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6 Document(s) [ Subject: Child%20abuse%20prevention ]

Committee: House Human Services
Title: Interim Report
Subjects: Border issues | Child abuse prevention | Child Protective Services | Coronavirus | Data management | Family and Protective Services, Texas Department of | Family preservation | Federal funds | Healthy Texas Women | Long-term care | Managed care | Medicaid | Medicare | Senior citizens | Services for persons with disabilities | Unaccompanied minors | Undocumented immigrants |
Library Call Number: L1836.87 H88
Session: 87th R.S. (2021)
Online version: View report [39 pages  File size: 2,582 kb]
Charges: This report should address the charges below.
1. Monitor the impact of children, including unaccompanied minors, crossing the Texas-Mexico border on the Department of Family and Protective Services child protective services programs. Consider ways to encourage consistent, transparent, and timely review of abuse and neglect of these children. Consider strategies to ensure better coordination and collaboration among local agencies, faith-based organizations, the private sector, non-profits, and law enforcement to reduce the incidence of abuse and neglect fatalities and human trafficking of migrating children. Identify any particularized services that these children will need and assess the costs of providing these services.
2. Review the ongoing development of federal laws, rules, and regulations associated with the distribution of the federal pandemic recovery funds, including reporting requirements, and make recommendations to the House Committee on Appropriations for use of the funds to respond to the Texas-Mexico border crisis.
3. Monitor the agencies and programs under the Committee’s jurisdiction and oversee the implementation of relevant legislation passed by the 87th Legislature. Conduct active oversight of all associated rulemaking and other governmental actions taken to ensure the intended legislative outcome of all legislation, including the following:
  • Legislation implementing the Healthy Families, Healthy Texas initiative, including:
    • HB133, 87th R.S. relating to the provision of benefits under Medicaid and the Healthy Texas Women program; and
    • Relevant provisions of HB 2658, 87th R.S. relating to the administration and operation of the Medicaid managed care program, especially those provisions that relate to continuous eligibility for a child for Medicaid; and
  • HB 3041, 87th R.S. related to the implementation of the Family Preservation Services Pilot Program.
4. Complete study of assigned charges related to the Texas-Mexico border issued in June 2021.
5. Evaluate current prevention and early intervention programs and make recommendations for improving the effectiveness of these programs in reducing child abuse and neglect.
6. Monitor implementation of SB 1, 87th R.S., Rider 30 (Health and Human Services Commission) and make recommendations for reducing the interest list for waiver services for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities and reducing associated staffing shortages.
7. Evaluate further action needed to improve the safety and quality of the foster care system, including preventing children in foster care from being without a placement and increasing recruitment of foster families. Identify methods to strengthen Child Protective Services processes and services, focusing on efforts for family preservation and eliminating fatalities within the foster care system. This evaluation should:
  • Study the causes for children without placement;
  • Assess the safety concerns for children without placement, including the use of out-of- state and temporary emergency placement for children without placement; injuries while in the care of Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) employees; and exposure to child sex trafficking; and
  • Study how and why children without placement frequently enter the juvenile justice and adult criminal justice systems and the steps DFPS is taking to identify and prevent these instances.
8. Assess the quality and effectiveness of the DFPS IMPACT system for security, transparency, and accuracy. Review DFPS processes relating to the integrity of digital case management. Evaluate whether DFPS data collection adequately responds to child wellbeing indicators.
9. Examine the long-term services and support system of care in Texas. Study workforce challenges for both institutional and community services. Assess opportunities to improve patient safety at senior living facilities. Consider mechanisms to promote a stable, sustainable, and quality-based long-term care system to address current and future needs of the state.
10. Monitor federal decisions that may impact the delivery and financial stability of the state's health programs, including: the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ rescission of its prior approval of the State’s 1115 Waiver, the state and federal negotiations of the Medicaid directed payment programs (including hospital finance methods), federal changes to the Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital Program and the exclusion of certain costs from the uncompensated care program authorized through the 1115 Waiver.
Committee: House Human Services
Title: Interim Report
Subjects: Adoption | Assisted living facilities | Child abuse | Child abuse prevention | Child Protective Services | Early childhood intervention | Emergency management | Family preservation | Foster care | Hurricane Harvey | Long-term care | Managed care | Medicaid | Medicaid program management | Mentally ill persons | Natural disasters | Nursing homes | Pharmaceutical industry | Prescription drugs | State supported living centers | Substance abuse | Tropical storms |
Library Call Number: L1836.85 H88
Session: 85th R.S. (2017)
Online version: View report [50 pages]
Charges: This report should address the charges below.
1. Study the impact of Hurricane Harvey and the response to the storm on individuals living in long-term care facilities, assisted living facilities, state supported living centers, licensed community group homes, and children in the foster care system. Identify and recommend necessary solutions to ensure appropriate disaster-related protocols are in place to keep vulnerable Texans protected. Also, identify any challenges state agencies experienced in responding to the storm or during recovery efforts.
2. Review the history and any future roll-out of Medicaid Managed Care in Texas. Determine the impact managed care has had on the quality and cost of care. In the review, determine: initiatives that managed care organizations (MCOs) have implemented to improve quality of care; whether access to care and network adequacy contractual requirements are sufficient; and whether MCOs have improved the coordination of care. Also determine provider and Medicaid participants’ satisfaction within STAR, STAR Health, Star Kids, and STAR+Plus managed care programs. In addition, review the Health and Human Services Commission's (HHSC) oversight of managed care organizations, and make recommendations for any needed improvement.
