Four Price Four

of services. This newsletter is available in alternate formats upon request. Please call 1-800-241-1163. call Please request. upon formats alternate in available is newsletter This services. of

the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age or disability in employment or the provision provision the or employment in disability or age religion, sex, origin, national color, race, of basis the

to several state, county and private mental health health mental private and county state, several to The Texas House of Representatives is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on on discriminate not does and Employer Opportunity Equal an is Representatives of House Texas The

Additionally, my staff and I have made onsite visits visits onsite made have I and staff my Additionally,

wish you safe travels to Austin. to travels safe you wish

House Community College Caucus • House Rural Caucus • House Tourism Caucus • House Veterans Caucus Veterans House • Caucus Tourism House • Caucus Rural House • Caucus College Community House

or confined to state mental facilities were also studied. studied. also were facilities mental state to confined or

via email: [email protected]. In the meantime, we we meantime, the In [email protected]. email: via

Committee Services Human • Co-Chair – Committee Oversight Legislative Transition HHS

Chair – Committee Health Mental • Committee Calendars • Chair – Subcommittee II Article Committee, Appropriations

and persons incarcerated in the criminal justice system system justice criminal the in incarcerated persons and tours or with another constituent matter, please contact me me contact please matter, constituent another with or tours

populations such as children, veterans, the homeless homeless the veterans, children, as such populations

Capitol Office and say hello. If we can assist with Capitol Capitol with assist can we If hello. say and Office Capitol

access; insurance; and treatment and services. Specific Specific services. and treatment and insurance; access; State Representative State

monuments. In either case, we invite you to stop by your your by stop to you invite we case, either In monuments.

and higher education settings; capacity; workforce; workforce; capacity; settings; education higher and Price Four

and some to sight-see the Capitol, its grounds and its historic historic its and grounds its Capitol, the sight-see to some and

mental illness, including within the public school school public the within including illness, mental

certain public policy issues while the legislature is in session session in is legislature the while issues policy public certain Issues examined included: early identification of of identification early included: examined Issues

Capitol for a number of reasons – some to advocate for for advocate to some – reasons of number a for Capitol heard from all areas – urban, suburban and rural. rural. and suburban urban, – areas all from heard

God Bless Texas! Bless God

also placed emphasis in ensuring that testimony was was testimony that ensuring in emphasis placed also In the new year many constituents will travel to the Texas Texas the to travel will constituents many year new the In

judges and mental health professionals. The committee committee The professionals. health mental and judges

Texas House of Representatives. of House Texas

diverse fields, including law enforcement officers, officers, enforcement law including fields, diverse

c P o S P

work with you as we, together, improve the future of our great state. It is a privilege to serve you in the the in you serve to privilege a is It state. great our of future the improve together, we, as you with work S tituent S on le D an H an ur erving ly D rou

expert witnesses. These experts are from numerous numerous from are experts These witnesses. expert

We remain encouraged by all of these terrific interactions. We look forward to continuing our service and and service our continuing to forward look We interactions. terrific these of all by encouraged remain We

days which included testimony from over 100 invited invited 100 over from testimony included which days

be accomplished. be Committee has held eight robust hearings on separate separate on hearings robust eight held has Committee

he beamed with pride, we were also very proud of him. of proud very also were we pride, with beamed he

work together, further progress on mental health can can health mental on progress further together, work During the past ten months, the Mental Health Health Mental the months, ten past the During Amarillo area fifth grader who was participating in a youth civic education program at the Capitol. While While Capitol. the at program education civic youth a in participating was who grader fifth area Amarillo

institutions. I am optimistic, that by continuing to to continuing by that optimistic, am I institutions. opportunity I had, while chairing a committee hearing, to give a personal ‘shout-out’ recognition to an an to recognition ‘shout-out’ personal a give to hearing, committee a chairing while had, I opportunity

of the committee. committee. the of

attend our Mental Health Committee’s ‘Children’s Day’ hearing. Another fun student interaction was the the was interaction student fun Another hearing. Day’ ‘Children’s Committee’s Health Mental our attend us to their mental health facilities and educational educational and facilities health mental their to us

Mental Health. I was honored to be named Chairman Chairman named be to honored was I Health. Mental

including a large number of West Texas A&M social work students, who also had the opportunity to to opportunity the had also who students, work social A&M Texas West of number large a including Committee. We also thank those who welcomed welcomed who those thank also We Committee.

