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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to addressing adverse childhood experiences and |
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developing a strategic plan to address those experiences. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 531.0222 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 531.0222. COORDINATION TO ADDRESS ADVERSE CHILDHOOD |
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EXPERIENCES; PROGRESS REPORT AND STRATEGIC PLAN. (a) In this |
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section, "adverse childhood experience" includes: |
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(1) abuse as defined by Section 261.001, Family Code; |
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(2) neglect as defined by Section 261.001, Family |
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Code; |
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(3) family violence as defined by Section 71.004, |
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Family Code; |
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(4) death of a parent; |
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(5) parental separation or divorce; and |
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(6) substance use disorder, mental illness, or |
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incarceration of a member of a child's household. |
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(b) A program, service, or support established under this |
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section may not include sex education. |
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(c) In order to reduce exposure of children in this state to |
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adverse childhood experiences and to address the social, health, |
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and economic impacts of those experiences, the commission, in |
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collaboration with the Department of Family and Protective |
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Services, the Department of State Health Services, the Texas |
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Education Agency, the Texas Workforce Commission, the office of the |
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attorney general, the Texas Juvenile Justice Department, and an |
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institution of higher education, as defined by Section 61.003, |
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Education Code, with expertise in addressing adverse childhood |
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experiences through a public health framework shall: |
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(1) analyze data related to the causes and effects of |
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adverse childhood experiences, including data from the Behavioral |
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Risk Factor Surveillance System established by the Centers for |
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Disease Control and Prevention of the United States Public Health |
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Service; |
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(2) evaluate prevention needs and gaps in services and |
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support regarding awareness, assessments, and interventions |
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addressing adverse childhood experiences; |
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(3) identify methods to incorporate best practices for |
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preventing and treating adverse childhood experiences into |
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existing services and support programs offered for children and |
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families; and |
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(4) develop and implement a five-year strategic plan |
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to prevent and address adverse childhood experiences. |
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(d) In developing the five-year strategic plan under |
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Subsection (c)(4), the commission may collaborate with |
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representatives of: |
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(1) state and local agencies and nonprofit |
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organizations that work directly with children and families; |
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(2) child welfare services providers; |
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(3) early childhood education programs; |
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(4) public schools; |
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(5) medical and mental health services providers; |
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(6) family support and social services providers; |
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(7) the law enforcement, judicial, and criminal |
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justice communities; |
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(8) faith-based organizations; |
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(9) families and children impacted by adverse |
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childhood experiences; and |
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(10) the business and philanthropic communities. |
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(e) The strategic plan must incorporate a public health |
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approach that promotes collaboration between agencies and |
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community-based providers. The strategic plan may include |
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strategies to: |
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(1) train and educate professionals to assess, |
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intervene, and prevent adverse childhood experiences; |
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(2) provide trauma-informed practices for families, |
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children, and providers impacted by adverse childhood experiences; |
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(3) provide high quality child care; |
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(4) provide support to parents to develop social and |
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economic independence; |
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(5) provide support to strengthen the engagement of |
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fathers in their children's lives and establish paternity; |
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(6) incorporate voluntary, evidence-based home |
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visiting programs to strengthen families and to connect families to |
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community resources; |
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(7) develop parental support programs for teen parents |
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and young mothers; |
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(8) develop parental education training and |
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counseling programs; |
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(9) identify best practices for child protective |
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services and investigations; |
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(10) prevent and treat mental illness and substance |
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use disorder; |
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(11) prevent intimate partner and family violence; and |
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(12) prevent chronic diseases related to adverse |
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childhood experiences. |
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(f) The entities listed in Subsection (c) shall develop a |
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community awareness approach to implement the strategies and |
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recommendations in the strategic plan required under Subsection |
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(c)(4). |
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(g) The entities listed in Subsection (c) shall publish the |
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five-year strategic plan required by Subsection (c)(4) on their |
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respective Internet websites. |
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SECTION 2. Not later than March 1, 2020, the Health and |
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Human Services Commission shall develop a progress report to |
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include data, best practices, and implementable changes within the |
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commission's current capacity. |
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SECTION 3. Not later than December 31, 2020, the Health and |
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Human Services Commission shall: |
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(1) develop the five-year strategic plan required by |
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Section 531.0222(c)(4), Government Code, as added by this Act; and |
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(2) submit a report to the Senate Health and Human |
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Services Committee, the Senate Education Committee, the Senate |
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Criminal Justice Committee, the House Public Education Committee, |
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the House Juvenile Justice and Family Issues Committee, the House |
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Public Health Committee, and the House Human Services Committee |
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regarding the commission's strategies for preventing and treating |
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adverse childhood experiences and any plan to incorporate those |
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strategies into existing services and support programs for children |
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and families. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |