Bill Text: TX HB2158 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Comm Sub
Bill Title: Relating to the availability of peer support services in facilities operated by or under contract with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-05-06 - Committee report sent to Calendars [HB2158 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-HB2158-Comm_Sub.html
| 86R29257 JRR-F | |||
| By: White | H.B. No. 2158 | ||
| Substitute the following for H.B. No. 2158: | |||
| By: Bowers | C.S.H.B. No. 2158 | ||
|
|
||
|
|
||
| relating to the availability of peer support services in facilities | ||
| operated by or under contract with the Texas Department of Criminal | ||
| Justice. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Chapter 493, Government Code, is amended by | ||
| adding Section 493.032 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 493.032. AVAILABILITY OF PEER SUPPORT SERVICES. (a) | ||
| The department shall adopt a policy to increase the availability of | ||
| formal and informal peer support services, including certified peer | ||
| specialist services, to a person confined in a facility operated by | ||
| or under contract with the department, including a state jail | ||
| felony facility, substance abuse felony punishment facility, or | ||
| intermediate sanction facility. | ||
| (b) The policy adopted under Subsection (a) must: | ||
| (1) allow for persons who have previously been | ||
| convicted of an offense, including releasees on parole or mandatory | ||
| supervision and defendants on community supervision, to serve as | ||
| certified peer specialists in a facility described by Subsection | ||
| (a); | ||
| (2) specify the conditions under which a person | ||
| described by Subdivision (1) may serve as a certified peer | ||
| specialist; and | ||
| (3) allow for persons confined in a facility described | ||
| by Subsection (a) to serve in a peer support role, provided that the | ||
| persons are trained and supervised by a community-based | ||
| organization described by Subsection (c). | ||
| (c) In implementing the policy adopted under Subsection | ||
| (a), the department shall: | ||
| (1) collaborate with community-based organizations | ||
| that provide peer specialist training, including training in any of | ||
| the following peer support specialties: | ||
| (A) certified peer specialist; | ||
| (B) certified peer reentry specialist; | ||
| (C) certified peer recovery specialist; or | ||
| (D) any other peer support specialty recognized | ||
| by the Health and Human Services Commission; and | ||
| (2) encourage and assist persons described by | ||
| Subsection (b)(3), with particular emphasis on persons who have | ||
| been involved with programs or services relating to substance abuse | ||
| or behavioral health, to participate in training described by | ||
| Subdivision (1). | ||
| SECTION 2. Not later than September 1, 2020, the Texas | ||
| Department of Criminal Justice shall adopt and implement the policy | ||
| required by Section 493.032, Government Code, as added by this Act. | ||
| SECTION 3. 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, 2019. | ||
