Bill Text: TX SB992 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the establishment of a collaborative task force to study certain public school mental health services.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-03-01 - Referred to Education [SB992 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-SB992-Introduced.html
86R5170 SOS-F | ||
By: Powell | S.B. No. 992 |
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relating to the establishment of a collaborative task force to | ||
study certain public school mental health services. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Chapter 38, Education Code, is amended by adding | ||
Subchapter F to read as follows: | ||
SUBCHAPTER F. COLLABORATIVE TASK FORCE ON PUBLIC SCHOOL MENTAL | ||
HEALTH SERVICES | ||
Sec. 38.301. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: | ||
(1) "Institution of higher education" has the meaning | ||
assigned by Section 61.003. | ||
(2) "Task force" means the Collaborative Task Force on | ||
Public School Mental Health Services. | ||
Sec. 38.302. ESTABLISHMENT. The Collaborative Task Force | ||
on Public School Mental Health Services is established to study and | ||
evaluate: | ||
(1) mental health services that are funded by | ||
competitive state grants and provided at a school district or | ||
open-enrollment charter school directly to: | ||
(A) a student enrolled in the district or school; | ||
(B) a parent or family member of or person | ||
standing in parental relation to a student enrolled in the district | ||
or school; or | ||
(C) an employee of the district or school; and | ||
(2) training provided to an educator employed by the | ||
district or school to provide the mental health services described | ||
by Subdivision (1). | ||
Sec. 38.303. MEMBERSHIP. (a) The task force is composed | ||
of: | ||
(1) the commissioner or the commissioner's designee; | ||
and | ||
(2) six additional members appointed by the | ||
commissioner as follows: | ||
(A) one parent of a student who is enrolled in a | ||
school district or open-enrollment charter school and receives the | ||
mental health services described by Section 38.302(1); | ||
(B) one person who provides the mental health | ||
services described by Section 38.302(1) or the training described | ||
by Section 38.302(2) and who is: | ||
(i) a licensed specialist in school | ||
psychology, as defined by Section 501.002, Occupations Code; | ||
(ii) a licensed professional counselor, as | ||
defined by Section 503.002, Occupations Code; | ||
(iii) a licensed clinical social worker, as | ||
defined by Section 505.002, Occupations Code; or | ||
(iv) a school counselor certified under | ||
Subchapter B, Chapter 21; | ||
(C) one person who is an administrator of a | ||
district or school that provides the mental health services | ||
described by Section 38.302(1) or the training described by Section | ||
38.302(2); | ||
(D) one person who is a member of a foundation | ||
that invests in the mental health services described by Section | ||
38.302(1) or the training described by Section 38.302(2); and | ||
(E) two persons, each of whom is an employee of an | ||
institution of higher education designated under Section 38.307. | ||
(b) Appointments to the task force shall be made without | ||
regard to the race, color, disability, sex, religion, age, or | ||
national origin of the appointee. | ||
(c) Chapter 2110, Government Code, does not apply to the | ||
task force. | ||
Sec. 38.304. OFFICERS. (a) The commissioner is designated | ||
as the interim presiding officer for purposes of calling and | ||
conducting the initial meeting of the task force. | ||
(b) The task force: | ||
(1) shall at its initial meeting select a presiding | ||
officer from among its members for the purpose of calling and | ||
conducting meetings; and | ||
(2) may select an assistant presiding officer and a | ||
secretary from among its members. | ||
Sec. 38.305. COMPENSATION; REIMBURSEMENT. A member of the | ||
task force may not receive compensation or reimbursement for | ||
service on the task force. | ||
Sec. 38.306. MEETINGS. (a) After its initial meeting, the | ||
task force shall meet at least twice each year at a time and place | ||
determined by the presiding officer. | ||
(b) The task force may meet at other times the task force | ||
considers appropriate. The presiding officer may call a meeting on | ||
the officer's own motion. | ||
(c) The task force may meet by teleconference. | ||
Sec. 38.307. SUPPORT SERVICES FOR TASK FORCE. (a) The | ||
commissioner shall designate one institution of higher education | ||
with experience in evaluating mental health services to serve as | ||
the lead institution for the task force. The institution | ||
designated under this subsection shall provide faculty, staff, and | ||
administrative support services to the task force as determined | ||
necessary by the task force to administer this subchapter. | ||
(b) The commissioner shall designate two institutions of | ||
higher education with experience in evaluating mental health | ||
services to assist the task force and the lead institution | ||
designated under Subsection (a) as determined necessary by the task | ||
force to administer this subchapter. | ||
(c) In making a designation under this section, the | ||
commissioner shall give preference to at least one predominantly | ||
black institution, as defined by 20 U.S.C. Section 1067q(c)(9). | ||
(d) On request of the task force, the agency, a school | ||
district, or an open-enrollment charter school shall provide | ||
information or other assistance to the task force. | ||
Sec. 38.308. DUTIES OF TASK FORCE. (a) The task force | ||
shall: | ||
(1) gather data on the race, ethnicity, gender, | ||
special education status, and geographic location of individuals | ||
who are provided the mental health services described by Section | ||
38.302(1); and | ||
(2) study, evaluate, and make recommendations | ||
regarding the mental health services described by Section 38.302(1) | ||
and the training described by Section 38.302(2), including | ||
addressing: | ||
(A) the outcomes and the effectiveness of the | ||
services and training provided, including the outcomes and | ||
effectiveness of the service and training providers and the | ||
programs under which services and training are provided, in: | ||
(i) improving student academic achievement | ||
and attendance; | ||
(ii) reducing student disciplinary | ||
proceedings, suspensions, placements in a disciplinary alternative | ||
education program, and expulsions; | ||
(iii) providing early mental health | ||
prevention and intervention; | ||
(iv) building skills relating to managing | ||
emotions, establishing and maintaining positive relationships, and | ||
making responsible decisions; | ||
(v) preventing substance abuse; | ||
(vi) preventing suicides; | ||
(vii) adhering to the purpose of the | ||
relevant program services or training; | ||
(viii) promoting trauma-informed | ||
practices; and | ||
(ix) promoting a positive school climate, | ||
including improving safety in the district or school; | ||
(B) best practices for districts and schools in | ||
providing the services or training; and | ||
(C) disparities in the race, ethnicity, gender, | ||
special education status, and geographic location of individuals | ||
receiving the services. | ||
(b) The task force may evaluate mental health services | ||
funded from a source other than a competitive grant that are | ||
provided to students enrolled in a school district or | ||
open-enrollment charter school. | ||
Sec. 38.309. REPORTS. Not later than November 1 of each | ||
even-numbered year, the task force shall submit to the governor, | ||
the lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the house of | ||
representatives a report of the results of the task force's | ||
activities conducted under Section 38.308 and any recommendations | ||
for legislative or other action. | ||
Sec. 38.310. GIFTS AND GRANTS; ADMINISTRATIVE COST | ||
RESTRICTION. (a) The task force may accept a gift or grant from a | ||
private individual, a foundation, or the federal government. | ||
(b) The task force may not spend for the administration of | ||
the task force more than 10 percent of any money appropriated to the | ||
task force for the purpose of this subchapter. | ||
Sec. 38.311. EXPIRATION. The task force is abolished and | ||
this subchapter expires December 1, 2022. | ||
SECTION 2. Not later than October 1, 2019, the commissioner | ||
of education shall: | ||
(1) appoint the members of the Collaborative Task | ||
Force on Public School Mental Health Services, as required by | ||
Section 38.303, Education Code, as added by this Act; and | ||
(2) designate the institutions of higher education to | ||
provide support services, as required by Section 38.307, Education | ||
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. |