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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the creation of a matching grant program to support |
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community mental health programs for individuals experiencing |
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mental illness. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 531.0999 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 531.0999. GRANT PROGRAM FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES. |
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(a) To the extent money is appropriated to the commission for that |
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purpose, the commission shall establish a matching grant program |
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for the purpose of supporting community mental health programs |
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providing services and treatment to individuals experiencing |
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mental illness. |
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(b) The commission shall enter into an agreement with a |
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qualified nonprofit or other private entity to serve as the |
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administrator of the matching grant program. The duties of the |
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administrator must include assisting, supporting, and advising the |
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commission in fulfilling the commission's responsibilities with |
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respect to the program. The administrator may advise the |
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commission on: |
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(1) designing, developing, implementing, and managing |
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the program; |
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(2) determining criteria for local community |
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collaboration and the types of services and deliveries eligible for |
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grants; |
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(3) eligibility requirements for grant recipients; |
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(4) designing and managing the competitive bidding |
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processes for applications or proposals and the evaluation and |
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selection of grant recipients; |
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(5) contractual requirements for grant recipients; |
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(6) grant requisites and mechanisms; |
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(7) roles and responsibilities of grant recipients; |
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(8) reporting requirements for grant recipients; |
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(9) support and technical capabilities; |
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(10) timelines and deadlines for the program; |
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(11) evaluation of the program and grant recipients; |
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and |
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(12) requirements for reporting on the program to |
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policy makers. |
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(c) The administrator of the matching grant program shall |
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ensure that each grant recipient obtains or secures contributions |
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to match awarded grants in amounts of money or other consideration |
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as required by Subsection (j). The money or other consideration |
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obtained or secured by the recipient, as determined by the |
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executive commissioner, may include cash or in-kind contributions |
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from any person but may not include money from state or federal |
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funds. |
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(d) Money appropriated to or obtained by the commission for |
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the matching grant program must be disbursed directly to grant |
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recipients by the commission, as authorized by the executive |
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commissioner. Money or other consideration obtained or secured by |
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the administrator must be disbursed or provided directly to grant |
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recipients by the administrator, private contributors, or local |
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governments, as authorized by the executive commissioner. |
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(e) A grant awarded under the matching grant program and |
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matching amounts must be used for the sole purpose of supporting |
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community programs that provide mental health care services and |
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treatment to individuals with a mental illness and that coordinate |
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mental health care services for individuals with a mental illness |
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with other transition support services. |
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(f) The administrator must obtain the commission's approval |
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of the eligibility requirements for grant recipients, the types of |
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services and deliveries eligible for grants, and the requirements |
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for reporting as developed by the administrator before the |
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commission awards a grant under the matching grant program. |
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(g) The commission shall select grant recipients based on |
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the submission of applications or proposals by nonprofit and |
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governmental entities. The executive commissioner shall develop |
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criteria for the evaluation of those applications or proposals and |
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the selection of grant recipients. The selection criteria must: |
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(1) evaluate and score: |
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(A) fiscal controls for the project; |
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(B) project effectiveness; |
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(C) project cost; and |
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(D) an applicant's previous experience with |
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grants and contracts; |
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(2) address the possibility of and method for making |
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multiple awards; and |
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(3) include other factors that the executive |
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commissioner considers relevant. |
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(h) The commission shall notify the local mental health |
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authority that encompasses a community mental health program of the |
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proposed mental health services that will be funded by the grant |
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before awarding a grant to a recipient to serve the community mental |
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health program. The local mental health authority may submit |
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written input to the commission regarding whether the authority |
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believes the proposed mental health services are necessary, whether |
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the proposed services undermine or strengthen mental health |
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services available in the community, and whether the proposed |
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services are likely to be effective at improving local mental |
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health. The commission and the administrator shall consider the |
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authority's written input before awarding a grant under this |
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section, and may take any recommendations made by the authority. |
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(i) The commission shall condition each grant awarded to a |
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recipient under the program on the administrator ensuring that the |
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recipient has obtained or secured matching funds from non-state |
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sources in amounts of money or other consideration as required by |
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Subsection (j). |
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(j) A community that receives a grant under this section is |
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required to leverage funds in an amount: |
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(1) equal to 100 percent of the grant amount if the |
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community mental health program is located in a county with a |
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population of less than 125,000; |
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(2) equal to 115 percent of the grant amount if the |
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community mental health program is located in a county with a |
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population of at least 125,000 and not greater than 250,000; |
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(3) equal to 125 percent of the grant amount if the |
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community mental health program is located in a county with a |
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population of at least 250,000 and not greater than 500,000; |
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(4) equal to 150 percent of the grant amount if the |
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community mental health program is located in a county with a |
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population of at least 500,000 and not greater than one million; and |
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(5) equal to 167 percent of the grant amount if the |
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community mental health program is located in a county with a |
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population greater than one million. |
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(k) From money appropriated to the commission to implement |
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this section, the commission shall reserve: |
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(1) 25 percent of that total to be awarded only as |
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grants to a community mental health program located in a county with |
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a population not greater than 250,000; and |
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(2) five percent of that total to be awarded only as |
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grants to a community mental health program located in a county with |
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a population not greater than 125,000. |
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(l) Not later than December 1 of each calendar year, the |
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executive commissioner shall submit to the governor, the lieutenant |
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governor, and each member of the legislature a report evaluating |
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the success of the matching grant program created by this section. |
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(m) The executive commissioner shall adopt any rules |
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necessary to implement the matching grant program under this |
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section. |
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SECTION 2. 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, 2017. |