HBA-CBW S.B. 1470 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 1470
By: Moncrief
Juvenile Justice & Family Issues
5/6/2001
Engrossed



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Mental health needs in Tarrant County are lagging behind other counties in
the state.  Senate Bill 1470 authorizes the Texas Council on Offenders with
Mental Impairments to establish in Tarrant County a youth assertive
community treatment pilot program to provide clinical and rehabilitative
services for children with a history of mental  or behavioral problems. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

Senate Bill 1470 amends the Health and Safety Code to authorize the Texas
Council on Offenders with Mental Impairments (council) to establish in
Tarrant County an assertive community treatment pilot program (program) to
provide treatment, rehabilitation, and support services to individuals in
that county who meet certain requirements.   

The bill provides that the program must be modeled after other assertive
community treatment programs established by the Texas Department of Mental
Health and Mental Retardation. The program is limited to serving not more
than 30 program participants at any time.  The bill requires the council to
provide for the program a team of licensed or degreed professionals in the
clinical treatment or rehabilitation field to administer the program.  The
bill sets forth provisions regarding  the team members and the duties of
the team members.   

The bill requires the council and the program to cooperate with or contract
with local agencies to avoid duplication of services and to maximize
federal Medicaid funding.  The bill requires the Criminal Justice Policy
Council to conduct a study to evaluate the effectiveness of a program and
to report the results of the study to the governor, lieutenant governor,
and speaker of the house of representatives on or before December 31, 2002. 

These provisions are effective only during a state fiscal biennium in which
the legislature has appropriated money to the council for the purposes of
the program. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.