SB 24, Sen 2nd Rdg, Amnd #F1

(1) In SECTION 1 of the bill, in added Section 137.051(1), Human Resources Code (page 4, lines 68 and 69), strike "infant mortality prevention education programs" and substitute "child fatality prevention education programs and other activities directed at the general public to stop child abuse and neglect".

(2) Add the following appropriately numbered SECTIONS to the bill and renumber subsequent SECTIONS of the bill accordingly:

SECTION ____. Subchapter D, Chapter 264, Family Code, is transferred to Chapter 137, Human Resources Code, as redesignated by this Act, redesignated as Subchapter E, Chapter 137, Human Resources Code, and amended to read as follows:

SUBCHAPTER E [D]. SERVICES FOR [TO] AT-RISK YOUTH

Sec. 137.201 [~~264.301~~]. SERVICES FOR AT-RISK YOUTH. (a) The commission [~~department~~] shall operate a program to provide family support services for children in at-risk situations and for the families of those children.

(b) The services under this section may include:

(1) crisis family intervention;

(2) emergency short-term residential care;

(3) family counseling;

(4) parenting skills training;

(5) youth coping skills training;

(7) advocacy training.

Sec. 137.202 [~~264.302~~]. EARLY YOUTH INTERVENTION SERVICES. (a) This section applies to a child who:

(1) is seven years of age or older and under 17 years of age; and

(2) has not had the disabilities of minority for general purposes removed under Chapter 31, Family Code.

(b) The commission [~~department~~] shall operate a program under this section to provide family support services for children in at-risk situations and for the families of those children.

(1) at any time been referred to juvenile court for engaging in conduct that violates a penal law of this state of the grade of felony other than a state jail felony; or

(2) been found to have engaged in delinquent conduct under Title 3, Family Code.

(d) The commission [~~department~~] may provide services under this section to a child who engages in conduct for which the child may be found by a court to be an at-risk child, without regard to whether the conduct violates a penal law of this state of the grade of felony other than a state jail felony, if the child was younger than 10 years of age at the time the child engaged in the conduct.

(e) The commission [~~department~~] shall provide services for a child and the child's family if a contract to provide services under this section is available in the county and the child is referred to the commission [~~department~~] as an at-risk child by:

(1) a juvenile court or probation department as part of a progressive sanctions program under Chapter 59, Family Code;

(2) a law enforcement officer or agency under Section 52.03, Family Code; or

(3) a justice or municipal court under Article 45.057, Code of Criminal Procedure.

(f) The services under this section may include:

(1) crisis family intervention;

(2) emergency short-term residential care for children 10 years of age or older;

(3) family counseling;

(4) parenting skills training;

(5) youth coping skills training;

(6) advocacy training; and

SECTION ____. Chapter 53, Human Resources Code, is transferred to Chapter 137, Human Resources Code, as redesignated by this Act, redesignated as Subchapter F, Chapter 137, Human Resources Code, and amended to read as follows:

SUBCHAPTER F [~~CHAPTER 53~~]. PREVENTIVE SERVICES FOR VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES

Sec. 137.251 [~~53.001~~]. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter, "veteran" [~~chapter:~~

[~~(1)~~ ~~"Department" means the Department of Family and Protective Services.~~

[~~(2)~~ ~~"Veteran"~~] means a person who has served in:

(1) [~~(A)~~] the army, navy, air force, coast guard, or marine corps of the United States;

(2) [~~(B)~~] the state military forces as defined by Section 431.001, Government Code; or

(3) [~~(C)~~] an auxiliary service of one of those branches of the armed forces.

Sec. 137.252 [~~53.002~~]. VETERANS AND MILITARY FAMILIES PREVENTIVE SERVICES PROGRAM. (a) The commission [~~department~~] shall develop and implement a preventive services program to serve veterans and military families who have committed or experienced or who are at a high risk of:

(1) family violence; or

(2) abuse or neglect.

