86R23428 MCK-D
 
  By: Sanford, Noble H.B. No. 3390
 
  Substitute the following for H.B. No. 3390:
 
  By:  Frank C.S.H.B. No. 3390
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to identifying relative and other designated caregivers
  for children in the conservatorship of the Department of Family and
  Protective Services.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 107.002(b), Family Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (b)  A guardian ad litem appointed for the child under this
  chapter shall:
               (1)  within a reasonable time after the appointment,
  interview:
                     (A)  the child in a developmentally appropriate
  manner, if the child is four years of age or older;
                     (B)  each person who has significant knowledge of
  the child's history and condition, including educators, child
  welfare service providers, and any foster parent of the child; and
                     (C)  the parties to the suit;
               (2)  seek to elicit in a developmentally appropriate
  manner the child's expressed objectives;
               (3)  consider the child's expressed objectives without
  being bound by those objectives;
               (4)  encourage settlement and the use of alternative
  forms of dispute resolution; [and]
               (5)  perform any specific task directed by the court;
  and
               (6)  seek to elicit in a developmentally appropriate
  manner the name of any adult, particularly an adult residing in the
  child's community, who could be a relative or designated caregiver
  for the child and immediately provide the names of those
  individuals to the Department of Family and Protective Services.
         SECTION 2.  Section 107.003(a), Family Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (a)  An attorney ad litem appointed to represent a child or
  an amicus attorney appointed to assist the court:
               (1)  shall:
                     (A)  subject to Rules 4.02, 4.03, and 4.04, Texas
  Disciplinary Rules of Professional Conduct, and within a reasonable
  time after the appointment, interview:
                           (i)  the child in a developmentally
  appropriate manner, if the child is four years of age or older;
                           (ii)  each person who has significant
  knowledge of the child's history and condition, including any
  foster parent of the child; and
                           (iii)  the parties to the suit;
                     (B)  seek to elicit in a developmentally
  appropriate manner  the child's expressed objectives of
  representation;
                     (C)  consider the impact on the child in
  formulating the attorney's presentation of the child's expressed
  objectives of representation to the court;
                     (D)  investigate the facts of the case to the
  extent the attorney considers appropriate;
                     (E)  obtain and review copies of relevant records
  relating to the child as provided by Section 107.006;
                     (F)  participate in the conduct of the litigation
  to the same extent as an attorney for a party;
                     (G)  take any action consistent with the child's
  interests that the attorney considers necessary to expedite the
  proceedings;
                     (H)  encourage settlement and the use of
  alternative forms of dispute resolution; [and]
                     (I)  review and sign, or decline to sign, a
  proposed or agreed order affecting the child; and
                     (J)  seek to elicit in a developmentally
  appropriate manner the name of any adult, particularly an adult
  residing in the child's community, who could be a relative or
  designated caregiver for the child and immediately provide the
  names of those individuals to the Department of Family and
  Protective Services;
               (2)  must be trained in child advocacy or have
  experience determined by the court to be equivalent to that
  training; and
               (3)  is entitled to:
                     (A)  request clarification from the court if the
  role of the attorney is ambiguous;
                     (B)  request a hearing or trial on the merits;
                     (C)  consent or refuse to consent to an interview
  of the child by another attorney;
                     (D)  receive a copy of each pleading or other
  paper filed with the court;
                     (E)  receive notice of each hearing in the suit;
                     (F)  participate in any case staffing concerning
  the child conducted by the Department of Family and Protective
  Services; and
                     (G)  attend all legal proceedings in the suit.
         SECTION 3.  The heading to Section 261.307, Family Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 261.307.  INFORMATION RELATING TO INVESTIGATION
  PROCEDURE AND CHILD PLACEMENT RESOURCES.
