Hogg Foundation Response to Legislative Interim Charges

The time period between Texas legislative sessions is referred to as “the interim.” During this period, senate and house committees are assigned certain topics to study, referred to as interim charges. The committees develop comprehensive reports with recommendations to be considered during the following legislative session.

Interim charges are an opportunity for advocates and other stakeholders to influence the policy agenda. Of the hundreds of ideas submitted to legislators for consideration, only a select few are forwarded to the lieutenant governor and speaker. Issues addressed during the interim gain increased visibility and are more likely to be on the policy agenda for the next session.

The Hogg Foundation Policy unit recently responded to several Requests for Information related to the interim charges. Click on the boxes below for more information.

Health Care Access and Medicaid
These comments are addressed to the House Human Services Committee, and focus on the desirability of Medicaid expansion.

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Impact of State and Federal Budgetary Changes on State Health Programs
These comments are addressed to the House Human Services Committee, on how state and federal budgetary changes impact the state’s health programs, including the Texas Targeted Opioid Response Grant.

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Mass Violence Prevention
These comments are addressed to the House Select Committee on Mass Violence Prevention and Community Safety, on the issue of the intersection between mass violence and mental health.

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Meeting the Mental Health Needs of Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities
These comments are addressed to the House Public Health Committee, about meeting the mental health needs of individuals with intellectual disabilities.

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Mental Health in Schools: House Public Education Committee
These comments are addressed to the House Public Education Committee, and focus on Senate Bill 11, which contained measures to promote school safety and support mental health in schools.

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Mental Health in Schools: House Public Health Committee
These comments are addressed to the House Public Health Committee, and focus on how the state can continue to support behavioral health in schools.

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Rural Mental Health
These comments are addressed to the House Public Health Committee, on the issue of the All Texas Access project from Senate Bill 633, which authorized the state to assemble local mental health authorities (LMHA) in rural areas into groups in order to ensure access to mental health services in those areas.

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State Hospitals
These charges are addressed to the House Appropriations Committee, Select Committee on Article 11, on the construction of state hospitals and the capacity of the state hospital system to provide mental health support in all regions across Texas.

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Substance Use
These comments are addressed to the House Public Health Committee, and focus on how Texas can best prepare to utilize state and federal investments in supporting individuals living with substance use conditions.

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Arrests and Incarcerations
The Hogg Foundation for Mental Health applauds the Committee on County Affairs for focusing on justice-involved individuals with mental health or substance use conditions. In addition to reducing exclusionary discipline practices on youth in Texas schools, we encourage the committee to utilize the Sequential Intercept Model (SIM) to divert people with mental health conditions away from county jails.

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Inequities in Mental Healthcare Outcomes and Insurance Coverage
The Hogg Foundation for Mental Health applauds the House Committee on County Affairs for addressing the existing inequities in mental healthcare outcomes and insurance coverage in Texas.

Institutional racism, disparities, and inequities cause/exacerbate already existing trauma, anxiety, depression, PTSD, substance use, and other mental health conditions. Communities of color face discrimination that prevent them from accessing mental health and substance use treatments, services, and supports.

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Federal Changes that Impact Health
The Hogg Foundation for Mental Health applauds the House County Affairs Committee for addressing how best to prepare for federal changes that impact health, namely federal grants for Texas’ opioid response. These comments will focus on how Texas can best prepare to utilize federal investments in supporting individuals living with substance use conditions.

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Mental Health Support Needs of Individuals with Criminal Justice Involvement

 In order to better utilize existing resources, direct HHSC to create an Office of Forensic Services to coordinate cross-agency efforts to more efficiently meet the treatment and support needs of individuals with criminal justice involvement who are living with mental health and/or substance use conditions. 

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Fostering Innovative Research to Improve Mental Health Outcomes Among Minority and Health Disparities Populations

 The Hogg Foundation for Mental Health applauds the National Institute for Mental Health for addressing the need to improve mental health outcomes for communities of color. Institutional racism, disparities, and inequities exacerbate already existing trauma, anxiety, depression, PTSD, substance use, and other mental health conditions. 

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Black Youth Suicide

The Hogg Foundation for Mental Health thanks the National Institute for Mental Health for addressing Black youth suicide rates. Institutional racism and disparities exacerbate already existing trauma, anxiety, depression, PTSD, substance use, and other mental health conditions for youth of color.

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2021 State of Texas Low Income Housing Plan and Annual Report

The Hogg Foundation for Mental Health appreciates the opportunity to provide written testimony on the Draft 2021 State of Texas Low Income Housing Plan (SLIHP) and Annual Report submitted by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. Given the impact of COVID-19, we would like to emphasize the state’s need to properly fund housing supports and services for individuals with mental health/substance use conditions during and after the pandemic.

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