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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to health and mental health services for children in |
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foster care and kinship care. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 264.015, Family Code, is amended to read |
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as follows: |
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Sec. 264.015. TRAINING. (a) The department shall include |
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training in trauma-informed programs and services in any training |
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the department provides to foster parents, adoptive parents, |
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kinship caregivers, [and] department caseworkers, and department |
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supervisors. The department shall pay for the training provided |
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under this subsection [section] with gifts, donations, and grants |
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and any federal money available through the Fostering Connections |
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to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 (Pub. L. No. |
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110-351). The department shall annually evaluate the effectiveness |
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of the training provided under this subsection to ensure progress |
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toward a trauma-informed system of care. |
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(b) The department shall require department caseworkers and |
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department supervisors to complete an annual refresher training |
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course in trauma-informed programs and services. |
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(c) To the extent that resources are available, the |
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department shall assist the following entities in developing |
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training in trauma-informed programs and services and in locating |
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money and other resources to assist the entities in providing |
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trauma-informed programs and services: |
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(1) court-appointed special advocate programs; |
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(2) children's advocacy centers; |
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(3) local community mental health centers created |
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under Section 534.001, Health and Safety Code; and |
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(4) domestic violence shelters. |
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SECTION 2. Section 531.0216, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (c-1) to read as follows: |
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(c-1) The commission shall: |
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(1) explore opportunities to increase STAR Health |
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program providers' use of telemedicine medical services in |
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medically underserved areas of this state; and |
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(2) encourage STAR Health program providers to use |
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telemedicine medical services as appropriate. |
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SECTION 3. Subchapter A, Chapter 533, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Sections 533.0052 and 533.0053 to read as |
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follows: |
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Sec. 533.0052. STAR HEALTH PROGRAM: TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE |
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TRAINING. (a) A contract between a managed care organization and |
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the commission for the organization to provide health care services |
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to recipients under the STAR Health program must include a |
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requirement that trauma-informed care training be offered to each |
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contracted physician or provider. |
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(b) The commission shall encourage each managed care |
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organization providing health care services to recipients under the |
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STAR Health program to make training in post-traumatic stress |
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disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder available to |
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a contracted physician or provider within a reasonable time after |
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the date the physician or provider begins providing services under |
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the managed care plan. |
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Sec. 533.0053. COMPLIANCE WITH TEXAS HEALTH STEPS. The |
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commission shall encourage each managed care organization |
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providing health care services to a recipient under the STAR Health |
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program to ensure that the organization's network providers comply |
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with the regimen of care prescribed by the Texas Health Steps |
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program under Section 32.056, Human Resources Code, if applicable, |
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including the requirement to provide a mental health screening |
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during each of the recipient's Texas Health Steps medical exams |
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conducted by a network provider. |
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SECTION 4. (a) Subsection (a), Section 533.0052, |
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Government Code, as added by this Act, applies only to a contract |
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between the Health and Human Services Commission and a managed care |
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organization that is entered into or renewed on or after the |
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effective date of this Act. |
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(b) To the extent permitted by law or the terms of the |
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contract, the Health and Human Services Commission shall amend a |
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contract entered into before the effective date of this Act with a |
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managed care organization to require compliance with Subsection |
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(a), Section 533.0052, Government Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 5. If before implementing any provision of this Act |
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a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a |
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federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision, |
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the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or |
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authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the |
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waiver or authorization is granted. |
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SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |