By: Parker S.B. No. 2826
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the establishment of an education-based program to
prevent medical child abuse through standardized training for
medical students, healthcare professionals, and child protective
services caseworkers.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 531, Government Code, is amended by adding
Subchapter X to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER X. MEDICAL CHILD ABUSE EDUCATION PROGRAM
Sec. 531.981. SHORT TITLE. This subchapter may be cited as
"Alyssa's Law."
Sec. 531.982. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
(1) "Medical child abuse" means the intentional
misrepresentation, fabrication, exaggeration, or induction of
illness or medical symptoms in a child by a parent or caregiver,
leading to unnecessary medical treatment, interventions, or harm.
(2) "Medical child abuse prevention training" means
standardized education designed to help medical professionals and
child protective services workers identify, report, and prevent
medical child abuse while ensuring due process in investigations.
Sec. 531.983. ESTABLISHMENT OF MEDICAL CHILD ABUSE
EDUCATION PROGRAM.
(a) Not later than September 1, 2027, the commission, in
collaboration with the Texas Medical Board, the Department of
Family and Protective Services, and accredited healthcare
institutions, using existing resources, grants, and programs to the
extent possible, shall establish and administer a program to:
(1) define and identify medical child abuse based on
clinical, behavioral, and legal standards;
(2) train medical students, licensed healthcare
professionals, and child protective services (CPS) caseworkers to
recognize and respond to medical child abuse cases;
(3) implement standardized training protocols for medical
schools, hospitals, and social services agencies;
(4) develop continuing education modules for medical
professionals and child welfare personnel;
(5) ensure that training programs incorporate best
practices for thorough case evaluation before CPS intervention; and
(6) promote collaboration between CPS caseworkers and
medical professionals to improve accuracy in identifying medical
child abuse.
(b) The program must ensure that all training modules
reflect:
(1) the clinical indicators of medical child abuse;
(2) the distinction between legitimate medical conditions
and fabricated illness claims;
(3) the ethical and legal considerations in child abuse
reporting;
(4) best practices for peer review and medical consultation
before CPS intervention; and
(5) procedures for multidisciplinary case review to ensure
investigative accuracy.
Sec. 531.984. INTEGRATION INTO MEDICAL AND PROFESSIONAL
TRAINING.
(a) Texas medical schools shall integrate medical child
abuse education into their curricula as part of students'
professional training.
(b) The Texas Medical Board, in consultation with the
commission and the Department of Family and Protective Services,
shall require continuing medical education requirements that
include:
(1) identifying and preventing medical child abuse;
(2) recognizing patterns of falsified symptoms and
unnecessary medical procedures;
(3) distinguishing true medical concerns from fabricated
abuse allegations; and
(4) legal responsibilities for reporting suspected cases.
(c) The Department of Family and Protective Services shall
ensure that CPS investigators and caseworkers receive annual
training on:
(1) investigative protocols for suspected medical child
abuse;
(2) how to collaborate with medical professionals before
taking legal action; and
(3) the role of peer-reviewed medical assessments in
child abuse cases.
Sec. 531.985. IMPLEMENTATION AND OVERSIGHT.
(a) The commission, in collaboration with the Texas Medical
Board and the Department of Family and Protective Services, shall
oversee the development and implementation of the medical child
abuse education program under this subchapter.
(b) The program must be made accessible to all medical
students, healthcare professionals, and child protective services
caseworkers as part of their required training and continuing
education.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.