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2 Document(s) [ Subject: Office%20of%20Inspector%20General%2C%20Health%20and%20Human%20Services%20Commission%2C%20Texas ]
| Committee: | Senate Health and Human Services | |
| Title: | Interim Report | |
| Subjects: | Abortion | Adoption | Adult day care | Assisted living facilities | Birth defects | Child abuse | Child abuse prevention | Child Protective Services | Family and Protective Services, Texas Department of | Foster care | Liability | Long-term care | Managed care | Medicaid | Mental health services | Mentally ill inmates | Nursing homes | Office of Inspector General, Health and Human Services Commission, Texas | Organ and tissue donations | Planned Parenthood | Pregnancy | Refugees and asylees | Senior citizens | Services for persons with disabilities | State employee turnover | Sunset review process | Telemedicine | Women's health | | |
| Library Call Number: | L1836.84 H349 | |
| Session: | 84th R.S. (2015) | |
| Online version: | View report [152 pages] | |
| Charges: | This report should address the charges below. | |
| 1. | Examine the business practices and regulatory structure of Planned Parenthood affiliates in Texas, and investigate whether state or federal laws are being broken by Planned Parenthood and/or its affiliates in Texas in regards to the donation and/or sale of fetal tissue. Consider recommendations to strengthen regulations on abortion providers, including further restrictions on the sale of fetal tissue by these entities. * | |
| 2. | Protecting the Unborn: Part I: Examine and make recommendations on the use of fetal tissue provided for research purposes and how related laws governing abortion procedures are interpreted and enforced. Part II: Examine the cause of action known as “wrongful birth.” The study should examine (1) its history in Texas, (2) its effect on the practice of medicine, and (3) its effect on children with disabilities and their families. Examine related measures proposed or passed in other states. | |
| 3. | Protection of Children Part I: Reducing Recurrence of Child Abuse and Neglect: Examine the current process that Child Protective Services uses to track recurrence of child abuse and neglect, and make recommendations to improve data tracking and the use of that data to assist in preventing recurrence. The study should examine the differences in recurrence among families who received services, families who received no services and had their cases closed, and families who had their children removed from the home. Part II: Addressing High-Acuity Needs of Foster Care Children: Study the increase in higher acuity children with trauma and mental illness in the state foster care system, and recommend ways to ensure children have timely access to appropriate treatment and placement options. Part III: Strengthening Adoptions: Examine the frequency, causes, and effects of disrupted foster care adoptions and make recommendations to improve the long-term success of adoptive placements. Study and make recommendations on ways to ensure a smooth transition for foster care children who are exiting the system. | |
| 4. | Healthy Aging: Part I: Study and make recommendations on innovative methods and best practices to promote healthy aging for the state’s population and reduce chronic medical and behavioral health conditions. Identify opportunities for improved collaboration to promote healthy aging in the health and human services system at the state, regional and local levels. Part II: Examine and recommend ways to improve quality and oversight in long-term care settings, including nursing homes and ICF/HCS programs. Monitor the implementation of legislation addressed by the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services during the 84th Regular Session related to the revocation of nursing home licenses for repeated serious violations. | |
| 5. | Medicaid Reform and State Innovation: Study the impact of the Section 1115 Texas Healthcare Transformation and Quality Improvement Program Waiver on improving health outcomes, reducing costs, and providing access to health care for the uninsured, and monitor the renewal process of the waiver. Explore other mechanisms and make recommendations to control costs and increase quality and efficiency in the Medicaid program, including the pursuit of a block grant or a Section 1332 Medicaid State Innovation Waiver for the existing Medicaid program. | |
| 6. | Inpatient Mental Health System Reform: Study and make recommendations on establishing collaborative partnerships between state-owned mental health hospitals and university health science centers to improve inpatient state mental health services, maximize the state mental health workforce, and reduce healthcare costs. | |
| 7. | Mental Health Diversion and Forensic Capacity: Study the impact of recent efforts by the legislature to divert individuals with serious mental illness from criminal justice settings and prevent recidivism. Study and make recommendations to address the state's ongoing need for inpatient forensic capacity, including the impact of expanding community inpatient psychiatric beds. | |
| 8. | Improving Access to Care through TeleHealth: Study and make recommendations on the appropriate use, scope and application of tele-monitoring and telemedicine services to improve management and outcomes for adults and children with complex medical needs and for persons confined in correctional facilities. Examine barriers to implementation of these services and any impact on access to health care services in rural areas of the state. | |
