BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center S.B. 2926 89R18621 TYPED By: Zaffirini Veteran Affairs 4/11/2025 As Filed AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT Currently, veterans' mental health services in Texas are broadly administered by the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC). HHSC, however, is not fully equipped to address the specific needs of veterans, including community-based mental health programming and the use of professionals with specialized, veteran-focused training. S.B. 2926 would transfer administration of veterans' mental health services to the Texas Veterans Commission (TVC), streamlining oversight and aligning service delivery with the agency's specialized expertise in veteran services. The bill would authorize TVC to manage grants for community mental health services, set match requirements based upon county population, and work with state and federal partners to create a veteran suicide prevention plan. Accordingly, S.B. 2926 would ensure veterans and their families receive more coordinated, accessible, and effective mental health care. As proposed, S.B. 2926 amends current law relating to the transition of certain veterans' mental health initiatives from the Texas Health and Human Services Commission to the Texas Veterans Commission. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter A, Chapter 434, Government Code, by adding Section 434.0172, as follows: Sec. 434.0172. GRANT PROGRAM FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES. (a) Requires the Texas Veterans Commission (TVC), to the extent funds are appropriated to TVC for that purpose, to establish a grant program for the purpose of supporting community mental health programs providing services and treatment to veterans and their families. (b) Requires TVC to ensure that each grant recipient obtains or secures contributions to match awarded grants in amounts of money or other consideration. Provides that the money or other consideration obtained or secured by TVC, as determined by the executive director, is authorized to include cash or in-kind contributions from private contributors or local governments but is prohibited from including state or federal funds. (c) Requires that money appropriated to, or obtained by, TVC for the grant program be disbursed directly to grant recipients by TVC, as authorized by the executive director. (c-1) Requires TVC, for services and treatment provided in a single county, to condition each grant provided under this section on a potential grant recipient providing funds from non-state sources in a total amount at least equal to certain amounts. (c-2) Requires TVC, for a community mental health program that provides services and treatment in more than one county, to condition each grant provided under this section on a potential grant recipient providing funds from non-state sources in a total amount at least equal to certain amounts. (d) Requires that all grants awarded under the grant program be used for the sole purpose of supporting community programs that provide mental health care services and treatment to veterans and their families and that coordinate mental health care services for veterans and their families with other transition support services. (e) Requires TVC to select grant recipients based on the submission of applications or proposals by nonprofit and governmental entities. Requires the executive director to develop criteria for the evaluation of those applications or proposals and the selection of grant recipients. Requires that the selection criteria: (1) evaluate and score fiscal controls for the project, project effectiveness, project cost, and an applicant's previous experience with grants and contracts; (2) address the possibility of and method for making multiple awards; and (3) include other factors that the executive director considers relevant. (f) Authorizes a reasonable amount not to exceed five percent of the money appropriated by the legislature for the purposes of this section to be used by TVC to pay administrative costs of implementing this section. SECTION 2. Amends Section 434.352, Government Code, as follows: Sec. 434.352. New heading: GENERAL POWERS AND DUTIES. (a) Requires TVC to administer the mental health program for veterans developed under Chapter 434 (Veteran Assistance Agencies). Deletes existing text requiring TVC and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to coordinate to administer the mental health program for veterans developed in Chapter 1001 (Department of State Health Services), Health and Safety Code. (a-1) Requires that the mental health program for veterans include certain mental health services. (b) Requires TVC, for the mental health program for veterans, to: (1)-(4) makes no changes to these subdivisions; (5) makes a nonsubstantive change to this subdivision; (6) employ and train mental health professionals to administer, rather than assist HHSC in the administration of, the program; (7) develop a rural veterans mental health initiative and a women veterans mental health initiative; and (8) solicit and ensure that specialized training is provided to persons who are peers and who want to provide peer-to-peer counseling or other peer-to-peer services under the program. (c)-(e) Makes no changes to these subsections. (f) Requires TVC and HHSC, rather than TVC and the Department of State Health Services, to jointly verify that each state agency authorized to award a grant subject to the requirements of