| 1 | 1 | | 86R5366 MCK-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Howard H.B. No. 1907 |
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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 training for certain individuals who provide care for |
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| 8 | 8 | | or services to children in the conservatorship of the Department of |
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| 9 | 9 | | Family and Protective Services. |
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| 10 | 10 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 11 | 11 | | SECTION 1. Section 264.015, Family Code, is amended by |
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| 12 | 12 | | adding Subsection (d) to read as follows: |
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| 13 | 13 | | (d) The department shall, in consultation with current |
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| 14 | 14 | | foster parents and adoptive parents, develop a training program for |
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| 15 | 15 | | foster parents, adoptive parents, and kinship caregivers regarding |
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| 16 | 16 | | the best methods of communicating with children in the |
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| 17 | 17 | | conservatorship of the department about issues regarding health and |
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| 18 | 18 | | well-being, including: |
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| 19 | 19 | | (1) self-image; |
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| 20 | 20 | | (2) relationships; |
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| 21 | 21 | | (3) goal setting; |
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| 22 | 22 | | (4) planning and decision making; and |
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| 23 | 23 | | (5) protection from sexually transmitted infections, |
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| 24 | 24 | | unintended pregnancy, and exploitation. |
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| 25 | 25 | | SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 264, Family Code, is |
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| 26 | 26 | | amended by adding Section 264.0151 to read as follows: |
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| 27 | 27 | | Sec. 264.0151. TRAINING MATERIALS FOR GUARDIANS AD LITEM, |
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| 28 | 28 | | ATTORNEYS AD LITEM, AND JUDGES. The department shall, in |
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| 29 | 29 | | consultation with current guardians ad litem, attorneys ad litem, |
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| 30 | 30 | | and the Supreme Court of Texas Permanent Judicial Commission for |
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| 31 | 31 | | Children, Youth and Families, develop training materials for |
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| 32 | 32 | | guardians ad litem, attorneys ad litem, and judges who represent or |
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| 33 | 33 | | preside over cases involving children and youth in the |
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| 34 | 34 | | conservatorship of the department concerning the health and |
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| 35 | 35 | | well-being of those children and youth, including: |
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| 36 | 36 | | (1) policies regarding consent by a minor; |
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| 37 | 37 | | (2) general health information; |
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| 38 | 38 | | (3) information on healthy relationships; and |
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| 39 | 39 | | (4) information on advocating for or representing |
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| 40 | 40 | | pregnant and parenting children and youth. |
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| 41 | 41 | | SECTION 3. Subchapter B, Chapter 40, Human Resources Code, |
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| 42 | 42 | | is amended by adding Section 40.036 to read as follows: |
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| 43 | 43 | | Sec. 40.036. CASEWORKER TRAINING ON REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH. |
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| 44 | 44 | | The department shall create a training program for child protective |
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| 45 | 45 | | services caseworkers to provide instruction to the caseworkers on |
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| 46 | 46 | | age-appropriate, trauma-informed methods of communicating with |
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| 47 | 47 | | children in the managing conservatorship of the department |
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| 48 | 48 | | regarding reproductive health and healthy relationships. The |
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| 49 | 49 | | training program must include best practices for: |
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| 50 | 50 | | (1) providing information to a child about consent to |
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| 51 | 51 | | sexual activity, including the legal age for consent under state |
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| 52 | 52 | | law; |
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| 53 | 53 | | (2) preserving confidentiality; and |
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| 54 | 54 | | (3) providing services to a child who becomes pregnant |
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| 55 | 55 | | or who is a minor parent. |
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| 56 | 56 | | SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |
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