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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to child protective services. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 264, Family Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 264.015 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 264.015. COLOCATION OF CERTAIN EMPLOYEES. (a) In |
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this section, "conservatorship services" has the meaning assigned |
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by Section 264.106. |
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(b) To the extent feasible, the department may contract with |
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child-placing agencies throughout the state for the child-placing |
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agencies to provide office space for department employees who |
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provide conservatorship services and employees who perform |
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licensing functions. |
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SECTION 2. Section 264.101, Family Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (g) to read as follows: |
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(g) The department shall study the feasibility of |
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implementing a financial incentive program to encourage foster |
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children to achieve and maintain the progress goals set under each |
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child's individualized treatment or service plan. At a minimum, |
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the study must include an analysis of the cost, benefits, and types |
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of incentives that would be of value to foster children. Not later |
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than December 1, 2010, the department shall report its findings and |
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recommendations to the speaker of the house of representatives, the |
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lieutenant governor, the House Human Services Committee or its |
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successor, and the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services or |
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its successor. This subsection expires January 1, 2011. |
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SECTION 3. Subchapter B, Chapter 264, Family Code, is |
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amended by adding Sections 264.119 and 264.120 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 264.119. NOTICE OF CHANGE OF PLACEMENT. (a) Except |
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in the case of an emergency or as otherwise provided by a court |
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order, the department must provide written notice to the substitute |
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care provider and any child-placing agency involved with the child |
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before the department may change the child's substitute care |
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provider. |
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(b) The department must provide the notice required under |
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Subsection (a) not later than the fifth day before the date the |
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child's substitute care provider is changed. |
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Sec. 264.120. EXIT SURVEY. (a) The department shall adopt |
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a policy that provides for an exit survey of each foster parent who |
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decides to leave the foster care system. |
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(b) The department shall encourage the foster parent to |
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state in the foster parent's own words the reasons why the foster |
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parent decided to leave the foster care system. |
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(c) Not later than December 1 of each odd-numbered year, the |
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department shall submit a report summarizing the results of the |
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exit surveys to the speaker of the house of representatives, the |
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lieutenant governor, the House Human Services Committee or its |
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successor, and the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services or |
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its successor. |
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SECTION 4. Section 264.121, Family Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (d) to read as follows: |
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(d) The department shall ensure that each individual |
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enrolled in the Preparation for Adult Living Program receives |
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information about the community resources that are available in the |
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county in which the individual intends to reside to assist the |
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individual in obtaining employment, job training, educational |
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services, housing, food, and health care. If there are no community |
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resources available in the county in which the individual intends |
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to reside, the department shall ensure that the individual receives |
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information about any community resources that are available in the |
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surrounding counties. |
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SECTION 5. Subchapter B, Chapter 264, Family Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 264.123 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 264.123. FOSTER PARENT MENTORS. The department shall |
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establish a program under which the foster parents of a child may |
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provide mentoring services to the child's parents to assist the |
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child's parents in complying with the terms of the service plan. |
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SECTION 6. Subsections (d), (e), and (f), Section 42.0221, |
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Human Resources Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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(d) The committee shall meet three times [twice] a year at |
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the call of the presiding officer. At least one meeting each year |
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must provide an opportunity for public testimony. |
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(e) The committee shall review and analyze the information |
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provided by the department and committee members and shall make |
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recommendations for policy and statutory changes relating to |
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licensing standards and facility inspections. The review and |
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analysis by the committee shall include the analysis of: |
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(1) the deaths of children who are in substitute care, |
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including reports and findings of child fatality review teams under |
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Subchapter F, Chapter 264, Family Code; |
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(2) the types of licensing violations for each |
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weighted risk and region; |
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(3) the details of administrative reviews and appeals; |
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[and] |
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(4) the type of technical assistance provided and the |
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qualifications of those providing technical assistance; and |
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(5) the department's policies, standards, and |
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procedures relating to the licensing of foster care providers and |
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consider modifications to the policies, standards, and procedures |
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to increase the capacity of a foster care provider while continuing |
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to ensure the health and safety of children placed in the care of |
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the foster care provider. |
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(f) The committee shall report its findings and |
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recommendations to the department and the legislature not later |
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than September [December] 1 of each year. |
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SECTION 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |
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