Relating to the creation of the Texas Mental Health Profession Pipeline Program by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, the official text

S.B. No. 1401

AN ACT

relating to the creation of the Texas Mental Health Profession

Pipeline Program by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Education Code, is

amended by adding Section 61.070 to read as follows:

Sec. 61.070. TEXAS MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSION PIPELINE

PROGRAM. (a) In this section, "participating institution" means a

general academic teaching institution or a private or independent

institution of higher education that offers baccalaureate degree

programs and postbaccalaureate degree and certificate programs.

(b) The board shall establish the Texas Mental Health

Profession Pipeline Program and encourage participating

institutions to develop pipeline programs for the purpose of

providing a clear, guided pathway for public junior college

students to transfer to a participating institution to pursue a

baccalaureate degree or a postbaccalaureate degree or certificate

leading to licensure and practice as:

(1) a psychologist, as defined by Section 501.002,

Occupations Code;

(2) a licensed professional counselor, as defined by

Section 503.002, Occupations Code;

(3) an advanced practice registered nurse, as defined

by Section 301.152, Occupations Code, who holds a nationally

recognized board certification in psychiatric or mental health

nursing;

(4) a licensed master social worker or a licensed

clinical social worker, as defined by Section 505.002, Occupations

Code;

(5) a licensed specialist in school psychology, as

defined by Section 501.002, Occupations Code; or

(6) a licensed marriage and family therapist, as

defined by Section 502.002, Occupations Code.

(c) A participating institution that develops a pipeline

program under Subsection (b) shall:

(1) partner with one or more public junior colleges to

create a guided pathway for public junior college students; and

(2) ensure that a public junior college student who

completes a field of study curriculum or is awarded a "Texas Direct"

associate degree under Section 61.834 and transfers to the

participating institution:

(A) does not lose any credits earned before

transferring;

(B) can earn a baccalaureate degree in less than

two years following the transfer; and

(C) after earning a baccalaureate degree in an

appropriate program as determined by the participating

institution, is automatically admitted to a postbaccalaureate

degree or certificate program at the participating institution if:

(i) the student meets the minimum academic

requirements, as determined by the participating institution; and

(ii) the postbaccalaureate degree or

certificate program has the capacity to admit new students based

on:

(a) student-to-faculty ratios

required by state law, federal law, the appropriate accrediting

organization, or institutional policy; and

(b) the availability of clinical

placements and the faculty or preceptors that supervise those

placements.

(d) The board shall determine:

(1) the existing field of study curricula that a

participating institution may accept for purposes of Subsection

(c)(2); and

(2) any additional field of study curricula that a

participating institution may develop to enable a public junior

college student to fulfill the undergraduate curricular

requirements relevant for specialties described by Subsection (b).

(e) The board shall promote the program and maintain on the

board's Internet website information that clearly displays:

(1) information described by Subsection (d);

(2) a list of each pipeline program operating in this

state;

(3) a list of each participating institution that has

established a pipeline program;

(4) a map displaying the location of each

participating institution that has established a pipeline program;

and

(5) data regarding each pipeline program based on

information provided to the board under Subsection (f).

(f) Each participating institution shall submit an annual

report to the board that includes:

(1) the total number of students in the participating

institution's pipeline program;

(2) the number of students in the participating

institution's pipeline program who have transferred from a public

junior college to the participating institution without losing any

credits previously earned at the public junior college;

(3) the number of students in the participating

institution's pipeline program who in the preceding academic year

earned a baccalaureate degree from the participating institution

that was completed in two years or less;

(4) the capacity of the participating institution's

pipeline program to prepare more students for licensure and

practice as mental health professionals in specialties described by

Subsection (b);

(5) the financial resources allocated by the

participating institution to increase the number of students who

are able to complete their targeted degree or certificate program

under the participating institution's pipeline program; and

(6) the average time for a student to complete the

student's targeted degree or certificate program under the

participating institution's pipeline program from the date the

student enrolls in a public junior college to the date of the

student's graduation from the degree or certificate program.

(g) The board shall adopt rules consistent with this section

as necessary to implement this section, including rules for making

determinations under Subsection (d).

SECTION 2. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

shall adopt rules as required by Section 61.070(g), Education Code,

as added by this Act, as soon as practicable after the effective

date of this Act.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.

______________________________
______________________________

President of the Senate
Speaker of the House

I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1401 passed the Senate on

April 16, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.

______________________________

Secretary of the Senate

I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1401 passed the House on

May 23, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 79, Nays 58, two

present not voting.

______________________________

Chief Clerk of the House

Approved:

______________________________

Date

______________________________

Governor