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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the certification, training, and supervision of |
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certified family partners and the provision of peer support |
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services by certified family partners to the family or primary |
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caregiver of certain children with serious emotional disturbance, |
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including the provision of those services under the medical |
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assistance program. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 531.09992 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 531.09992. CERTIFIED FAMILY PARTNERS. The executive |
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commissioner by rule shall: |
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(1) establish training, certification, and |
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supervision requirements for a person to be certified as a family |
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partner and, as a certified family partner, to provide peer support |
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services to the family or primary caregiver of a child not younger |
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than three years of age and not older than 17 years of age, who has a |
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serious emotional disturbance; and |
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(2) define the scope of peer support services a |
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certified family partner may provide in a manner that distinguishes |
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other services the provision of which requires licensure under |
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another provision of law. |
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SECTION 2. Section 32.024, Human Resources Code, is amended |
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by adding Subsection (c-2) to read as follows: |
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(c-2) To the extent permitted by federal law, the executive |
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commissioner, in establishing standards under Subsection (c), may |
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include the provision of peer support services by a certified |
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family partner in the scope of services provided under the medical |
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assistance program to a child who is eligible for assistance, is not |
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younger than three years old and not older than 17 years old, and |
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has a serious emotional disturbance. In this subsection, |
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"certified family partner" means a person certified as a family |
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partner under rules adopted under Section 531.09992, Government |
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Code. |
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SECTION 3. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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of this Act, the executive commissioner of the Health and Human |
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Services Commission shall adopt rules as require |
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d by Section |
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531.09992, Government Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 4. If before implementing any provision of this Act |
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a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a |
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federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision, |
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the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or |
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authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the |
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waiver or authorization is granted. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |