SRC-JFA H.B. 885 75(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   H.B. 885
By: Maxey (Zaffirini)
Health & Human Services
4-28-97
Engrossed


DIGEST 

Currently, approximately 1,900 children across the State of Texas live in
state funded out-of-home placements.  The Department of Protective and
Regulatory Services is the only state agency developing permanency plans
for children in foster care.  This bill would require the Health and Human
Services Commission to develop four pilot sites and a system of blended
funds to implement plans for all children either currently in
institutional care or at risk of being placed in institutional care.   

PURPOSE

As proposed, H.B. 885 requires the Health and Human Services Commission to
develop four pilot sites and a system of blended funds to implement
permanency plans for all children either currently in institutional care
or at risk of being placed in institutional care.   

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

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

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 531, Government Code, by adding Subchapter D, as
follows: 

SUBCHAPTER D.  PERMANENCY PLANNING

Sec. 531.151.  DEFINITIONS.  Defines "institution" and "permanency
planning."   

Sec. 531.152.  POLICY STATEMENT.  Sets forth the legislative policy
statement relating to the children of the State of Texas.  

Sec. 531.153.  DEVELOPMENT OF PERMANENCY PLAN.  Requires the Health and
Human Services Commission (commission) and each appropriate health and
human services agency to develop procedures to ensure that a permanency
plan is developed for each child residing in an institution in this state
on a temporary or long-term basis or for whom institutional care is
sought.   

Sec. 531.154.  LOCAL PERMANENCY PLANNING SITES.  Requires the commission
to develop an implementation system that consists initially of four or
more local sites and that is designed to coordinate planning for a
permanent living arrangement and relationship for a child with a family.
Sets forth the required guidelines in regard to development of the system
by the commission.   

Sec. 531.155.  PERMANENCY REPORTING.  Requires the commission, for each of
the local permanency planning sites, to develop a reporting system under
which each appropriate health and human services agency responsible for
permanency planning under this subchapter is required to provide certain
information to the commission semiannually.   

SECTION 2. Requires the commission, no later than December 1, 1998, to
prepare and deliver to the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the
house of representatives, and clerks of the standing  committees of the
senate and house of representatives with primary jurisdiction over the
welfare of children, a report concerning certain information.   

SECTION 3. Requires each state agency responsible for providing
residential care for children, no later than December 1, 1998, to develop
methods to include permanency planning as a goal in each care plan
developed by the agency for a child living outside a family setting; and
to prepare and deliver a report concerning implementation of the methods
developed under Subdivision (1) of this section to the governor,
lieutenant governor, speaker of the house of representatives, and clerks
of the standing committees of the senate and house of representatives with
primary jurisdiction over the welfare of children.  

SECTION 4. Emergency clause.
  Effective date: upon passage.