| 1 | 1 | | 85R13079 MK-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Burkett H.B. No. 3096 |
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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 recruitment and evaluation of foster care providers |
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| 8 | 8 | | and the placement of children with foster care providers. |
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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. Section 264.107, Family Code, is amended by |
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| 11 | 11 | | adding Subsection (b-2) to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | (b-2) The department shall, subject to the availability of |
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| 13 | 13 | | funds, use a web-based system to assist the department in making the |
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| 14 | 14 | | best placement decision for a child in foster care. The system must: |
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| 15 | 15 | | (1) integrate a level of care for the child; |
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| 16 | 16 | | (2) suggest placements based on the child's needs; |
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| 17 | 17 | | (3) display the proximity of potential providers to |
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| 18 | 18 | | the child's home and school; |
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| 19 | 19 | | (4) incorporate foster care provider preferences; |
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| 20 | 20 | | (5) provide access to the foster care provider's |
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| 21 | 21 | | history in providing safe and stable placements for children; and |
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| 22 | 22 | | (6) include any other provider information the |
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| 23 | 23 | | department determines to be relevant. |
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| 24 | 24 | | SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 264, Family Code, is |
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| 25 | 25 | | amended by adding Section 264.1131 to read as follows: |
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| 26 | 26 | | Sec. 264.1131. FOSTER CARE PROVIDER RECRUITMENT PLAN. In |
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| 27 | 27 | | addition to foster parent recruitment from faith-based |
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| 28 | 28 | | organizations under Section 264.113, the department shall, subject |
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| 29 | 29 | | to the availability of funds, collaborate with current foster and |
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| 30 | 30 | | adoptive parents to develop and implement a foster care provider |
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| 31 | 31 | | recruitment plan. The plan must: |
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| 32 | 32 | | (1) identify geographic areas in the state where there |
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| 33 | 33 | | is a need for foster care providers using risk stratification |
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| 34 | 34 | | modeling or risk assessments of geographic areas with high |
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| 35 | 35 | | occurrences of child abuse and neglect or child fatalities; |
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| 36 | 36 | | (2) use data analysis, social media, partnerships with |
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| 37 | 37 | | faith-based and volunteer organizations, and other strategies for |
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| 38 | 38 | | recruitment, including targeted and child-focused recruitment; |
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| 39 | 39 | | (3) identify the number of available foster care |
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| 40 | 40 | | providers for children with high needs in order to expand the use of |
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| 41 | 41 | | therapeutic or treatment foster care for children in those |
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| 42 | 42 | | placements; |
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| 43 | 43 | | (4) require the provision of: |
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| 44 | 44 | | (A) quality customer service to prospective and |
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| 45 | 45 | | current foster and adoptive parents; and |
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| 46 | 46 | | (B) assistance to prospective foster parents |
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| 47 | 47 | | with the certification and placement process; |
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| 48 | 48 | | (5) include strategies for increasing the number of |
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| 49 | 49 | | kinship providers; |
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| 50 | 50 | | (6) include strategies to ensure that children in |
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| 51 | 51 | | foster care do not have to transfer schools after entering foster |
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| 52 | 52 | | care, unless transferring is in the child's best interest; and |
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| 53 | 53 | | (7) include programs to support foster and adoptive |
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| 54 | 54 | | families, including programs that provide training, respite care, |
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| 55 | 55 | | and peer assistance. |
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| 56 | 56 | | SECTION 3. Section 264.903, Family Code, is amended by |
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| 57 | 57 | | adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows: |
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| 58 | 58 | | (a-1) The department shall expedite the evaluation of a |
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| 59 | 59 | | potential caregiver under this section to ensure that the child is |
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| 60 | 60 | | placed with a caregiver who has the ability to protect the child |
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| 61 | 61 | | from the alleged perpetrator of abuse or neglect against the child. |
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| 62 | 62 | | SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |
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