87R12229 GCB-D
By: Powell S.B. No. 1849
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to a model suicide prevention policy, the incorporation of
suicide prevention and intervention strategies in a crisis plan or
disaster plan of certain state agencies, access to suicide death
information maintained by the Department of State Health Services,
and the establishment of the Texas Violent Death Reporting System.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is
amended by adding Sections 531.0927 and 531.0928 to read as
follows:
Sec. 531.0927. MODEL SUICIDE PREVENTION POLICY. (a) In
this section, "postvention" includes activities that promote
healing necessary to reduce the risk of suicide by a person affected
by the suicide of another.
(b) The commission shall develop and publish on the
commission's Internet website a model suicide prevention policy
that addresses information about suicide prevention, intervention,
and postvention, for implementation at state agencies, community
coalitions, and other public or private institutions or facilities
that serve populations at higher risk for suicide, including
veterans, persons with disabilities, and persons who live in rural
areas of the state.
(c) The policy must be designed to be implemented by persons
who may not be mental health professionals and provide information
related to:
(1) recognizing signs of suicidality in another; and
(2) resources, including local mental health
authorities, for persons at risk of suicide.
(d) The policy must address the development of community
coalitions to engage in suicide prevention, intervention, and
postvention activities, especially in high risk rural areas.
(e) In developing the policy under this section, the
executive commissioner:
(1) shall collaborate with the statewide behavioral
health coordinating council and the Texas Suicide Prevention
Collaborative; and
(2) may receive information or assistance from any
other interested statewide or local entities that are engaged in
suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention activities.
Sec. 531.0928. CRISIS AND DISASTER PLANS. (a) Not later
than August 31, 2022, the commission, in collaboration with the
Disaster Behavioral Health Consortium, shall:
(1) for the purpose of identifying opportunities to
incorporate suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention
strategies:
(A) conduct a review of crisis plans and disaster
plans of state agency members of the consortium; and
(B) identify lessons learned from responses by
state agency members of the consortium made during prior crises or
disasters; and
(2) make recommendations based on the information
obtained under Subdivision (1) to each state agency member of the
consortium regarding the incorporation, in a crisis plan or
disaster plan, of suicide prevention, intervention, and
postvention strategies.
(b) Not later than August 1, 2023, each state agency member
of the disaster behavioral health consortium shall incorporate
recommendations made by the commission under Subsection (a) to the
agency's crisis plan or disaster plan.
(c) This section expires September 1, 2023.
SECTION 2. Section 191.002(b), Health and Safety Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(b) The department shall:
(1) establish a vital statistics unit in the
department with suitable offices that are properly equipped for the
preservation of its official records;
(2) establish a statewide system of vital statistics;
(3) provide instructions and prescribe forms for
collecting, recording, transcribing, compiling, and preserving
vital statistics;
(4) require the enforcement of this title and rules
adopted under this title;
(5) prepare, print, and supply to local registrars
forms for registering, recording, and preserving returns or
otherwise carrying out the purposes of this title; [and]
(6) propose legislation necessary for the purposes of
this title; and
(7) provide access to information regarding state
suicide deaths to the statewide suicide prevention coordinator of
the office of mental health coordination of the Health and Human
Services Commission.
SECTION 3. Subchapter D, Chapter 1001, Health and Safety
Code, is amended by adding Section 1001.090 to read as follows:
Sec. 1001.090. TEXAS VIOLENT DEATH REPORTING SYSTEM. (a)
The department shall establish and operate the Texas Violent Death
Reporting System for the purpose of participating in the National
Violent Death Reporting System operated by the federal Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention.
(b) The department shall provide access to suicide data
obtained or maintained through the Texas Violent Death Reporting
System to the statewide suicide prevention coordinator of the
office of mental health coordination of the Health and Human
Services Commission.
(c) The executive commissioner may adopt rules necessary to
implement this section.
SECTION 4. 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, 2021.