Bill Text: TX HB2330 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Comm Sub
Bill Title: Relating to information and services for foster children who are pregnant or minor parents.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-05-01 - Committee report sent to Calendars [HB2330 Detail]
Download: Texas-2017-HB2330-Comm_Sub.html
85R12418 MM-D | ||
By: Dukes, Minjarez | H.B. No. 2330 |
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relating to information and services for foster children who are | ||
pregnant or minor parents. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 264, Family Code, is | ||
amended by adding Section 264.130 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 264.130. PREGNANCY AND PARENTING INFORMATION AND | ||
SERVICES. (a) The department shall collect: | ||
(1) information on the number of children in the | ||
managing conservatorship of the department who are minor parents; | ||
(2) information on the number of children in the | ||
managing conservatorship of the department who are also the | ||
children of minor parents as described by Subdivision (1); and | ||
(3) with respect to each child who is a minor parent | ||
and each child of a minor parent in the managing conservatorship of | ||
the department, statistics regarding each child's: | ||
(A) age; | ||
(B) ethnicity; | ||
(C) type of substitute care placement; | ||
(D) county of residence; and | ||
(E) length of time in substitute care. | ||
(b) The department shall prepare an annual report on the | ||
information collected under Subsection (a) and make the report | ||
available on the department's Internet website. The report may not | ||
include any individually identifiable information regarding a | ||
minor parent or child who is the subject of information in the | ||
report. | ||
(c) The department at developmentally appropriate stages | ||
shall provide to children in the managing conservatorship of the | ||
department who are pregnant or who are minor parents information on | ||
and support in providing safe environments for children, including | ||
information and support regarding: | ||
(1) safe sleeping arrangements; | ||
(2) suggestions for childproofing potentially | ||
dangerous settings in a home; | ||
(3) methods to cope with crying infants; | ||
(4) selection of appropriate substitute caregivers; | ||
(5) a child's early brain development, including the | ||
importance of meeting an infant's developmental needs by providing | ||
positive experiences and avoiding adverse experiences; | ||
(6) the importance of paternal involvement in a | ||
child's life; and | ||
(7) the benefits of reading and talking to young | ||
children. | ||
(d) The department shall provide parenting skills training | ||
and other services, including depression screening services, to | ||
children in the managing conservatorship of the department who are | ||
pregnant or minor parents. | ||
(e) The department shall appropriately recruit, prepare, | ||
train, and support individuals, including foster parents, | ||
substitute caregivers, and mentors, who work directly with children | ||
in the managing conservatorship of the department who are pregnant | ||
or minor parents to ensure the individuals provide the specialized | ||
care and support needed by those children. | ||
SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date | ||
of this Act, the Department of Family and Protective Services shall | ||
collect the information, prepare the report, and provide the | ||
services necessary to implement Section 264.130, Family Code, as | ||
added by this Act. | ||
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |