Sec. 539.002. GRANTS FOR ESTABLISHMENT AND EXPANSION OF COMMUNITY COLLABORATIVES. (a) To the extent funds are appropriated to the department for that purpose, the department shall make grants to entities, including local governmental entities, nonprofit community organizations, and faith-based community organizations, to establish or expand community collaboratives that bring the public and private sectors together to provide services to persons experiencing homelessness, substance abuse issues, or mental illness. In awarding grants, the department shall give special consideration to entities:

(1) establishing new collaboratives; or

(2) establishing or expanding collaboratives that serve two or more counties, each with a population of less than 100,000.

(b) Except as provided by Subsection (c), the department shall require each entity awarded a grant under this section to:

(1) leverage additional funding or in-kind contributions from private sources in an amount that is at least equal to the amount of the grant awarded under this section;

(2) provide evidence of significant coordination and collaboration between the entity, local mental health authorities, municipalities, local law enforcement agencies, and other community stakeholders in establishing or expanding a community collaborative funded by a grant awarded under this section; and

(3) provide evidence of a local law enforcement policy to divert appropriate persons from jails or other detention facilities to an entity affiliated with a community collaborative for the purpose of providing services to those persons.

(c) The department may award a grant under this chapter to an entity for the purpose of establishing a community mental health program in a county with a population of less than 250,000, if the entity leverages additional funding from private sources in an amount equal to one-quarter of the amount of the grant to be awarded under this section, and the entity otherwise meets the requirements of Subsections (b)(2) and (3).

Added by Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1143 (S.B. 58), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2013.

Amended by:

Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 950 (S.B. 1849), Sec. 2.03, eff. September 1, 2017.

Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1252 (H.B. 4468), Sec. 4, eff. September 1, 2019.