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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the establishment of the child welfare task force and |
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provision of services in the child welfare system. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. (a) In this section: |
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(1) "Commission" means the Health and Human Services |
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Commission. |
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(2) "Community-based care" has the meaning assigned by |
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Section 264.152, Family Code. |
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(3) "Department" means the Department of Family and |
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Protective Services. |
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(4) "Task force" means the child welfare task force. |
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(b) The child welfare task force is established to develop a |
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statewide plan for the continued implementation of community-based |
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care and the implementation of family preservation and other |
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related prevention services for the state's child welfare system. |
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(c) The task force is composed of nine voting members as |
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follows: |
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(1) three members appointed by the governor; |
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(2) three members of the senate, appointed by the |
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lieutenant governor; and |
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(3) three members of the house of representatives, |
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appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives. |
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(d) The chair and the vice chair of the task force shall be |
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elected by members of the task force. |
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(e) A task force member is not entitled to compensation for |
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service on the task force but is entitled to reimbursement for |
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actual and necessary expenses incurred in performing task force |
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duties. The task force may accept gifts, grants, and donations to |
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pay for those expenses. |
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(f) The task force shall meet at least quarterly at the call |
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of the chair and may consider public testimony. |
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(g) Notwithstanding Chapter 551, Government Code, or any |
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other law, the task force may meet by telephone conference call, |
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videoconference, or other similar telecommunication method. A |
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meeting held by telephone conference call, videoconference, or |
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other similar telecommunication method is subject to the |
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requirements of Sections 551.125(c), (d), (e), and (f), Government |
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Code. |
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(h) The task force shall develop a statewide plan for the |
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continued implementation of community-based care and the |
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implementation of family preservation and other related prevention |
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services for the state's child welfare system. |
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(i) The statewide plan must: |
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(1) identify sources of funding, including the |
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development of a robust financial methodology, for the continued |
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implementation of community-based care and family preservation and |
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other related prevention services; |
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(2) include a timeline for the complete implementation |
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of the statewide plan developed by the task force and identify |
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additional resources the department will require to meet that |
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timeline, including enhanced training related to procurement, |
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contract monitoring and enforcement services, information |
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technology services, and financial and legal services; |
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(3) identify barriers to using federal and state money |
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and necessary purchased services to achieve greater numbers of |
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children and youth who remain safely with their families by |
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reviewing and effectively maximizing: |
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(A) the prevention and early intervention |
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services currently available in this state; and |
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(B) any services relating to families entering |
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the child protective services system; |
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(4) identify all sources of flexible funding under |
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federal and state law that may be used to support the continued |
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implementation of community-based care and family preservation and |
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other related prevention services, including the following |
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implementation issues: |
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(A) the placement of children in settings |
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eligible for federal financial participation under the |
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requirements of the federal Family First Prevention Services Act |
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(Title VII, Div. E, Pub. L. No. 115-123); |
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(B) any costs related to the use of federal money |
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transferred under the federal Family First Prevention Services Act; |
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and |
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(C) any other beneficial programs or services |
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available under the federal Family First Prevention Services Act; |
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and |
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(5) identify legislative or regulatory barriers to |
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full implementation of community-based care. |
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(j) The task force may request relevant information from the |
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commission, the department, or other relevant state agencies, and |
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the commission, the department, or other agencies shall comply with |
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the request, unless the provision of the information is prohibited |
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by state or federal law. |
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(k) The task force, using available resources, may: |
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(1) contract with a third-party consultant using the |
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procedures under Subchapter B, Chapter 2254, Government Code, to |
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assist the task force in carrying out its duties; and |
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(2) employ a full-time staff. |
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(l) The task force is administratively attached to the |
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commission for the purpose of contracting under Subsection (k)(1) |
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of this section. |
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(m) Task force members and personnel may be appointed or |
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employed from different catchment areas, as defined by Section |
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264.152, Family Code, in this state. |
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(n) The task force shall submit a written report on the |
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statewide plan developed by the task force to the governor, the |
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lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, |
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and each member of the standing committees of the senate and house |
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of representatives having primary jurisdiction over child welfare |
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issues not later than September 1, 2020. |
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(o) The task force shall monitor the continued |
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implementation of community-based care and family preservation and |
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other related prevention services, and the implementation plan |
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developed by the department under Section 264.153, Family Code. |
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(p) The task force shall submit a final evaluation of the |
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implementation of community-based care to the governor, the |
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lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, |
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and each member of the standing committees of the senate and house |
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of representatives having primary jurisdiction over child welfare |
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issues not later than December 30, 2024. |
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(q) Nothing in this section shall be construed to supersede |
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or limit the department's duty to develop and maintain the plan |
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under Section 264.153, Family Code. |
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(r) The task force is abolished and this Act expires |
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December 31, 2024. |
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SECTION 2. 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, 2019. |