Subsection (e) (relating to prohibiting a state agency from awarding a grant to an entity for the provision of mental health services to veterans or veterans' families unless the entity meets certain criteria) has adopted policies to ensure compliance with Subsection (e). SECTION 3. Amends Subchapter H, Chapter 434, Government Code, by adding Section 434.354, as follows: Sec. 434.354. ANNUAL REPORT. Requires TVC, not later than December 1 of each year, to submit a report to the governor and the legislature that includes the number of veterans who received services through the mental health program for veterans, the number of peers and peer service coordinators trained, an evaluation of the services provided under Subchapter H (Statewide Coordination of Mental Health Program for Veterans), Chapter 434, and recommendations for program improvements. SECTION 4. Amends Chapter 434, Government Code, by adding Subchapter J, as follows: SUBCHAPTER J. VETERAN SUICIDE PREVENTION ACTION PLAN. Sec. 434.501. VETERAN SUICIDE PREVENTION ACTION PLAN. (a) Requires TVC, in collaboration with the Texas Coordinating Council for Veterans Services, the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, the Service Members, Veterans, and Their Families Technical Assistance Center Implementation Academy of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, veteran advocacy groups, medical providers, and any other organization or interested party TVC considers appropriate, to develop a comprehensive action plan to increase access to and availability of professional veteran health services to prevent veteran suicides. (b) Requires that the action plan meet certain requirements. (c) Requires TVC to make specific short-term and long-term statutory, administrative, and budget-related recommendations to the legislature and the governor regarding the policy initiatives and reforms necessary to implement the action plan developed under this section. Requires that the initiatives and reforms be fully implemented by September 1, 2027. (d) Provides that this subchapter expires September 1, 2027. SECTION 5. Repealer: Subchapter I (Mental Health Services for Veterans), Chapter 1001 (Department of State Health Services), Health and Safety Code. Repealers: Sections 531.0925 (Veteran Suicide Prevention Action Plan) and 531.0992 (Grant Program for Mental Health Services for Veterans and Their Families), Government Code. SECTION 6. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2025.
BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center S.B. 2926
89R18621 TYPED By: Zaffirini
Veteran Affairs
4/11/2025
As Filed
Senate Research Center
S.B. 2926
89R18621 TYPED
By: Zaffirini
Veteran Affairs
4/11/2025
As Filed
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Currently, veterans' mental health services in Texas are broadly administered by the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC). HHSC, however, is not fully equipped to address the specific needs of veterans, including community-based mental health programming and the use of professionals with specialized, veteran-focused training.
S.B. 2926 would transfer administration of veterans' mental health services to the Texas Veterans Commission (TVC), streamlining oversight and aligning service delivery with the agency's specialized expertise in veteran services. The bill would authorize TVC to manage grants for community mental health services, set match requirements based upon county population, and work with state and federal partners to create a veteran suicide prevention plan. Accordingly, S.B. 2926 would ensure veterans and their families receive more coordinated, accessible, and effective mental health care.
As proposed, S.B. 2926 amends current law relating to the transition of certain veterans' mental health initiatives from the Texas Health and Human Services Commission to the Texas Veterans Commission.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter A, Chapter 434, Government Code, by adding Section 434.0172, as follows:
Sec. 434.0172. GRANT PROGRAM FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES. (a) Requires the Texas Veterans Commission (TVC), to the extent funds are appropriated to TVC for that purpose, to establish a grant program for the purpose of supporting community mental health programs providing services and treatment to veterans and their families.
(b) Requires TVC to ensure that each grant recipient obtains or secures contributions to match awarded grants in amounts of money or other consideration. Provides that the money or other consideration obtained or secured by TVC, as determined by the executive director, is authorized to include cash or in-kind contributions from private contributors or local governments but is prohibited from including state or federal funds.
(c) Requires that money appropriated to, or obtained by, TVC for the grant program be disbursed directly to grant recipients by TVC, as authorized by the executive director.
(c-1) Requires TVC, for services and treatment provided in a single county, to condition each grant provided under this section on a potential grant recipient providing funds from non-state sources in a total amount at least equal to certain amounts.
(c-2) Requires TVC, for a community mental health program that provides services and treatment in more than one county, to condition each grant provided under this section on a potential grant recipient providing funds from non-state sources in a total amount at least equal to certain amounts.