         SECTION 4.  Section 261.307(a), Family Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (a)  As soon as possible after initiating an investigation of
  a parent or other person having legal custody of a child, the
  department shall provide to the person:
               (1)  a summary that:
                     (A)  is brief and easily understood;
                     (B)  is written in a language that the person
  understands, or if the person is illiterate, is read to the person
  in a language that the person understands; and
                     (C)  contains the following information:
                           (i)  the department's procedures for
  conducting an investigation of alleged child abuse or neglect,
  including:
                                 (a)  a description of the
  circumstances under which the department would request to remove
  the child from the home through the judicial system; and
                                 (b)  an explanation that the law
  requires the department to refer all reports of alleged child abuse
  or neglect to a law enforcement agency for a separate determination
  of whether a criminal violation occurred;
                           (ii)  the person's right to file a complaint
  with the department or to request a review of the findings made by
  the department in the investigation;
                           (iii)  the person's right to review all
  records of the investigation unless the review would jeopardize an
  ongoing criminal investigation or the child's safety;
                           (iv)  the person's right to seek legal
  counsel;
                           (v)  references to the statutory and
  regulatory provisions governing child abuse and neglect and how the
  person may obtain copies of those provisions; and
                           (vi)  the process the person may use to
  acquire access to the child if the child is removed from the home;
               (2)  if the department determines that removal of the
  child may be warranted, a proposed child placement resources form
  that:
                     (A)  instructs the parent or other person having
  legal custody of the child to:
                           (i)  complete and return the form to the
  department or agency; [and]
                           (ii)  identify in the form at least three
  individuals who could be relative caregivers or designated
  caregivers, as those terms are defined by Section 264.751; [and]
                           (iii)  ask the child in a developmentally
  appropriate manner to identify any adult, particularly an adult
  residing in the child's community, who could be a relative
  caregiver or designated caregiver for the child; and
                           (iv)  list on the form the name of each
  individual identified by the child as a potential relative
  caregiver or designated caregiver; and
                     (B)  informs the parent or other person of a
  location that is available to the parent or other person to submit
  the information in the form 24 hours a day either in person or by
  facsimile machine or e-mail; and
               (3)  an informational manual required by Section
  261.3071.
         SECTION 5.  Section 262.0022, Family Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 262.0022.  REVIEW OF PLACEMENT; FINDINGS.  At each
  hearing under this chapter, the court shall review the placement of
  each child in the temporary or permanent managing conservatorship
  of the Department of Family and Protective Services who is not
  placed with a relative caregiver or designated caregiver as defined
  by Section 264.751. The court shall include in its findings a
  statement on whether the department:
               (1)  asked the child in a developmentally appropriate
  manner to identify any adult, particularly an adult residing in the
  child's community, who could be a relative caregiver or designated
  caregiver for the child; and
               (2)  has the option of placing the child with a relative
  caregiver or [other] designated caregiver.
         SECTION 6.  Sections 262.114(a), (a-2), and (b), Family
  Code, are amended to read as follows:
         (a)  Before a full adversary hearing under Subchapter C, the
  Department of Family and Protective Services must perform a
  background and criminal history check of the relatives or other
  designated individuals identified as a potential relative or
  designated caregiver, as defined by Section 264.751, on the
  proposed child placement resources form provided under Section
  261.307, including any adult identified by the child.  The
  department shall evaluate each person listed on the form to
  determine the relative or other designated individual who would be
  the most appropriate substitute caregiver for the child and must
  complete a home study of the most appropriate substitute caregiver,
  if any, before the full adversary hearing. Until the department
  identifies a relative or other designated individual qualified to
  be a substitute caregiver, the department must continue to explore
  substitute caregiver options, including asking the child in a
  developmentally appropriate manner to identify any adult,
  particularly an adult residing in the child's community, who could
  be a relative or designated caregiver for the child.  The time
  frames in this subsection do not apply to a relative or other
  designated individual located in another state.
         (a-2)  If the child has not been placed with a relative or
  other designated caregiver by the time of the full adversary
  hearing under Section 262.201, the department shall file with the
  court a statement that explains:
               (1)  the reasons why the department has not placed the
  child with a relative or other designated caregiver listed on the
  proposed child placement resources form, including any adult
  identified by the child; and
               (2)  the actions the department is taking, if any, to
  place the child with a relative or other designated caregiver.
