By: Gámez H.B. No. 4844
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the establishment of a border county mental health task
force.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 533, Health and Safety Code, is amended
by adding Subchapter F to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER F. BORDER COUNTY MENTAL HEALTH TASK FORCE
Sec. 533.151. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "task force"
means the Border County Mental Health Task Force established under
this subchapter.
Sec. 533.152. SUNSET PROVISION. The task force is subject
to Chapter 325, Government Code (Texas Sunset Act). Unless
continued in existence as provided by that chapter, the task force
is abolished and this subchapter expires September 1, 2037.
Sec. 533.153. TASK FORCE; DUTIES. (a) The Health and Human
Services Commission shall establish the task force under the Office
of Rural Mental Health to advise the commissioner regarding the
mental and behavioral health problems, conditions, challenges, and
needs of the population of a county that:
(1) is adjacent to the international border with
Mexico; and
(2) has a population of less than 500,000 and more than
400,000.
(b) The task force shall advise the commissioner on:
(1) policy priorities addressing major issues
affecting the mental and behavioral health of county residents;
(2) raising public awareness of the issues described
by Subdivision (1); and
(3) other mental and behavioral health issues
affecting county residents, as determined by the commissioner,
including:
(A) barriers to accessing mental and behavioral
health care;
(B) mental and behavioral health problems,
including, but not limited to:
(i) suicide;
(ii) depression;
(iii) eating disorders;
(iv) substance abuse;
(v) schizophrenia; and
(vi) bipolar disorder;
(C) factors that impede access to mental and
behavioral health care, including:
(i) socioeconomic conditions;
(ii) linguistic and cultural barriers;
(iii) low population density; and
(iv) lack of health insurance;
(D) tracking of factors that negatively affect
the residents' mental and behavioral health;
(E) standardization of information collection
procedures;
(F) identifying best practices and
standardization of first responder and law enforcement response to
individuals suffering mental health crisis;
(G) mental and behavioral health infrastructure
that includes the establishment of:
(i) education and research institutions to
train culturally competent mental and behavioral health care
providers; and
(ii) local and regional mental and
behavioral health programs that build on local resources and
maximize the use of public money to address the needs of indigent
populations; and
(H) consult, collaboration, and cooperation at
with any:
(i) other health and human services
agencies;
(ii) other appropriate state or federal
agencies;
(iii) health science centers and medical
schools; and
(iv) public and private health care
providers and hospitals.
(v) Mexican counterparts of the task force;
or
(vi) federal counterparts of the task force
operating in the United States.
Sec. 533.154. COLLABORATION WITH OFFICE OF RURAL MENTAL
HEALTH. The Office of Rural Mental Health established under may
provide to the extent practicable assistance required by the task
force.
Sec. 533.155. COMPOSITION; TERMS. (a) The task force is
composed of:
(1) one member appointed by the commissioner who is a
first responder or emergency personnel in the county to which this
task force applies with experience treating patients experiencing
mental and behavioral health problems;
(2) two ex officio nonvoting members who are members
of the legislature:
(A) one of whom is appointed by the lieutenant
governor; and
(B) one of whom is appointed by the speaker of the
house of representatives; and
(3) additional voting members appointed by the
commissioner from the county to which this task force applies
including but not limited to representatives from:
(A) hospitals;
(B) community health centers;
(C) the local mental health authority;
(D) the county health administration;
(E) a judge with experience in mental health
diversion proceedings; and
(F) the district attorney's office.
(b) The task force shall designate a chair and vice chair of
the task force from among the task force members.
(c) The members appointed by the lieutenant governor and the
speaker of the house of representatives serve three-year terms.
The remaining members of the task force serve at the pleasure of the
commissioner.
Sec. 533.156. MEETINGS. (a) The task force shall meet at
least quarterly each fiscal year. Members may hold meetings by
conference calls and through videoconference in accordance with
Section 551.127, Government Code.
(b) Section 551.125, Government Code, applies to a meeting
held by conference call under this section, except that Subsection
(b) of that section does not apply.
Sec. 533.157. COMPENSATION AND REIMBURSEMENT. A task force
member is not entitled to compensation or reimbursement for
expenses incurred in performing the member's duties.
Sec. 533.158. SHORT-TERM AND LONG-TERM BORDER COUNTY MENTAL
HEALTH IMPROVEMENT PLANS: TASK FORCE, COMMISSIONER, AND EXECUTIVE
COMMISSIONER DUTIES. (a) The task force shall make
recommendations to the commissioner for short-term and long-term
border county mental health improvement plans. The short-term plan
shall identify mental and behavioral health objectives proposed to
be accomplished not later than the fourth anniversary of the date
the plan is adopted. The long-term plan shall identify mental and
behavioral health objectives proposed to be accomplished not later
than the ninth anniversary of the date the plan is adopted.
(b) The commissioner shall review the task force's
recommendations and, based on those recommendations, recommend
short-term and long-term border county mental health improvement
plans to the executive commissioner, identifying specific mental
and behavioral health objectives that may be implemented under
existing law in counties located along the international border
with Mexico.
(c) The executive commissioner shall adopt short-term and
long-term border county mental health improvement plans and direct
the commission to implement the portions of the plans that may be
implemented within existing appropriations and under existing law
in counties located along the international border with Mexico.
Sec. 533.159. APPLICATION OF OTHER LAW. Chapter 2110,
Government Code, does not apply to the task force.
Sec. 533.160. ASSISTANCE FROM STATE AGENCIES AND POLITICAL
SUBDIVISIONS. At the request of the task force, a state agency or
political subdivision of this state may cooperate with the task
force in implementing the task force's statutory duties.
Sec. 533.161. REPORTS. (a) Not later than September 1 of
each even-numbered year, the task force shall submit to the
commissioner a report of the task force's recommendations,
including recommendations under Section 533.158 relating to
short-term and long-term border county mental health improvement
plans.
(b) Not later than December 1 of each even-numbered year,
the executive commissioner shall submit to the legislature a report
detailing the actions taken by the task force. The report must
include:
(1) the status of all projects and activities
involving the mental and behavioral health issues described under
Section 533.153(b)(3);
(2) the funding for the expenditures; and
(3) recommendations for legislation necessary to
implement the short-term and long-term border county mental health
improvement plans.
SECTION 2. Not later than October 1, 2025, the commissioner
of the Health and Humas Services Commission, lieutenant governor,
and speaker of the house of representatives shall appoint the
members of the Border County Mental Health Task Force established
under Subchapter F, Chapter 533, Health and Safety Code, as added by
this Act.
SECTION 3. The initial short-term mental health improvement
plan adopted under Section 533.158, Health and Safety Code, as
added by this Act, must include a mental health improvement plan for
implementation beginning not later than September 1, 2026. The
Health and Human Services Commission shall implement the
initiatives in the short-term mental health improvement plan, as
directed by the executive commissioner of the Health and Human
Services Commission, not later than September 1, 2030.
SECTION 4. The initial long-term mental health improvement
plan adopted under Section 533.158, Health and Safety Code, as
added by this Act, must include a mental health improvement plan for
implementation beginning not later than September 1, 2028. The
Health and Human Services Commission shall implement the
initiatives in the long-term mental health improvement plan, as
directed by the executive commissioner of the Health and Human
Services Commission, not later than September 1, 2035.
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2025.