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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a counseling and crisis management program for relative |
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or other designated caregivers and children in the managing |
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conservatorship of the Department of Family and Protective |
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Services. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter I, Chapter 264, Family Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 264.7553 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 264.7553. COUNSELING AND CRISIS MANAGEMENT PROGRAM FOR |
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RELATIVE OR OTHER DESIGNATED CAREGIVER PLACEMENTS. (a) The |
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department shall facilitate access to a counseling and crisis |
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management program to provide mental and behavioral telehealth |
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services and mobile mental and behavioral health intervention |
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services to relative or other designated caregivers and children in |
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the managing conservatorship of the department who are placed with |
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relative or other designated caregivers. |
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(b) Mental and behavioral telehealth services provided |
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under this section must be: |
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(1) accessible electronically through the use of a |
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computer or telephone application; and |
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(2) available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. |
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(c) Mobile mental and behavioral health intervention |
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services provided under this section must be: |
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(1) deployed to the location of the child or the |
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relative or other designated caregiver requiring intervention |
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services; and |
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(2) available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. |
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(d) Services described by this section may only be provided |
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by: |
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(1) a licensed psychologist; |
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(2) a licensed marriage and family therapist, as |
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defined by Section 502.002, Occupations Code; |
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(3) a licensed professional counselor, as defined by |
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Section 503.002, Occupations Code; |
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(4) a licensed clinical social worker, as defined by |
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Section 505.002, Occupations Code; or |
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(5) any similarly qualified mental health |
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professional as established by department rule. |
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(e) The department shall, to the extent possible, seek |
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reimbursement from the medical assistance program under Chapter 32, |
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Human Resources Code, or a health plan that provides health |
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coverage for services described by this section to relative or |
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other designated caregivers and children. |
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(f) The department may contract with an outside vendor to |
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provide services described by this section. |
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(g) The commissioner shall adopt rules necessary to |
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implement this section. |
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SECTION 2. (a) As soon as practicable after the effective |
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date of this Act, the commissioner of the Department of Family and |
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Protective Services shall adopt the rules necessary to implement |
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Section 264.7553, Family Code, as added by this Act. |
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(b) The Department of Family and Protective Services shall |
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begin providing the services required under Section 264.7553, |
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Family Code, as added by this Act, as follows: |
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(1) mental and behavioral telehealth services, not |
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later than January 1, 2024; and |
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(2) mobile mental and behavioral health intervention |
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services, not later than January 1, 2025. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |