bill counts suicide attempts by kids in state conservatorship

The text as introduced · 571 words

89R1111 MLH-F

By: Johnson
S.B. No. 640

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

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

read as follows:

(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

to the preceding year:

(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

services;

(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

at the time of death;

(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

and caseloads by program area;

(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

counties;

(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

services for the child;

(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

to read as follows:

(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

(B) a suicide attempt .

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.