| TO: | Honorable Jane Nelson, Chair, Senate Committee on Health & Human Services |
| FROM: | Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | HB1227 by Dukes (Relating to the use of an Internet application to allow access by court-appointed volunteer advocates to child protective services case information.), Committee Report 2nd House, Substituted |
| Fiscal Year | Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds |
|---|---|
| 2014 | ($3,243,707) |
| 2015 | ($2,928,145) |
| 2016 | ($1,318,664) |
| 2017 | ($1,318,664) |
| 2018 | ($1,318,664) |
| Fiscal Year | Probable Savings/(Cost) from General Revenue Fund 1 |
Probable Savings/(Cost) from GR Match For Medicaid 758 |
Probable Savings/(Cost) from Federal Funds 555 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | ($3,198,089) | ($45,618) | ($382,321) |
| 2015 | ($2,887,031) | ($41,114) | ($336,985) |
| 2016 | ($1,302,361) | ($16,303) | ($142,997) |
| 2017 | ($1,302,361) | ($16,303) | ($142,997) |
| 2018 | ($1,302,361) | ($16,303) | ($142,997) |
| Fiscal Year | Change in Number of State Employees from FY 2013 |
|---|---|
| 2014 | 15.0 |
| 2015 | 15.0 |
| 2016 | 15.0 |
| 2017 | 15.0 |
| 2018 | 15.0 |
The bill would amend the Family Code to require the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) to develop an internet application allowing court-appointed volunteer advocates to access and update case files in DFPS's automated case tracking and information management system.
The executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission is also required to adopt rules necessary to implement the provisions.
According to DFPS, in order to allow read and write access to case information in the Information Management Protecting Adults and Children in Texas (IMPACT) system, which is the agency's automated casework system, via an external interface for court appointed volunteer advocates for child protective services, an external facing web-based interface would have to be built, tested, maintained, and enhanced over time. The estimated cost is $2,315,778 in fiscal year 2014, $2,100,969 in fiscal year 2015, and $297,500 in fiscal year 2016 and each fiscal year going forward.
It is also estimated that an additional 9 FTEs would be needed for technical support to the external users, security, reporting, and providing additional functionality due to the increased number of authorized users. An additional 6 centralized background check unit (CBCU) FTEs would be needed to process background checks for each of these new users and for annual renewal checks to comply with DFPS current policy of requiring complete background checks for individuals who are not DFPS employees but who have a business need to have direct contact with DFPS information technology resources or DFPS facilities. The estimated cost for these 15 FTEs is $1,310,250 in fiscal year 2014 and $1,164,161 in fiscal year 2015 and each fiscal year going forward.
Total estimated cost in All Funds would be $3,626,028 in fiscal year 2014, $3,265,130 in fiscal year 2015, and $1,461,661 in fiscal year 2016 and each fiscal year going forward. To the extent that the agency receives gifts, grants, or donations as authorized by the bill to support this program, general revenue costs associated with the internet application would be offset.
The estimated cost for additional devices and software and changes to IMPACT is $2,332,646 in fiscal year 2014, $2,117,837 in fiscal year 2015, and $314,368 in fiscal year 2016 and each fiscal year thereafter. These costs are included above.
| Source Agencies: | 530 Family and Protective Services, Department of
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| LBB Staff: | UP, CL, MB, SJ, VJC
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