Foster Care Reform for Mental Health, Texas Senate Bill 219

This bill passed the Texas Senate on Thursday March 24, 2011. “Senate Bill 219 better coordinates services to ensure that children in the foster care system receive timely mental health screenings and services, and encourages child welfare professionals to develop training about the effects of trauma. ”

Senate passes bills to protect vulnerable Texans
[Flower Mound Leader 3/24/11]

The full text of the bill can be found here.

Three excerpts about trauma training for case workers, trauma and ADHD training for physicians, and initial behavioral health assessment upon first visit are pasted below:

“(a)The department shall annually evaluate the effectiveness of the training provided under this subsection to ensure progress toward a trauma-informed system of care.
(b) The department shall require department caseworkers and department caseworker supervisors to complete an annual refresher training course in trauma-informed programs and services.
(c) In addition to the recipients of training under Subsection (a), the department shall offer training in trauma-informed programs and services to:
(1) court-appointed special advocates;
(2) children’s advocacy center staff;
(3) therapists at Department of Aging and Disability
Services mental health centers; and
(4) domestic violence shelter staff.
(d) The department shall include trauma-informed programs and services training in parenting classes the department provides to parents receiving services from the department”

“Sec. 533.0052. STAR HEALTH PROGRAM: CONTRACT PROVISIONS.
(a) A contract between a managed care organization and the commission for the organization to provide health care services to recipients under the STAR Health program must include a requirement that each physician or provider under a managed care plan receive training in trauma-informed care.
(b) The commission shall encourage each managed care organization providing health care services to recipients under the STAR Health program to include in a written agreement between the organization and a physician or provider under a managed care plan a requirement that the physician or provider receive training in post-traumatic stress disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder within a reasonable time
after the date the physician or provider begins providing services under the managed care plan.”

“Sec. 32.0561. PRELIMINARY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ASSESSMENT. In addition to complying with the regimen of care prescribed by the Texas Health Steps program under Section 32.056, a provider of
health care to recipients under the STAR Health program shall conduct a preliminary behavioral health assessment of each recipient who is a child during the child’s initial visit to the provider.”

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