Texas 2023 - 88th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB2443 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New	Differences
1	1	88R13731 BDP-F
2	2	By: Blanco S.B. No. 2443
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to the training program required for certain employees of
8	8	the Department of Family and Protective Services.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Sections 40.035(a) and (b), Human Resources
11	11	Code, are amended to read as follows:
12	12	(a) The department shall develop and implement a training
13	13	program that each newly hired or assigned department employee must
14	14	successfully complete [before:
15	15	[(1) initiating an investigation of a report of
16	16	alleged abuse, neglect, or exploitation of an elderly person or
17	17	person with a disability under Chapter 48; or
18	18	[(2) providing protective services to elderly persons
19	19	or persons with disabilities under that chapter].
20	20	(b) The training program must:
21	21	(1) provide the employee [person] with appropriate
22	22	comprehensive information regarding:
23	23	(A) the incidence and types of reports of abuse,
24	24	neglect, and exploitation of elderly persons or persons with
25	25	disabilities that are received by the department, including
26	26	information concerning false reports; and
27	27	(B) the use and proper implementation of:
28	28	(i) the risk assessment criteria developed
29	29	under Section 48.004;
30	30	(ii) the criteria used by caseworkers to
31	31	determine whether elderly persons or persons with disabilities lack
32	32	capacity to consent to receive protective services; and
33	33	(iii) the legal procedures available under
34	34	Chapter 48 for the protection of elderly persons or persons with
35	35	disabilities, including the procedures for obtaining a court order
36	36	for emergency protective services under Section 48.208;
37	37	(2) include best practices for management of a case
38	38	from the intake process to the provision of protective services,
39	39	including criteria that specify the circumstances under which an
40	40	employee should:
41	41	(A) consult a supervisor regarding a case; or
42	42	(B) refer an elderly person or person with a
43	43	disability to an appropriate public agency or community service
44	44	provider for guardianship or other long-term services after the
45	45	delivery of protective services to that person has been completed;
46	46	(3) provide appropriate specialized training in any
47	47	necessary topics, including:
48	48	(A) investigation of suspected identity theft
49	49	and other forms of financial exploitation and suspected
50	50	self-neglect; and
51	51	(B) establishment and maintenance of working
52	52	relationships with community organizations and other local
53	53	providers who provide services to elderly persons and persons with
54	54	disabilities;
55	55	(4) include on-the-job training, which must require
56	56	another department caseworker with more experience to accompany and
57	57	train the caseworker in the field;
58	58	(5) provide for the development of individualized
59	59	training plans;
60	60	(6) include training in working with law enforcement
61	61	agencies and the court system when legal intervention is sought for
62	62	investigations or emergency orders;
63	63	(7) to the maximum extent possible, include nationally
64	64	recognized best practices in addition to the best practices
65	65	required under Subdivision (2); and
66	66	(8) include testing, progress reports, or other
67	67	evaluations to assess the performance of trainees.
68	68	SECTION 2. Section 40.035, Human Resources Code, as amended
69	69	by this Act, applies to an employee who is enrolled in the training
70	70	program on or after the effective date of this Act.
71	71	SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.