By:  Zaffirini                                          S.B. No. 36
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to training for certain caseworkers employed by health and
 1-3     human services agencies or local mental health or mental
 1-4     retardation authorities.
 1-5           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-6           SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is
 1-7     amended by adding Section 531.0244 to read as follows:
 1-8           Sec. 531.0244.  JOINT TRAINING FOR CERTAIN CASEWORKERS.
 1-9     (a)  The commissioner shall provide for joint training for health
1-10     and human services caseworkers whose clients are children,
1-11     including caseworkers employed by:
1-12                 (1)  the Texas Department of Health;
1-13                 (2)  the Texas Department of Human Services; and
1-14                 (3)  the Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental
1-15     Retardation, a local mental health authority, or a local mental
1-16     retardation authority.
1-17           (b)  Training provided under this section must be designed to
1-18     increase a caseworker's knowledge and awareness of the services
1-19     available to children at each health and human services agency or
1-20     local mental health or mental retardation authority, including
1-21     long-term care programs and services available under a Section
1-22     1915(c) waiver program.
1-23           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.