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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to mental health assessments and the provision of mental |
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health services for children in the conservatorship of the |
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Department of 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. Subchapter B, Chapter 264, Family Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 264.1077 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 264.1077. MENTAL HEALTH ASSESSMENT. (a) Not later |
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than 72 hours after a child enters the conservatorship of the |
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department, the department shall have an appropriate medical or |
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mental health care professional perform a mental health assessment |
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of the child. |
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(b) The department shall ensure that the child receives any |
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necessary treatment as indicated by the child's mental health |
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assessment, as soon as practicable after the assessment under |
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Subsection (a) is complete. |
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SECTION 2. Section 264.1077, 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 before the effective date of this Act is governed |
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by the law in effect on the date the child entered the |
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conservatorship of the department, 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. |