88R8789 MPF-F
By: West S.B. No. 1463
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to a grant program for a nonprofit organization or
political subdivision to establish or expand a behavioral health
crisis response program.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 531.09916 to read as follows:
Sec. 531.09916. GRANT PROGRAM FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CRISIS
RESPONSE PROGRAMS. (a) In this section:
(1) "Behavioral health crisis response program" means
a program operated under a grant awarded under this section.
(2) "Multidisciplinary response team" means a group
composed of three or more persons that includes at least one
paramedic, one law enforcement officer, and one behavioral health
professional, who together provide services to persons
experiencing a behavioral health crisis.
(3) "Nonprofit organization" means an organization
that is exempt from federal income taxation under Section 501(a),
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, by being listed as an exempt entity
under Section 501(c)(3) of that code.
(4) "Political subdivision" means a county or
municipality in this state.
(b) The executive commissioner shall establish and
administer a grant program to award money to nonprofit
organizations and political subdivisions for the purpose of
establishing or expanding a behavioral health crisis response
program to:
(1) operate one or more multidisciplinary response
teams in the region in which the nonprofit organization is located
or within the political subdivision, as applicable; and
(2) employ one or more behavioral health professionals
to:
(A) assist in screening telephone calls made to a
9-1-1 emergency call center dispatcher for law enforcement or
emergency medical assistance;
(B) assist in determining whether to dispatch a
multidisciplinary response team to service a call; and
(C) provide consultation and information to the
dispatched multidisciplinary response team.
(c) A behavioral health crisis response program that is
awarded a grant under this section must operate in accordance with
best practices for jail diversion and managing behavioral health
crises.
(d) A nonprofit organization that is awarded a grant under
this section must collaborate with one or more political
subdivisions to operate the behavioral health crisis response
program. A county that is awarded a grant under this section must
collaborate with one or more municipalities in the county to
operate the behavioral health crisis response program.
(e) A grant application from a nonprofit organization or
political subdivision must:
(1) be submitted on a form prescribed by the
commission;
(2) include, if the applicant is required to
collaborate with a political subdivision under Subsection (d), a
statement from the governing body of the political subdivision
providing information about the collaboration; and
(3) include, if the applicant is required to
collaborate with a political subdivision under Subsection (d), data
from each collaborating political subdivision on:
(A) the number of behavioral health-related
telephone calls for assistance received by the political
subdivision's 9-1-1 emergency call center;
(B) the number of paramedics and behavioral
health professionals available to serve on a political
subdivision's multidisciplinary response team; and
(C) the political subdivision's capacity to
accurately collect and report information concerning:
(i) the frequency and outcomes of
behavioral health-related calls for assistance; and
(ii) the number of telephone calls for
assistance primarily identified as involving a criminal offense
that also involved a demonstrated need for behavioral health
intervention services, crisis care referrals to community-based
providers, or de-escalation for the person making the call or for a
person who was the subject of a call made by another.
(f) In addition to funding received under a grant under this
section, a nonprofit organization or political subdivision grant
applicant, or a political subdivision collaborating with a grant
applicant under Subsection (d), may contribute local funds to the
operation of the behavioral health crisis response program.
(g) The commission may use any available state and federal
money and may accept gifts, grants, and donations from any source
for the purpose of awarding grants under this section.
(h) The executive commissioner shall adopt all rules
necessary for the establishment and governance of the grant program
under this section.
SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date
of this Act, the executive commissioner of the Health and Human
Services Commission shall adopt rules necessary to implement
Section 531.09916, Government Code, as added by this Act.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.