Enrolled Bill Summary

Senate Bill 219	Senate Author:  Nelson et al.
Effective:  9-1-11	House Sponsor:  Gonzalez, Naomi

            Current law requires the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) to include training in trauma-informed programs and services in any training the department provides to foster and adoptive parents, kinship caregivers, and department caseworkers.  Senate Bill 219 amends the Family Code to require department supervisors to receive that training, to require caseworkers and supervisors to complete an annual refresher training course, and to require DFPS to annually evaluate the effectiveness of the training.

Senate Bill 219 amends the Government Code to require the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to explore opportunities to increase STAR Health program providers' use of telemedicine medical services in medically underserved areas of Texas and to encourage such providers to use telemedicine medical services as appropriate. Among other provisions, the bill requires a contract between a managed care organization and HHSC for the provision of health care services to recipients under the STAR Health program to require trauma-informed care training to be offered to each contracted physician or provider.