BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center S.B. 640 89R1111 MLH-F By: Johnson Health & Human Services 4/17/2025 As Filed AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT According to the 2022 Report on Suicide and Suicide Prevention by the Statewide Behavioral Health Coordinating Council, the foster youth population in Texas has a higher rate of suicide than the rest of the youth population. The suicide rate for Texas' foster youth population has increased by 335 percent in the five-year period between 2017 through 2021. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a previous suicide attempt is one of the leading risk factors for death by suicide, and yet the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) does not maintain records of suicide attempts by foster youth. Currently, the annual report produced by DFPS does not include suicide attempts by children in the state's managing conservatorship and is not required to report attempts to families within a given period. Adding these requirements would improve our understanding of the magnitude of the issue, improve health outcomes, and allow for effective prevention. S.B. 640 would require DFPS to include suicide attempts by children in its managing conservatorship in the annual report of child protection statistics and to provide notice to the parent of such a child who attempts suicide within a certain period. Transparency into suicide attempt data can help the agency and the parents better understand risk factors and prevent any further attempts. As proposed, S.B. 640 amends current law relating to required reporting by the Department of Family and Protective Services regarding youth in the managing conservatorship of the department who attempt suicide. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 264.017(b), Family Code. as follows: (b) Requires the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) to provide the report required by Subsection (a) (relating to requiring DFPS to prepare and disseminate a report of statistics by county relating to certain measures and date for child protection), to the legislature and is required to publish the report and make the report available electronically to the public not later than February 1 of each year. Requires that the report include, with respect to the preceding year: (1)-(11) makes no changes to these subdivisions; (12)-(13) makes nonsubstantive changes to these subdivisions; and (14) the number of children who attempted suicide while in the managing conservatorship of DFPS. SECTION 2. Amends Section 264.018(a)(4), Family Code, to redefine "significant change in medical condition." SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2025.
BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center S.B. 640
89R1111 MLH-F By: Johnson
Health & Human Services
4/17/2025
As Filed
Senate Research Center
S.B. 640
89R1111 MLH-F
By: Johnson
Health & Human Services
4/17/2025
As Filed
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
According to the 2022 Report on Suicide and Suicide Prevention by the Statewide Behavioral Health Coordinating Council, the foster youth population in Texas has a higher rate of suicide than the rest of the youth population. The suicide rate for Texas' foster youth population has increased by 335 percent in the five-year period between 2017 through 2021. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a previous suicide attempt is one of the leading risk factors for death by suicide, and yet the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) does not maintain records of suicide attempts by foster youth.
Currently, the annual report produced by DFPS does not include suicide attempts by children in the state's managing conservatorship and is not required to report attempts to families within a given period. Adding these requirements would improve our understanding of the magnitude of the issue, improve health outcomes, and allow for effective prevention.
S.B. 640 would require DFPS to include suicide attempts by children in its managing conservatorship in the annual report of child protection statistics and to provide notice to the parent of such a child who attempts suicide within a certain period. Transparency into suicide attempt data can help the agency and the parents better understand risk factors and prevent any further attempts.
As proposed, S.B. 640 amends current law relating to required reporting by the Department of Family and Protective Services regarding youth in the managing conservatorship of the department who attempt suicide.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 264.017(b), Family Code. as follows:
(b) Requires the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) to provide the report required by Subsection (a) (relating to requiring DFPS to prepare and disseminate a report of statistics by county relating to certain measures and date for child protection), to the legislature and is required to publish the report and make the report available electronically to the public not later than February 1 of each year. Requires that the report include, with respect to the preceding year:
(1)-(11) makes no changes to these subdivisions;
(12)-(13) makes nonsubstantive changes to these subdivisions; and
(14) the number of children who attempted suicide while in the managing conservatorship of DFPS.
SECTION 2. Amends Section 264.018(a)(4), Family Code, to redefine "significant change in medical condition."
SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2025.