Highlights of the 76th Texas Legislature - Senate

_________________ APPROPRIATIONS ACT
HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES
The second largest function of government supported by the state budget is health and
human services, which amounts to $27.4 billion of all funds, an increase of $1.1 billion,
or 4 percent, above the 1998-99 biennium. General revenue and general revenuededicated
funds appropriations to health and human services total $11.1 billion, which
represents an increase of 3.9 percent above the 1998-99 level.
◊ $179.6 million is provided to the Health and Human Services Commission for CHIP
from tobacco settlement receipts.
◊ Recommended TANF Federal Funds total $1.2 billion, and available balances in
TANF funds are projected to be $109.7 million at the end of the 2000-01 biennium,
which can be carried forward to years in which the block grant is scheduled to be
decreased.
◊ Provides an increase of $145.8 million for Child Protective Services (CPS) to
reduce the number of cases per CPS worker, to reduce the number of CPS workers
per supervisor, to increase salaries for CPS workers, to improve assessments during
investigations, to purchase additional services, and to increase foster care rates. The
funding also provides an increase to the CPS FTE cap by 160 positions.
◊ Funding for the Texas Medicaid Program within Article II agencies appropriations
totals $18.8 billion, an increase of $838.8 million over the 1998-99 level, with $7.2
billion in general revenue funds and $11.6 billion in federal funds.
◊ Adds $63.4 million to the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program.
◊ Provides $235 million to the Department of Human Services for Community Care
Services and Long-term Care Eligibility and Planning due to caseload growth and
higher levels of client need.
◊ Maintains 1999 Nursing Facility and Hospice Payment rates by providing $196.1
million to the Department of Human Services. The funding will also fund increases
in client levels of need and allow for caseload growth in the Hospice Program.
◊ Reflecting a less favorable Federal Medical Assistance Percentage, $49.7 million is
appropriated to the Department of Human Services, with an equal reduction in
federal funds.
◊ Provides an overall general revenue and general revenue-dedicated funds increase of
$53.2 million to the Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation
(MHMR).
◊ Tobacco settlement receipts will provide $30.5 million for New Generation
Medications to serve 5,208 clients per year. Additionally, H.B. 1 provides $35.8
million in general revenue funds to MHMR for New Generation Medications and
support services for clients receiving them.
◊ In addition, TANF has been expanded to designate more general revenue as
Maintenance of Effort and to designate TANF Federal Funds at the Department of
Protective and Regulatory Services for foster care and staff. This change in state
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Senate Research Center 6 76 th Legislature