This analysis assumes that Temporary Emergency Placements (TEP) would be required to prevent children from sleeping in offices, and that TEP beds would be reserved to provide placements for children if capacity in a facility is unavailable. The current rate for a TEP bed is $400.72 per day and would result in increased foster care expenditures of $12.1 million in fiscal year 2022, $9.8 million in fiscal year 2023 and $6.9 million in each subsequent fiscal year. The increased use of these placements would also require an additional 1.0 Program Specialist VI Full-time Equivalent (FTE) and 2.0 Coordination Specialist V FTEs in each fiscal year, to provide contract management and oversight, and child protective services program coordination.
This analysis assumes HHSC would need 0.5 Program Specialist IV FTE in each fiscal year to annually evaluate STAR Health benefits and provide recommendations to DFPS to better coordinate the use of benefits and provisions of health and to report the findings to the legislature.
This analysis assumes that to eliminate paper case files and fully transition to an electronic case management system, DFPS would need 1.0 Management Analyst III FTE, 13.0 Systems Support Specialist II FTEs, and 1.0 Program Supervisor III FTE in each fiscal year, to support the timely and complete upload of all paper records on an ongoing basis. DFPS would also need 2.0 Program Specialist V FTEs and 2.0 Data Analyst IV FTEs in each fiscal year, to develop and support a system to develop an early warning system to identify at-risk providers to minimize standard violations.
This analysis also assumes modifications to the Information Management Protecting Adults and Children in Texas (IMPACT) system would be required to track information related to the provisional licenses for kinship providers, track court verification with individuals, as well as to support new reporting to TEA related to a child's education outcomes in a GRO.
This analysis assumes a one-time cost of $350,000 in fiscal year 2022 to contract with an independent entity to develop the risk-sharing funding model.
This analysis assumes that SAO would evaluate 5.0 contracts in fiscal year 2022, 9.0 contracts in fiscal year 2023, 11.0 contracts in fiscal year 2024, 13.0 contracts in fiscal year 2025, and 15.0 contracts in fiscal year 2026. It is assumed that overnight travel will be required for all of the contactors in regions outside of the Austin area in the first year the contract is active. In subsequent years, only 50.0 percent of the contracts already audited would require travel, based on risk assessment and whether or not the contract entered a new phase.
This analysis assumes the average hourly fee for auditing these contracts would be $95.00 per hour and would require 1,600.0 direct hours per year. To complete these audits the SAO would need 3.1 FTEs in fiscal 2022, 4.1 FTEs in fiscal year 2023 and 2024, 4.7 FTEs in fiscal year 2025 and 5.3 FTEs in fiscal year 2026. The total cost to the SAO is estimated at $0.5 million in General Revenue in fiscal year 2022, increasing to $0.9 million in General Revenue by fiscal year 2026.
This analysis assumes HHSC would need an additional Program Specialist IV FTE in each fiscal year to address an increase in the number of applicants for a provisional child-care administrator license.
This analysis assumes HHSC would need to make updates to the Childcare Licensing Automated Support System (CLASS), Public Provider Portal, and CLASSMate systems. It is assumed HHSC would require a total of 18.0 FTEs in fiscal year 2022, 20.1 FTEs in fiscal year 2023, and 18.0 FTEs in subsequent years to make necessary technology changes and provide ongoing support.
In addition, Human Resources Code Sec. 42.042(g) identifies the types of child-care providers in this state, including cottage home operations, specialized child-care homes, and continuum-of-care residential operations. However, HHSC does not currently license these providers types because CLASS does not have the functionality to do so. HHSC indicates additional funding and FTEs would be needed in order to make necessary upgrades to CLASS and to adopt minimum standards in order to begin licensing
these provider types, and that additional resources may be needed to conduct licensing activities. However, because the bill would not add a new requirement to HHSC, this analysis does not include funding for this purpose.
Based on analysis of TEA, it is assumed that the costs related to implementing the provisions of the bill could be absorbed within existing resources.
In addition, this analysis assumes that, excluding any technology costs, there would be a net zero All Funds cost to the state to transfer the duties and functions related the administration of CBC from DFPS to the Office of Community-based Care Transition. However, as DFPS continues to be the federally recognized state agency responsible for administering the Foster Care Program in Texas and the associated federal funding, this analysis is unable to determine the federal impact of moving a portion of those responsibilities (CBC) to the new office.
This analysis cannot determine the cost to implement the transition of FBSS to evidence-based programs under FFPSA due to the variety of interventions available on the FFPSA federal clearinghouse. Based on other PEI contracts with community agencies for evidence-based practice, this analysis assumes that the average cost per family would be $3,547 but it cannot be determined what portion of existing FBSS families would accept FFPSA services and the portion that would be referred to the community.
It is assumed that any additional costs to DFPS and HHSC to implement the provisions of the bill could be accomplished within existing resources.