89R4048 MPF-F     By: Menéndez S.B. No. 188       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the provision of behavioral health crisis services,   including the operation of crisis centers and mobile crisis   outreach teams; authorizing a fee.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Chapter 547, Government Code, as effective April   1, 2025, is amended by adding Subchapter K to read as follows:   SUBCHAPTER K. BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CRISIS SERVICES          Sec. 547.0501.  DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:                (1)  "Crisis center" means a 988 Suicide & Crisis   Lifeline center participating in the National Suicide Prevention   Lifeline network to respond to statewide or regional   communications.                (2)  "Mobile crisis outreach team" means a team of   qualified mental health professionals who provide crisis services,   including:                      (A)  facilitating emergency care services;                      (B)  providing urgent care services; and                      (C)  providing crisis follow-up and relapse   prevention services.                (3)  "Youth crisis outreach team" means a mobile crisis   outreach team designed primarily to serve children or adolescents.          Sec. 547.0502.  CRISIS CENTER STANDARDS. (a)  A crisis   center operating in this state shall:                (1)  contract with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline;                (2)  satisfy the requirements of and best practices   identified by the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline;                 (3)  provide and report any applicable data;                (4)  be equipped to deploy a mobile crisis outreach   team or youth crisis outreach team;                (5)  satisfy the requirements for serving at-risk and   specialized populations as identified by the Substance Abuse and   Mental Health Services Administration;                (6)  provide linguistically and culturally competent   care, including by requiring training and providing policies for   transferring a crisis center caller to an appropriate mental health   care provider; and                (7)  provide follow-up services to individuals who call   the crisis center, as appropriate.          (b)  The executive commissioner shall adopt rules to allow   appropriate information sharing and communication across crisis   response systems and emergency response systems to provide   real-time crisis care coordination.          Sec. 547.0503.  CRISIS CARE COORDINATION. (a) The   commission shall ensure that an individual who contacts a crisis   center is provided ongoing care through active collaboration and   coordination of services among crisis centers and mental health and   substance use disorder treatment providers, community mental   health centers, certified community behavioral health clinics,   community behavioral health centers, mobile crisis outreach teams,   youth crisis outreach teams, hospital emergency departments, and   inpatient psychiatric settings.          (b)  The commission may contract with the entities listed   under Subsection (a) to ensure the coordination of services.          Sec. 547.0504.  988 SUICIDE AND CRISIS LIFELINE TRUST FUND.   (a)  The 988 suicide and crisis lifeline trust fund is established   as a trust fund to be held by the comptroller outside the state   treasury and administered by the commission.          (b)  The trust fund consists of:                (1)  revenue derived from the fee described by Section   547.0505;                (2)  legislative appropriations of money for the   purposes of this subchapter;                (3)  available federal funding this state allocates for   the purposes of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline;                (4)  gifts, grants, and donations received by this   state for the purposes of the trust fund;                (5)  interest, dividends, and other income of the trust   fund; and                (6)  money from any other source that is deposited in or   transferred to the trust fund.          (c)  Money deposited in the trust fund may only be used to:                (1)  implement, maintain, or improve the 988 Suicide &   Crisis Lifeline, including personnel and technological   infrastructure improvements necessary to achieve operational and   clinical standards and best practices as provided by the National   Suicide Prevention Lifeline;                (2)  provide funding for crisis outreach and other   services a community mental health center provides in response to   the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline;                (3)  provide funding for uninsured individuals   receiving crisis and stabilization services;                (4)  provide personnel for crisis centers, mobile   crisis outreach teams, and youth crisis outreach teams;                 (5)  fund data provision, reporting, participation in   evaluations, and other related quality improvement activities; and                (6)  administer, oversee, and evaluate the trust fund.          (d)  The state may not transfer or use trust fund assets for   any purpose other than the uses provided in this section.          (e)  The executive commissioner shall submit an annual   report to the legislature and the Federal Communications Commission   detailing the trust fund deposits and expenditures in the preceding   year.          Sec. 547.0505.  988 SUICIDE AND CRISIS LIFELINE FEE. (a)     The commission, in collaboration with the Commission on State   Emergency Communications, may impose a 988 suicide and crisis   lifeline service fee to supplement any federal, state, or local   funding for suicide prevention or behavioral health crisis services   on each:                (1)  local exchange access line or equivalent local   exchange access line, not including public telephone equipment   operated by coin or by card reader;                (2)  wireless telecommunications connection;                (3)  Voice over Internet Protocol service connection;   and                (4)  purchase of a prepaid wireless telecommunications   service by any method.          (b)  The executive commissioner by rule shall set the fee in   an amount sufficient to cover the costs of creating, operating, and   maintaining the suicide prevention services provided under this   subchapter, according to the national guidelines for crisis   services.  The commission shall periodically adjust the fee amount   as necessary to provide for continuous operation, volume increases,   and maintenance.          (c)  Revenue from the fee shall be deposited in the 988   suicide and crisis lifeline trust fund established under Section   547.0504.          (d)  A fee collected under this section may only be used to   offset costs as provided by 47 U.S.C. Section 251a.          (e)  Revenue from the fee may not be used for expenses that   are:                 (1)  reimbursable through Medicaid, Medicare, or   another insurer or governmental program; or                (2)  covered because the service recipient's name and   health coverage information cannot be obtained or billed.          (f)  The executive commissioner shall submit an annual   report to the legislature and the Federal Communications Commission   detailing the revenue generated by the fee in the preceding year.          Sec. 547.0506.  ANNUAL REPORT. (a)  The commission shall   prepare an annual report of the usage of crisis centers and the   services provided by the centers.          (b)  The commission shall present the annual report to the   legislature and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services   Administration.          SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.