Bill Text: TX SB1390 | 2021-2022 | 87th Legislature | Introduced


Bill Title: Relating to a grant program for municipal or county mental health crisis response team programs.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-04-15 - Co-author authorized [SB1390 Detail]

Download: Texas-2021-SB1390-Introduced.html
  87R10452 GCB-D
 
  By: West S.B. No. 1390
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to a grant program for municipal or county mental health
  crisis response team programs.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 531.09916 to read as follows:
         Sec. 531.09916.  GRANT PROGRAM FOR MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS
  RESPONSE TEAM PROGRAMS. (a)  In this section:
               (1)  "Crisis intervention team" means a group of mental
  health professionals who provide services to persons experiencing a
  mental health crisis.
               (2)  "Mental health crisis response team" means a
  crisis intervention team or a multidisciplinary crisis response
  team.
               (3)  "Mental health crisis response team program" means
  a municipal or county program operated under a grant provided under
  this section.
               (4)  "Multidisciplinary crisis response team" means a
  group composed of three or more persons that includes at least one
  paramedic, one law enforcement officer, and one mental health
  professional, who work together to provide services to persons
  experiencing a mental health crisis.
         (b)  The executive commissioner shall establish and
  administer a grant program to grant money to municipalities and
  counties for the purpose of operating a mental health crisis
  response team program to:
               (1)  operate one or more mental health crisis response
  teams in the municipality or county; and
               (2)  employ one or more mental health professionals to:
                     (A)  screen calls made to a 9-1-1 emergency call
  center dispatcher for law enforcement or emergency medical
  assistance;
                     (B)  determine whether to dispatch a mental health
  crisis response team to service a call; and
                     (C)  consult with and provide information to the
  dispatched mental health crisis response team.
         (c)  A grant application from a municipality or county to the
  commission must be submitted on a form prescribed by the commission
  and include a statement from the governing body of the municipality
  or county regarding the municipal or county proposal to establish a
  mental health crisis response team program. The application must
  require the inclusion of the results of an assessment conducted to
  determine:
               (1)  the number of mental health-related calls for
  assistance received by the municipality's or county's 9-1-1
  emergency call center;
               (2)  the number of paramedics and mental health
  professionals available to serve on a municipality's or county's
  mental health crisis response team; and
               (3)  the municipality's or county's capability to
  accurately collect and report information concerning:
                     (A)  the frequency and outcomes of mental
  health-related calls for assistance; and
                     (B)  the number of calls for assistance primarily
  identified as involving a criminal offense but that also involved a
  demonstrated need for mental health intervention, services, crisis
  referrals, or de-escalation for the person making the call or for a
  person who was the subject of a call made by another.
         (d)  Two or more political subdivisions eligible to apply for
  a grant under this section may enter an agreement to:
               (1)  jointly apply for a grant under this section; and
               (2)  if awarded a grant, jointly operate a regional
  mental health crisis response team to serve a region composed of
  territory of those political subdivisions.
         (e)  In addition to funding received under a grant under this
  section, a municipality or county may contribute local funds to the
  operation of the municipality's or county's mobile crisis response
  team program, including a team operated under an agreement under
  Subsection (d).
         (f)  The commission may use any available state and federal
  money and may accept gifts, grants, and donations from any source
  for the purpose of providing grants under this section.
         (g)  The executive commissioner shall adopt all rules
  necessary for the establishment of the grant program under this
  section.
         SECTION 2.  As soon as practicable after the effective date
  of this Act, the executive commissioner of the Health and Human
  Services Commission shall adopt rules necessary to implement
  Section 531.09916, Government Code, as added by this Act.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.
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