By: West S.B. No. 1401
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the creation of the Texas Mental Health Profession
Pipeline Program by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, is
amended by adding Section 61.070 to read as follows:
Sec. 61.070. TEXAS MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSION PIPELINE
PROGRAM. (a) In this section, "participating institution" means a
general academic teaching institution or a private or independent
institution of higher education that offers baccalaureate degree
programs and postbaccalaureate degree and certificate programs.
(b) The board shall establish the Texas Mental Health
Profession Pipeline Program and encourage participating
institutions to develop pipeline programs for the purpose of
providing a clear, guided pathway for public junior college
students to transfer to a participating institution to pursue a
baccalaureate degree or a postbaccalaureate degree or certificate
leading to licensure and practice as:
(1) a psychologist, as defined by Section 501.002,
Occupations Code;
(2) a licensed professional counselor, as defined by
Section 503.002, Occupations Code;
(3) an advanced practice registered nurse, as defined
by Section 301.152, Occupations Code, who holds a nationally
recognized board certification in psychiatric or mental health
nursing;
(4) a licensed master social worker or a licensed
clinical social worker, as defined by Section 505.002, Occupations
Code;
(5) a licensed specialist in school psychology, as
defined by Section 501.002, Occupations Code; or
(6) a licensed marriage and family therapist, as
defined by Section 502.002, Occupations Code.
(c) A participating institution that develops a pipeline
program under Subsection (b) shall:
(1) partner with one or more public junior colleges to
create a guided pathway for public junior college students; and
(2) ensure that a public junior college student who
completes a field of study curriculum or is awarded a "Texas Direct"
associate degree under Section 61.834 and transfers to the
participating institution:
(A) does not lose any credits earned before
transferring;
(B) can earn a baccalaureate degree in less than
two years following the transfer; and
(C) after earning a baccalaureate degree in an
appropriate program as determined by the participating
institution, is automatically admitted to a postbaccalaureate
degree or certificate program at the participating institution if:
(i) the student meets the minimum academic
requirements, as determined by the participating institution; and
(ii) the postbaccalaureate degree or
certificate program has the capacity to admit new students based
on:
(a) student-to-faculty ratios
required by state law, federal law, the appropriate accrediting
organization, or institutional policy; and
(b) the availability of clinical
placements and the faculty or preceptors that supervise those
placements.
(d) The board shall determine:
(1) the existing field of study curricula that a
participating institution may accept for purposes of Subsection
(c)(2); and
(2) any additional field of study curricula that a
participating institution may develop to enable a public junior
college student to fulfill the undergraduate curricular
requirements relevant for specialties described by Subsection (b).
(e) The board shall promote the program and maintain on the
board's Internet website information that clearly displays:
(1) information described by Subsection (d);
(2) a list of each pipeline program operating in this
state;
(3) a list of each participating institution that has
established a pipeline program;
(4) a map displaying the location of each
participating institution that has established a pipeline program;
and
(5) data regarding each pipeline program based on
information provided to the board under Subsection (f).
(f) Each participating institution shall submit an annual
report to the board that includes:
(1) the total number of students in the participating
institution's pipeline program;
(2) the number of students in the participating
institution's pipeline program who have transferred from a public
junior college to the participating institution without losing any
credits previously earned at the public junior college;
(3) the number of students in the participating
institution's pipeline program who in the preceding academic year
earned a baccalaureate degree from the participating institution
that was completed in two years or less;
(4) the capacity of the participating institution's
pipeline program to prepare more students for licensure and
practice as mental health professionals in specialties described by
Subsection (b);
(5) the financial resources allocated by the
participating institution to increase the number of students who
are able to complete their targeted degree or certificate program
under the participating institution's pipeline program; and
(6) the average time for a student to complete the
student's targeted degree or certificate program under the
participating institution's pipeline program from the date the
student enrolls in a public junior college to the date of the
student's graduation from the degree or certificate program.
(g) The board shall adopt rules consistent with this section
as necessary to implement this section, including rules for making
determinations under Subsection (d).
SECTION 2. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
shall adopt rules as required by Section 61.070(g), Education Code,
as added by this Act, as soon as practicable after the effective
date of this Act.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.