H.B. No. 281 aims to enhance disaster behavioral health coordination and response in Texas by adding a new Subchapter Z to Chapter 531 of the Government Code. The bill mandates the Health and Human Services Commission to designate staff responsible for coordinating statewide disaster behavioral health preparedness, response, and recovery efforts. This includes managing federal crisis counseling assistance programs, maintaining a registry of qualified behavioral health personnel, and providing technical assistance to local mental health authorities. The bill also outlines the deployment of behavioral health services to disaster-affected areas, which must be activated within 72 hours of a disaster declaration and include services such as crisis counseling and support for vulnerable populations.

Additionally, the bill requires local mental health authorities to incorporate disaster behavioral health components into their emergency plans and maintain contact information for relevant personnel. It establishes the commission as the state administrative agency for federal crisis counseling grants and outlines the necessary actions following a federal disaster declaration. The Texas Division of Emergency Management and the Health and Human Services Commission are tasked with developing integrated disaster response protocols that include behavioral health components. The bill mandates that the commission complete specific actions by March 1, 2026, including the establishment of a disaster behavioral health personnel registry and the adoption of initial implementation rules.

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