By: Nelson, Davis S.B. No. 69
(In the Senate - Filed November 10, 2008; February 10, 2009,
read first time and referred to Committee on Health and Human
Services; March 30, 2009, reported adversely, with favorable
Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 9, Nays 0;
March 30, 2009, sent to printer.)
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 69 By: Huffman
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to child protective services.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 264, Family Code, is
amended by adding Section 264.015 to read as follows:
Sec. 264.015. COLOCATION OF CERTAIN EMPLOYEES. (a) In
this section, "conservatorship services" has the meaning assigned
by Section 264.106.
(b) To the extent feasible, the department may contract with
child-placing agencies throughout the state for the child-placing
agencies to provide office space for department employees who
provide conservatorship services and employees who perform
licensing functions.
SECTION 2. Section 264.101, Family Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (g) to read as follows:
(g) The department shall study the feasibility of
implementing a financial incentive program to encourage foster
children to achieve and maintain the progress goals set under each
child's individualized treatment or service plan. At a minimum,
the study must include an analysis of the cost, benefits, and types
of incentives that would be of value to foster children. Not later
than December 1, 2010, the department shall report its findings and
recommendations to the speaker of the house of representatives, the
lieutenant governor, the House Human Services Committee or its
successor, and the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services or
its successor. This subsection expires January 1, 2011.
SECTION 3. Subchapter B, Chapter 264, Family Code, is
amended by adding Sections 264.119 and 264.120 to read as follows:
Sec. 264.119. NOTICE OF CHANGE OF PLACEMENT. (a) Except
in the case of an emergency or as otherwise provided by a court
order, the department must provide written notice to the substitute
care provider and any child-placing agency involved with the child
before the department may change the child's substitute care
provider.
(b) The department must provide the notice required under
Subsection (a) not later than the fifth day before the date the
child's substitute care provider is changed.
Sec. 264.120. EXIT SURVEY. (a) The department shall adopt
a policy that provides for an exit survey of each foster parent who
decides to leave the foster care system.
(b) The department shall encourage the foster parent to
state in the foster parent's own words the reasons why the foster
parent decided to leave the foster care system.
(c) Not later than December 1 of each odd-numbered year, the
department shall submit a report summarizing the results of the
exit surveys to the speaker of the house of representatives, the
lieutenant governor, the House Human Services Committee or its
successor, and the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services or
its successor.
SECTION 4. Section 264.121, Family Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (d) to read as follows:
(d) The department shall ensure that each individual
enrolled in the Preparation for Adult Living Program receives
information about the community resources that are available in the
county in which the individual intends to reside to assist the
individual in obtaining employment, job training, educational
services, housing, food, and health care. If there are no community
resources available in the county in which the individual intends
to reside, the department shall ensure that the individual receives
information about any community resources that are available in the
surrounding counties.
SECTION 5. Subchapter B, Chapter 264, Family Code, is
amended by adding Section 264.123 to read as follows:
Sec. 264.123. FOSTER PARENT MENTORS. The department shall
establish a program under which the foster parents of a child may
provide mentoring services to the child's parents to assist the
child's parents in complying with the terms of the service plan.
SECTION 6. Subsections (d), (e), and (f), Section 42.0221,
Human Resources Code, are amended to read as follows:
(d) The committee shall meet three times [twice] a year at
the call of the presiding officer. At least one meeting each year
must provide an opportunity for public testimony.
(e) The committee shall review and analyze the information
provided by the department and committee members and shall make
recommendations for policy and statutory changes relating to
licensing standards and facility inspections. The review and
analysis by the committee shall include the analysis of:
(1) the deaths of children who are in substitute care,
including reports and findings of child fatality review teams under
Subchapter F, Chapter 264, Family Code;
(2) the types of licensing violations for each
weighted risk and region;
(3) the details of administrative reviews and appeals;
[and]
(4) the type of technical assistance provided and the
qualifications of those providing technical assistance; and
(5) the department's policies, standards, and
procedures relating to the licensing of foster care providers and
consider modifications to the policies, standards, and procedures
to increase the capacity of a foster care provider while continuing
to ensure the health and safety of children placed in the care of
the foster care provider.
(f) The committee shall report its findings and
recommendations to the department and the legislature not later
than September [December] 1 of each year.
SECTION 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.
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