(b) The program must:

(1) be designed to coordinate with community-based organizations to provide prevention services;

(2) include a prevention component and an early intervention component;

(3) include collaboration with services for child welfare, services for early childhood education, and other child and family services programs; and

(4) coordinate with the community collaboration initiative developed under Subchapter I, Chapter 434, Government Code, and committees formed by local communities as part of that initiative.

[~~(c)~~ ~~The program must be established initially as a pilot program in areas of the state in which the department considers the implementation practicable.~~ ~~The department shall evaluate the outcomes of the pilot program and ensure that the program is producing positive results before implementing the program throughout the state.~~

[~~(d)~~ ~~The department shall evaluate the program and prepare an annual report on the outcomes of the program.~~ ~~The department shall publish the report on the department's Internet website.~~]

SECTION ____. Article 45.057(b), Code of Criminal Procedure, is amended to read as follows:

(b) On a finding by a justice or municipal court that a child committed an offense that the court has jurisdiction of under Article 4.11 or 4.14, the court has jurisdiction to enter an order:

(1) referring the child or the child's parent for services under Section 137.202, Human Resources Code [~~264.302, Family Code~~];

(2) requiring that the child attend a special program that the court determines to be in the best interest of the child and, if the program involves the expenditure of municipal or county funds, that is approved by the governing body of the municipality or county commissioners court, as applicable, including a rehabilitation, counseling, self-esteem and leadership, work and job skills training, job interviewing and work preparation, self-improvement, parenting, manners, violence avoidance, tutoring, sensitivity training, parental responsibility, community service, restitution, advocacy, or mentoring program; or

(3) requiring that the child's parent do any act or refrain from doing any act that the court determines will increase the likelihood that the child will comply with the orders of the court and that is reasonable and necessary for the welfare of the child, including:

(A) attend a parenting class or parental responsibility program; and

(B) attend the child's school classes or functions.

SECTION ____. Section 52.03(c), Family Code, is amended to read as follows:

(1) referral of the child to an agency other than the juvenile court;

(2) a brief conference with the child and his parent, guardian, or custodian; or

(3) referral of the child and the child's parent, guardian, or custodian for services under Section 137.202, Human Resources Code [~~264.302~~].

SECTION ____. Section 59.004(a), Family Code, is amended to read as follows:

(a) For a child at sanction level one, the juvenile court or probation department may:

(1) require counseling for the child regarding the child's conduct;

(2) inform the child of the progressive sanctions that may be imposed on the child if the child continues to engage in delinquent conduct or conduct indicating a need for supervision;

(3) inform the child's parents or guardians of the parents' or guardians' responsibility to impose reasonable restrictions on the child to prevent the conduct from recurring;

(4) provide information or other assistance to the child or the child's parents or guardians in securing needed social services;

(5) require the child or the child's parents or guardians to participate in a program for services under Section 137.202, Human Resources Code [~~264.302~~], if a program under Section 137.202 [~~264.302~~] is available to the child or the child's parents or guardians;

(6) refer the child to a community-based citizen intervention program approved by the juvenile court;

(7) release the child to the child's parents or guardians; and

(8) require the child to attend and successfully complete an educational program described by Section 37.218, Education Code, or another equivalent educational program.

SECTION ____. Section 59.005(a), Family Code, is amended to read as follows:

(a) For a child at sanction level two, the juvenile court, the prosecuting attorney, or the probation department may, as provided by Section 53.03:

(1) place the child on deferred prosecution for not less than three months or more than six months;

(2) require the child to make restitution to the victim of the child's conduct or perform community service restitution appropriate to the nature and degree of harm caused and according to the child's ability;

(3) require the child's parents or guardians to identify restrictions the parents or guardians will impose on the child's activities and requirements the parents or guardians will set for the child's behavior;

(4) provide the information required under Sections 59.004(a)(2) and (4);