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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 caseworker visitation standards for certain child |
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| 8 | 8 | | protective services caseworkers. |
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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 264.105 to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | Sec. 264.105. IN-PERSON VISITS WITH FOSTER CHILDREN. (a) |
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| 13 | 13 | | The department shall conduct an in-person meeting at least once |
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| 14 | 14 | | each month with each child in the conservatorship of the department |
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| 15 | 15 | | and document the results of the meeting in the child's case file. |
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| 16 | 16 | | Each monthly meeting must include: |
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| 17 | 17 | | (1) a complete assessment of the child's safety, |
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| 18 | 18 | | including an assessment of the child's placement; |
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| 19 | 19 | | (2) if the child is verbal, an interview with the child |
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| 20 | 20 | | conducted individually, separately, and privately from the |
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| 21 | 21 | | caregiver and other children; |
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| 22 | 22 | | (3) a discussion of the forms of discipline used in the |
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| 23 | 23 | | placement; and |
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| 24 | 24 | | (4) a review of the child's medical, mental health, |
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| 25 | 25 | | dental, and educational progress and needs. |
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| 26 | 26 | | (b) The department shall update the department's automated |
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| 27 | 27 | | case tracking and information management system to allow |
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| 28 | 28 | | caseworkers to record each meeting with a child as described by |
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| 29 | 29 | | Subsection (a)(2). |
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| 30 | 30 | | (c) If the department fails to meet with a child during a |
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| 31 | 31 | | month, the department shall document in the child's case file the |
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| 32 | 32 | | reason for the failure. |
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| 33 | 33 | | (d) If the monthly meeting required by Subsection (a) is not |
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| 34 | 34 | | conducted by the primary caseworker assigned to a child protective |
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| 35 | 35 | | services case, the caseworker shall communicate with the child at |
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| 36 | 36 | | least once each month by telephone, video conference, or another |
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| 37 | 37 | | developmentally appropriate form of communication. |
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| 38 | 38 | | (e) The department shall ensure that each child protective |
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| 39 | 39 | | services caseworker receives training regarding the visitation |
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| 40 | 40 | | requirements of this section. |
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| 41 | 41 | | (f) Not later than the 30th day following the last day of |
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| 42 | 42 | | each calendar quarter, the department shall submit to the |
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| 43 | 43 | | lieutenant governor, speaker of the house of representatives, and |
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| 44 | 44 | | chairs of the standing committees of the senate and house of |
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| 45 | 45 | | representatives having primary jurisdiction over child protection |
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| 46 | 46 | | issues a report on: |
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| 47 | 47 | | (1) the total number of caseworker visits with |
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| 48 | 48 | | children in the department's conservatorship that caseworkers were |
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| 49 | 49 | | required to make each month of the calendar quarter; |
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| 50 | 50 | | (2) the total number of caseworker visits with |
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| 51 | 51 | | children in the department's conservatorship that caseworkers |
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| 52 | 52 | | actually made each month of the calendar quarter, including |
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| 53 | 53 | | face-to-face visits and visits conducted by other means as |
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| 54 | 54 | | authorized under Subsection (d); and |
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| 55 | 55 | | (3) the number of visits caseworkers made each month |
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| 56 | 56 | | as a percentage of the number of visits caseworkers were required to |
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| 57 | 57 | | make during that month. |
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| 58 | 58 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |
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