure compliance with Subsection (e).
SECTION 2. The heading to Subchapter I, Chapter 1001,
Health and Safety Code, is amended to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER I. MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES [PROGRAM] FOR VETERANS
SECTION 3. Subchapter I, Chapter 1001, Health and Safety
Code, is amended by adding Section 1001.225 to read as follows:
Sec. 1001.225. LIMITATION ON GRANTS. The department may
not award a grant to an entity for the provision of mental health
services to veterans or veterans' families unless the entity
demonstrates that the entity:
(1) has previously received and successfully executed
a grant from the department; or
(2) provides training on military informed care or
military cultural competency to entity personnel who provide
mental health services to veterans or veterans' families or
requires those personnel to complete military competency training
provided by any of the following:
(A) the Texas Veterans Commission;
(B) the commission;
(C) the Military Veteran Peer Network;
(D) the Substance Abuse and Mental Health
Services Administration within the United States Department of
Health and Human Services;
(E) the United States Department of Defense;
(F) the United States Department of Veterans
Affairs; or
(G) a nonprofit organization that is exempt from
federal income taxation under Section 501(a), Internal Revenue Code
of 1986, as amended, by being listed as an exempt entity under
Section 501(c)(3), with experience in providing training or
technical assistance to entities that provide mental health
services to veterans or veterans' families.
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.