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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to medical and psychological assessments and services for |
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children in the managing conservatorship of the Department of |
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Family and Protective Services. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 266, Family Code, is amended by adding |
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Section 266.0031 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 266.0031. INITIAL MEDICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL |
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ASSESSMENT; SCHEDULING OF SERVICES. (a) The department shall |
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conduct an initial medical and psychological assessment of a child |
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not later than the seventh day after the date the child enters the |
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managing conservatorship of the department, or not later than the |
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third day after the date the child enters the managing |
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conservatorship of the department if the child was removed from the |
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child's home because of an immediate risk of abuse or neglect that |
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could have resulted in the death of or serious harm to the child. |
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(b) Following the initial assessments of a child under |
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Subsection (a), the department may, without court approval, |
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schedule for the child any preventive treatments, acute medical |
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services, or therapeutic and rehabilitative care to meet the |
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child's mental and physical needs. In scheduling treatments, |
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services, or care under this subsection, the department shall |
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adhere to the medical services delivery model developed under |
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Section 266.003. |
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SECTION 2. Section 266.0031, Family Code, as added by this |
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Act, applies only to a child who enters the conservatorship of the |
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Department of Family and Protective Services on or after the |
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effective date of this Act. A child who enters the conservatorship |
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of the Department of Family and Protective Services before the |
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effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the |
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date the child entered foster care, and the former law is continued |
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in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |