87R6008 MLH-D
By: J. Johnson of Harris H.B. No. 1597
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to transitional living services provided to foster youth
transitioning to independent living.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 264.121(a), Family Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(a) The department shall address the unique challenges
facing foster children in the conservatorship of the department who
must transition to independent living by:
(1) expanding efforts to improve transition planning
and increasing the availability of transitional family group
decision-making to all youth age 14 or older in the department's
permanent managing conservatorship, including enrolling the youth
in the Preparation for Adult Living Program before the age of 16;
(2) coordinating with the commission to obtain
authority, to the extent allowed by federal law, the state Medicaid
plan, the Title IV-E state plan, and any waiver or amendment to
either plan, necessary to:
(A) extend foster care eligibility [and
transition services for youth] up to age 21 and develop policy to
permit eligible youth to return to foster care as necessary to
achieve the goals of the Transitional Living Services Program;
[and]
(B) extend transition services for youth up to
age 26 and develop policy to permit eligible youth who have exited
foster care to continue to participate in the Transitional Living
Services Program as necessary to achieve the goals of the program;
and
(C) extend Medicaid coverage for foster care
youth and former foster care youth up to age 26 [21] with a single
application at the time the youth leaves foster care; and
(3) entering into cooperative agreements with the
Texas Workforce Commission and local workforce development boards
to further the objectives of the Preparation for Adult Living
Program. The department, the Texas Workforce Commission, and the
local workforce development boards shall ensure that services are
prioritized and targeted to meet the needs of foster care and former
foster care children and that such services will include, where
feasible, referrals for short-term stays for youth needing housing.
SECTION 2. Section 264.121(b)(3), Family Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(3) "Transitional Living Services Program" means a
program, administered by the department in accordance with
department rules and state and federal law, for youth who are age 14
or older but not more than 26 [21] years of age and are currently or
were formerly in foster care, that assists youth in transitioning
from foster care to independent living. The program provides
transitional living services, Preparation for Adult Living Program
services, and Education and Training Voucher Program services.
SECTION 3. Section 264.121(c), Family Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(c) At the time a child enters the Preparation for Adult
Living Program, the department shall provide an information booklet
to the child and the foster parent describing the program and the
benefits available to the child, including extended Medicaid
coverage until age 26 [21], priority status with the Texas
Workforce Commission, and the exemption from the payment of tuition
and fees at institutions of higher education as defined by Section
61.003, Education Code. The information booklet provided to the
child and the foster parent shall be provided in the primary
language spoken by that individual.
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.