Sec. 533.0357. BEST PRACTICES CLEARINGHOUSE FOR LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH AUTHORITIES

(a) In coordination with local mental health authorities, the department shall establish an online clearinghouse of information relating to best practices of local mental health authorities regarding the provision of mental health services, development of a local provider network, and achievement of the best return on public investment in mental health services.

(b) The department shall solicit and collect from local mental health authorities that meet established outcome and performance measures, community centers, consumers and advocates with expertise in mental health or in the provision of mental health services, and other local entities concerned with mental health issues examples of best practices related to:

(1) developing and implementing a local network development plan;

(2) assembling and expanding a local provider network to increase consumer choice;

(3) creating and enforcing performance standards for providers;

(4) managing limited resources;

(5) maximizing available funding;

(6) producing the best client outcomes;

(7) ensuring consumers of mental health services have control over decisions regarding their health;

(8) developing procurement processes to protect public funds;

(9) achieving the best mental health consumer outcomes possible; and

(10) implementing strategies that effectively incorporate consumer and family involvement to develop and evaluate the provider network.

(c) The department may contract for the services of one or more contractors to develop, implement, and maintain a system of collecting and evaluating the best practices of local mental health authorities as provided by this section.

(d) The department shall encourage local mental health authorities that successfully implement best practices in accordance with this section to mentor local mental health authorities that have service deficiencies.

(e) Before the executive commissioner may remove a local mental health authority's designation under Section 533.035(a) as a local mental health authority, the executive commissioner shall:

(1) assist the local mental health authority in attaining training and mentorship in using the best practices established in accordance with this section; and

(2) track and document the local mental health authority's improvements in the provision of service or continued service deficiencies.

(f) Subsection (e) does not apply to the removal of a local mental health authority's designation initiated at the request of a local government official who has responsibility for the provision of mental health services.

(g) The department shall implement this section using only existing resources.

(h) The Department of State Health Services shall ensure that a local mental health authority providing best practices information to the department or mentoring another local mental health authority complies with Section 533.03521(f).

Added by Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 478 , Sec. 6, eff. June 16, 2007.