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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the Department of Family and Protective Services |
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caseworker replacement program. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 40.0324, Human Resources Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 40.0324. CASEWORKER REPLACEMENT PROGRAM. (a) In this |
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section: |
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(1) "Caseworker" means a full-time department |
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employee who serves as a child protective services specialist. |
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(2) "Training academy" means an entity established by |
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the department to train caseworkers. |
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(a-1) The [To the extent that funding is available, the] |
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department shall develop a program to provide for the timely |
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replacement of caseworkers with trainees hired in anticipation of |
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vacancies. |
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(b) In developing the program, the department shall: |
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(1) remove the limit on the number of authorized |
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positions for a category of caseworker in a region of the state in |
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which the turnover rate for that category exceeds 20 percent; |
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(2) increase the number of trainee positions for a |
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category of caseworker described by Subdivision (1) in the training |
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academy in the region to a total that is 140 percent of the number of |
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trainee positions that existed immediately before September 1, |
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2009; |
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(3) maintain the number of trainers and other |
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necessary positions in the training academy in the region at the |
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level necessary to accomplish the purposes of Subdivision (2); and |
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(4) provide available funds as necessary to accomplish |
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the purposes of this subsection [consider the turnover rate for
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caseworkers by region]. |
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SECTION 2. (a) Not later than December 31, 2010, the |
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Department of Family and Protective Services shall submit a report |
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to the legislature regarding the effect of Section 40.0324, Human |
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Resources Code, as amended by this Act, on the retention of |
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caseworkers in the state. |
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(b) The report under Subsection (a) of this section must |
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include an assessment of the continuing need for the caseworker |
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replacement program under Section 40.0324, Human Resources Code, as |
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amended by this Act, and a recommendation on whether the program |
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should be continued. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |