| 1 | 1 | | 88R3163 GCB-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Bailes, A. Johnson of Harris, Cook, H.B. No. 4185 |
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| 3 | 3 | | Lopez of Bexar, Garcia, et al. |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 7 | 7 | | AN ACT |
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| 8 | 8 | | relating to a pilot program to award grants for personalized |
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| 9 | 9 | | treatment protocols for veterans diagnosed with post-traumatic |
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| 10 | 10 | | stress disorder. |
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| 11 | 11 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 12 | 12 | | SECTION 1. Subtitle B, Title 2, Health and Safety Code, is |
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| 13 | 13 | | amended by adding Chapter 49A to read as follows: |
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| 14 | 14 | | CHAPTER 49A. VETERANS PILOT PROGRAM TO AWARD GRANTS FOR |
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| 15 | 15 | | POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER TREATMENT PROTOCOLS |
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| 16 | 16 | | Sec. 49A.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: |
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| 17 | 17 | | (1) "Pilot program" means the pilot program |
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| 18 | 18 | | established under this chapter. |
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| 19 | 19 | | (2) "Veteran" means an individual who has served in: |
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| 20 | 20 | | (A) an active or reserve component of the army, |
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| 21 | 21 | | navy, air force, coast guard, or marine corps of the United States; |
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| 22 | 22 | | or |
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| 23 | 23 | | (B) the Texas National Guard, as defined by |
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| 24 | 24 | | Section 431.001, Government Code. |
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| 25 | 25 | | Sec. 49A.002. ESTABLISHMENT AND OPERATION OF PILOT PROGRAM. |
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| 26 | 26 | | (a) The commission, using available resources and in cooperation |
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| 27 | 27 | | with a nonprofit veterans organization, shall establish and operate |
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| 28 | 28 | | a pilot program to award grants for the provision of a personalized |
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| 29 | 29 | | treatment protocol to at least 250 veterans diagnosed with |
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| 30 | 30 | | post-traumatic stress disorder, including treatment-resistant |
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| 31 | 31 | | post-traumatic stress disorder. |
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| 32 | 32 | | (b) A personalized treatment protocol provided to a veteran |
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| 33 | 33 | | under the pilot program must be: |
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| 34 | 34 | | (1) administered at the veteran's home; and |
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| 35 | 35 | | (2) designed to reduce neuroinflammation and |
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| 36 | 36 | | replenish deficient or insufficient brain chemistry to an optimal |
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| 37 | 37 | | level. |
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| 38 | 38 | | (c) The commission may award a grant under the pilot program |
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| 39 | 39 | | only in accordance with a contract between the commission and a |
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| 40 | 40 | | grant recipient. The contract must include provisions under which |
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| 41 | 41 | | the commission is granted sufficient control to ensure the public |
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| 42 | 42 | | purpose of providing treatment to veterans is accomplished and the |
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| 43 | 43 | | state receives the return benefit. |
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| 44 | 44 | | (d) The commission may accept gifts, grants, and donations |
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| 45 | 45 | | to operate the pilot program. |
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| 46 | 46 | | Sec. 49A.003. RULES. The executive commissioner shall |
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| 47 | 47 | | adopt rules to implement this chapter. |
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| 48 | 48 | | Sec. 49A.004. REPORT. Not later than October 1, 2028, the |
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| 49 | 49 | | commission shall prepare and submit to the governor, lieutenant |
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| 50 | 50 | | governor, speaker of the house of representatives, and appropriate |
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| 51 | 51 | | standing committees of the legislature a report that includes: |
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| 52 | 52 | | (1) information on the number of veterans who were |
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| 53 | 53 | | provided a personalized treatment protocol under the pilot program; |
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| 54 | 54 | | and |
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| 55 | 55 | | (2) an evaluation of the pilot program's |
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| 56 | 56 | | effectiveness. |
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| 57 | 57 | | Sec. 49A.005. EXPIRATION. The pilot program concludes and |
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| 58 | 58 | | this chapter expires September 1, 2029. |
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| 59 | 59 | | SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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| 60 | 60 | | of this Act, the Health and Human Services Commission shall |
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| 61 | 61 | | establish and begin operating the pilot program under Chapter 49A, |
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| 62 | 62 | | Health and Safety Code, as added by this Act. |
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| 63 | 63 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
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