Texas 2021 - 87th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB1346 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	87R7238 EAS-D
2	2	By: Eckhardt S.B. No. 1346
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to the creation of the office of forensic services within
8	8	the Department of State Health Services.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Subtitle A, Title 7, Health and Safety Code, is
11	11	amended by adding Chapter 535 to read as follows:
12	12	CHAPTER 535. OFFICE OF FORENSIC SERVICES
13	13	Sec. 535.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
14	14	(1) "Forensic patient" and "forensic services" have
15	15	the meanings assigned by Section 532.013.
16	16	(2) "Office" means the office of forensic services
17	17	established within the department under this chapter.
18	18	Sec. 535.002. ESTABLISHMENT; PURPOSE. (a) The office is
19	19	established as an office within the department.
20	20	(b) The office is created to ensure a strategic statewide
21	21	approach to the provision of forensic services. The office shall
22	22	have input into policy, service delivery, funding, and commission
23	23	or department rulemaking regarding the provision of forensic
24	24	services to ensure a comprehensive, integrated, and strategic
25	25	systems-level approach to forensic services.
26	26	(c) The forensic director appointed under Section 532.013
27	27	shall oversee the office.
28	28	Sec. 535.003. POWERS AND DUTIES. (a) The office shall:
29	29	(1) coordinate and streamline internal commission
30	30	processes and forensic services by:
31	31	(A) monitoring and providing oversight to the
32	32	processes;
33	33	(B) providing clinical leadership; and
34	34	(C) collecting data related to forensic services
35	35	to improve the provision of those services;
36	36	(2) develop a statewide strategic forensic plan as an
37	37	addendum to the statewide behavioral health strategic plan to
38	38	address the needs of forensic patients;
39	39	(3) develop best practices for inpatient policies and
40	40	procedures relating to the provision of forensic services;
41	41	(4) review and consult on all commission contracts
42	42	related to the provision of forensic services, diversion efforts,
43	43	and crisis services;
44	44	(5) review and consult on all commission contracts for
45	45	outpatient and jail-based competency restoration programs;
46	46	(6) examine local initiatives related to the provision
47	47	of forensic services;
48	48	(7) evaluate the success of local initiatives
49	49	described by Subdivision (6) and, based on that evaluation, develop
50	50	and implement a plan to expand successful local initiatives to
51	51	other areas in this state, including scaling those initiatives for
52	52	use in state facilities licensed under Subtitle B and by other
53	53	forensic services providers;
54	54	(8) develop special initiatives at the local, state,
55	55	and federal level;
56	56	(9) provide support to the department's Joint
57	57	Committee on Access and Forensic Services in the development of
58	58	policy and legislative proposals for the improvement of forensic
59	59	services in this state;
60	60	(10) provide training and technical assistance to:
61	61	(A) local mental health authorities;
62	62	(B) local behavioral health authorities
63	63	designated under Section 533.0356;
64	64	(C) staff members of courts with jurisdiction
65	65	over forensic patients;
66	66	(D) county jails; and
67	67	(E) law enforcement officers;
68	68	(11) direct and coordinate data analysis to:
69	69	(A) improve the efficiency of forensic service
70	70	commission programs; and
71	71	(B) evaluate forensic services programs in this
72	72	state;
73	73	(12) develop and maintain a comprehensive statewide
74	74	registry of forensic hospital bed availability and competency
75	75	restoration services;
76	76	(13) develop a coordinated statewide system of
77	77	forensic service information and technical assistance;
78	78	(14) identify strategies to maximize competency
79	79	restoration programs across this state; and
80	80	(15) develop and implement strategies to address the
81	81	increasing demands on the forensic system.
82	82	(b) As part of the office's duties, the office must collect
83	83	and analyze data regarding:
84	84	(1) patient outcomes from behavioral health services
85	85	and programs for individuals with intellectual and developmental
86	86	disabilities, including data from:
87	87	(A) the grant program established under Section
88	88	531.0993, Government Code;
89	89	(B) outpatient competency restoration service
90	90	providers;
91	91	(C) jail-based competency restoration providers;
92	92	and
93	93	(D) the Harris County Mental Health Jail
94	94	Diversion Program;
95	95	(2) the length of time it takes an individual to
96	96	receive inpatient competency restoration services;
97	97	(3) the length of time it takes an individual to
98	98	receive forensic services; and
99	99	(4) the means by which forensic patients and
100	100	justice-involved individuals are receiving forensic services.
101	101	SECTION 2. Not later than December 1, 2021, the
102	102	commissioner of state health services shall establish the office of
103	103	forensic services within the Department of State Health Services as
104	104	required by Chapter 535, Health and Safety Code, as added by this
105	105	Act.
106	106	SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.