88R1233 JG-D
By: Thierry H.B. No. 470
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to an acute psychiatric bed registry to list available
beds for the inpatient psychiatric treatment of certain
individuals.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subtitle A, Title 7, Health and Safety Code, is
amended by adding Chapter 535 to read as follows:
CHAPTER 535. ACUTE PSYCHIATRIC BED REGISTRY IN CERTAIN COUNTIES
Sec. 535.001. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "inpatient
mental health facility" has the meaning assigned by Section
571.003.
Sec. 535.002. APPLICABILITY. This chapter applies only to
counties with a population of four million or more.
Sec. 535.003. DEVELOPMENT AND ADMINISTRATION OF REGISTRY.
(a) The commission shall develop and administer an Internet-based
and searchable acute psychiatric bed registry to collect,
aggregate, and display information on available beds at inpatient
mental health facilities located in a county to which this chapter
applies for the inpatient psychiatric treatment of individuals.
(b) For each inpatient mental health facility, the acute
psychiatric bed registry must list:
(1) the name and contact information of the facility;
(2) the number of available beds;
(3) the type of individual who may be admitted;
(4) the level of security provided; and
(5) any other information that may be necessary to
identify appropriate beds for the inpatient psychiatric treatment
of individuals.
(c) The commission shall make the acute psychiatric bed
registry available to law enforcement agencies, community service
boards, mental health facilities, public and private residential
crisis stabilization units, emergency care facilities, and
emergency care providers located in a county to which this chapter
applies. The commission may make the registry available to any
other person the commission considers appropriate.
(d) The commission may contract with any person the
commission considers appropriate to develop and administer the
acute psychiatric bed registry.
Sec. 535.004. INPATIENT MENTAL HEALTH FACILITY
REQUIREMENTS. (a) An inpatient mental health facility located in
a county to which this chapter applies shall submit to the
commission information for the acute psychiatric bed registry as
required by the commission and review the information and confirm
the information's accuracy to the commission at least once daily
and whenever there is a change in bed availability at the facility.
(b) An inpatient mental health facility located in a county
to which this chapter applies shall designate an employee or
employees as necessary to:
(1) submit to the commission the information required
under Subsection (a) and review the information as required by that
subsection; and
(2) serve as a contact for questions about the
information submitted.
Sec. 535.005. GIFTS, GRANTS, AND DONATIONS. The commission
may accept gifts, grants, or donations from a public or private
source to carry out this chapter.
SECTION 2. Not later than January 1, 2024, the Health and
Human Services Commission shall establish the acute psychiatric bed
registry required by Chapter 535, Health and Safety Code, as added
by this Act.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.