| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to the establishment of a child protective services |
|
|
prevention grant program. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Subchapter B-1, Chapter 264, Family Code, is |
|
|
amended by adding Section 264.1691, Sec.264.1692, Sec. 264.1693, |
|
|
Sec. 264.1694, and Sec. 264.1695 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 264.1691. CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES PREVENTION GRANT |
|
|
PROGRAM. In this section, (a) "community-based, nonprofit |
|
|
organization" means a community-driven nonprofit organization that |
|
|
is headquartered in Texas that provides child-centered |
|
|
preservation services; and |
|
|
(b) "Grant program" means the child protective services |
|
|
prevention grant program established under this subchapter. |
|
|
Sec. 264.1692. ESTABLISHMENT AND ADMINISTRATION OF |
|
|
PROGRAM. (a) The commission shall establish and administer a child |
|
|
protective services prevention grant program through which the |
|
|
commission awards grants to one or more eligible community-based, |
|
|
nonprofit organizations for preventing, or reducing, incidences of |
|
|
child abuse and neglect and promoting a child's well-being by: |
|
|
(1) identifying children who are most at risk for |
|
|
abuse and neglect before they enter child protective services, |
|
|
families stand the best chance at staying together, and children |
|
|
have the best odds for a healthy, productive, and fulfilling life. |
|
|
(b) The commission shall provide grants to community-based, |
|
|
nonprofit organizations to focused on an areas of need, not greater |
|
|
than one-square mile, in a county that is ranked among the five |
|
|
counties with the highest per capita rates of child abuse and |
|
|
neglect. |
|
|
Sec. 264.1693. APPLICATION AND ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS. |
|
|
(a) A community-based, nonprofit organization may apply to the |
|
|
commission to receive money under the grant program if the |
|
|
organization: |
|
|
(1) is headquartered in Texas; |
|
|
(2) provides a child-centered strategy that is |
|
|
available to each child in the identified region; |
|
|
(3) demonstrates a current and valid data-sharing |
|
|
agreement with a state agency; |
|
|
(4) demonstrates municipal and/or county support for |
|
|
program and agreement to coordinate with grantee to administer |
|
|
program; |
|
|
(5) possess current and valid authorization to provide |
|
|
services to children in foster care; |
|
|
(6) use generally accepted statistical methods to |
|
|
demonstrate services provide a positive impact on the well-being of |
|
|
children in program, and successfully prevent incidences of abuse |
|
|
and neglect; |
|
|
(7) uses a generally accepted psychological |
|
|
assessment before providing services and upon program completion to |
|
|
demonstrate a positive impact on the well-being and mental health, |
|
|
of children served; and |
|
|
(8) use a generally accepted psychological assessment |
|
|
before providing services and upon program completion to |
|
|
demonstrate a positive impact on the well-being and mental health, |
|
|
of children served; and |
|
|
(9) submit an annual report to HHSC providing |
|
|
information on program participant outcomes, and recommendations |
|
|
for best-practice prevention strategies for consideration in other |
|
|
regions in the state. |
|
|
(b) The commission may award grants under the grant program |
|
|
to eligible applicants. |
|
|
Sec. 264.1694. FUNDING. (a) The commission shall award |
|
|
grants under the program in accordance with this chapter from money |
|
|
appropriated for the purposes of the program. |
|
|
(b) Out of money appropriated to the commission that is |
|
|
available for the purpose, the commission shall allocate a minimum |
|
|
of $10 million each fiscal biennium to award grants under this |
|
|
subchapter. |
|
|
(1) |
|
|
Sec. 264.1695. RULES. The executive commissioner shall |
|
|
adopt rules to implement this chapter. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Not later than January 1, 2026, the executive |
|
|
commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission shall |
|
|
adopt the rules necessary to implement Chapter , Code, as |
|
|
added by this Act. |
|
|
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |