TITLE: Relating to making available through the Internet certain information about housing and treatment options in each county for persons with mental illness.

SUMMARY: Relating to making available through the Internet certain information about housing and treatment options in each county for persons with mental illness.

FULL TEXT:
AN ACT relating to making available through the Internet certain information about housing and treatment options in each county for persons with mental illness. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is amended by adding Section 531.03132 to read as follows: Sec. 531.03132. INTERNET ACCESS TO INFORMATION ON HOUSING AND TREATMENT OPTIONS FOR PERSONS WITH MENTAL ILLNESS. (a) The commission shall make available through the Texas Information and Referral Network Internet website established under Section 531.0313 information regarding housing and treatment options for persons with mental illness provided by public or private entities throughout the state. (b) To the extent resources are available, the website must be: (1) indexed by county; and (2) designed to inform a person about the housing and treatment options for persons with mental illness provided in the area where the person lives, together with directions on how or where to apply for housing and treatment. (c) The website must contain a searchable listing of available housing and treatment options, by type, for persons with mental illness and an explanation of the populations of persons with mental illness generally served by that option. (d) The commissioners court of each county may provide for a link to the website described by Subsection (a) on the county's Internet website. (e) Each entity providing housing or treatment specifically for persons with mental illness in this state, including the Department of State Health Services, municipalities, counties, other political subdivisions of this state, and private entities, shall cooperate with the Texas Information and Referral Network as necessary in the administration of this section. 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.