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Senate Bill 245 |
Senate Author: West et al. |
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Effective: 9-1-13 |
House Sponsor: Otto |
Previous law established eligibility requirements for a public entity that operated as a children's advocacy center before November 1, 1995, or a nonprofit entity to enter into a contract with the statewide organization with which the Department of Family and Protective Services or the office of the attorney general contracts to provide training, technical assistance, and evaluation services for local children's advocacy center programs. Senate Bill 245 amends the Family Code to include among those eligibility requirements that an entity implement certain specified program components relating to a case tracking system, a child-focused setting, forensic interviews, certain support, specialized medical evaluation and treatment, mental health services, and the cultural competence and diversity of services available to center clients. The bill removes the requirement that a waiver of any eligibility requirement for a children's advocacy center granted by the statewide organization be identified in the written contract with the center.