| 1 | 1 | | 86R2711 EAS-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Minjarez H.B. No. 45 |
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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 creating a mentor program for foster youth. |
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| 8 | 8 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 9 | 9 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 264, Family Code, is |
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| 10 | 10 | | amended by adding Section 264.1214 to read as follows: |
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| 11 | 11 | | Sec. 264.1214. FOSTER YOUTH MENTORING PROGRAM. (a) The |
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| 12 | 12 | | department shall work with community-based organizations to |
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| 13 | 13 | | establish a mentor program to serve foster youth age 14 or older. |
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| 14 | 14 | | The mentor program must: |
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| 15 | 15 | | (1) match foster youth in a one-on-one mentor |
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| 16 | 16 | | relationship with an adult volunteer; |
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| 17 | 17 | | (2) focus on building healthy peer networks, |
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| 18 | 18 | | increasing self-confidence, and improving optimism about the |
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| 19 | 19 | | future; and |
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| 20 | 20 | | (3) assist foster youth in developing life skills in |
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| 21 | 21 | | conjunction with the experiential life-skills training program. |
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| 22 | 22 | | (b) The department shall: |
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| 23 | 23 | | (1) recruit volunteers, including former foster |
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| 24 | 24 | | youth, to serve as mentors; and |
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| 25 | 25 | | (2) require volunteer mentors to serve at least eight |
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| 26 | 26 | | hours each month for at least one year. |
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| 27 | 27 | | (c) A person who volunteers as a mentor is subject to state |
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| 28 | 28 | | and national criminal background checks in accordance with Sections |
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| 29 | 29 | | 411.087 and 411.114, Government Code. |
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| 30 | 30 | | (d) The department shall provide annual evidence-based |
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| 31 | 31 | | intervention training for all volunteers. |
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| 32 | 32 | | (e) The commissioner may adopt rules to implement this |
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| 33 | 33 | | section. |
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| 34 | 34 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |
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