Bill Text: TX HB781 | 2015-2016 | 84th Legislature | Enrolled


Bill Title: Relating to caregiver screening and training by substitute care providers for children in the conservatorship of the Department of Family and Protective Services.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Passed) 2015-06-19 - Effective on 9/1/15 [HB781 Detail]

Download: Texas-2015-HB781-Enrolled.html
 
 
  H.B. No. 781
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to caregiver screening and training by substitute care
  providers for children in the conservatorship of the Department of
  Family and Protective Services.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 40.058, Human Resources Code, is amended
  by adding Subsections (f), (g), and (h) to read as follows:
         (f)  A contract for residential child-care services provided
  by a general residential operation or by a child-placing agency
  must include provisions that:
               (1)  enable the department to monitor the effectiveness
  of the services;
               (2)  specify performance outcomes;
               (3)  authorize the department to terminate the contract
  or impose sanctions for a violation of a provision of the contract
  that specifies performance criteria;
               (4)  authorize the department, an agent of the
  department, and the state auditor to inspect all books, records,
  and files maintained by a contractor relating to the contract; and
               (5)  are necessary, as determined by the department, to
  ensure accountability for the delivery of services and for the
  expenditure of public funds.
         (g)  A contract with a private agency for the provision of
  substitute care or case management services for a child must
  include provisions that require the agency to provide access to the
  agency's information and records relating to the child to the
  child's attorney ad litem and guardian ad litem.
         (h)  In contracting with licensed child-placing agencies for
  residential child-care services, the department shall:
               (1)  determine and evaluate, using best practice
  standards, the home screening, assessment, and preservice training
  requirements used by substitute care providers before the
  verification and approval of caregivers, including:
                     (A)  risk assessment evaluations used; and
                     (B)  the curriculum and models used and topics
  covered in caregiver training; and
               (2)  publish on the department's Internet website the
  information collected by the department regarding the curriculum
  and training models used and topics covered during caregiver
  training by substitute care providers.
         SECTION 2.  Subchapter C, Chapter 42, Human Resources Code,
  is amended by adding Section 42.0537 to read as follows:
         Sec. 42.0537.  CAREGIVER TRAINING REQUIREMENT. (a)  The
  department shall include a provision in each contract with a
  child-placing agency with whom children in the managing
  conservatorship of the department are placed that requires the
  child-placing agency to provide at least 35 hours of
  competency-based, preservice training to a potential caregiver
  before the child-placing agency verifies or approves the caregiver
  as a foster or adoptive home.
         (b)  The department shall adopt policies to ensure that each
  potential caregiver receives at least 35 hours of competency-based,
  preservice training before the department verifies or approves the
  caregiver as a foster or adoptive home.
         (c)  The training required by this section does not apply to
  an individual who has been designated as a kinship caregiver and who
  is pursuing verification or licensure as a foster parent or
  approval as an adoptive parent.
         SECTION 3.  The preservice training requirement under
  Section 42.0537, Human Resources Code, as added by this Act, does
  not apply to an individual who was verified or approved as a
  caregiver by a substitute care provider before the effective date
  of this Act or to an individual who is in the process of being
  verified or approved as a caregiver by a substitute care provider on
  the effective date of this Act.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 781 was passed by the House on April
  16, 2015, by the following vote:  Yeas 144, Nays 2, 2 present, not
  voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
  No. 781 on May 28, 2015, by the following vote:  Yeas 142, Nays 0, 2
  present, not voting.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 781 was passed by the Senate, with
  amendments, on May 26, 2015, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays
  0.
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate   
  APPROVED: __________________
                  Date       
   
           __________________
                Governor       
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