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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to Department of Family and Protective Services |
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caseworkers and other employees. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 531.048, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (d-1) to read as follows: |
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(d-1) Notwithstanding Subsection (d), the Department of |
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Family and Protective Services shall increase the number of |
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department caseworkers so that: |
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(1) the average caseload for child protective services |
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caseworkers, adult protective services caseworkers, and |
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specialists in the child-care licensing division are equal to 80 |
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percent of the average caseload that existed on January 1, 2009, for |
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those employees; and |
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(2) each child in the department's conservatorship is |
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able to be visited by the child's caseworker at least once each |
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month. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 40, Human Resources Code, |
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is amended by adding Section 40.0327 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 40.0327. CASEWORKER RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION STUDY. |
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The department shall perform a study to determine ways to improve |
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the recruitment and retention of caseworkers. The study must |
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examine the factors that lead to caseworker turnover, including |
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salary, job stress, and training. |
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SECTION 3. The Department of Family and Protective Services |
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shall increase and maintain the salary, including any supplemental |
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pay, for case management and investigative caseworkers and |
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supervisors and shall extend the equivalent supplemental pay to: |
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(1) each program director and program administrator in |
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an investigation unit in the child protective services division; |
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and |
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(2) each caseworker, supervisor, program director, |
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and program administrator in the child protective services division |
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providing services through conservatorship programs, foster care |
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and adoption programs, and family-based safety services programs. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |