BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	S.B. 2261
88R13731 BDP-F	By: Blanco
	Health & Human Services
	4/3/2023
	As Filed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

The Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) experiences massive caseworker turnover, in part due to the mechanics of their training program. This program is required to be comprehensive, therefore, it doesn't spend enough time training on the "hands on" building blocks of casework practice such as case initiation and conducting face-to-face interviews. While the current curriculum meets statutory requirements, it does not meet program needs, nor does it reflect the reality of casework practice or the types of cases new workers are assigned. According to DFPS, once new employees are out of training and become case assignable, turnover increases as they have been inadequately prepared for the demands of actual casework. Changing the training requirements will allow DFPS greater freedom in building a more realistic, practical training program for new employees, which will adequately prepare them for the responsibilities they will have when they leave the program, thereby reducing turnover.

S.B. 2261 will amend Chapter 40 of the Human Resources Code to remove the statutory requirement of a newly hired caseworker to fully complete the training program before initiating an investigation and providing protective services.

As proposed, S.B. 2261 amends current law relating to the training program required for certain employees of the Department of Family and Protective Services.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Sections 40.035(a) and (b), Human Resources Code, as follows:

(a) Requires the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) to develop and implement a training program that each newly hired or assigned DFPS employee is required to successfully complete. Deletes existing text requiring that a newly hired or assigned DFPS employee must complete the training before initiating an investigation of a report of alleged abuse, neglect, or exploitation of an elderly person or person with a disability under Chapter 48 (Investigations and Protective Services for Elderly Persons and Persons With Disabilities), or providing protective services to elderly persons or persons with disabilities under that chapter.

(b) Requires that the training program:

(1) provide the employee, rather than the person, with appropriate comprehensive information regarding:

(A)-(B) makes no changes to these paragraphs; and

(2)-(8) makes no changes to these subdivisions.

SECTION 2. Makes application of Section 40.035, Human Resources Code, as amended by this Act, prospective.

SECTION 3. Effective date: September, 1, 2023.