By: Zaffirini, West  S.B. No. 44
         (In the Senate - Filed November 12, 2012; January 28, 2013,
  read first time and referred to Committee on Health and Human
  Services; April 23, 2013, reported adversely, with favorable
  Committee Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas  8, Nays 0;
  April 23, 2013, sent to printer.)
 
  COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 44 By:  Zaffirini
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to maintaining and reporting certain information
  regarding certain child abuse or neglect cases and the provision of
  mental health services for children in those cases.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subsection (b), Section 261.004, Family Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         (b)  The department shall report the following information:
               (1)  the number of initial phone calls received by the
  department alleging abuse and neglect;
               (2)  the number of children reported to the department
  as having been abused and neglected;
               (3)  the number of reports received by the department
  alleging abuse or neglect and assigned by the department for
  investigation;
               (4)  of the children to whom Subdivision (2) applies:
                     (A)  the number for whom the report was
  substantiated;
                     (B)  the number for whom the report was
  unsubstantiated;
                     (C)  the number for whom the report was determined
  to be false;
                     (D)  the number who did not receive services from
  the department under a state or federal program;
                     (E)  the number who received services, including
  preventative services, from the department under a state or federal
  program; and
                     (F)  the number who were removed from the child's
  home during the preceding year;
               (5)  the number of families in which the child was not
  removed, but the child or family received services from the
  department;
               (6)  the number of children who died during the
  preceding year as a result of child abuse or neglect;
               (7)  of the children to whom Subdivision (6) applies,
  the number who were in foster care at the time of death;
               (8)  the number of child protective services workers
  responsible for report intake, assessment, or investigation;
               (9)  the response time by the department with respect
  to conducting an initial investigation of a report of child abuse or
  neglect;
               (10)  the response time by the department with respect
  to commencing services to families and children for whom an
  allegation of abuse or neglect has been made;
               (11)  the number of children who were returned to their
  families or who received family preservation services and who,
  before the fifth anniversary of the date of return or receipt, were
  the victims of substantiated reports of child abuse or neglect,
  including abuse or neglect resulting in the death of the child;
               (12)  the number of cases pursued by the department in
  each stage of the judicial process, including civil and criminal
  proceedings and the results of each proceeding; [and]
               (13)  the number of children for whom a person was
  appointed by the court to represent the best interests of the child
  and the average number of out-of-court contacts between the person
  and the child; and
               (14)  the number of children who suffer from a mental
  illness, as defined by Section 571.003, Health and Safety Code, and
  for whom the department is appointed managing conservator because a
  person voluntarily relinquished possession of the child solely to
  obtain mental health services for the child.
         SECTION 2.  Chapter 262, Family Code, is amended by adding
  Subchapter E to read as follows:
  SUBCHAPTER E. RELINQUISHING CHILD TO OBTAIN CERTAIN SERVICES
         Sec. 262.351.  JOINT MANAGING CONSERVATORSHIP OF CHILD.
  Before a person relinquishes possession of a child who suffers from
  a serious mental illness in order to obtain mental health services
  for the child, the Department of Family and Protective Services
  must notify the person relinquishing possession of the child of the
  option of seeking a court order for joint managing conservatorship
  of the child with the department if that arrangement is in the best
  interest of the child.
         Sec. 262.352.  STUDY TO DEVELOP ALTERNATIVES TO
  RELINQUISHMENT OF PARENTAL RIGHTS TO OBTAIN MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES.
  (a)  The Department of Family and Protective Services and the
  Department of State Health Services shall jointly study, develop,
  and implement changes necessary to prevent the practice of parents
  relinquishing parental rights of children with serious mental
  illness and placement in the conservatorship of the Department of
  Family and Protective Services solely to obtain mental health
  services for the child.
         (b)  As part of the study under Subsection (a), the
  Department of Family and Protective Services and the Department of
  State Health Services shall consider the advantages of providing
  mental health services using temporary residential treatment and
  intensive community-based services options, including:
               (1)  joint managing conservatorship of the child by the
  Department of Family and Protective Services and the child's
  parent;
               (2)  the Youth Empowerment Services waiver program;
               (3)  systems of care services;
               (4)  emergency respite services; and
               (5)  diversion residential treatment center services.
         (c)  Not later than September 30, 2014, the Department of
  Family and Protective Services and the Department of State Health
  Services shall file a report with the legislature and the Council on
  Children and Families on the results of the study required by
  Subsection (b). The report must include:
               (1)  any statutory changes needed to prevent the
  relinquishment of parental rights;
               (2)  each option to prevent relinquishment of parental
  rights that was considered during the study;
               (3)  each option that was selected for implementation;
               (4)  the implementation status of each option; and
               (5)  the number of children and families that are
  affected by the implementation of each option.
         (d)  Not later than September 30 of each even-numbered year
  after the date the report is filed under Subsection (c), the
  Department of Family and Protective Services and the Department of
  State Health Services shall update the report.
         SECTION 3.  Section 531.803, Government Code, is amended by
  amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-1) to read as
  follows:
         (a)  The council shall:
               (1)  analyze the biennial legislative appropriations
  requests of members of the council for services provided to
  children and their families and identify appropriations that,
  through the coordination of members of the council, could be
  modified in the next legislative appropriation request to eliminate
  waste or increase available services and, not later than May 1 of
  each even-numbered year, prepare a report recommending those
  modifications for consideration during the development of the next
  biennial legislative appropriations request;
               (2)  investigate opportunities to increase flexible
  funding for health, education, and human services provided to
  children and their families;
               (3)  identify methods to remove barriers to local
  coordination of health, education, and human services provided to
  children and their families;
               (4)  identify methods to ensure that children and youth
  receive appropriate assessment, diagnoses, and intervention
  services;
               (5)  develop methods to prevent unnecessary parental
  relinquishment of custody of children;
               (6)  prioritize assisting children in family settings
  rather than institutional settings;
               (7)  make recommendations to the executive
  commissioner to eliminate the practice of including in the central
  registry of reported cases of child abuse or neglect the name of a
  person who relinquishes possession of the person's child to the
  state solely for the purpose of obtaining mental health services
  for the child;
               (8)  make recommendations about family involvement in
  the provision and planning of health, education, and human services
  for a child, including family partner and liaison models; and
               (9) [(8)]  identify technological methods to ensure
  the efficient and timely transfer of information among state
  agencies providing health, education, and human services to
  children and their families.
         (a-1)  The executive commissioner shall review the council's
  recommendations under Subsection (a)(7) and implement any changes
  necessary to ensure that the central registry of reported cases of
  child abuse or neglect does not include the name of a person who
  relinquishes possession of the person's child to the state solely
  for the purpose of obtaining mental health services for the child.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2013.
 
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