SECTION 23.94. Definitions

The following words and terms, when used in this subchapter, shall have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

(1) Board Staff--The staff of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

(2) CHIP--The Children's Health Insurance Program, authorized by the Texas Health and Safety Code, Chapter 62.

(3) Community-Based Mental Health Services--The services found under Subchapter B, Chapter 534, Health and Safety Code.

(4) Full-time Service--Employed or contracted full-time (at least 32 hours per week for providers participating only in the state-funded program, or at least 40 hours per week for providers participating in both the state funded program and the SLRP) by an agency or facility for the primary purpose of providing direct mental health services to:

(A) in a mental health professional shortage area:

(i) Medicaid recipients;

(ii) CHIP enrollees;

(iii) persons in facilities operated by or under contract with the Texas Juvenile Justice Department; and/or

(iv) persons in facilities operated by or under contract with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice; or

(B) patients in state hospitals;

(C) individuals receiving community-based mental health services from a local mental health authority; and/or

(D) students enrolled in an eligible district or school.

(5) Local Mental Health Authority--As defined in Texas Health and Safety Code, §531.002.

(6) Medicaid--The medical assistance program authorized by Chapter 32, Human Resources Code.

(7) MHPSAs--Mental Health Professional Shortage Areas (MHPSAs) are designated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as having shortages of mental health providers and may be geographic (a county or service area), demographic (low income population), or institutional (comprehensive health center, federally qualified health center, or other public facility). Designations meet the requirements of Sec. 332 of the Public Health Service Act, 90 Stat. 2270-2272 (42 U.S.C. 254e). Texas MHPSAs are recommended for designation by HHS based on analysis of data by the Department of State Health Services.

(8) Psychiatrist--A licensed physician who is a graduate of an accredited psychiatric residency training program.

(9) Service Period--A period of 12 consecutive months qualifying a mental health professional for loan repayment.

(10) SLRP--A grant provided by the Health Resources and Services Administration to assist states in operating their own State Loan Repayment Program (SLRP) for primary care providers working in Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA).

(11) State Hospital--Facilities found under §552.0011, Health and Safety Code.

(12) Title I School--Texas public schools that receive federal funding under Title I, Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. §6301 et seq.).

Source Note: The provisions of this §23.94 adopted to be effective November 12, 2015, 40 TexReg 7818; amended to be effective February 22, 2016, 41 TexReg 1232; transferred effective December 15, 2016, as published in the Texas Register November 25, 2016, 41 TexReg 9341; amended to be effective May 22, 2019, 44 TexReg 2456; amended to be effective November 16, 2022, 47 TexReg 7556; amended to be effective February 15, 2024, 49 TexReg 692