| 1 | 1 | | S.B. No. 63 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | AN ACT |
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| 5 | 5 | | relating to an instruction guide for family members and caregivers |
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| 6 | 6 | | of veterans who have mental health disorders. |
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| 7 | 7 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 8 | 8 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is |
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| 9 | 9 | | amended by adding Section 531.0932 to read as follows: |
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| 10 | 10 | | Sec. 531.0932. INSTRUCTION GUIDE FOR FAMILY MEMBERS AND |
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| 11 | 11 | | CAREGIVERS OF VETERANS WHO HAVE MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS. (a) The |
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| 12 | 12 | | commission and the Texas Veterans Commission jointly shall produce |
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| 13 | 13 | | and make publicly available an instruction guide for family members |
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| 14 | 14 | | and caregivers of veterans who have mental health disorders. |
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| 15 | 15 | | (b) The instruction guide produced under this section must |
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| 16 | 16 | | include: |
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| 17 | 17 | | (1) general education about different mental health |
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| 18 | 18 | | disorders, including instruction intended to improve understanding |
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| 19 | 19 | | about the experience of persons suffering from those mental health |
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| 20 | 20 | | disorders; |
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| 21 | 21 | | (2) techniques for handling crisis situations and |
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| 22 | 22 | | administering mental health first aid to persons suffering from |
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| 23 | 23 | | mental health disorders; |
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| 24 | 24 | | (3) techniques for coping with the stress of living |
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| 25 | 25 | | with a person with a mental health disorder; and |
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| 26 | 26 | | (4) information about related services available for |
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| 27 | 27 | | family members and caregivers of veterans who have mental health |
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| 28 | 28 | | disorders that are provided by the commission, the Texas Veterans |
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| 29 | 29 | | Commission, other state agencies, community organizations, and |
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| 30 | 30 | | mental health services providers. |
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| 31 | 31 | | (c) The commission and the Texas Veterans Commission each |
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| 32 | 32 | | shall publish the guide produced under this section on the |
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| 33 | 33 | | respective agency's Internet website. |
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| 34 | 34 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 35 | 35 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 36 | 36 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 37 | 37 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 38 | 38 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
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| 39 | 39 | | ______________________________ ______________________________ |
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| 40 | 40 | | President of the Senate Speaker of the House |
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| 41 | 41 | | I hereby certify that S.B. No. 63 passed the Senate on |
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| 42 | 42 | | March 28, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 0. |
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| 43 | 43 | | ______________________________ |
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| 44 | 44 | | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 45 | 45 | | I hereby certify that S.B. No. 63 passed the House on |
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| 46 | 46 | | May 9, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 125, Nays 17, |
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| 47 | 47 | | two present not voting. |
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| 48 | 48 | | ______________________________ |
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| 49 | 49 | | Chief Clerk of the House |
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| 50 | 50 | | Approved: |
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| 51 | 51 | | ______________________________ |
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| 52 | 52 | | Date |
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| 53 | 53 | | ______________________________ |
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| 54 | 54 | | Governor |
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