         (b)  The department may place a child with a relative or
  other designated caregiver identified on the proposed child
  placement resources form, including any adult identified by the
  child, if the department determines that the placement is in the
  best interest of the child.  The department must complete the
  background and criminal history check and conduct a preliminary
  evaluation of the relative or other designated caregiver's home
  before the child is placed with the relative or other designated
  caregiver. The department may place the child with the relative or
  designated caregiver before conducting the home study required
  under Subsection (a).  Not later than 48 hours after the time that
  the child is placed with the relative or other designated
  caregiver, the department shall begin the home study of the
  relative or other designated caregiver.  The department shall
  complete the home study as soon as possible unless otherwise
  ordered by a court.  The department shall provide a copy of an
  informational manual required under Section 261.3071 to the
  relative or other designated caregiver at the time of the child's
  placement.
         SECTION 7.  Section 262.201, Family Code, is amended by
  adding Subsection (l-1) to read as follows:
         (l-1)  The court shall ask all parties present at the full
  adversary hearing whether:
               (1)  the child has had the opportunity, in a
  developmentally appropriate manner, to identify any adult,
  particularly an adult residing in the child's community, who could
  be a relative or designated caregiver for the child; and
               (2)  each individual identified by the child as a
  potential relative or designated caregiver is listed on the
  proposed child placement resources form.
         SECTION 8.  Section 263.002(b), Family Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (b)  At each permanency hearing under this chapter, the court
  shall review the placement of each child in the temporary managing
  conservatorship of the department who is not placed with a relative
  caregiver or designated caregiver as defined by Section
  264.751.  The court shall include in its findings a statement
  whether the department:
               (1)  asked the child in a developmentally appropriate
  manner to identify any adult, particularly an adult residing in the
  child's community, who could be a relative or designated caregiver
  for the child; and
               (2)  placed the child with a relative or [other]
  designated caregiver.
         SECTION 9.  Section 263.202(h), Family Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (h)  If a proposed child placement resources form as
  described by Section 261.307 has not been submitted, the court
  shall require each parent, alleged father, or other person to whom
  the department is required to provide a form to submit a completed
  form. The court shall ask all parties present at the status hearing
  whether:
               (1)  the child has had the opportunity, in a
  developmentally appropriate manner, to identify any adult,
  particularly an adult residing in the child's community, who could
  be a relative or designated caregiver for the child; and
               (2)  each individual identified by the child as a
  potential relative or designated caregiver is listed on the
  proposed child placement resources form.
         SECTION 10.  Section 263.306(a-1), Family Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (a-1)  At each permanency hearing before a final order is
  rendered, the court shall:
               (1)  identify all persons and parties present at the
  hearing;
               (2)  review the efforts of the department or other
  agency in:
                     (A)  locating and requesting service of citation
  on all persons entitled to service of citation under Section
  102.009; and
                     (B)  obtaining the assistance of a parent in
  providing information necessary to locate an absent parent, alleged
  father, [or] relative of the child, or other adult identified by the
  child as a potential relative or designated caregiver;
               (3)  ask all parties present whether the child or the
  child's family has a Native American heritage and identify any
  Native American tribe with which the child may be associated;
               (4)  review the extent of the parties' compliance with
  temporary orders and the service plan and the extent to which
  progress has been made toward alleviating or mitigating the causes
