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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to requiring the Department of Family and Protective |
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Services to create a physician multidisciplinary team to assist in |
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certain investigations of child abuse and neglect. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 261, Family Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 261.3017 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 261.3017. PHYSICIAN MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM; |
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CONSULTATION. (a) The department shall create a physician |
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multidisciplinary team to consult with the department during abuse |
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and neglect investigations. |
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(b) The multidisciplinary team must include radiologists, |
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geneticists, and endocrinologists who have experience in |
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identifying the following health conditions: |
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(1) rickets; |
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(2) Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome; |
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(3) osteogenesis imperfecta; |
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(4) vitamin D deficiency; and |
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(5) other similar metabolic bone diseases or |
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connective tissue disorders. |
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(c) The department shall provide training to each physician |
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on the multidisciplinary team. The training must provide |
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physicians with information and support regarding: |
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(1) the identification of the physical symptoms of |
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abuse and neglect; and |
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(2) the alternative causes of physical symptoms that |
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normally indicate child abuse or neglect when no other indicators |
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of abuse and neglect are present. |
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(d) The department shall consult with the multidisciplinary |
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team created under this section in an investigation of alleged |
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child abuse and neglect in which physical symptoms are present but |
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there are no other indicators of abuse and neglect. |
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(e) In an investigation described by Subsection (d), the |
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department may not proceed in a case against a parent accused of |
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child abuse or neglect until the department and multidisciplinary |
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team have considered and ruled out other possible medical |
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explanations for the child's physical symptoms. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |