Bill > HB2819

This bill establishes a comprehensive licensing and regulatory framework for outpatient behavioral health centers in Texas, creating a new Chapter 577B in the Health and Safety Code. The bill defines an outpatient behavioral health center as a private facility providing partial hospitalization or intensive outpatient mental health services for individuals with substance use disorders or mental illness. It requires these centers to obtain a license from the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), with a detailed application process that includes submitting information about the facility's location, medical leadership, ownership, staff qualifications, equipment, and facilities. The bill mandates that the HHSC executive commissioner develop minimum standards for patient care and adopt rules for licensing, including establishing application and renewal fees. Licenses will be valid for two years, non-transferable, and subject to renewal upon meeting specific requirements. The bill exempts certain mental health facilities from these regulations, such as mental hospitals and psychiatric residential youth treatment facilities. Additionally, the bill provides for civil and administrative penalties for violations of the chapter's provisions, with implementation beginning September 1, 2025, and a grace period for existing centers to become licensed by September 1, 2026. The ultimate goal is to ensure proper oversight and quality of care in outpatient behavioral health centers across Texas.