Joe Straus formed the House Select Committee on on Committee Select House the formed Straus Joe

by the Capitol Office. It was exciting to host and interact with many high school and college students, students, college and school high many with interact and host to exciting was It Office. Capitol the by We thank all who testified before the Mental Health Health Mental the before testified who all thank We

Also, during this year, we were thrilled that many of our constituents visited the Texas Capitol and stopped stopped and Capitol Texas the visited constituents our of many that thrilled were we year, this during Also,

PRSRT STD Speaker issue health public vital this of examination

State Representative U.S. Postage

legislative sessions. legislative PAID holistic and thorough a for need the Recognizing

Austin, Texas appreciate all the constituent input received throughout these endeavors. endeavors. these throughout received input constituent the all appreciate

health funding, which has increased over the recent past past recent the over increased has which funding, health

our rice Permit 2803 legislature. state the by examined comprehensively

Our work included preparing for and conducting many thorough and salient committee hearings. We We hearings. committee salient and thorough many conducting and for preparing included work Our F P no cuts be made to the existing mental/behavioral mental/behavioral existing the to made be cuts no access, services and treatment – has never been been never has – treatment and services access,

budget and Co-Chairman of the Health and Human Services Transition Legislative Oversight Committee. Committee. Oversight Legislative Transition Services Human and Health the of Co-Chairman and budget P.O. Box 2910

and the Governor have all indicated a preference that that preference a indicated all have Governor the and the state of mental health in Texas – identification, identification, – Texas in health mental of state the

Committee, Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee addressing the health care portion of the state state the of portion care health the addressing Subcommittee Appropriations the of Chairman Committee, Official Business good news is that the Speaker, the Lieutenant Governor, Governor, Lieutenant the Speaker, the that is news good Austin, Texas 78768-2910 Additionally, agencies. state 18 throughout scattered

at the Texas Capitol on five substantive committees, including Chairman of the House Mental Health Health Mental House the of Chairman including committees, substantive five on Capitol Texas the at STATE of TEXAS

are all aware, funding streams are currently limited. The The limited. currently are streams funding aware, all are

State Penalty are programs these treatment, and identification for

policy matters important to the future of Texas. Specifically, I am privileged to be your leadership voice voice leadership your be to privileged am I Specifically, Texas. of future the to important matters policy For Private Use

the solutions are directly intertwined with funding. As we we As funding. with intertwined directly are solutions the While the state budget includes significant funding funding significant includes budget state the While study of all issues. Thus, during this past year and a half, my staff and I have been closely examining several several examining closely been have I and staff my half, a and year past this during Thus, issues. all of study

solutions. Not surprisingly, many of of many surprisingly, Not solutions. Because a legislative session is a beehive of activity, little time is available throughout it for an in-depth in-depth an for it throughout available is time little activity, of beehive a is session legislative a Because

report which will outline potential potential outline will which report

The House Mental Health Committee held eight days of hearings. of days eight held Committee Health Mental House The

thoughts. Many of the best and most successful bills start as constituent ideas. ideas. constituent as start bills successful most and best the of Many thoughts. process of preparing a committee committee a preparing of process

your ideas via telephone and through various forms of correspondence. Please continue to provide your your provide to continue Please correspondence. of forms various through and telephone via ideas your various services, and are now in the the in now are and services, various

the grocery store, church and our kids’ activities. Additionally, many of you have taken the time to share share to time the taken have you of many Additionally, activities. kids’ our and church store, grocery the

identify the gaps which exist in the the in exist which gaps the identify

and ranch gatherings, plant and business tours, chamber events and at numerous other places, including including places, other numerous at and events chamber tours, business and plant gatherings, ranch and

regional and local level, sought to to sought level, local and regional

great to personally listen to and visit with so many constituents during civic club meetings, town halls, farm farm halls, town meetings, club civic during constituents many so with visit and to listen personally to great

mental health in Texas, on a state, state, a on Texas, in health mental

lie ahead for Texas. Our visits have taken place at home in the Panhandle and at the Capitol. It has been been has It Capitol. the at and Panhandle the in home at place taken have visits Our Texas. for ahead lie

examined the current state of of state current the examined

We have visited with many of you to discuss both the positive results of the 2015 session and what challenges challenges what and session 2015 the of results positive the both discuss to you of many with visited have We

