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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the coordination and improvement of certain programs |
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and services for the prevention of and early intervention in child |
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abuse and neglect. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 265.001(1), Family Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(1) "Department" means the Department of Family and |
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Protective [and Regulatory] Services. |
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SECTION 2. Chapter 265, Family Code, is amended by adding |
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Section 265.005 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 265.005. STRATEGIC PLAN FOR CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT |
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PREVENTION SERVICES. (a) Not later than December 1, 2008, in |
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consultation with the Interagency Coordinating Council for |
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Building Healthy Families, the department shall develop a |
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statewide, long-range strategic plan for child abuse and neglect |
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prevention services. The plan must include: |
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(1) a strategy for the state and political |
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subdivisions of the state to: |
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(A) reduce their need for services addressing |
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child maltreatment; and |
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(B) transition to a system that promotes child |
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abuse and neglect prevention services in order to use cost savings |
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to increase prevention services funding in the future; and |
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(2) details for child abuse and neglect public |
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awareness efforts and outreach. |
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(b) The department shall assist the Interagency |
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Coordinating Council for Building Healthy Families in any |
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reasonable manner requested by the council in preparing the portion |
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of the council's report to the legislature regarding the strategic |
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plan required by Section 267.001(g). |
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(c) This section expires September 1, 2009. |
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SECTION 3. Chapter 266, Family Code, as added by Chapter |
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587, Acts of the 79th Legislature, Regular Session, 2005, is |
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redesignated as Chapter 267, Family Code, and is renumbered and |
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amended to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 267 [266]. INTERAGENCY COORDINATING COUNCIL FOR BUILDING |
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HEALTHY FAMILIES |
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Sec. 267.001 [266.001]. INTERAGENCY COORDINATING COUNCIL FOR |
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BUILDING HEALTHY FAMILIES. (a) The Interagency Coordinating |
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Council for Building Healthy Families is established to: |
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(1) facilitate communication and collaboration |
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concerning policies for the prevention of and early intervention in |
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child abuse and neglect among state agencies whose programs and |
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services promote and foster healthy families; |
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(2) facilitate improvements in the coordination of |
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service delivery among those agencies; |
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(3) provide information and other resources to assist |
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those agencies; and |
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(4) receive input from those agencies in order to |
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develop and improve policies for the prevention of and early |
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intervention in child abuse and neglect. |
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(b) The council consists of one representative from each of |
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the following agencies appointed by the executive director or |
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commissioner of each agency: |
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(1) the Department of Family and Protective Services; |
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(2) the Health and Human Services Commission; |
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(3) the Department of State Health Services; |
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(4) the Department of Aging and Disability Services; |
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(5) the Texas Youth Commission; |
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(6) the Texas Education Agency; |
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(7) the Texas Workforce Commission; |
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(8) the office of the attorney general; |
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(9) the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission; [and] |
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(10) the Texas Department of Housing and Community |
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Affairs; and |
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(11) the Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative |
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Services. |
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(c) A representative of an agency appointed to the council |
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must have an overall understanding of the agency's mission and |
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purpose and substantial experience and expertise relating to the |
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administration of the agency's policies, programs, and activities. |
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(d) The representative from the Department of Family and |
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Protective Services serves as the presiding officer of the council. |
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(e) The council shall meet at least quarterly and shall |
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submit to the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of |
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representatives, and the legislature the minutes of each council |
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meeting. |
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(f) The council shall evaluate: |
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(1) the potential for streamlined funding mechanisms |
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for programs and services for the prevention of and early |
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intervention in child abuse and neglect; |
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(2) the effectiveness and cost efficiency of |
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state-funded programs and services for the prevention of and early |
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intervention in child abuse and neglect; |
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(3) the effectiveness of state-funded child |
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maltreatment prevention programs and services in achieving their |
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intended outcomes and methods for transitioning those programs and |
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services to an increased reliance on evidence-based practices; |
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(4) methods for the ongoing identification of |
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additional opportunities for comprehensive improvements to the |
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delivery of services for the prevention of and early intervention |
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in child abuse and neglect; and |
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(5) the need for increased state funding for programs |
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and services for the prevention of and early intervention in child |
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abuse and neglect in order to ensure a sustained, long-term, |
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cost-effective investment in families in this state [Not later than
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June 1, 2006, the council shall prepare and submit to the lieutenant
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governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the
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legislature an inventory of the child abuse and neglect prevention
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and early intervention policies, programs, and activities of each
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agency represented on the council]. |
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(g) Not later than December 1, 2008 [2006], the council |
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shall prepare and submit to the lieutenant governor, the speaker of |
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the house of representatives, and the legislature a report |
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containing the council's recommendations for improving the |
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coordination and collaboration of child abuse and neglect |
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prevention and early intervention programs and services among state |
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agencies. The council shall include in the report: |
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(1) the status of the council's findings based on the |
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council's evaluation under Subsections (f)(1), (4), and (5); |
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(2) details regarding the strategic plan for child |
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abuse and neglect prevention services developed by the Department |
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of Family and Protective Services in consultation with the council |
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under Section 265.005; |
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(3) the council's recommendations regarding |
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implementation of the strategic plan, including a detailed |
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explanation of the resources, the funds, and any interagency or |
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intergovernmental agreements necessary to accomplish the plan; |
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and |
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(4) the council's recommendation regarding whether to |
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continue the council. |
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(h) Not later than December 1, 2009, the council shall |
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prepare and submit to the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the |
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house of representatives, and the legislature a report containing |
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the status of the council's findings based on the council's |
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evaluation under Subsections (f)(2) and (3). |
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Sec. 267.002 [266.002]. EXPIRATION OF CHAPTER. This |
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chapter expires January [September] 1, 2010 [2007]. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |