Bill Text: TX HB2392 | 2013-2014 | 83rd Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Relating to the mental health program for veterans.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 6-0)
Status: (Passed) 2013-06-14 - Effective on 9/1/13 [HB2392 Detail]
Download: Texas-2013-HB2392-Enrolled.html
H.B. No. 2392 |
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relating to the mental health program for veterans. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Section 1001.071, Health and Safety Code, is | ||
amended to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 1001.071. GENERAL POWERS AND DUTIES OF DEPARTMENT | ||
RELATED TO HEALTH CARE. The department is responsible for | ||
administering human services programs regarding the public health, | ||
including: | ||
(1) implementing the state's public health care | ||
delivery programs under the authority of the department; | ||
(2) administering state health facilities, hospitals, | ||
and health care systems; | ||
(3) developing and providing health care services, as | ||
directed by law; | ||
(4) providing for the prevention and control of | ||
communicable diseases; | ||
(5) providing public education on health-related | ||
matters, as directed by law; | ||
(6) compiling and reporting health-related | ||
information, as directed by law; | ||
(7) acting as the lead agency for implementation of | ||
state policies regarding the human immunodeficiency virus and | ||
acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and administering programs | ||
related to the human immunodeficiency virus and acquired | ||
immunodeficiency syndrome; | ||
(8) investigating the causes of injuries and methods | ||
of prevention; | ||
(9) administering a grant program to provide | ||
appropriated money to counties, municipalities, public health | ||
districts, and other political subdivisions for their use to | ||
provide or pay for essential public health services; | ||
(10) administering the registration of vital | ||
statistics; | ||
(11) licensing, inspecting, and enforcing regulations | ||
regarding health facilities, other than long-term care facilities | ||
regulated by the Department of Aging and Disability Services; | ||
(12) implementing established standards and | ||
procedures for the management and control of sanitation and for | ||
health protection measures; | ||
(13) enforcing regulations regarding radioactive | ||
materials; | ||
(14) enforcing regulations regarding food, bottled | ||
and vended drinking water, drugs, cosmetics, and health devices; | ||
(15) enforcing regulations regarding food service | ||
establishments, retail food stores, mobile food units, and roadside | ||
food vendors; [ |
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(16) enforcing regulations controlling hazardous | ||
substances in households and workplaces; and | ||
(17) implementing a mental health program for | ||
veterans. | ||
SECTION 2. Chapter 1001, Health and Safety Code, is amended | ||
by adding Subchapter H to read as follows: | ||
SUBCHAPTER H. MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAM FOR VETERANS | ||
Sec. 1001.201. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: | ||
(1) "Peer" means a person who is a veteran or a | ||
veteran's family member. | ||
(2) "Veteran" means a person who has served in: | ||
(A) the army, navy, air force, coast guard, or | ||
marine corps of the United States; | ||
(B) the state military forces as defined by | ||
Section 431.001, Government Code; or | ||
(C) an auxiliary service of one of those branches | ||
of the armed forces. | ||
(3) "Volunteer coordinator" means a person who | ||
recruits and retains veterans, peers, and volunteers to participate | ||
in the mental health program for veterans and related activities. | ||
Sec. 1001.202. GENERAL POWERS AND DUTIES. (a) The | ||
department shall develop a mental health intervention program for | ||
veterans. The program must include: | ||
(1) peer-to-peer counseling; | ||
(2) access to licensed mental health professionals for | ||
volunteer coordinators and peers; | ||
(3) training approved by the department for peers; | ||
(4) technical assistance for volunteer coordinators | ||
and peers; | ||
(5) grants to regional and local organizations | ||
providing services under this subchapter; | ||
(6) recruitment, retention, and screening of | ||
community-based therapists; | ||
(7) suicide prevention training for volunteer | ||
coordinators and peers; and | ||
(8) veteran jail diversion services, including | ||
veterans courts. | ||
(b) The department shall 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) The department may adopt rules necessary to implement | ||
this subchapter. | ||
Sec. 1001.203. GRANTS. (a) The department shall establish | ||
a grant program through which the department may award grants to | ||
regional and local organizations for the delivery of programs or | ||
services described by this subchapter. | ||
(b) A grant awarded under this section must: | ||
(1) emphasize direct services to veterans provided by | ||
peers; | ||
(2) leverage additional local resources to provide | ||
funding for programs or services for veterans; and | ||
(3) increase the capacity of the mental health program | ||
for veterans. | ||
(c) A grant awarded under this section may not be used to | ||
supplant existing expenditures associated with programs or | ||
services within the department. | ||
Sec. 1001.204. ANNUAL REPORT. Not later than December 1 of | ||
each year, the department shall submit a report to the governor and | ||
the legislature that includes: | ||
(1) the number of veterans who received services | ||
through the mental health program for veterans; | ||
(2) the number of peers and volunteer coordinators | ||
trained; | ||
(3) a summary of the grants awarded and services | ||
provided through those grants; | ||
(4) an evaluation of the services provided under this | ||
subchapter; and | ||
(5) recommendations for program improvements. | ||
SECTION 3. Section 1001.076, Health and Safety Code, is | ||
repealed. | ||
SECTION 4. Not later than January 1, 2014, the Department of | ||
State Health Services shall modify the mental health intervention | ||
program for veterans as required by Subchapter H, Chapter 1001, | ||
Health and Safety Code, as added by this Act. | ||
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. | ||
______________________________ | ______________________________ | |
President of the Senate | Speaker of the House | |
I certify that H.B. No. 2392 was passed by the House on April | ||
26, 2013, by the following vote: Yeas 138, Nays 1, 2 present, not | ||
voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B. | ||
No. 2392 on May 20, 2013, by the following vote: Yeas 144, Nays 1, | ||
4 present, not voting. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Chief Clerk of the House | ||
I certify that H.B. No. 2392 was passed by the Senate, with | ||
amendments, on May 17, 2013, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays | ||
0. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Secretary of the Senate | ||
APPROVED: __________________ | ||
Date | ||
__________________ | ||
Governor |