As a result, we have thoroughly thoroughly have we result, a As

highlight some of the work we continue to do on behalf of the High Plains and for Texas. Texas. for and Plains High the of behalf on do to continue we work the of some highlight

many face on a daily basis. basis. daily a on face many

January 10th and continues for 140 consecutive days. In this Capitol Report, we are pleased to share and and share to pleased are we Report, Capitol this In days. consecutive 140 for continues and 10th January

with mental health challenges challenges health mental with

this interim, the time between sessions, in preparation for the upcoming regular session, which begins on on begins which session, regular upcoming the for preparation in sessions, between time the interim, this

de-stigmatized speech associated associated speech de-stigmatized We are quickly approaching another Texas legislative session. My staff and I have been hard at work during during work at hard been have I and staff My session. legislative Texas another approaching quickly are We

mental health awareness and further further and awareness health mental

Initiative. The event helped raise raise helped event The Initiative. Dear Panhandle Neighbors, Neighbors, Panhandle Dear MEMBERS / GOV . AS x TE . SE u HO . WWW

the Panhandle Behavioral Health Health Behavioral Panhandle the

to Say” event hosted in May by by May in hosted event Say” to

attend the Amarillo-area “Okay “Okay Amarillo-area the attend

officials. We were also pleased to pleased also were We officials. Working for Texas for Working

health authority, and law enforcement and county county and enforcement law and authority, health abuse addiction from alcohol or illicit/prescription drugs. drugs. illicit/prescription or alcohol from addiction abuse

professionals, including staff from the local mental mental local the from staff including professionals, has both a mental disorder and a co-occurring substance substance co-occurring a and disorder mental a both has R Repo Capitol t 2016

P F

rice our

with area educators and counselors, mental health health mental counselors, and educators area with termed ‘behavioral health’ issues – meaning when a person person a when meaning – issues health’ ‘behavioral termed

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upcoming session. Locally, my staff and I visited visited I and staff my Locally, session. upcoming illness. Some of these individuals also struggle with what is is what with struggle also individuals these of Some illness.

H H

Such meetings are continuing in preparation for the the for preparation in continuing are meetings Such all of us know of persons who struggle with a mental mental a with struggle who persons of know us of all

r S e v i t a t n e S e r P e e t a t

associations and mental health advocacy organizations. organizations. advocacy health mental and associations family members, friends, neighbors and coworkers, almost almost coworkers, and neighbors friends, members, family

State Representative State stakeholders, including county and law enforcement enforcement law and county including stakeholders, Mental health issues impact virtually every Texan. Through Through Texan. every virtually impact issues health Mental

& S & i l -D i : c H M ervice ication F enti D at ook H t P e n are H ealt ental S leaDerSHiP Work BetWeen SeSSionS 2017 State BuDget outlook & Select key iSSueS DiStrict FocuS – Serving tHe PanHanDle

