S.B. No. 126
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to the creation of a mental health and substance abuse
  public reporting system.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter D, Chapter 1001, Health and Safety
  Code, is amended by adding Section 1001.078 to read as follows:
         Sec. 1001.078.  MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE PUBLIC
  REPORTING SYSTEM. (a)  The department, in collaboration with the
  commission, shall establish and maintain a public reporting system
  of performance and outcome measures relating to mental health and
  substance abuse services established by the Legislative Budget
  Board, the department, and the commission.  The system must allow
  external users to view and compare the performance, outputs, and
  outcomes of:
               (1)  community centers established under Subchapter A,
  Chapter 534, that provide mental health services;
               (2)  Medicaid managed care pilot programs that provide
  mental health services; and
               (3)  agencies, organizations, and persons that
  contract with the state to provide substance abuse services.
         (b)  The system must allow external users to view and compare
  the performance, outputs, and outcomes of the Medicaid managed care
  programs that provide mental health services.
         (c)  The department shall post the performance, output, and
  outcome measures on the department's website so that the
  information is accessible to the public.  The department shall post
  the measures quarterly or semiannually in accordance with when the
  measures are reported to the department.
         (d)  The department shall consider public input in
  determining the appropriate outcome measures to collect in the
  public reporting system. To the extent possible, the department
  shall include outcome measures that capture inpatient psychiatric
  care diversion, avoidance of emergency room use, criminal justice
  diversion, and the numbers of people who are homeless served.
         (e)  The commission shall conduct a study to determine the
  feasibility of establishing and maintaining the public reporting
  system, including, to the extent possible, the cost to the state and
  impact on managed care organizations and providers of collecting
  the outcome measures required by Subsection (d). Not later than
  December 1, 2014, the commission shall report the results of the
  study to the legislature and appropriate legislative committees.
         (f)  The department shall ensure that information reported
  through the public reporting system does not permit the
  identification of an individual.
         SECTION 2.  Not later than December 1, 2013, the Department
  of State Health Services shall establish the public reporting
  system as required under Section 1001.078, Health and Safety Code,
  as added by this Act.
         SECTION 3.  Not later than December 1, 2014, the Department
  of State Health Services shall submit a report to the legislature
  and the Legislative Budget Board on the development of the public
  reporting system as required by Section 1001.078, Health and Safety
  Code, as added by this Act, and the outcome measures collected.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2013.
 
 
 
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 126 passed the Senate on
  March 13, 2013, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0; and that
  the Senate concurred in House amendment on May 24, 2013, by the
  following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
 
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate    
 
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 126 passed the House, with
  amendment, on May 22, 2013, by the following vote: Yeas 146,
  Nays 1, one present not voting.
 
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
 
 
  Approved:
 
  ______________________________ 
              Date
 
 
  ______________________________ 
            Governor