BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center S.B. 156
By: Shapiro et al.
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Currently there is no nurse-family partnership program in Texas. Nurse-family partnership programs, however, have existed for 23 years in 22 states, serving over 20,000 mothers. The programs focus on improved pregnancy outcomes, child health and development, and the economic self sufficiency of the family. Statistics for programs in other states show benefits to both children and mothers. For example, statistics have shown a 48 percent reduction in child abuse and neglect, 59 percent reduction in arrests, and a 90 percent reduction in adjudications. Benefits to mothers include 61 percent fewer arrests, 72 percent fewer convictions, and 98 percent fewer days spent in jail. For every one dollar spent by the state on these programs, long-term savings of between four and five dollars have been shown.
S.B. 156 implements the nurse-family partnership program, a nurse home visitation program, in 11 new sites across Texas. The program is an evidence-based nurse home visitation program that improves the health and well-being of low income first-time parents and their children. The program will include regular home visits by qualified nurses to participant mothers from pregnancy to age two and requires eligible participant mothers to enter the program not later than the 28th week of pregnancy. This bill authorizes a public or private entity, including a county, municipality, or other political subdivision of Texas, to apply to the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) for a grant under this subchapter. Sites will be chosen based on the number of low income, first-time mothers residing in the community, and a demonstrated need for a partnership program. Grant recipients will be required to participate in ongoing monitoring and performance evaluations and in community development support for the program. In addition, this bill authorizes the Greater Dallas YWCA which has been operating a pilot program of the Nurse-Family Partnership for the past year-and-a-half to participate in the grant program. Such funds will be used for administrative costs, salaries, training, and facilities. S.B. 156 requires HHSC to work with the Nurse-Family Partnership National Service Office to adopt standards for the program and performance measurement indicators for the evaluation of each site.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to any state officer, institution, or agency.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 531, Government Code, by adding Subchapter M, as follows:
SUBCHAPTER M. NURSE-FAMILY PARTNERSHIP COMPETITIVE GRANT PROGRAM
Sec. 531.451. DEFINITIONS. Defines "competitive grant program" and "partnership program."
Sec. 531.452. ESTABLISHMENT OF NURSE-FAMILY PARTNERSHIP COMPETITIVE GRANT PROGRAM. Requires the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to establish a nurse-family partnership competitive grant program (program) to award grants for the implementation and operation of nurse-family partnership programs or the expansion thereof, for a period not less than two years. Requires HHSC to award grants to applicants, including applicants operating existing programs, in a manner that ensures that programs operate in multiple communities that are geographically distributed throughout this state and serve approximately 2,000 families.
Sec. 531.453. PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS. Requires a program funded by a grant under this subchapter to strictly adhere to the program model developed by the Nurse-Family Partnership National Service Office (national office), including any clinical, programmatic, and data collection requirements of that model, and sets forth requirements for nurses who provide services through the program and requirements relating to visits by registered nurses.
Sec. 531.454. APPLICATION. Specifies the entities that may apply for a grant under this subchapter, the manner in which the application is required to be made, and the content requirements of said application.
Sec. 531.455. ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS IN AWARDING GRANTS. Requires HHSC to consider certain additional factors in awarding grants under this subchapter.
Sec. 531.456. PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM STANDARDS. Requires the executive commissioner of HHSC (executive commissioner) with the assistance of the national office to adopt standards for partnership program funded under this subchapter. Requires that standards adhere to certain national office program model standards and guidelines.
Sec. 531.457. USE OF AWARDED GRANT FUNDS. Authorizes the grant funds awarded under this subchapter to be used only for certain purposes relating to implementing or expanding and operating a program.
Sec. 531.458. STATE NURSE CONSULTANT. Requires HHSC, using appropriated program money, to hire or contract with a state nurse consultant to assist grant recipients with implementing or expanding and operating a program.
Sec. 531.459. PROGRAM MONITORING AND EVALUATION; ANNUAL COMMITTEE REPORTS. Requires HHSC with the assistance of the national office to adopt and use performance indicators to evaluate a grant recipient's performance in meeting the standards adopted by HHSC under this section. Requires HHSC and the national office to prepare and submit to certain entities an annual report by December 1 of each year regarding the performance of each grant recipient in providing partnership programs. Sets forth the content requirements of the report. Requires each grant recipient on request to timely collect and provide data and any other information required by HHSC to monitor and evaluate the recipient or to prepare the report.
Sec. 531.460. COMPETITIVE GRANT PROGRAM FUNDING. Requires HHSC to actively seek and apply for any available federal funds to assist in financing the competitive grant program established under this subchapter. Authorizes HHSC to use appropriated funds and to accept gifts, donations, and grants of money from the federal government, from local governments, private corporations, or other persons to assist in financing the competitive grant program.
SECTION 2. (a) Requires HHSC to apply for federal funds to assist in the financing in the competitive grant program as soon as practicable.
(b) Requires HHSC to establish and implement the program not later than September 1, 2008.
(c) Requires HHSC to submit a report to the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, or its successor, and the House Human Services Committee, or its successor, regarding the implementation and status of the program not later than December 1, 2008.
(d) Requires HHSC to submit the initial annual report, as required by Section 531.459(a)(3), Government Code, as added by this Act, not later than December 1, 2009.
SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2007.