Bill Text: TX SB1789 | 2013-2014 | 83rd Legislature | Introduced


Bill Title: Relating to the stability of placements for children in the conservatorship of the Department of Family and Protective Services.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-03-25 - Referred to Health & Human Services [SB1789 Detail]

Download: Texas-2013-SB1789-Introduced.html
  83R3807 JSL-D
 
  By: Uresti S.B. No. 1789
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the stability of placements 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.  Chapter 263, Family Code, is amended by adding
  Subchapter D-1 to read as follows:
  SUBCHAPTER D-1. PLACEMENT STABILITY
         Sec. 263.351.  PLACEMENT STABILITY CONFERENCE. (a) The
  department shall hold a placement stability conference for each
  child for whom the department has been appointed temporary or
  permanent managing conservator after the department receives
  notice of a second failed placement for the child. The goal of the
  placement stability conference is to determine a placement for the
  child that will provide the greatest opportunity for future
  stability and permanency.
         (b)  The department shall hold the placement stability
  conference as soon as practicable after the child's second failed
  placement, but not later than the 10th day after the date the
  department receives notice of the failed placement.
         (c)  The department may hold additional placement stability
  conferences for the child after any subsequent failed placement at
  the department's discretion.
         (d)  A child's attorney ad litem, guardian ad litem, or
  court-appointed volunteer advocate may request the department to
  hold additional placement stability conferences for the child.
         Sec. 263.352.  NOTICE. (a) Not later than the second day
  after the date the department receives notice that a second
  placement for a child has failed, the department shall give notice
  of the placement stability conference to:
               (1)  each person listed in Section 263.301(b); and
               (2)  the child, if the child is at least four years of
  age.
         (b)  The notice may be given by any appropriate means,
  including by mail, e-mail, telephone, or other electronic means.
         Sec. 263.353.  ATTENDANCE AT PLACEMENT STABILITY
  CONFERENCE. (a) The child's attorney ad litem, the child's guardian
  ad litem, the child protective services caseworker assigned to the
  child, and any court-appointed volunteer advocate for the child
  shall attend the placement stability conference.
         (b)  Each person entitled to receive notice of the placement
  stability conference may attend the conference, except that a
  child's parents may attend the conference only if the department
  determines it is appropriate.
         (c)  A person may attend a placement stability conference in
  person or by use of telephone conference call or video conference
  call.
         Sec. 263.354.  RECOMMENDATION FOR PLACEMENT. (a) At the
  placement stability conference, the child's caseworker shall make a
  recommendation for the placement of the child that will provide the
  greatest opportunity for future stability and permanency.
         (b)  The child's attorney ad litem, the child's guardian ad
  litem, and any court-appointed volunteer advocate for the child may
  make a placement recommendation for the child.
         (c)  The child's attorney ad litem, the child's guardian ad
  litem, the child's caseworker, and any court-appointed volunteer
  advocate for the child must all agree to the placement.
         (d)  If the child's attorney ad litem, the child's guardian
  ad litem, the child's caseworker, and any court-appointed volunteer
  advocate reach a unanimous agreement on placement, the child shall
  be placed in the agreed placement.
         Sec. 263.355.  JUDICIAL REVIEW OF PLACEMENT. (a) If the
  child's attorney ad litem, the child's guardian ad litem, the
  child's caseworker, and any court-appointed volunteer advocate are
  not able to reach a unanimous agreement regarding the child's
  placement at the placement stability conference, the court shall
  decide the placement for the child.
         (b)  Not later than the next business day after the date of a
  placement stability conference at which there is not a unanimous
  agreement for the placement of the child, the department shall file
  a motion with the court requesting that the court render an order on
  the child's placement.
         (c)  The court shall hold a hearing on the child's placement
  not later than the 12th day after the date the motion for a hearing
  is filed under Subsection (b).
         (d)  The department shall provide notice of the hearing to
  each person listed in Section 263.301(b) not later than the 10th day
  before the date of the hearing. The department shall give notice as
  provided by Rule 21a, Texas Rules of Civil Procedure.
         (e)  The following are entitled to present evidence and be
  heard at the hearing:
               (1)  the department;
               (2)  the child's attorney ad litem;
               (3)  the child's guardian ad litem; and
               (4)  any court-appointed volunteer advocate for the
  child.
         (f)  The child shall attend a hearing under this section
  unless the court specifically excuses the child's attendance.  The
  court may consult with the child in a developmentally appropriate
  manner regarding the child's placement if the child is at least four
  years of age.  Failure by the child to attend a hearing does not
  affect the validity of an order rendered at the hearing.
         (g)  The court shall conduct the hearing in any manner the
  court considers appropriate. The court may require the department
  or another party to submit written reports to assist the court in
  making the court's determination.
         (h)  At the conclusion of the hearing, the court shall render
  an order providing for the child's placement that is in the child's
  best interests and would provide the greatest opportunity for
  future stability and permanency.
         Sec. 263.356.  PERMANENCY PLANNING MEETINGS. The department
  is not required to hold a scheduled permanency planning meeting for
  a child if a placement stability conference for the child has been
  held not earlier than the 30th day before the date a permanency
  planning meeting is scheduled.
         Sec. 263.357.  PLACEMENT TRACKING SYSTEM. (a) The
  department shall identify each child for whom the department has
  been appointed temporary or permanent managing conservator who has
  had two or more placements during the preceding 12 months. For each
  child identified under this subsection, the department shall
  collect the following information:
               (1)  the number of placement changes for the child;
               (2)  whether a placement change occurred for any of the
  following reasons:
                     (A)  the child ran away;
                     (B)  the caregiver or child-placing agency
  responsible for placing the child requested the change;
                     (C)  the child was hospitalized for medical or
  mental health reasons; or
                     (D)  the child refused to remain in the placement;
  and
               (3)  if a placement change occurred due to a reason
  listed under Subdivision (2):
                     (A)  the child's name;
                     (B)  the child's age;
                     (C)  the address of the child's current placement;
                     (D)  the court in which the suit affecting the
  parent-child relationship involving the child is pending;
                     (E)  the county and department region in which the
  court is located;
                     (F)  the reason for each placement change;
                     (G)  the child-placing agency responsible for
  placing the child;
                     (H)  the child protective services program
  administrator assigned to the child;
                     (I)  any centralized placement coordinator or
  centralized placement unit assigned to the child; and
                     (J)  the level of care the child was determined to
  require.
         (b)  At least once each month, the department shall prepare a
  report from the information collected under Subsection (a) and
  provide the report to the commissioner of the department and the
  assistant commissioner for child protective services.
         (c)  The department shall include the aggregated data
  compiled under Subsection (b) in the department's annual data
  report.
         SECTION 2.  (a)  Except as provided by Subsection (b) of this
  section, this Act takes effect January 1, 2014.
         (b)  Section 263.357, Family Code, as added by this Act,
  takes effect September 1, 2013.
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