(d) Requires that all grants awarded under the grant program be used for the sole purpose of supporting community programs that provide mental health care services and treatment to veterans and their families and that coordinate mental health care services for veterans and their families with other transition support services.
(e) Requires TVC to select grant recipients based on the submission of applications or proposals by nonprofit and governmental entities. Requires the executive director to develop criteria for the evaluation of those applications or proposals and the selection of grant recipients. Requires that the selection criteria:
(1) evaluate and score fiscal controls for the project, project effectiveness, project cost, and an applicant's previous experience with grants and contracts;
(2) address the possibility of and method for making multiple awards; and
(3) include other factors that the executive director considers relevant.
(f) Authorizes a reasonable amount not to exceed five percent of the money appropriated by the legislature for the purposes of this section to be used by TVC to pay administrative costs of implementing this section.
SECTION 2. Amends Section 434.352, Government Code, as follows:
Sec. 434.352. New heading: GENERAL POWERS AND DUTIES. (a) Requires TVC to administer the mental health program for veterans developed under Chapter 434 (Veteran Assistance Agencies). Deletes existing text requiring TVC and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to coordinate to administer the mental health program for veterans developed in Chapter 1001 (Department of State Health Services), Health and Safety Code.
(a-1) Requires that the mental health program for veterans include certain mental health services.
(b) Requires TVC, for the mental health program for veterans, to:
(1)-(4) makes no changes to these subdivisions;
(5) makes a nonsubstantive change to this subdivision;
(6) employ and train mental health professionals to administer, rather than assist HHSC in the administration of, the program;
(7) develop a rural veterans mental health initiative and a women veterans mental health initiative; and
(8) solicit and ensure that specialized training is provided to persons who are peers and who want to provide peer-to-peer counseling or other peer-to-peer services under the program.
(c)-(e) Makes no changes to these subsections.
(f) Requires TVC and HHSC, rather than TVC and the Department of State Health Services, to jointly verify that each state agency authorized to award a grant subject to the requirements of Subsection (e) (relating to prohibiting a state agency from awarding a grant to an entity for the provision of mental health services to veterans or veterans' families unless the entity meets certain criteria) has adopted policies to ensure compliance with Subsection (e).
SECTION 3. Amends Subchapter H, Chapter 434, Government Code, by adding Section 434.354, as follows:
Sec. 434.354. ANNUAL REPORT. Requires TVC, not later than December 1 of each year, to submit a report to the governor and the legislature that includes the number of veterans who received services through the mental health program for veterans, the number of peers and peer service coordinators trained, an evaluation of the services provided under Subchapter H (Statewide Coordination of Mental Health Program for Veterans), Chapter 434, and recommendations for program improvements.
SECTION 4. Amends Chapter 434, Government Code, by adding Subchapter J, as follows:
SUBCHAPTER J. VETERAN SUICIDE PREVENTION ACTION PLAN.
Sec. 434.501. VETERAN SUICIDE PREVENTION ACTION PLAN. (a) Requires TVC, in collaboration with the Texas Coordinating Council for Veterans Services, the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, the Service Members, Veterans, and Their Families Technical Assistance Center Implementation Academy of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, veteran advocacy groups, medical providers, and any other organization or interested party TVC considers appropriate, to develop a comprehensive action plan to increase access to and availability of professional veteran health services to prevent veteran suicides.
(b) Requires that the action plan meet certain requirements.
(c) Requires TVC to make specific short-term and long-term statutory, administrative, and budget-related recommendations to the legislature and the governor regarding the policy initiatives and reforms necessary to implement the action plan developed under this section. Requires that the initiatives and reforms be fully implemented by September 1, 2027.
(d) Provides that this subchapter expires September 1, 2027.
SECTION 5. Repealer: Subchapter I (Mental Health Services for Veterans), Chapter 1001 (Department of State Health Services), Health and Safety Code.
Repealers: Sections 531.0925 (Veteran Suicide Prevention Action Plan) and 531.0992 (Grant Program for Mental Health Services for Veterans and Their Families), Government Code.
SECTION 6. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2025.