  necessitating the placement of the child in foster care;
               (5)  review the permanency progress report to
  determine:
                     (A)  the safety and well-being of the child and
  whether the child's needs, including any medical or special needs,
  are being adequately addressed;
                     (B)  the continuing necessity and appropriateness
  of the placement of the child, including with respect to a child who
  has been placed outside of this state, whether the placement
  continues to be in the best interest of the child;
                     (C)  the appropriateness of the primary and
  alternative permanency goals for the child developed in accordance
  with department rule and whether the department has made reasonable
  efforts to finalize the permanency plan, including the concurrent
  permanency goals, in effect for the child;
                     (D)  whether the child has been provided the
  opportunity, in a developmentally appropriate manner, to express
  the child's opinion on any medical care provided;
                     (E)  whether the child has been provided the
  opportunity, in a developmentally appropriate manner, to identify
  any adults, particularly an adult residing in the child's
  community, who could be a relative or designated caregiver for the
  child;
                     (F)  for a child receiving psychotropic
  medication, whether the child:
                           (i)  has been provided appropriate
  nonpharmacological interventions, therapies, or strategies to meet
  the child's needs; or
                           (ii)  has been seen by the prescribing
  physician, physician assistant, or advanced practice nurse at least
  once every 90 days;
                     (G) [(F)]  whether an education decision-maker
  for the child has been identified, the child's education needs and
  goals have been identified and addressed, and there have been major
  changes in the child's school performance or there have been
  serious disciplinary events;
                     (H) [(G)]  for a child 14 years of age or older,
  whether services that are needed to assist the child in
  transitioning from substitute care to independent living are
  available in the child's community; and
                     (I) [(H)]  for a child whose permanency goal is
  another planned permanent living arrangement:
                           (i)  the desired permanency outcome for the
  child, by asking the child;
                           (ii)  whether, as of the date of the hearing,
  another planned permanent living arrangement is the best permanency
  plan for the child and, if so, provide compelling reasons why it
  continues to not be in the best interest of the child to:
                                 (a)  return home;
                                 (b)  be placed for adoption;
                                 (c)  be placed with a legal guardian;
  or
                                 (d)  be placed with a fit and willing
  relative;
                           (iii)  whether the department has conducted
  an independent living skills assessment under Section
  264.121(a-3);
                           (iv)  whether the department has addressed
  the goals identified in the child's permanency plan, including the
  child's housing plan, and the results of the independent living
  skills assessment;
                           (v)  if the youth is 16 years of age or
  older, whether there is evidence that the department has provided
  the youth with the documents and information listed in Section
  264.121(e); and
                           (vi)  if the youth is 18 years of age or
  older or has had the disabilities of minority removed, whether
  there is evidence that the department has provided the youth with
  the documents and information listed in Section 264.121(e-1);
               (6)  determine whether to return the child to the
  child's parents if the child's parents are willing and able to
  provide the child with a safe environment and the return of the
  child is in the child's best interest;
               (7)  estimate a likely date by which the child may be
  returned to and safely maintained in the child's home, placed for
  adoption, or placed in permanent managing conservatorship; and
               (8)  announce in open court the dismissal date and the
  date of any upcoming hearings.
         SECTION 11.  Section 263.5031, Family Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 263.5031.  PERMANENCY HEARINGS FOLLOWING FINAL ORDER.
