By: Lucio, Hall  S.B. No. 578
         (In the Senate - Filed January 23, 2017; February 8, 2017,
  read first time and referred to Committee on Veteran Affairs &
  Border Security; March 22, 2017, reported adversely, with
  favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 6,
  Nays 0; March 22, 2017, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
  COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 578 By:  Lucio
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the creation by the Health and Human Services
  Commission of a veteran suicide prevention action plan.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 531.0999 to read as follows:
         Sec. 531.0999.  VETERAN SUICIDE PREVENTION ACTION PLAN.
  (a)  The commission, in collaboration with the Texas Coordinating
  Council for Veterans Services, the United States Department of
  Veterans Affairs, the Service Members, Veterans, and Their Families
  Technical Assistance Center Implementation Academy of the
  Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration of the
  United States Department of Health and Human Services, veteran
  advocacy groups, medical providers, and any other organization or
  interested party the commission considers appropriate, shall
  develop a comprehensive action plan to increase access to and
  availability of professional veteran health services to prevent
  veteran suicides.
         (b)  The action plan must:
               (1)  identify opportunities for raising awareness of
  and providing resources for veteran suicide prevention;
               (2)  identify opportunities to increase access to
  veteran mental health services;
               (3)  identify funding resources to provide accessible,
  affordable veteran mental health services;
               (4)  provide measures to expand public-private
  partnerships to ensure access to quality, timely mental health
  services;
               (5)  provide for proactive outreach measures to reach
  veterans needing care;
               (6)  provide for peer-to-peer service coordination,
  including training, certification, recertification, and continuing
  education for peer coordinators; and
               (7)  address suicide prevention awareness, measures,
  and training regarding veterans involved in the justice system.
         (c)  The commission shall make specific short-term and
  long-term statutory, administrative, and budget-related
  recommendations to the legislature and the governor regarding the
  policy initiatives and reforms necessary to implement the action
  plan developed under this section.  The short-term recommendations
  must include a plan for state implementation beginning not later
  than September 1, 2019. The initiatives and reforms in the
  short-term plan must be fully implemented by September 1, 2021. The
  long-term recommendations must include a plan for state
  implementation beginning not later than September 1, 2021. The
  initiatives and reforms in the long-term plan must be fully
  implemented by September 1, 2027.
         (d)  The commission shall include in its strategic plan under
  Chapter 2056 the plans for implementation of the short-term and
  long-term recommendations under Subsection (c).
         (e)  This section expires September 1, 2027.
         SECTION 2.  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, 2017.
 
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