86R13401 KFF-D
By: Zaffirini S.B. No. 1955
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to a pilot program to identify and refer eligible children
to early childhood intervention services.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subtitle B, Title 3, Human Resources Code, is
amended by adding Chapter 75 to read as follows:
CHAPTER 75. 2-1-1 DEVELOPMENTAL SCREENING PILOT PROGRAM
Sec. 75.0001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
(1) "Commission" means the Health and Human Services
Commission.
(2) "Developmental delay" has the meaning assigned by
Section 73.001.
(3) "Early childhood intervention program" means the
program established under Chapter 73 to provide early childhood
intervention services in accordance with Part C, Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (20 U.S.C. Section 1431 et seq.).
(4) "Pilot program" means the 2-1-1 developmental
screening pilot program established under Section 75.0002.
(5) "2-1-1 operator" means the commission or the
person the commission contracts within a region of this state to
provide the 2-1-1 telephone number for access to human services.
Sec. 75.0002. 2-1-1 DEVELOPMENTAL SCREENING PILOT PROGRAM.
Not later than March 1, 2020, the commission shall develop and
implement a pilot program under which a 2-1-1 operator:
(1) offers and provides to the child of a consenting
parent or guardian who contacts the 2-1-1 operator a developmental
screening if the child is under three years of age; and
(2) if the developmental screening indicates the child
is at moderate to high risk of having a developmental delay or has a
medically diagnosed physical or mental condition that has a high
probability of resulting in a developmental disability, refers the
child to the early childhood intervention program.
Sec. 75.0003. LOCATION OF PILOT PROGRAM; SELECTION OF 2-1-1
OPERATOR. The commission shall implement the pilot program in one
service region or county in this state. The region or county in
which the pilot program is implemented must:
(1) contain at least one provider authorized to
provide services under the early childhood intervention program;
(2) have experienced a loss of providers under the
early childhood intervention program, as determined by the
commission; and
(3) be served by a 2-1-1 operator that:
(A) volunteers to administer the pilot program;
and
(B) has an existing relationship with at least
one of the authorized providers under the early childhood
intervention program.
Sec. 75.0004. SUPPORT OF COMMISSION. The commission shall
support the 2-1-1 operator selected to administer the pilot program
in any capacity necessary, including by:
(1) modifying the scripts used by individuals employed
by the 2-1-1 operator to answer calls made to the telephone number
in order to accurately identify children eligible for the
developmental screening under the pilot program;
(2) providing appropriate training to individuals
described by Subdivision (1) to identify children eligible for the
developmental screening under the pilot program;
(3) making the ability to request a developmental
screening available on the selected 2-1-1 operator's Internet
website; and
(4) providing information to the 2-1-1 operator
necessary to enable the operator to make referrals to the early
childhood intervention program.
Sec. 75.0005. REPORT. Not later than January 1, 2021, the
commission shall conduct an evaluation of the pilot program and
submit a report to the legislature. The report must:
(1) evaluate the operation of the pilot program;
(2) detail the number and demographic characteristics
of children:
(A) screened and referred to the early childhood
intervention program under the pilot program; and
(B) receiving services under the early childhood
intervention program as a result of having been referred to that
program under the pilot program; and
(3) make recommendations regarding the continuation
or expansion of the program.
Sec. 74.0006. EXPIRATION. This chapter expires September
1, 2023.
SECTION 2. If before implementing any provision of this Act
a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization, including
an amendment to the state plan for the child health plan program
under Chapter 62, Health and Safety Code, from a federal agency is
necessary for implementation of that provision, the agency affected
by the provision shall request the waiver or authorization and may
delay implementing that provision until the waiver or authorization
is granted.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.