| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to service plans in a suit affecting the parent-child |
|
|
relationship. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Section 263.101, Family Code, is amended to read |
|
|
as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 263.101. DEPARTMENT TO FILE SERVICE PLAN. Except as |
|
|
provided by Section 262.2015, not later than the 30th [45th] day |
|
|
after the date the court renders a temporary order appointing the |
|
|
department as temporary managing conservator of a child under |
|
|
Chapter 262, the department shall file a service plan. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Section 263.102, Family Code, is amended by |
|
|
amending Subsections (a) and (f) and adding Subsection (a-1) to |
|
|
read as follows: |
|
|
(a) The service plan must: |
|
|
(1) be specific; |
|
|
(2) be in writing in a language that the parents |
|
|
understand, or made otherwise available; |
|
|
(3) be prepared by the department in conference with |
|
|
the child's parents and any legal counsel retained by the child's |
|
|
parents; |
|
|
(4) state appropriate deadlines; |
|
|
(5) specify the primary permanency goal and at least |
|
|
one alternative permanency goal; |
|
|
(6) state steps that are necessary to: |
|
|
(A) return the child to the child's home if the |
|
|
placement is in foster care; |
|
|
(B) enable the child to remain in the child's |
|
|
home with the assistance of a service plan if the placement is in |
|
|
the home under the department's supervision; or |
|
|
(C) otherwise provide a permanent safe placement |
|
|
for the child; |
|
|
(7) state the actions and responsibilities that are |
|
|
necessary for the child's parents to take to achieve the plan goal |
|
|
during the period of the service plan and the assistance to be |
|
|
provided to the parents by the department or other agency toward |
|
|
meeting that goal; |
|
|
(8) state any specific skills or knowledge that the |
|
|
child's parents must acquire or learn, as well as any behavioral |
|
|
changes the parents must exhibit, to achieve the plan goal; |
|
|
(9) state the actions and responsibilities that are |
|
|
necessary for the child's parents to take to ensure that the child |
|
|
attends school and maintains or improves the child's academic |
|
|
compliance; |
|
|
(10) state the name of the person with the department |
|
|
whom the child's parents may contact for information relating to |
|
|
the child if other than the person preparing the plan; and |
|
|
(11) prescribe any other term or condition that the |
|
|
department determines to be necessary to the service plan's |
|
|
success. |
|
|
(a-1) Any actions, responsibilities, skills, or knowledge |
|
|
under Subsection (a)(7) or (8) must directly relate to the reason |
|
|
the child was removed from the child's home. |
|
|
(f) The department shall consult with relevant |
|
|
professionals to determine the skills or knowledge that the parents |
|
|
of a child under two years of age should learn or acquire to provide |
|
|
a safe placement for the child. The skills or knowledge must |
|
|
directly relate to the reason the child was removed from the child's |
|
|
home. The department shall incorporate those skills and abilities |
|
|
into the department's service plans, as appropriate. |
|
|
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |