85R13112 MK-D
By: Burkett H.B. No. 3092
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to prevention and early intervention services provided by
the Department of Family and Protective Services.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 265.005, Family Code, is amended by
amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (f) to read as
follows:
(b) A strategic plan required under this section must:
(1) identify methods to leverage other sources of
funding or provide support for existing community-based prevention
efforts;
(2) include a needs assessment that identifies
programs to best target the needs of the highest risk populations
and geographic areas;
(3) identify the goals and priorities for the
department's overall prevention efforts;
(4) report the results of previous prevention efforts
using available information in the plan;
(5) identify additional methods of measuring program
effectiveness and results or outcomes;
(6) identify methods to collaborate with other state
agencies on prevention efforts; [and]
(7) identify specific strategies to implement the plan
and to develop measures for reporting on the overall progress
toward the plan's goals; and
(8) include a growth strategy with the goal of
increasing the number of families receiving prevention and early
intervention services each year, subject to the availability of
funds, with the initial goal of providing services to 50 percent of
the highest risk families that are eligible to receive services
through home visiting and community-based programs financed with
federal, state, local, or private resources.
(f) In this section, "highest risk family" means a family
that has children five years of age or younger and whose family
income is at or below 50 percent of the federal poverty level.
SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 265, Family Code, is
amended by adding Sections 265.007 and 265.008 to read as follows:
Sec. 265.007. IMPROVING PROVISION OF PREVENTION AND EARLY
INTERVENTION SERVICES. To improve the effectiveness and delivery
of prevention and early intervention services, the department
shall:
(1) use a geographic focus to ensure that prevention
and early intervention services are provided to families with the
greatest need;
(2) identify the geographic areas that have the
highest need for prevention and early intervention services using:
(A) verified external risk terrain modeling; or
(B) geographic risk assessments that use risk
indicators of child abuse or neglect and child abuse fatalities;
(3) identify geographic areas that have a high need
for prevention and early intervention services but do not have
prevention and early intervention services available in the area or
have only unevaluated prevention and early intervention services
available in the area; and
(4) develop strategies for community partners to:
(A) improve the early recognition of child abuse
or neglect;
(B) improve the reporting of child abuse and
neglect; and
(C) prevent child fatalities.
Sec. 265.008. EVALUATION OF PREVENTION AND EARLY
INTERVENTION SERVICES. (a) The department and the Texas Higher
Education Coordinating Board shall enter into agreements with
institutions of higher education to conduct efficacy reviews of any
prevention and early intervention services provided under this
chapter that have not previously been evaluated for effectiveness
in a research evaluation that meets the standards described by
Subsection (b). The efficacy review shall include, when possible, a
cost-benefit analysis of the program to the state.
(b) A prevention and early intervention services program is
considered to have been previously evaluated if it has been
evaluated by at least one rigorous randomized controlled research
trial across heterogeneous populations or communities, the results
of at least one of which have been published in a peer-reviewed
journal.
(c) The department is not required to enter into an
agreement to conduct a program efficacy evaluation under this
section unless:
(1) the department is specifically appropriated money
for the purposes of this section; or
(2) the agreement with the institution of higher
education is cost neutral.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.