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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a pilot program to recruit young adults as foster |
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parents. |
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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 264.1252 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 264.1252. FOSTER PARENT RECRUITMENT PILOT PROGRAM. |
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(a) In this section, "young adult caregiver" means a person who: |
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(1) is at least 21 years of age but younger than 36 |
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years of age; and |
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(2) provides foster care for children who are 14 years |
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of age and older. |
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(b) The department shall establish a pilot program, with |
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money appropriated for that purpose, to recruit and provide |
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training and support for young adult caregivers. The program shall |
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pay a young adult caregiver the daily foster care rate for each |
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child who is placed with the caregiver and provide student loan |
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repayment assistance or tuition assistance for the caregiver, as |
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appropriate. |
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(c) The department shall contract with a child-placing |
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agency to develop a model for recruiting and training young adult |
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caregivers and to support the young adult caregivers during the |
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pilot program. The department shall distribute the request for a |
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proposal for the pilot program to existing child-placing agencies. |
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(d) The department shall appoint a full-time employee with |
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experience working with foster children who are 14 years of age and |
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older to: |
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(1) serve as a liaison between the department and the |
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contracting child-placing agency; |
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(2) offer assistance and support to each young adult |
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caregiver; and |
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(3) assist in evaluating the effectiveness of the |
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pilot program. |
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(e) Not later than January 1, 2018, the department or the |
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contracting child-placing agency shall select at least 30 young |
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adult caregivers to participate in the pilot program established |
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under this section. |
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(f) The department shall complete an evaluation of the pilot |
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program not later than December 31, 2018. The department shall |
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conduct the evaluation in collaboration with an institution of |
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higher education. In evaluating the effect the program had on the |
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foster children participating in the program, the department shall |
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consider whether the program has resulted in: |
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(1) increased placement stability; |
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(2) fewer behavioral issues; |
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(3) fewer instances of foster children running away |
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from a placement; |
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(4) increased satisfactory academic progress in |
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school; |
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(5) increased acquisition of independent living |
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skills; and |
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(6) an improved sense of well-being. |
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(g) The department shall submit a report evaluating the |
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pilot program to the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the |
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house of representatives, and members of the legislature as soon as |
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possible after the evaluation is completed. |
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(h) This section expires September 1, 2019. |
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SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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of this Act, the Department of Family and Protective Services shall |
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begin the request for proposal process, enter into a contract with a |
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child-placing agency, and establish the pilot program as required |
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by Section 264.1252, Family Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |