| 1 | 1 | | By: Uresti S.B. No. 769 |
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| 2 | 2 | | (McClendon) |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to the establishment of a pilot program to provide |
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| 8 | 8 | | specialized training to foster parents of certain children. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 264, Family Code, is |
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| 11 | 11 | | amended by adding Section 264.124 to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | Sec. 264.124. FOSTER PARENT PILOT PROGRAM. (a) The |
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| 13 | 13 | | department shall establish a pilot program to provide specialized |
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| 14 | 14 | | training to foster parents of children who have been traumatized or |
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| 15 | 15 | | have serious mental health needs if the department or another state |
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| 16 | 16 | | agency is able to provide the training using existing resources or a |
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| 17 | 17 | | local governmental entity or charitable organization is able to |
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| 18 | 18 | | provide the training at no cost to the state. |
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| 19 | 19 | | (b) The department shall: |
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| 20 | 20 | | (1) establish the pilot program in a county with a |
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| 21 | 21 | | population of at least 1.5 million that is within 200 miles of an |
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| 22 | 22 | | international border; |
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| 23 | 23 | | (2) coordinate the specialized training as part of |
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| 24 | 24 | | community-based services and support provided under a Wraparound |
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| 25 | 25 | | individualized planning process for foster children as prescribed |
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| 26 | 26 | | by the Texas Integrated Funding Initiative Consortium; and |
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| 27 | 27 | | (3) evaluate the pilot program not later than the |
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| 28 | 28 | | second anniversary of the date the program is established. |
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| 29 | 29 | | (c) The department shall prepare a report containing the |
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| 30 | 30 | | evaluation required under Subsection (b)(3) and the department's |
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| 31 | 31 | | recommendations on the feasibility and continuation of the pilot |
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| 32 | 32 | | program. The department shall submit electronically a copy of the |
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| 33 | 33 | | report to the governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the |
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| 34 | 34 | | house of representatives not later than December 1, 2016. |
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| 35 | 35 | | (d) This section expires September 1, 2017. |
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| 36 | 36 | | SECTION 2. Not later than May 1, 2014, the Department of |
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| 37 | 37 | | Family and Protective Services shall establish the pilot program |
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| 38 | 38 | | required under Section 264.124, Family Code, as added by this Act. |
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| 39 | 39 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |
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