Local Planning and Network Development

Changes Underway for Mental Health Services in Texas

One of the most significant changes coming out of the 80th Legislative Session was the resolution of the language on the “Provider of Last Resort” clause (that came out of the 78th Legislative Session).  Clarification of the “Provider of Last Resort” language by the State Attorney General’s Office explained that the new rule applies to Local Mental Heath Authorities (e.g. Lakes Regional MHMR Center ) and their services and not just mental retardation services (as originally interpreted).  Although this clause seemed clear on the surface, many factors complicated the interpretation of this legislation.  Texas MHMR Centers were represented along with many other organizations, advocacy groups, and members of several state agencies, on a “Negotiated Rule-Making Committee” to define the nuts and bolts of the “Provider of Last Resort.” The guidelines were approved in the 80th Legislative Session and were signed into law by the Governor.  The Negotiated Rule Making Committee’s recommendations became law (Section 533.035 of the Texas Health and Safety Code) and the process for implementing this law is now called Local Planning and Network Development (LPND).

“LPND”, the new law:

“articulates a clear preference for a system of service delivery in which consumers have choice from among multiple service providers and in which the LMHA’s role is to provide management and oversight.” 

Additionally, the law:

“states that LMHA's have the responsibility for ensuring that mental health services are provided in their local area and, further, requires LMHA's to consider public input, ultimate cost-benefit, and client-care issues to ensure consumer choice and the best use of public money in assembling a network of service providers.”

The State of Texas recognized that there was much diversity in LMHA service areas across the state (37 Centers) and determined that they could not develop a uniform schedule which could be used for all LMHA’s to move from being the primary provider of services to an overseer of services.  Instead, the LPND process is to be used by LMHA’s to “ensure that LMHA decisions reflect an appropriate consideration of the diverse and often competing interests and needs of stakeholders at both the state and local level.”  The LPND process must:

• Be public and transparent
• Solicit and respond to stakeholder comments at key points in the process
• Be approved by the Department of State Health Services (DSHS)

Ultimately this rule requires Lakes Regional MHMR Center to go through a local planning process to determine which of our services can be contracted with other service providers, to determine our prioritization for contracting out other services in the future, and to ensure that we are capable of serving as the “safety net” if contracted service providers were to end their contract.  The process of Network Development is intended to take a “project” or “phased” approach which could take several years.  The rule has many underlying purposes, but one of the most important is that we provide our clients and their families with the opportunity to have a choice when they seek a service provider.  At this point, we are unsure what type of provider response we will have during this process, but our plan is to find qualified service providers for clients and their families to choose from.

Lakes Regional MHMR Center is in the first “cohort” of LMHA's, which includes all of East and Northeast Texas except the NorthStar counties.  The counties that are part of our LPND Project include Camp, Delta,   Franklin , Hopkins , Lamar, Morris, and Titus.  Our timeline started March 1st and our plan must be completed and submitted to DSHS by August 31st; our stakeholder input must be gathered by June 1st.  The local planning process must include key stakeholders which includes important advocacy organizations.  Lakes Regional MHMR Center staff will be seeking your input at one of several public meetings in our service area and/or via survey beginning in May. 

If you have questions or comments for Lakes Regional MHMR Center Staff about the LPND process, you can contact Barbara Booth at 972-388-2000 X1148, or send her an email: barbarab@lrmhmrc.org

Please contact us and continue to visit our website ( www.lrmhmrc.org ) for important information about the LPND process, stakeholder meetings, and survey activities.

YOUR INPUT INTO THIS PROCESS IS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE. WE WANT YOU TO PARTICIPATE. 

Other Helpful Resources:

·        http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/mhcommunity/LPND/

Click this link to see LPND project Gantt chart in PDF format

Click this link to complete Survey to provide your Input.