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Senate Bill 156 |
Senate Author: Shapiro et al. |
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Effective: 9-1-07 |
House Sponsor: Madden |
Senate Bill 156 amends the Government Code to require the Health and Human Services Commission to establish a nurse-family partnership competitive grant program to serve approximately 2,000 families in multiple communities throughout the state. The bill sets forth program requirements, including adherence to the program model developed by the Nurse-Family Partnership National Service Office, regular visits by registered nurses to low-income, first-time mothers, assistance to clients in establishing paternity, and information about child support services from the office of the attorney general. It authorizes a public or private entity, including a county, municipality, or other political subdivision to apply for a grant, and it prescribes the content of the application and additional information that the commission must consider in awarding a grant. The bill establishes how awarded grant funds may be used, and it requires the commission to use money appropriated for the program to hire or contract with a state nurse consultant to assist grant recipients. The commission, with assistance from the national service office, must adopt performance indicators, use the indicators to continuously monitor and annually evaluate grant recipients, and submit an annual report containing prescribed content not later than December 1 of each year to the Senate Health and Human Services Committee and the House Human Services Committee. The bill requires the commission to actively seek and apply for available federal funds, use appropriated state funding, and accept gifts, grants, and donations to fund the program. It requires the commission to establish the program by September 1, 2008, report to the Senate Health and Human Services Committee and the House Human Services Committee regarding the implementation and status of the program by December 1, 2008, and submit the initial annual report on the program by December 1, 2009.