August 6, 2026
Quick recap
The meeting focused on legislative priorities for substance use disorder services, with Duane presenting a draft package of recommendations developed by the legislative subcommittee. The recommendations included standardizing SUD outcome measures, analyzing cost per outcome, assessing the CMHS system, reducing administrative burden, reviewing rate adequacy, examining funding braiding, analyzing continuum capacity and regional gaps, creating a clear governance structure at HHSC, and improving data on transitions of care and denials. Members discussed challenges with post-treatment follow-up data, especially for transient populations, and the need for better cross-system data sharing. Updates were shared about the upcoming HHSC Summit, including registration and agenda details. Vaughan provided information on changes to dependent children's billing rates, and Sherri announced a career fair at the TAP State Conference. The group also briefly discussed concerns about the potential impact of the SAVE Act on service eligibility.
Next steps
Anna
Check the registration status for Jennifer's staff member for the HHSC Summit and confirm via email.
Duane
Heather
Sherri
Vaughan
Summary
Informal Team Check-in Meeting
The meeting began with casual conversation about pets, with participants discussing dogs and cats in the workplace. Laura joined the call while working from home due to a broken leg from a fall at the Llano River on July 4th. Duane arrived late to the meeting and the formal discussion had not yet started.
SUD Legislative Appropriations Updates
Duane presented updates from the legislative subcommittee's work on a 9-charge item focused on improving legislative appropriations and data collection for substance use disorder services. The key initiatives discussed included directing HHSC to adopt standard SUD measurement sets, producing cost per outcome analysis across different treatment levels, conducting a CMHS modernization assessment, reviewing administrative burden and duplicative oversight, and analyzing funding architecture and barriers. The subcommittee aims to finalize these proposals and send them to ASEP members for review.
Substance Use Disorder Services Legislation
Duane presented a working draft of proposed legislation focused on substance use disorder services, including addressing wait times for specialty populations, creating a governance structure with a dedicated state director, and improving data collection on care transitions and denials. Heather expressed interest in collaboration to avoid duplicating efforts with existing work on specialty providers, particularly for youth and women's programs. The discussion highlighted the need for better data collection to quantify the effectiveness of wraparound services and demonstrate return on investment, with plans to meet with HHSC to gather feedback on proposed data requirements.
Treatment Program Data Reporting Requirements
Duane summarized the legislative committee's work on data reporting requirements for treatment programs, noting that while providers face challenges with post-treatment follow-up due to clients' housing instability, the proposed approach would take a more holistic view beyond just database tracking. Jennifer raised concerns about the feasibility of requiring post-treatment follow-ups given the difficulties providers face in maintaining contact with their clients. Duane acknowledged these limitations but emphasized that any data improvement would be better than the current limited system, which hinders their ability to demonstrate program effectiveness to the legislature.
State Data Collection Collaboration Challenges
The group discussed challenges with data collection and collaboration across different state agencies, particularly regarding criminal justice, foster care, and substance use services. Heather mentioned their organization's focus on recovery capital data and suggested that providers need better data collection for grants and funding. The discussion revealed that the HMIS system is statewide and could potentially be used to incorporate substance use disorder data, though access for non-housing providers remains limited. Jennifer highlighted the importance of a continuum of care, noting that the loss of residential treatment in Tarrant County had significantly impacted residential numbers, especially for individuals with alcohol as their primary drug of choice.
Detox Services Coordination Challenges
The group discussed challenges with detox services in Tarrant County, noting that the lack of local services creates pressure on Dallas's residential programs and leads people to seek care outside their area. Keri clarified that while the HMIS system is HUD-mandated, each COC (Continuum of Care) region, including Dallas and Collin, has its own separate system, which means data is not shared between regions when people move between them. The committee concluded their work at the Capitol by reviewing and approving recommendations without additional questions or missing items.
HHSC Summit Planning Updates
Anna confirmed that Duane will deliver finalized materials to Noel today or tomorrow, with the team expecting to share them with members by next week. The group discussed the upcoming HHSC Summit, with Anna noting that a finalized agenda would be shared later today, and she confirmed there would be no virtual option for the in-person meeting. Vaughan shared an update about new dependent children's rates, explaining that women and children rates are being eliminated, and the team will follow up with Noelle about this change before next week's meeting. Sherri announced a career fair at the TAP State Conference on Thursday afternoon and offered to share more information about job opportunities with ASAP members.