By: Rosenthal, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Blanco) H.B. No. 1457
         (In the Senate - Received from the House May 9, 2023;
  May 10, 2023, read first time and referred to Committee on Veteran
  Affairs; May 16, 2023, reported favorably by the following vote:  
  Yeas 5, Nays 0; May 16, 2023, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
 
 
  COMMITTEE VOTE
 
 
         YeaNayAbsentPNV
         HancockX
         ParkerX
         BlancoX
         EckhardtX
         GutierrezX
         HallX
         SparksX
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to required military informed care or military cultural
  competency training for certain personnel of entities that provide
  mental health services to veterans or veterans' families before
  award of a state agency grant.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 434.352, Government Code, is amended by
  adding Subsections (e) and (f) to read as follows:
         (e)  A state agency may not award a grant to an entity for the
  provision of mental health services to veterans or veterans'
  families unless the entity demonstrates the entity:
               (1)  has previously received and successfully executed
  a grant from the state agency; or 
               (2)  provides training on military informed care or
  military cultural competency to entity personnel who provide mental
  health services to veterans or veterans' families or requires those
  personnel to complete military competency training provided by any
  of the following: 
                     (A)  the commission; 
                     (B)  the Health and Human Services Commission; 
                     (C)  the Military Veteran Peer Network; 
                     (D)  the Substance Abuse and Mental Health
  Services Administration within the United States Department of
  Health and Human Services; 
                     (E)  the United States Department of Defense; 
                     (F)  the United States Department of Veterans
  Affairs; or
                     (G)  a nonprofit organization that is exempt from
  federal income taxation under Section 501(a), Internal Revenue Code
  of 1986, by being listed as an exempt entity under Section 501(c)(3)
  of that code, with experience in providing training or technical
  assistance to entities that provide mental health services to
  veterans or veterans' families.
         (f)  The commission and the Department of State Health
  Services shall jointly verify that each state agency authorized to
  award a grant subject to the requirements of Subsection (e) has
  adopted policies to ensure compliance with Subsection (e).
         SECTION 2.  The heading to Subchapter I, Chapter 1001,
  Health and Safety Code, is amended to read as follows:
  SUBCHAPTER I. MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES [PROGRAM] FOR VETERANS
         SECTION 3.  Subchapter I, Chapter 1001, Health and Safety
  Code, is amended by adding Section 1001.225 to read as follows:
         Sec. 1001.225.  LIMITATION ON GRANTS. The department may
  not award a grant to an entity for the provision of mental health
  services to veterans or veterans' families unless the entity
  demonstrates the entity:
               (1)  has previously received and successfully executed
  a grant from the department; or 
               (2)  provides training on military informed care or
  military cultural competency to entity personnel who provide
  mental health services to veterans or veterans' families or
  requires those personnel to complete military competency training
  provided by any of the following: 
                     (A)  the Texas Veterans Commission; 
                     (B)  the commission; 
                     (C)  the Military Veteran Peer Network; 
                     (D)  the Substance Abuse and Mental Health
  Services Administration within the United States Department of
  Health and Human Services; 
                     (E)  the United States Department of Defense; 
                     (F)  the United States Department of Veterans
  Affairs; or
                     (G)  a nonprofit organization that is exempt from
  federal income taxation under Section 501(a), Internal Revenue Code
  of 1986, by being listed as an exempt entity under Section 501(c)(3)
  of that code, with experience in providing training or technical
  assistance to entities that provide mental health services to
  veterans or veterans' families.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.
 
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