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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to foster parent recruitment. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 264.113, Family Code, is amended to read |
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as follows: |
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Sec. 264.113. FOSTER PARENT RECRUITMENT. (a) In this |
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section, "faith-based organization" means a religious or |
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denominational institution or organization, including an |
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organization operated for religious, educational, or charitable |
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purposes and operated, supervised, or controlled, in whole or in |
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part, by or in connection with a religious organization. |
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(b) The department shall develop a foster parent |
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recruitment program to educate residents of this state about the |
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foster care system and the need for foster parents. |
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(b-1) As part of the foster parent recruitment program, the |
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department shall recruit and retain foster parents from faith-based |
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organizations. The [As part of the program, the] department shall: |
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(1) collaborate with faith-based organizations to |
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inform prospective foster parents about the department's need for |
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foster parents, the requirements for becoming a foster parent, and |
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any other aspect of the foster care program that is necessary to |
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recruit foster parents; |
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(2) provide training for prospective foster parents |
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recruited under this section; and |
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(3) identify and recommend ways in which faith-based |
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organizations may support persons as they are recruited, are |
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trained, and serve as foster parents. |
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(c) The department shall work with OneStar Foundation to |
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expand the foster parent recruitment program [described by |
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Subsection (b)] to increase the number of foster families available |
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for the department and its private providers. In cooperation with |
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the department, OneStar Foundation may provide training and |
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technical assistance to establish networks and services in |
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faith-based organizations based on best practices for supporting |
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prospective and current foster families. |
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(d) The department shall work with the Health and Human |
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Services Commission [Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative |
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Services] to recruit foster parents and adoptive parents who have |
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skills, training, or experience suitable to care for children with |
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hearing impairments. |
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(e) The department shall collaborate with foster and |
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adoptive parents to develop and implement a foster parent |
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recruitment plan. The plan must: |
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(1) identify geographic areas in this state in need of |
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foster parents using risk stratification modeling or risk |
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assessments of geographic areas with higher occurrences of child |
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abuse and neglect or child fatalities; |
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(2) use data analysis, social media, partnerships with |
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faith-based and volunteer organizations, and other recruitment |
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strategies, including targeted and child-focused recruitment; |
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(3) identify the number of available foster parents |
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for children with increased needs for therapy or treatment in order |
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to expand the use of therapeutic or treatment foster care for |
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children in those placements; |
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(4) require the provision of: |
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(A) quality customer service to prospective |
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foster and adoptive parents and to foster and adoptive parents; and |
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(B) assistance to prospective foster parents |
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with the certification and placement process; |
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(5) include strategies for increasing the number of |
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kinship providers; |
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(6) include strategies to ensure that children in |
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foster care are not required to transfer schools after entering |
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foster care, unless transferring is in the child's best interest; |
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and |
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(7) include programs to support foster and adoptive |
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families, including programs that provide training, respite care, |
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and peer assistance. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect on the 91st day after the |
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last day of the legislative session. |