  At each permanency hearing after the court renders a final order,
  the court shall:
               (1)  identify all persons and parties present at the
  hearing;
               (2)  review the efforts of the department or other
  agency in notifying persons entitled to notice under Section
  263.0021; and
               (3)  review the permanency progress report to
  determine:
                     (A)  the safety and well-being of the child and
  whether the child's needs, including any medical or special needs,
  are being adequately addressed;
                     (B)  whether the child has been provided the
  opportunity, in a developmentally appropriate manner, to identify
  any adult, particularly an adult residing in the child's community,
  who could be a relative or designated caregiver for the child;
                     (C)  whether the department placed the child with
  a relative or [other] designated caregiver and the continuing
  necessity and appropriateness of the placement of the child,
  including with respect to a child who has been placed outside of
  this state, whether the placement continues to be in the best
  interest of the child;
                     (D) [(C)]  if the child is placed in institutional
  care, whether efforts have been made to ensure that the child is
  placed in the least restrictive environment consistent with the
  child's best interest and special needs;
                     (E) [(D)]  the appropriateness of the primary and
  alternative permanency goals for the child, whether the department
  has made reasonable efforts to finalize the permanency plan,
  including the concurrent permanency goals, in effect for the child,
  and whether:
                           (i)  the department has exercised due
  diligence in attempting to place the child for adoption if parental
  rights to the child have been terminated and the child is eligible
  for adoption; or
                           (ii)  another permanent placement,
  including appointing a relative as permanent managing conservator
  or returning the child to a parent, is appropriate for the child;
                     (F) [(E)]  for a child whose permanency goal is
  another planned permanent living arrangement:
                           (i)  the desired permanency outcome for the
  child, by asking the child;
                           (ii)  whether, as of the date of the hearing,
  another planned permanent living arrangement is the best permanency
  plan for the child and, if so, provide compelling reasons why it
  continues to not be in the best interest of the child to:
                                 (a)  return home;
                                 (b)  be placed for adoption;
                                 (c)  be placed with a legal guardian;
  or
                                 (d)  be placed with a fit and willing
  relative;
                           (iii)  whether the department has conducted
  an independent living skills assessment under Section
  264.121(a-3);
                           (iv)  whether the department has addressed
  the goals identified in the child's permanency plan, including the
  child's housing plan, and the results of the independent living
  skills assessment;
                           (v)  if the youth is 16 years of age or
  older, whether there is evidence that the department has provided
  the youth with the documents and information listed in Section
  264.121(e); and
                           (vi)  if the youth is 18 years of age or
  older or has had the disabilities of minority removed, whether
  there is evidence that the department has provided the youth with
  the documents and information listed in Section 264.121(e-1);
                     (G) [(F)]  if the child is 14 years of age or
  older, whether services that are needed to assist the child in
  transitioning from substitute care to independent living are
  available in the child's community;
                     (H) [(G)]  whether the child is receiving
  appropriate medical care and has been provided the opportunity, in
  a developmentally appropriate manner, to express the child's
  opinion on any medical care provided;
                     (I) [(H)]  for a child receiving psychotropic
  medication, whether the child:
                           (i)  has been provided appropriate
  nonpharmacological interventions, therapies, or strategies to meet
  the child's needs; or
                           (ii)  has been seen by the prescribing
  physician, physician assistant, or advanced practice nurse at least
  once every 90 days;
                     (J) [(I)]  whether an education decision-maker
  for the child has been identified, the child's education needs and
  goals have been identified and addressed, and there are major
  changes in the child's school performance or there have been
  serious disciplinary events;
                     (K) [(J)]  for a child for whom the department has
  been named managing conservator in a final order that does not
  include termination of parental rights, whether to order the
  department to provide services to a parent for not more than six
  months after the date of the permanency hearing if:
                           (i)  the child has not been placed with a
  relative or other individual, including a foster parent, who is
  seeking permanent managing conservatorship of the child; and
                           (ii)  the court determines that further
  efforts at reunification with a parent are:
                                 (a)  in the best interest of the child;
  and
                                 (b)  likely to result in the child's
  safe return to the child's parent; and
                     (L) [(K)]  whether the department has identified
  a family or other caring adult who has made a permanent commitment
  to the child.
         SECTION 12.  Section 264.751(1), Family Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
               (1)  "Designated caregiver" means an individual who has
  a longstanding and significant relationship with a child or the
  family of a child for whom the department has been appointed
  managing conservator and who:
                     (A)  is appointed to provide substitute care for
  the child, but is not verified by a licensed child-placing agency to
  operate an agency foster home under Chapter 42, Human Resources
  Code; or
                     (B)  is subsequently appointed permanent managing
  conservator of the child after providing the care described by
  Paragraph (A).
         SECTION 13.  As soon as practicable after the effective date
  of this Act, the commissioner of the Department of Family and
  Protective Services shall adopt rules necessary to implement the
  changes in law made by this Act.
         SECTION 14.  This Act takes effect immediately if it
  receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each
  house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  
  If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate
  effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2019.