Text of TX HB 1898 (2023)

88R6362 BDP-D By: Jetton H.B. No. 1898 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to a grant program to fund the provision by children's hospitals of mental and behavioral health services to children in this state. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is amended by adding Section 531.09936 to read as follows: Sec. 531.09936. GRANT PROGRAM TO FUND MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES BY CERTAIN CHILDREN'S HOSPITALS. (a) In this section: (1) "Children's hospital" means a hospital designated by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services as a children's hospital that is exempted by that federal agency from payment under the inpatient prospective payment system under Medicare. (2) "Grant program" means the grant program established under Subsection (b). (b) To the extent funds are appropriated to the commission for that purpose, the commission shall establish a grant program under which the commission provides grants to children's hospitals for the purpose of supporting and expanding the provision of mental and behavioral health services to children in this state. A grant awarded under the grant program may be a: (1) planning grant; (2) development grant; (3) capital improvement grant; or (4) grant for transitional operating support. (c) A children's hospital may apply for a grant under the grant program in the form and manner prescribed by the commission. (d) A grant recipient may use a grant awarded under the grant program only to increase the recipient's capacity to provide mental and behavioral health care services to children in this state. The commission shall monitor and evaluate the use of money awarded under the grant program to ensure compliance with this subsection. (e) Not later than December 1 of each even-numbered year, the commission shall submit a biennial report to the legislature on the performance of the grant program during the preceding two state fiscal years. The report must include the name of each grant recipient awarded a grant under the program and the amount of the recipient's award during the fiscal years covered by the report. SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.