HB 2809
AN ACT relating to required reporting by the Department of Family and
89th Regular Session
Jan 14, 2025 - Jun 2, 2025 • Session ended
Awaiting Committee Assignment
Bill filed, pending referral to House committee
Committee
Not yet assigned
Fiscal Note
Not available
What This Bill Does
Requires the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services to include additional reporting requirements in its annual public report, specifically tracking the number of children in the department's managing conservatorship who attempt suicide. This new reporting mandate aims to provide transparency and greater insight into the mental health challenges faced by children in the state's foster care system. The report will be published electronically by February 1st each year and will help legislators and the public understand the scope of suicide attempts among children under state care.
Subject Areas
Bill Text
relating to required reporting by the Department of Family and Protective Services regarding youth in the managing conservatorship of the department who attempt suicide. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 264.017(b), Family Code, is amended to (b) The department shall provide the report required by Subsection (a) to the legislature and shall publish the report and make the report available electronically to the public not later than February 1 of each year. The report must include, with respect (1) information on the number and disposition of reports of child abuse and neglect received by the department; (2) information on the number of clients for whom the department took protective action, including investigations, alternative responses, and court-ordered removals; (3) information on the number of clients for whom the department provided services in each program administered by the child protective services division, including investigations, alternative responses, family-based safety services, conservatorship, post-adoption services, and transitional living (4) the number of children in this state who died as a result of child abuse or neglect; (5) the number of children described by Subdivision (4) for whom the department was the children's managing conservator (6) information on the timeliness of the department's initial contact in an investigation or alternative response; (7) information on the response time by the department in commencing services to families and children for whom an allegation of child abuse or neglect has been made; (8) information regarding child protection staffing (9) information on the permanency goals in place and achieved for children in the managing conservatorship of the department, including information on the timeliness of achieving the goals, the stability of the children's placement in foster care, and the proximity of placements to the children's home (10) the number of children who suffer from a severe emotional disturbance and for whom the department is appointed managing conservator, including statistics on appointments as joint managing conservator, due to an individual voluntarily relinquishing custody of a child solely to obtain mental health (11) the number of children who are pregnant or a parent while in the managing conservatorship of the department and the number of the children born to a parent in the managing conservatorship of the department who are placed in the managing conservatorship of the department; (12) the number of children who are missing from the children's substitute care provider while in the managing conservatorship of the department; [and] (13) the number of children who were victims of trafficking under Chapter 20A, Penal Code, while in the managing conservatorship of the department; and (14) the number of children who attempted suicide while in the managing conservatorship of the department. SECTION 2. Section 264.018(a)(4), Family Code, is amended (4) "Significant change in medical condition" means the occurrence of an injury or the onset of an illness that is life-threatening or may have serious long-term health consequences. The term includes: (A) the occurrence or onset of an injury or illness that requires hospitalization for surgery or another procedure that is not minor emergency care; and SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.
Bill History
Bill filed: AN ACT relating to required reporting by the Department of Family and
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