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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to caseworker visitation standards for certain child |
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protective services caseworkers. |
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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 264.105 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 264.105. IN-PERSON VISITS WITH FOSTER CHILDREN. (a) |
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The department shall conduct an in-person meeting at least once |
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each month with each child in the conservatorship of the department |
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and document the results of the meeting in the child's case file. |
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Each monthly meeting must include: |
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(1) a complete assessment of the child's safety, |
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including an assessment of the child's placement; |
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(2) if the child is verbal, an interview with the child |
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conducted individually, separately, and privately from the |
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caregiver and other children; |
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(3) a discussion of the forms of discipline used in the |
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placement; and |
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(4) a review of the child's medical, mental health, |
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dental, and educational progress and needs. |
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(b) The department shall update the department's automated |
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case tracking and information management system to allow |
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caseworkers to record each meeting with a child as described by |
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Subsection (a)(2). |
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(c) If the department fails to meet with a child during a |
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month, the department shall document in the child's case file the |
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reason for the failure. |
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(d) If the monthly meeting required by Subsection (a) is not |
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conducted by the primary caseworker assigned to a child protective |
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services case, the caseworker shall communicate with the child at |
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least once each month by telephone, video conference, or another |
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developmentally appropriate form of communication. |
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(e) The department shall ensure that each child protective |
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services caseworker receives training regarding the visitation |
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requirements of this section. |
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(f) Not later than the 30th day following the last day of |
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each calendar quarter, the department shall submit to the |
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lieutenant governor, speaker of the house of representatives, and |
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chairs of the standing committees of the senate and house of |
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representatives having primary jurisdiction over child protection |
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issues a report on: |
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(1) the total number of caseworker visits with |
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children in the department's conservatorship that caseworkers were |
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required to make each month of the calendar quarter; |
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(2) the total number of caseworker visits with |
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children in the department's conservatorship that caseworkers |
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actually made each month of the calendar quarter, including |
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face-to-face visits and visits conducted by other means as |
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authorized under Subsection (d); and |
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(3) the number of visits caseworkers made each month |
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as a percentage of the number of visits caseworkers were required to |
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make during that month. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |