89R5724 RAL-D
By: Thompson H.B. No. 1955
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the establishment of an early childhood mental health
home visiting grant program.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 137, Human Resources Code, is amended by
adding Subchapter G to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER G. EARLY CHILDHOOD MENTAL HEALTH HOME VISITING GRANT
PROGRAM
Sec. 137.301. ESTABLISHMENT AND OPERATION OF EARLY
CHILDHOOD MENTAL HEALTH HOME VISITING GRANT PROGRAM. (a) The
commission shall establish and operate an early childhood mental
health home visiting grant program through which the commission
will award grants to implement, expand, and maintain early
childhood mental health home visiting services in this state to
support families with a high level of need, including a history of
trauma.
(b) To be eligible for a grant under this subchapter, an
applicant must:
(1) demonstrate a commitment to a family-centered,
system of care approach to providing comprehensive, coordinated
services to children and families; and
(2) have experience providing successful early
childhood mental health or prevention services for low-income,
high-risk families, as the executive commissioner determines by
rule.
(c) In awarding a grant under this subchapter, the
commission shall give preference to applicants with experience in
providing home-based services to children and families.
(d) The commission may award a grant under this subchapter
only in accordance with a contract between the commission and grant
recipient. The contract must include provisions under which the
commission is granted sufficient control to ensure the public
purpose of providing early childhood mental health home visiting
services is accomplished and this state receives the return
benefit.
Sec. 137.302. STANDARDS AND REQUIREMENTS. (a) The
executive commissioner by rule shall adopt standards for grant
recipients under this subchapter. In adopting the standards, the
executive commissioner shall take into consideration applicable
evidence-based early childhood home visiting service delivery
models.
(b) In addition to meeting the standards the executive
commissioner adopts under Subsection (a), a grant recipient under
this subchapter must:
(1) strictly adhere to an evidence-based early
childhood service delivery model the commission selects in
accordance with criteria set by the United States Department of
Health and Human Services for an early childhood home visiting
service delivery model; and
(2) require that a team consisting of a licensed
mental health professional and a care coordinator support families
through home-based services to:
(A) improve child and parent mental health;
(B) promote school readiness;
(C) decrease child abuse and neglect; and
(D) improve the immediate and long-term health
and well-being of families.
Sec. 137.303. FUNDING. The commission may solicit,
contract for, receive, accept, or administer gifts, grants, and
donations of money or property from any source to carry out this
subchapter.
Sec. 137.304. RULES. The executive commissioner may adopt
rules as necessary to implement this subchapter.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.