Amend SB 271 by adding the following appropriately numbered 
SECTIONS to the bill and renumbering subsequent SECTIONS of the 
bill as appropriate:
	SECTION ____.  Subchapter D, Chapter 161, Human Resources 
Code, is amended by adding Section 161.076 to read as follows:
	Sec. 161.076.  INFORMAL CAREGIVER SERVICES.  (a)  In this 
section:    
		(1)  "Area agency on aging" has the meaning assigned by 
Section 161.075.
		(2)  "Local entity" means an area agency on aging or 
other entity that provides services and support for older or 
disabled persons and their caregivers.
	(b)  The department shall coordinate with area agencies on 
aging and, to the extent considered feasible by the department, may 
coordinate with other local entities to coordinate public awareness 
outreach efforts regarding the role of informal caregivers in 
long-term care situations, including efforts to raise awareness of 
support services available in this state for informal caregivers.
	(c)  The department shall perform the following duties to 
assist a local entity with outreach efforts under this section:
		(1)  expand an existing department website to provide a 
link through which a local entity may post and access best practices 
information regarding informal caregiver support; and
		(2)  create a document template that a local entity may 
adapt as necessary to reflect resources available to informal 
caregivers in the area supported by the entity.
	(d)  The department shall create or modify a form to be 
included in the functional eligibility determination process for 
long-term care benefits for older persons under the Medicaid 
program and, to the extent considered feasible by the department, 
may include a form in systems for other long-term care support 
services.  The department shall use the form to identify informal 
caregivers for the purpose of enabling the department to refer the 
caregivers to available support services.  The form may be based on 
an existing form, may include optional questions for an informal 
caregiver, or may include questions from similar forms used in 
other states.
	(e)  The department shall coordinate with area agencies on 
aging and, to the extent considered feasible by the department, may 
coordinate with other local entities to develop and implement a 
protocol to evaluate the needs of certain informal caregivers.  The 
protocol must:
		(1)  provide guidance on the type of caregivers who 
should receive an assessment; and
		(2)  include the use of a standardized assessment tool 
that may be based on similar tools used in other states, including 
the Tailored Caregiver Assessment and Referral process.
	(f)  The department shall require area agencies on aging and, 
to the extent considered feasible by the department, other local 
entities to use the protocol and assessment tool under Subsection 
(e) and report the data gathered from the assessment tool to the 
department.
	(g)  The department shall analyze the data reported under 
Subsection (f) and collected from the form under Subsection (d) and 
shall submit a report not later than December 1 of each 
even-numbered year to the governor and the Legislative Budget Board 
that summarizes the data analysis.
	(g-1)  Notwithstanding Subsection (g), the department shall 
submit the initial report required by that subsection not later 
than December 1, 2012.  This subsection expires January 1, 2013.
	(h)  The department shall use the data analyzed under 
Subsection (g) to:
		(1)  evaluate the needs of assessed informal 
caregivers;             
		(2)  measure the effectiveness of certain informal 
caregiver support interventions;
		(3)  improve existing programs;                                        
		(4)  develop new services as necessary to sustain 
informal caregivers; and
		(5)  determine the effect of informal caregiving on 
employment and employers.
	SECTION ____.  If before implementing any provision of this 
Act a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a 
federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision, 
the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or 
authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the 
waiver or authorization is granted.