| 1 | 1 | | 87R11968 ANG-F |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Lucio S.B. No. 1598 |
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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 regional inventory of mental health resources for |
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| 8 | 8 | | public schools and the statewide plan for student mental health. |
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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. Sections 38.252(a) and (b), Education Code, are |
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| 11 | 11 | | amended to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | (a) Each regional education service center shall use the |
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| 13 | 13 | | rubric developed under Section 38.251 to identify resources related |
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| 14 | 14 | | to student mental health available to schools in the center's |
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| 15 | 15 | | region, including trainings and evidence-based and promising |
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| 16 | 16 | | programs and best practices, that: |
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| 17 | 17 | | (1) create school environments that support the |
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| 18 | 18 | | social, emotional, and academic development of students, including |
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| 19 | 19 | | through the use of trauma-informed practices; |
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| 20 | 20 | | (2) identify students who may need additional |
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| 21 | 21 | | behavioral or mental health support before issues arise; |
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| 22 | 22 | | (3) provide early, effective interventions to |
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| 23 | 23 | | students in need of additional support; |
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| 24 | 24 | | (4) connect students and their families to specialized |
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| 25 | 25 | | services in the school or community when needed; and |
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| 26 | 26 | | (5) assist schools in aligning resources necessary to |
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| 27 | 27 | | address the mental health of students. |
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| 28 | 28 | | (b) In identifying resources under Subsection (a), a [A] |
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| 29 | 29 | | regional education service center shall consult with a |
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| 30 | 30 | | non-physician mental health professional described by Section |
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| 31 | 31 | | 8.153 and may consult with any entity the center considers |
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| 32 | 32 | | necessary [in identifying resources under Subsection (a)], |
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| 33 | 33 | | including: |
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| 34 | 34 | | (1) school districts; |
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| 35 | 35 | | (2) local mental health authorities; |
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| 36 | 36 | | (3) community mental health services providers; |
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| 37 | 37 | | (4) education groups; |
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| 38 | 38 | | (5) hospitals; and |
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| 39 | 39 | | (6) institutions of higher education. |
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| 40 | 40 | | SECTION 2. Section 38.254, Education Code, is amended by |
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| 41 | 41 | | adding Subsection (b-1) and amending Subsection (d) to read as |
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| 42 | 42 | | follows: |
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| 43 | 43 | | (b-1) In developing the agency's goals under Subsection |
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| 44 | 44 | | (a)(4) or the agency's recommendations under Subsection (a)(6) for |
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| 45 | 45 | | a year before 2026, the agency shall consult with the Collaborative |
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| 46 | 46 | | Task Force on Public School Mental Health Services established |
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| 47 | 47 | | under Section 38.302 in addition to the persons the agency is |
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| 48 | 48 | | required to consult with under Subsection (b). This subsection |
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| 49 | 49 | | expires December 1, 2025. |
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| 50 | 50 | | (d) As soon as practicable after completing or revising the |
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| 51 | 51 | | plan, the agency shall: |
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| 52 | 52 | | (1) submit an electronic copy of the plan to: |
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| 53 | 53 | | (A) the legislature; and |
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| 54 | 54 | | (B) the statewide behavioral health coordinating |
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| 55 | 55 | | council established under Subchapter M-1, Chapter 531, Government |
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| 56 | 56 | | Code; |
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| 57 | 57 | | (2) post the plan on the agency's Internet website; and |
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| 58 | 58 | | (3) hold public meetings in each regional education |
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| 59 | 59 | | service center's region to present the statewide plan and shall |
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| 60 | 60 | | provide an opportunity for public comment at each meeting. |
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| 61 | 61 | | SECTION 3. This Act applies beginning with the 2021-2022 |
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| 62 | 62 | | school year. |
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| 63 | 63 | | SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 64 | 64 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 65 | 65 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 66 | 66 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 67 | 67 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |
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