85R4478 GCB-D
By: Wu H.B. No. 709
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to a study conducted by Texas A&M University on services
for children and families available in rural counties for children
in the managing conservatorship of the Department of Family and
Protective Services.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. (a) In this section:
(1) "Commission" means the Health and Human Services
Commission.
(2) "Department" means the Department of Family and
Protective Services.
(3) "Rural county" means a county with a population of
less than 50,000.
(4) "Services for children and families" includes
mental health services, medical services, specialized medical
services, and child protective services.
(b) The board of regents of The Texas A&M University System
shall designate a department or entity at Texas A&M University to
conduct a study on services for children and families available to
be provided in rural counties to children in the managing
conservatorship of the department and to the parents of those
children. The study must:
(1) determine what types of services for children and
families are available to the children and parents in rural
counties;
(2) determine the number of clinics, physicians, and
other service providers that are available to provide services for
children and families to children and parents in rural counties;
(3) determine the number of clinics, offices of
physicians, and other providers of services for children and
families in rural counties that have closed in the preceding five
years;
(4) propose actions the commission and department can
take to address any shortage in the provision of services for
children and families to children and parents in rural counties,
including:
(A) the provision of services through
telemedicine medical services and telehealth services in rural
counties;
(B) partnerships between the commission or
department and institutions of higher education to provide services
in rural counties; and
(C) incentives offered by the commission or
department to service providers for providing services in rural
counties; and
(5) make recommendations to the legislature for
increasing the quality and quantity of services provided to the
children and parents in rural counties.
(c) The department or entity at Texas A&M University
designated by the board of regents to conduct the study shall
provide the study results and recommendations to the governor,
lieutenant governor, speaker of the house of representatives, and
each member of the legislature not later than December 1, 2018.
(d) This section expires September 1, 2019.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.