BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 4065

By: Rose

Human Services

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

According to the 2022 Report on Suicide and Suicide Prevention by the Statewide Behavioral Health Coordinating Council, the foster youth population in Texas has a higher rate of suicide than the rest of the youth population. The suicide rate for Texas' foster youth population has increased by 335 percent in the five-year period between 2017 through 2021. According to the CDC, a previous suicide attempt is one of the leading risk factors for death by suicide, and yet the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) does not maintain records of suicide attempts by foster youth. H.B. 4065 seeks to address this issue by requiring DFPS to include suicide attempts by children in its managing conservatorship in the annual report of child protection statistics and to provide notice to the parent of such a child who attempts suicide within a certain period.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 4065 amends the Family Code to require the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) to include the number of children who attempted suicide while in DFPS managing conservatorship in the preceding year in its annual report of statistics by county relating to key performance measures and data elements for child protection. The bill classifies a suicide attempt as a significant change in medical condition that triggers requirements for DFPS to provide notice to certain individuals with respect to a child in DFPS managing conservatorship.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2023.