This interim has been especially busy for my staff and me given that I serve on five substantive legislative committees Budget outlook Our primary objective is serving our constituents of Texas House District 87. One of the highlights in that regard and chair/co-chair three of those committees. Highlighted below are portions of our work on numerous and often The formation of Texas’ state budget is very similar to use of water. My staff and I look forward to the continued is the many positive interactions we have with so many of you in our combined efforts to improve the future of the complex policy matters important to both the Panhandle and to our entire state. how a family or a business prepares its budget - how collaboration with our area groundwater districts and Panhandle and Texas. Here are just a few of examples of our many constituent experiences. much revenue is coming into our family or business, agricultural associations to craft sensible water policies. Our bill required the reorganization of the state’s health what bills do we have to pay, and human services into a more nimble, responsive and what are our priorities and goals, education streamlined delivery structure. One of the significant including present and future, and improvements includes the creation of the Medical what amount should we set aside/ Our office has visited with current and Social Services Division within the Health and save for a rainy day. and retired teachers, school Human Services Commission. This will provide for a administrators, parents and other medically integrated, holistic approach to the delivery The state has limited sources of interested stakeholders regarding of health services thereby connecting medical services, revenue. The primary sources school finance and many other such as behavioral, medical, preventive, disability, and of revenue, collected into the important education issues. I have developmental care, into one delivery system for quality state treasury by the Texas always maintained that we need of life improvement. No services were eliminated as a Comptroller of Public Accounts, to scrap the current school finance result of the reorganization. The committee will continue are taxes on the purchase of system in favor of a fair and simple Dedication ceremony at the Sherman County Courthouse. Chairman Price discussing Mental Health with local professionals to monitor the reorganization of HHSC to ensure services goods by both manufacturers method of state funding. There at the Amarillo “Okay to Say” event. Chairman Price discussing medical innovation with Drs. Hobbs are not compromised. and consumers, on businesses via the franchise tax, on is movement to that end for the upcoming legislative and Podolsky of UT Southwestern Medical Center. the sale and rentals of motor vehicles, and on oil and session. Additionally, despite its opinion finding the trooper Booth Memorial Highway Dedication natural gas production. Thus, how much tax money current funding system constitutional, the Texas Supreme In March, I had the opportunity to attend the dedication ceremony of the naming of uS Highway 287 in honor Chairman of the article ii Subcommittee of comes into the state treasury is dependent on how well Court pointed out the need to legislatively revamp school of Trooper Bobby Steve Booth, who was slain in the line of duty in 1991 in Sherman County. The ceremony took the House appropriations Committee our national and state economies are performing, and funding. Also, we visited with numerous college students place on the lawn of the Sherman County Courthouse with many family members, friends and dignitaries in on the amount of Texas energy produced and its price. and educators and look forward to continuing to work with Article II refers to the portion of the state budget that attendance, including the director of the Texas Department of Public Safety. The Stratford Lions Club raised the These taxes along with some other state taxes and fees our area two and four-year institutions of higher education covers all items related to human services and health funds for the highway signage and has entered into agreement with the Texas Department of Transportation for are called state “General Revenue.” on expanding opportunities and affordability. care. For the 2016-17 state budget, the funding of these the Lions Club to maintain the signage. It was a privilege to author the legislation which authorized the naming of a portion of the highway in Trooper Booth’s memory and to honor his heroic public service. May we all continue services comprised the second largest piece of the budget Currently, the Texas Comptroller projects state revenue to to remember and respect the memories of all of our fallen law enforcement officers, including Trooper Booth. when considering General Revenue (state tax dollars), and be several billion dollars less this upcoming budget cycle. Health Care the largest budget program when federal tax dollars were This is not a deficit because each Texas budget is As mentioned, the work that my staff and I perform included as All Funds. As chairman, I am able to provide constitutionally required to be balanced. Thus, the on health care matters is especially important to the Student interactions direction on the prudent expenditure of our tax dollars. collection of less revenue is called a ‘shortfall’ because less sustainability of rural Texas communities and regional This year, I had the distinct honor of being invited to deliver the commencement address for the graduates of the state taxes will be collected due hubs like Amarillo. When a We held four days of committee hearings on a number School of Pharmacy at Texas Tech university Health Science Center in Amarillo and for the graduates of Bushland to various economic factors. company decides to expand of health care finance budget drivers. We examined the High School. It was inspiring to see all of these students achieve such important milestones in their lives and to share Chairman Price