81R6969 JSC-F

By: Villarreal H.B. No. 1240

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to information required to be provided to parents of an infant.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Sections 161.501 and 161.502, Health and Safety Code, are amended to read as follows:

Sec. 161.501. RESOURCE PAMPHLET AND RESOURCE GUIDE PROVIDED TO PARENTS OF NEWBORN CHILDREN. (a) A hospital, birthing center, physician, nurse midwife, or midwife who provides prenatal care to a pregnant woman during gestation or at delivery of an infant shall:

(1) provide the woman and the father of the infant, if possible, or another adult caregiver for the infant, with a resource pamphlet that includes:

(A) a list of the names, addresses, and phone numbers of professional organizations that provide postpartum counseling and assistance to parents relating to postpartum depression and other emotional trauma associated with pregnancy and parenting;

(B) information regarding the prevention of shaken baby syndrome including:

(i) techniques for coping with anger caused by a crying baby;

(ii) different methods for preventing a person from shaking a newborn, infant, or other young child;

(iii) the dangerous effects of shaking a newborn, infant, or other young child; and

(iv) the symptoms of shaken baby syndrome and who to contact, as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics, if a parent suspects or knows that a baby has been shaken in order to receive prompt medical treatment;

(C) a list of diseases for which a child is required by state law to be immunized and the appropriate schedule for the administration of those immunizations; and

(D) the appropriate schedule for follow-up procedures for newborn screening;

(2) provide the woman and the father of the infant, if possible, or another adult caregiver with a resource guide that includes information in both English and Spanish relating to the development, health, and safety of a child from birth until age five, including information relating to:

(A) selecting and interacting with a primary health care practitioner and establishing a "medical home" for the child;

(B) dental care;

(C) effective parenting;

(D) child safety;

(E) the importance of reading to a child;

(F) expected developmental milestones;

(G) health care resources available in the state;

(H) selecting appropriate child care; and

(I) other resources available in the state;

(3) document in the woman's record that the woman received the information described in Subdivisions [Subdivision] (1) and (2); and

(4) [(3)] retain the documentation for at least five years in the hospital's, birthing center's, physician's, nurse midwife's, or midwife's records.

(b) A hospital, birthing center, physician, nurse midwife, or midwife:

(1) may use the pamphlet provided on the department's website or an alternative pamphlet that provides the information required by Subsection (a)(1); and

(2) may use the resource guide provided on the department's website or an alternative guide that provides the information required by Subsection (a)(2) [this section].

(c) The department may make available online and distribute an existing publication created by another health and human services agency as the resource guide required by Subsection (a)(2).

Sec. 161.502. DUTIES OF DEPARTMENT. (a) The department shall:

(1) establish guidelines for the provision of the information required by Section 161.501;

(2) make available on the department's website:

(A) a printable version of the pamphlet required by Section 161.501(a)(1) [161.501]; and

(B) a printable version of the resource guide required by Section 161.501(a)(2);

(3) update the list of resources and required immunizations in the pamphlet required under Subdivision (2)(A) [(2)] quarterly;

(4) make the pamphlet and resource guide required by Section 161.501 available for distribution to hospitals, physicians, birthing centers, nurse midwives, and midwives; and

(5) coordinate funding for the development, publication, and distribution of the informational pamphlet and resource guide with other health and human services agencies, and solicit funding for the department's duties under this subchapter through means other than appropriations, such as gifts, grants, and sales of sponsorship or advertising.

(b) The department may include additional information in the pamphlet or resource guide as appropriate for parents of newborns.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.