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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to transitional living services provided to foster youth |
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transitioning to independent living. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 264.121(a), Family Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) The department shall address the unique challenges |
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facing foster children in the conservatorship of the department who |
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must transition to independent living by: |
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(1) expanding efforts to improve transition planning |
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and increasing the availability of transitional family group |
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decision-making to all youth age 14 or older in the department's |
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permanent managing conservatorship, including enrolling the youth |
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in the Preparation for Adult Living Program before the age of 16; |
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(2) coordinating with the commission to obtain |
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authority, to the extent allowed by federal law, the state Medicaid |
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plan, the Title IV-E state plan, and any waiver or amendment to |
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either plan, necessary to: |
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(A) extend foster care eligibility and |
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transition services for youth up to age 23 [21] and develop policy |
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to permit eligible youth to return to foster care as necessary to |
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achieve the goals of the Transitional Living Services Program; |
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[and] |
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(B) extend Medicaid coverage for foster care |
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youth and former foster care youth up to age 26 to continue to |
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receive coverage under the STAR Health program and to allow foster |
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care youth to apply for coverage [21] with a single application at |
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the time the youth leaves foster care; and |
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(C) allow youth who are 14 years of age or older |
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but not more than 26 years of age to participate in the Education |
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and Training Voucher Program as long as the student is making |
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satisfactory progress toward completion of the program; and |
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(3) entering into cooperative agreements with the |
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Texas Workforce Commission and local workforce development boards |
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to further the objectives of the Preparation for Adult Living |
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Program. The department, the Texas Workforce Commission, and the |
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local workforce development boards shall ensure that services are |
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prioritized and targeted to meet the needs of foster care and former |
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foster care children and that such services will include, where |
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feasible, referrals for short-term stays for youth needing housing. |
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SECTION 2. Section 264.121(b)(3), Family Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(3) "Transitional Living Services Program" means a |
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program, administered by the department in accordance with |
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department rules and state and federal law, for youth who are age 14 |
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or older but not more than 23 [21] years of age and are currently or |
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were formerly in foster care, that assists youth in transitioning |
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from foster care to independent living. The program provides |
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transitional living services, extended foster care, Preparation |
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for Adult Living Program services, and Education and Training |
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Voucher Program services. |
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SECTION 3. Section 264.121(c), Family Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(c) At the time a child enters the Preparation for Adult |
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Living Program, the department shall provide an information booklet |
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to the child and the foster parent describing the program and the |
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benefits available to the child, including extended Medicaid |
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coverage until age 26 [21], priority status with the Texas |
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Workforce Commission, and the exemption from the payment of tuition |
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and fees at institutions of higher education as defined by Section |
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61.003, Education Code. The information booklet provided to the |
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child and the foster parent shall be provided in the primary |
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language spoken by that individual. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |