TITLE: Relating to a biennial state report on suicide rates, establishing the Texas Violent Death Reporting System, and the sharing of certain information under a memorandum of understanding on suicide data.

SUMMARY: Relating to a biennial state report on suicide rates, establishing the Texas Violent Death Reporting System, and the sharing of certain information under a memorandum of understanding on suicide data.

FULL TEXT:
AN ACT relating to a biennial state report on suicide rates, establishing the Texas Violent Death Reporting System, and the sharing of certain information under a memorandum of understanding on suicide data. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is amended by adding Section 531.02112 to read as follows: Sec. 531.02112. BIENNIAL STATE REPORT ON SUICIDE. (a) In this section: (1) "Council" means the Statewide Behavioral Health Coordinating Council. (2) "Postvention" includes activities that promote healing necessary to reduce the risk of suicide by a person affected by the suicide of another. (b) The commission, in conjunction with the Department of State Health Services, shall prepare a biennial report on the prevalence of suicide in this state and state policies and programs adopted across state systems and agencies to prevent suicides. The report must: (1) include available statewide and regional data on the prevalence rates of suicide-related events, including suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts, and deaths caused by suicide, that to the extent practicable, is presented in a form that: (A) is disaggregated by county and recognized categories of risk; and (B) is longitudinal to identify changes in suicide prevalence rates since 2000; (2) identify the highest categories of risk with correlational data; (3) list state statutes, agency rules, and policies related to suicide and suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention; and (4) describe state agency initiatives since 2000 to address suicide and include the following information relating to each initiative: (A) the administering state agency; (B) the funding sources, including whether the funding was provided by: (i) a federal block grant; (ii) a federal discretionary grant; or (iii) state appropriations; (C) the years of operation; and (D) whether the initiative is an example of a community-based effort to address suicide. (c) Each state agency or institution of higher education that is a member of the council shall provide to the commission the information described by Subsection (b) of this section, to the extent that information pertains to the respective work of each agency or institution. (d) Not later than November 1 of each even-numbered year, the council shall submit a copy of the report to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and each standing legislative committee with primary jurisdiction over health and mental health. SECTION 2. Section 193.011, Health and Safety Code, is amended by amending Subsections (a) and (c) and adding Subsection (b-1) to read as follows: (a) In this section, "authorized entity" means a medical examiner, a local registrar, a local health authority, a local mental health authority, a community mental health center, a mental health center that acts as a collection agent for the suicide data reported by community mental health centers, the department, the Health and Human Services Commission, the Statewide Behavioral Health Coordinating Council, or any other political subdivision of this state. (b-1) The department and the Health and Human Services Commission shall enter into a memorandum of understanding to share, as soon as practicable, suicide data collected by the vital statistics unit to conduct timely fatality reviews and surveillance for the purpose of preventing additional deaths. (c) The suicide data an authorized entity receives or provides under Subsection (b) or (b-1) is not confidential. SECTION 3. Subchapter D, Chapter 1001, Health and Safety Code, is amended by adding Section 1001.090 to read as follows: Sec. 1001.090. TEXAS VIOLENT DEATH REPORTING SYSTEM. (a) The department shall establish and operate the Texas Violent Death Reporting System for the purpose of participating in the National Violent Death Reporting System operated by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (b) The department shall provide suicide data obtained or maintained through the Texas Violent Death Reporting System: (1) in accordance with any memorandum of understanding entered into by the department under Section 193.011; and (2) to the commission, for the purpose of the biennial state report on suicide required under Section 531.02112, Government Code. (c) The executive commissioner may adopt rules necessary to implement this section. SECTION 4. 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.