BILL ANALYSIS


                                                         S.B. 196
                                                   By: Barrientos
                                        Health and Human Services
                                                          2-23-95
                                     Committee Report (Unamended)
BACKGROUND

The Texas Department of Human Services and the new Department of
Protective and Regulatory Services have recently experienced
increasing strain and pressure due to the rise in the number of
persons who are eligible for services and reports of cases for
investigation.  Due to the state's shrinking budgetary capacity,
the employees of these agencies often are forced to bear a heavier
burden.  Questions have been raised concerning whether the workload
borne by caseworkers is too high to allow them to do an adequate
job.  Texas has no performance measures or other standards
regarding what constitutes an appropriate caseload that an employee
can reasonably be expected to handle efficiently and effectively
during a normal work week.

PURPOSE

As proposed, S.B. 196 requires the commissioner of the Department
of Health and Human Services to establish caseload standards for
caseworkers in the Texas Department of Human Services and
Department of Protective and Regulatory Services.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that rulemaking authority is granted
to the commissioner of health and human services in SECTION 4(b) of
this Act.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 1, Article 4413(502), V.T.C.S., as
follows:

     Sec. 1.  DEFINITIONS.  Adds "caseload standards," and
     "professional caseload standards" to the list of definitions.
SECTION 2. Amends Article 4413(502), V.T.C.S., by adding Section
22, as follows:

     Sec. 22.  CASELOAD STANDARDS.      (a) Requires the
     commissioner of the Department of Health and Human Services to
     ensure the provision of adequate services by establishing
     caseload and other standards for each category of caseworker
     employed by the Texas Department of Human Services (DHS) or
     the Department of Protective and Regulatory Services (DPRS).
     
     (b) Sets forth requirements for the commissioner in
       establishing caseload standards.
       
       (c) Requires the commissioner of DHS and the director of
       DPRS to use the standards established by the commissioner to
       determine, subject to the availability of funds, the number
       of personnel to hire for their respective agency.
       
       (d) Requires DHS and DPRS to use the standards established
       by the commissioner to assign caseloads to individual
       caseworkers.
       
       (e) Requires the commissioner to include a recommendation
       made by a caseload standards advisory committee (caseload
       committee) in the strategic plan of the agency that is the
       subject of the recommendation. 
SECTION 3. Amends Article 4413(502), V.T.C.S., by adding Section
23, as follows:

     Sec. 23.  CASELOAD STANDARDS ADVISORY COMMITTEES.  (a)
     Establishes caseload committees in DHS and DPRS.
     
     (b) Sets forth requirements for the composition of the
       caseload committee.
       
       (c) Requires the commissioner to make appointments to a
       caseload committee from a list submitted by the commissioner
       or director of the appropriate agency.
       
       (d) Provides that members of the caseload committee serve at
       the pleasure of the commissioner.
       
       (e) Requires the caseload standards committee to review
       caseload standards and make recommendations to the
       commissioner on numbers of caseloads and on the ability of
       an agency to waive certain reporting standards when the
       caseload of a worker exceeds the maximum established number.
       
       (f) Requires the commissioner to dissolve a caseload
       committee if the commissioner determines the caseload
       committee is no longer necessary.
SECTION 4. (a) Requires the caseload committee to make its
recommendations by March 1, 1996.

     (b) Requires the commissioner to adopt rules prescribing
     caseload standards by September 1, 1997.
SECTION 5. Effective date:  September 1, 1995.

SECTION 6. Emergency clause.