| 1 | 1 | | By: Watson S.B. No. 1291 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 5 | 5 | | AN ACT |
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| 6 | 6 | | relating to training for certain individuals who provide care for |
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| 7 | 7 | | or services to children in the conservatorship of the Department of |
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| 8 | 8 | | Family and Protective Services. |
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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 264.015, Family Code, is amended by |
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| 11 | 11 | | adding Subsection (d) to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | (d) The department shall, in consultation with foster care |
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| 13 | 13 | | alumni, Preparation for Adult Living staff, institutions of higher |
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| 14 | 14 | | learning, and current foster youth, foster parents and adoptive |
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| 15 | 15 | | parents, adopt or develop a training program for any foster |
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| 16 | 16 | | parents, adoptive parents, or kinship caregivers regarding the most |
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| 17 | 17 | | effective methods of communicating with children who are or have |
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| 18 | 18 | | been in the conservatorship of the department about issues |
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| 19 | 19 | | regarding health and well-being, including: |
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| 20 | 20 | | (1) self-image; |
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| 21 | 21 | | (2) healthy relationships; |
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| 22 | 22 | | (3) goal setting; |
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| 23 | 23 | | (4) planning and decision making; and |
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| 24 | 24 | | (5) protection from sexually transmitted infections, |
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| 25 | 25 | | unintended pregnancy, and exploitation. |
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| 26 | 26 | | SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 264, Family Code, is |
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| 27 | 27 | | amended by adding Section 264.0151 to read as follows: |
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| 28 | 28 | | Sec. 264.0151. TRAINING MATERIALS FOR GUARDIANS AD LITEM, |
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| 29 | 29 | | ATTORNEYS AD LITEM, COURT APPOINTED SPECIAL ADVOCATES AND JUDGES. |
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| 30 | 30 | | The Supreme Court of Texas Permanent Judicial Commission for |
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| 31 | 31 | | Children, Youth and Families shall, in consultation with |
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| 32 | 32 | | stakeholders including, but not limited to, current guardians ad |
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| 33 | 33 | | litem, attorneys ad litem, and court appointed special advocates, |
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| 34 | 34 | | develop training materials for guardians ad litem, attorneys ad |
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| 35 | 35 | | litem, and judges who represent or preside over cases involving |
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| 36 | 36 | | children and youth in the conservatorship of the department |
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| 37 | 37 | | concerning the health and well-being of those children and youth, |
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| 38 | 38 | | including: |
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| 39 | 39 | | (1) policies regarding consent for health care |
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| 40 | 40 | | services, including reproductive health care, family planning, and |
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| 41 | 41 | | contraceptive care; |
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| 42 | 42 | | (2) general health and wellness; |
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| 43 | 43 | | (3) healthy relationships; and |
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| 44 | 44 | | (4) advocating for or representing pregnant and |
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| 45 | 45 | | parenting children and youth. |
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| 46 | 46 | | SECTION 3. Subchapter B, Chapter 40, Human Resources Code, |
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| 47 | 47 | | is amended by adding Section 40.036 to read as follows: |
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| 48 | 48 | | Sec. 40.036. CASEWORKER TRAINING ON HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS. |
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| 49 | 49 | | The department, in collaboration with an institute for higher |
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| 50 | 50 | | learning, shall create or adopt a required training program for |
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| 51 | 51 | | child protective services caseworkers to provide instruction to the |
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| 52 | 52 | | caseworkers on developmentally-appropriate, trauma-informed |
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| 53 | 53 | | methods of communicating with children in the managing |
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| 54 | 54 | | conservatorship of the department regarding reproductive health |
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| 55 | 55 | | and healthy relationships. The training must be informed by |
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| 56 | 56 | | evidence-based or model curriculum and include content regarding: |
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| 57 | 57 | | (1) minor consent to sexual activity, including the |
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| 58 | 58 | | legal age for consent under state law; |
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| 59 | 59 | | (2) minor consent to health care services including |
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| 60 | 60 | | family planning or contraceptive services; |
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| 61 | 61 | | (3) preserving confidentiality; and |
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| 62 | 62 | | (4) providing services to a child who becomes pregnant |
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| 63 | 63 | | or who is a minor parent. |
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| 64 | 64 | | SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |
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