| 1 | 1 | | 88R5468 MPF-F |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Miles S.B. No. 1384 |
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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 the establishment of the child first grant program. |
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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. Chapter 265, Family Code, is amended by adding |
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| 10 | 10 | | Subchapter E to read as follows: |
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| 11 | 11 | | SUBCHAPTER E. CHILD FIRST GRANT PROGRAM |
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| 12 | 12 | | Sec. 265.201. OPERATION OF CHILD FIRST GRANT PROGRAM. (a) |
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| 13 | 13 | | The department shall operate a child first grant program through |
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| 14 | 14 | | which the department will award grants to implement, expand, and |
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| 15 | 15 | | maintain child first programs in the state. |
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| 16 | 16 | | (b) To be considered for a grant under this subchapter, an |
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| 17 | 17 | | applicant must, at a minimum: |
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| 18 | 18 | | (1) be a nonprofit organization that is exempt from |
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| 19 | 19 | | federal income taxation under Section 501(a), Internal Revenue Code |
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| 20 | 20 | | of 1986, by being listed as an exempt entity under Section 501(c)(3) |
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| 21 | 21 | | of that code; |
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| 22 | 22 | | (2) demonstrate a commitment to a family-centered, |
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| 23 | 23 | | system of care approach to providing comprehensive, coordinated |
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| 24 | 24 | | services to children and families; |
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| 25 | 25 | | (3) have experience providing successful early |
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| 26 | 26 | | childhood mental health or prevention services for low-income, |
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| 27 | 27 | | high-risk families; and |
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| 28 | 28 | | (4) have experience in providing home-based services |
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| 29 | 29 | | to children and families. |
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| 30 | 30 | | Sec. 265.202. CHILD FIRST PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS. A child |
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| 31 | 31 | | first program awarded a grant under this subchapter must: |
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| 32 | 32 | | (1) be based on the program model developed by the |
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| 33 | 33 | | Child First National Service Office; and |
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| 34 | 34 | | (2) require that a team consisting of a master's level |
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| 35 | 35 | | licensed mental health or developmental clinician and a bachelor's |
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| 36 | 36 | | level care coordinator regularly visit the homes of families to: |
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| 37 | 37 | | (A) improve child and parent mental health; |
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| 38 | 38 | | (B) promote school readiness; |
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| 39 | 39 | | (C) decrease child abuse and neglect; and |
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| 40 | 40 | | (D) improve the immediate and long-term health |
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| 41 | 41 | | and well-being of families. |
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| 42 | 42 | | Sec. 265.203. CHILD FIRST PROGRAM STANDARDS. The |
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| 43 | 43 | | commissioner, with the assistance of the Child First National |
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| 44 | 44 | | Service Office, shall adopt standards for programs awarded grants |
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| 45 | 45 | | under this subchapter. |
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| 46 | 46 | | Sec. 265.204. GRANT PROGRAM FUNDING. The department may |
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| 47 | 47 | | solicit, contract for, receive, accept, or administer gifts, |
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| 48 | 48 | | grants, and donations of money or property from any source for |
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| 49 | 49 | | purposes of this subchapter. |
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| 50 | 50 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
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