asking hard questions during a committee hearing. The projected shortfall is, in or relocate, access to sound current state of the health care trauma system in Texas, these special occasions with them, their families, friends and teachers. In addition to the graduation ceremonies, I had large part, due to declining oil health care is a key factor in including testimony on the trauma challenges faced by the opportunity to visit numerous campuses and speak to and gas prices and less drilling that expansion or relocation the rural areas of our state. We thoroughly examined classes from middle school to college. Also, at the Capitol, Member of the Human Services Committee for oil and gas, which, in turn, decision. Our work in this the reimbursement methodologies for rural hospitals I have enjoyed hosting several student groups, including lowers the amount of state area also includes providing and children’s hospitals and monitored the extension The Human Services Committee, on which I serve, social work students from West Texas A&M university. tax collections. a voice for access to rural of the Texas Healthcare Transformation and Quality held several hearings this interim on a number of issues: the anticipated growth, geographic distribution, and health care. This is critically Improvement 1115 waiver. While Texas’ economic Capitol Staff Visit to the panhandle projected economic impact of aging Texans; services and important in a state indicators are solid, I am In May, my Capitol staff visited the district, where they Regarding Medicaid, we examined the historical growth programs available to seniors, including independent legislature that is becoming sharing this information met with many constituents, including local officials, of the Texas Medicaid program, including factors affecting living services; human trafficking; managed care Chairman Price discussing public policy with more representative of urban with you to realistically mental health professionals and professional educators. caseload and cost trends. We heard testimony on initiatives organizations; pharmaceutical and drug formularies; Chairman Smithee and journalist Evan Smith. and suburban areas each day. illustrate that the demand Some of the constituent interactions included attending created to detect or deter waste, fraud and abuse; reviewed and the policies and procedures of the Department of on the reduced finite state tax revenues will be especially a civic club meeting and the “Okay to Say” event, ways to reduce cost; and listened to ideas on how to Family and Protective Services. Additionally, we heard transportation intense during the 2017 session. To learn more about visiting area public school campuses, touring Bell improve the quality of health care in the program. lengthy testimony on the federal refugee program, state budgeting visit these two informative state websites: We will continue to work with local officials and the Helicopter’s Amarillo facility, visiting the campus of Cal including state law enforcement testimony that the http://www.lbb.state.tx.us/ Amarillo TxDOT District Office on making our area Farley’s Boys Ranch and seeing the state infrastructure federal government struggles to completely vet the Chairman Price hosting and talking with Co-Chairman of the Health and https://www.comptroller.texas.gov/transparency/ roads safer and keeping them properly maintained. improvements made in Palo Duro Canyon State Park. Human Services transition legislative background of all refugees from war-torn countries. WTAMU students at the Capitol. oversight Committee agriculture & Water Regulations and taxes 2017 Session – How to Stay informed It is an honor to co-chair this committee with Senator Chairman of the Mental Health Committee Agriculture is a vital driver to the Texas economy, and it is We will continue to keep regulations and state taxes as low as When the session begins in January 2017, thousands of legislative ideas will be filed as bills. These bills will impact Jane Nelson. We held four days of committee hearings Please see the detailed description of our work in the the cornerstone for rural Texas. The key ingredient, besides possible, while still ensuring that consumers are reasonably the lives of virtually every Texan in some manner – as individuals, as families, and as small and large businesses. To where we monitored the progress of legislation, Senate report under the heading, Mental Health Care: In-depth the grit and dedication of our farmers and ranchers, is protected and that sufficient revenue is raised for items we all stay informed on the various bills and how they may impact you, use this helpful link, Texas Legislature Online: Bill 200, which Sen. Nelson and I passed last session. Look at Identification & Services. water, and in our area, it means the wise and sustainable want, such as good schools and roads. www.capitol.texas.gov. leaDerSHiP Work BetWeen SeSSionS 2017 State BuDget outlook & Select key iSSueS DiStrict FocuS – Serving tHe PanHanDle

of services. This newsletter is available in alternate formats upon request. Please call 1-800-241-1163. call Please request. upon formats alternate in available is newsletter This services. of

treatment facilities; conducted numerous meetings with with meetings numerous conducted facilities; treatment Chair Price and Chair Thompson touring mental health facilities. health mental touring Thompson Chair and Price Chair the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age or disability in employment or the provision provision the or employment in disability or age religion, sex, origin, national color, race, of basis the

Additionally, my staff and I have made onsite visits visits onsite made have I and staff my Additionally,

wish you safe travels to Austin. to travels safe you wish

or confined to state mental facilities were also studied. studied. also were facilities mental state to confined or via email: [email protected]. In the meantime, we we meantime, the In [email protected]. email: via