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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to certain duties of the Department of Family and |
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Protective Services regarding parental child safety placements. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 264.904(d), Family Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(d) Before the department may close a case with a child |
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still living in a parental child safety placement, the department |
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must: |
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(1) determine and document in the case file that the |
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child can safely remain in the placement without the department's |
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supervision; |
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(2) obtain the written agreement of the parent or |
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person who made the parental child safety placement, if possible; |
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(3) obtain the caregiver's agreement in writing that |
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the child can continue living in the placement after the department |
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closes the case; [and] |
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(4) develop a written plan for the child's care after |
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the department closes the case; |
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(5) ensure that the parent or person who made the |
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parental child safety placement, if appropriate, and the caregiver |
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have: |
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(A) obtained any public benefits for which the |
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child qualifies; |
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(B) enrolled the child in school or made other |
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arrangements relating to the child's education; |
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(C) obtained health insurance for the child or |
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made other arrangements relating to the child's medical care; |
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(D) filed for or transferred to the caregiver any |
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child support, social security income, or public benefits being |
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paid on behalf of the child to the parent or other person who made |
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the parental child safety placement; |
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(E) obtained the following documents for the |
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child: |
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(i) the child's birth certificate; |
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(ii) a social security card or a |
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replacement social security card; |
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(iii) a driver's license or personal |
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identification card; and |
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(iv) any other personal document the |
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department determines appropriate; and |
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(F) obtained any other resources necessary to |
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care for the child; and |
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(6) assist the parent or person who made the parental |
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child safety placement, if appropriate, and the caregiver in |
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complying with requirements described by Subdivision (5). |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |