ALLOCATION OF OUTPATIENT MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AND BEDS IN STATE HOSPITALS.

(a) To ensure the appropriate and timely provision of mental health services to patients who voluntarily receive those services or who are ordered by a court to receive those services in civil or criminal proceedings, the department, in conjunction with the commission, shall plan for the proper and separate allocation of outpatient or community-based mental health services provided by secure and nonsecure outpatient facilities that provide residential care alternatives and mental health services and for the proper and separate allocation of beds in the state hospitals for the following two groups of patients:

(1) patients who are voluntarily receiving outpatient or community-based mental health services, voluntarily admitted to a state hospital under Chapter 572, admitted to a state hospital for emergency detention under Chapter 573, or ordered by a court under Chapter 574 to receive inpatient mental health services at a state hospital or outpatient mental health services from an outpatient facility that provides residential care alternatives and mental health services; and

(2) patients who are ordered to participate in an outpatient treatment program to attain competency to stand trial under Chapter 46B, Code of Criminal Procedure, or committed to a state hospital or other facility to attain competency to stand trial under Chapter 46B, Code of Criminal Procedure, or to receive inpatient mental health services following an acquittal by reason of insanity under Chapter 46C, Code of Criminal Procedure.

(b) The plan developed by the department under Subsection (a) must include:

(1) a determination of the needs for outpatient mental health services of the two groups of patients described by Subsection (a);

(2) a determination of the minimum number of beds that the state hospital system must maintain to adequately serve the two groups of patients;

(3) a statewide plan for and the allocation of sufficient funds for meeting the outpatient mental health service needs of and for the maintenance of beds by the state hospitals for the two groups of patients; and

(4) a process to address and develop, without adverse impact to local service areas, the accessibility and availability of sufficient outpatient mental health services provided to and beds provided by the state hospitals to the two groups of patients based on the success of contractual outcomes with mental health service providers and facilities under Sections 533.034 and 533.052.

(c) To assist in the development of the plan under Subsection (a), the department shall establish and meet at least monthly with an advisory panel composed of the following persons:

(1) one representative designated by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice;

(2) one representative designated by the Texas Association of Counties;

(3) two representatives designated by the Texas Council of Community Centers, including one representative of an urban local service area and one representative of a rural local service area;

(4) two representatives designated by the County Judges and Commissioners Association of Texas, including one representative who is the presiding judge of a court with jurisdiction over mental health matters;

(5) one representative designated by the Sheriffs' Association of Texas;

(6) two representatives designated by the Texas Municipal League, including one representative who is a municipal law enforcement official;

(7) one representative designated by the Texas Conference of Urban Counties;

(8) two representatives designated by the Texas Hospital Association, including one representative who is a physician;

(9) one representative designated by the Texas Catalyst for Empowerment; and

(10) four representatives designated by the department's Council for Advising and Planning for the Prevention and Treatment of Mental and Substance Use Disorders, including:

(A) the chair of the council;

(B) one representative of the council's members who is a consumer of or advocate for mental health services;

(C) one representative of the council's members who is a consumer of or advocate for substance abuse treatment; and

(D) one representative of the council's members who is a family member of or advocate for persons with mental health and substance abuse disorders.

(d) In developing the plan under Subsection (a), the department and advisory panel shall consider:

(1) needs for outpatient mental health services of the two groups of patients described by Subsection (a);

(2) the frequency of use of beds and the historical patterns of use of beds in the state hospitals and other facilities by the two groups of patients;

(3) local needs and demands for outpatient mental health services by the two groups of patients;

(4) local needs and demands for beds in the state hospitals and other facilities for the two groups of patients;

(5) the availability of outpatient mental health service providers and inpatient mental health facilities that may be contracted with to provide outpatient mental health services and beds for the two groups of patients;

(6) the differences between the two groups of patients with regard to:

(A) admission to and discharge from a state hospital or outpatient facility;

(B) rapid stabilization and discharge to the community;

(C) length of stay in a state hospital or outpatient facility;

(D) disputes arising from the determination of a patient's length of stay in a state hospital by a health maintenance organization or a managed care organization;

(E) third-party billing; and

(F) legal challenges or requirements related to the examination and treatment of the patients; and

(7) public input provided to the department or advisory panel in a form and at a time and place that is effective and appropriate and in a manner that complies with any applicable laws, including administrative rules.

(e) The department shall update the plan biennially.

(i) While the plan required by Subsection (a) is being developed and implemented, the department may not, pursuant to any rule, contract, or directive, impose a sanction, penalty, or fine on a local mental health authority for the authority's noncompliance with any methodology or standard adopted or applied by the department relating to the allocation of beds by authorities for the two groups of patients described by Subsection (a).