mental health home visits for young kids, funded by gifts

The text as introduced · 476 words

89R5724 RAL-D

By: Thompson
H.B. No. 1955

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the establishment of an early childhood mental health

home visiting grant program.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Chapter 137, Human Resources Code, is amended by

adding Subchapter G to read as follows:

SUBCHAPTER G. EARLY CHILDHOOD MENTAL HEALTH HOME VISITING GRANT

PROGRAM

Sec. 137.301. ESTABLISHMENT AND OPERATION OF EARLY

CHILDHOOD MENTAL HEALTH HOME VISITING GRANT PROGRAM. (a) The

commission shall establish and operate an early childhood mental

health home visiting grant program through which the commission

will award grants to implement, expand, and maintain early

childhood mental health home visiting services in this state to

support families with a high level of need, including a history of

trauma.

(b) To be eligible for a grant under this subchapter, an

applicant must:

(1) demonstrate a commitment to a family-centered,

system of care approach to providing comprehensive, coordinated

services to children and families; and

(2) have experience providing successful early

childhood mental health or prevention services for low-income,

high-risk families, as the executive commissioner determines by

rule.

(c) In awarding a grant under this subchapter, the

commission shall give preference to applicants with experience in

providing home-based services to children and families.

(d) The commission may award a grant under this subchapter

only in accordance with a contract between the commission and grant

recipient. The contract must include provisions under which the

commission is granted sufficient control to ensure the public

purpose of providing early childhood mental health home visiting

services is accomplished and this state receives the return

benefit.

Sec. 137.302. STANDARDS AND REQUIREMENTS. (a) The

executive commissioner by rule shall adopt standards for grant

recipients under this subchapter. In adopting the standards, the

executive commissioner shall take into consideration applicable

evidence-based early childhood home visiting service delivery

models.

(b) In addition to meeting the standards the executive

commissioner adopts under Subsection (a), a grant recipient under

this subchapter must:

(1) strictly adhere to an evidence-based early

childhood service delivery model the commission selects in

accordance with criteria set by the United States Department of

Health and Human Services for an early childhood home visiting

service delivery model; and

(2) require that a team consisting of a licensed

mental health professional and a care coordinator support families

through home-based services to:

(A) improve child and parent mental health;

(B) promote school readiness;

(C) decrease child abuse and neglect; and

(D) improve the immediate and long-term health

and well-being of families.

Sec. 137.303. FUNDING. The commission may solicit,

contract for, receive, accept, or administer gifts, grants, and

donations of money or property from any source to carry out this

subchapter.

Sec. 137.304. RULES. The executive commissioner may adopt

rules as necessary to implement this subchapter.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.