| 9. | Review of Refugee Resettlement Program: Study the impact to the state of the increasing number of refugees relocating to Texas, including the range of health and human services provided. Examine the authority of the state to reduce its burden under the Refugee Resettlement Program, and any state-funded services. | |
| 10. | Monitoring Charge: Monitor the implementation of legislation and riders related to health and human services that were considered by the 84th R.S. and make recommendations for any legislation needed to improve, enhance, and/or complete implementation, including but not limited to: ? The impact of changes made by the Department of Family and Protective Services, Child Protective Services on child safety, workforce retention, prevention, and permanency; ? Initiatives to reduce Medicaid fraud, waste and abuse, and other cost containment strategies, including examining the processes and procedures used by managed care organizations to address Medicaid fraud, waste and abuse; and The consolidation and expansion of women's health programs at the Health and Human Services Commission. | |
| Committee: | Senate Health and Human Services | |
| Title: | Interim Report | |
| Subjects: | Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas | Child abuse | Child Protective Services | Computers and government | Contraceptives | Dental Examiners, Texas State Board of | Family planning | Foster care | Healthy Texas Women | Homelessness | Medicaid | Medicaid fraud | Medically uninsured | Mental health services | Mentally ill persons | Office of Inspector General, Health and Human Services Commission, Texas | Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act | Substance abuse | Temporary Assistance for Needy Families | Welfare eligibility | Welfare reform | Welfare-to-work | Women's health | | |
| Library Call Number: | L1836.83 H349 | |
| Session: | 83rd R.S. (2013) | |
| Online version: | View report [58 pages] | |
| Charges: | This report should address the charges below. | |
| 1. | Review the Department of Family and Protective Services’ efforts to reduce child fatalities. Review the process by which the Department of Family and Protective Services collects and uses data to evaluate agency performance and improve outcomes for children in the Child Protective Services system. Make recommendations to ensure the process effectively uses data to strategically improve caseworker performance, and identify and improve upon deficiencies within the system and improve overall outcomes for children and reduce child fatalities. | |
| 2. | Monitor the implementation of programs that were created or expanded by the 83rd Legislature to improve mental health and substance abuse services and assess these efforts' contribution to improved outcomes such as reduced recidivism in state hospitals, diversion from emergency rooms and county jails, and access to permanent supportive housing. Identify and address gaps in the current mental health and substance abuse system and make recommendations to better coordinate services across agencies and programs. | |
| 3. | Build on previous legislative achievements in women's healthcare by examining women’s access to preventative health care, pregnancy services, and post-partum care, and exploring ways to expand access and improve quality, particularly in rural and underserved areas of the state. Monitor the implementation of women's health programs in Texas. Assess these programs' impact on outcomes such as improving access to preventative services, reducing unplanned pregnancies, and achieving cost savings. Recommend ways to better coordinate the various programs in a manner that increases the number of women served, ensures adequate provider capacity statewide, and maximizes efficiencies to the state. | |
| 4. | Identify cost-effective alternatives to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act to better connect low income individuals to health care services through private market-based solutions, including Medicaid block grants and waivers. Recommendations should strive to encourage cost sharing, promote personal responsibility, reduce uncompensated care costs, contain increasing health care costs, improve access to care, address access to emergency department care issues in rural areas, promote the use of existing private coverage or employee sponsored coverage, reduce non-?emergency use of emergency departments, and reduce the need for federal approval to the state Medicaid plan. | |
| 5. | Evaluate the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program structure. Make recommendations to improve the program's operations and ensure the program achieves outcomes that allow TANF recipients to find employment and achieve self-sufficiency. Recommendations should seek to ensure Texas is using the most effective work-related requirements and drug testing protocols. | |
| 6. | Evaluate the current state of prescription drug abuse and strategies for reducing prescription drug abuse in Texas. Make recommendations on how these policies can be improved or modified to enhance the State of Texas’ handling of services, treatments and education related to prescription drug abuse and to reduce the overall prevalence of prescription drug abuse. | |
| 7. | Monitor the implementation of legislation addressed by the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services, 83rd Legislature, Regular Session, and make recommendations for any legislation needed to improve, enhance, and/or complete implementation, including but not limited to:
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* This represents an abstract of the report contents. Charge text is incomplete or unavailable.
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