3. Examine the survey process for nursing facilities to determine any duplication of government regulations. Consider recommendations to reduce duplication while ensuring patient safety is preserved.
4. Review the availability of prevention and early intervention programs and determine their effectiveness in reducing maltreatment of children. In addition, review services available to children emancipating out of foster care, as well as services available to families post-adoption. Determine if current services are adequately providing for children's needs and meeting the objectives of the programs. While reviewing possible system improvements for children, follow the work of the Supreme Court of Texas Children's Commissions' Statewide Collaborative of Trauma-Informed Care to determine how trauma-informed care impacts outcomes for children.
5. Analyze the prevalence of children involved with Child Protective Services (CPS) who have a mental illness and/or a substance use disorder. In addition, analyze the prevalence of children involved with CPS due to their guardian's substance abuse or because of an untreated mental illness. Identify methods to strengthen CPS processes and services, including efforts for family preservation; increasing the number of appropriate placements designed for children with high needs; and ensuring Texas Medicaid is providing access to appropriate and effective behavioral health services. (Joint charge with the House Committee on Public Health)
6. Monitor the HHSC's implementation of Rider 219 in Article II of the General Appropriations Act related to prescription drug benefit administration in Medicaid. Analyze the role of pharmacy benefit managers in Texas Medicaid.
7. Monitor the agencies and programs under the Committee’s jurisdiction and oversee the implementation of relevant legislation passed by the 85th Legislature. In conducting this oversight, the committee will also closely monitor the implementation of H.B. 4 (85R), H.B. 5 (85R), H.B. 7 (85R), and S.B. 11 (85R).
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
Library Catalog Title: Interim report to the 81st Legislature
Subjects: Adoption | Aging and Disability Services, Texas Department of | Asthma | Caseworkers | Child abuse prevention | Child Protective Services | Disease management | Disease preparedness | Disease prevention | Family and Protective Services, Texas Department of | Family Based Safety Services | Family preservation | Foster care | Health care providers | Health Enterprise Zones | Health insurance premium subsidies | Home health care services | Immunizations | Influenza | Medicaid | Medical errors | Medical reimbursements | Medically uninsured | Mental health services | Mentally disabled persons | Nursing homes | Obesity | Persons with disabilities | Preparation for Adult Living | Rural health care | Services for persons with disabilities | Smoking bans | State supported living centers | Stem cell research | Umbilical cord blood |
Library Call Number: L1836.80 H349
Session: 80th R.S. (2007)
Online version: View report [379 pages  File size: 16,580 kb]
Charges: This report should address the charges below.
1. Monitor the Department of Aging and Disability Services' improvement plan for the system of care for individuals with developmental disabilities, focusing on efforts to improve state schools and provide more community care options. Evaluate the process for preventing, reporting, and investigating abuse and neglect in state schools, ICF/MRs and the Home and Community-Based Services (HCS) program. Determine the short-term and long-term financial impact of increasing the number of individuals served in home or community locations and the financial impact this shift has on state schools. Monitor the department's efforts to convert institutions to community care providers through the money-follows-the-person program designed to improve access to community care services. Specifically make recommendations on:
  • how to further improve the system of care for individuals with developmental disabilities;
  • preventing, reporting, and investigating abuse and neglect;
  • developing a transition plan for reducing waiting list for community care service;
  • incentives for converting institutions into community care providers; and
  • a long term plan to address issues that result from the current federal Department of Justice investigation.
2. Study and make recommendations related to creating an outcome-based reimbursement model in Texas' Medicaid program as a way to improve quality of care, reduce medical errors, and create cost savings. Develop a pilot health care program that pays for best practices, rather than only paying for actual procedures performed. Examine the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid's (CMS) efforts to create an outcome-based system in the Medicare payment system that sanctions serious, preventable medical errors. Examine Pennsylvania's efforts to implement a similar outcome-based reimbursement model to make providers more vigilant about patient care, encourage best practices, and reduce costs in their Medicaid program. If necessary, examine other health care coverage models that have successfully incorporated an outcome-based reimbursement system. Consider pay-for-performance, options that reward good outcomes and the use of best practices, and changes to the reimbursement system that will reduce serious preventable medical errors and hospital acquired infections.
3. Study the effectiveness of the Resiliency and Disease Management (RDM) program in the mental health service delivery system, implementation of changes to the crisis care program, and recommendations for appropriate use of the mental health transformation grant. Identify strategies to increase access to services and meet future demand for services. Examine resource allocation and opportunities to maximize funding. Policy recommendations should maximize the number of inpatient psychiatric acute care beds, enhance access to outpatient services, promote the use of recovery-based services, and enhance access to community-based services.
4. Monitor the implementation of the Department of Family and Protective Services’ improvement plan to reduce caseloads for Child Protective Service caseworkers, and to provide family-based safety services and ongoing substitute care services. Evaluate the efficiency of Child Protective Services "functional units," and determine if other organizational models would allow for a reduction in caseworkers' caseloads, without increasing other administrative costs. Develop recommendations aimed at lowering individual caseloads, making casework more efficient, and improving the retention of caseworkers. Assess the viability of caseworker reimbursement as a manner to lower caseworker turnover.
5. Monitor the implementation of the Department of Family and Protective Services' plan to stabilize the foster care system and increase permanency options for children. Study placement capacity to determine how Child Protective Services can better develop the necessary adoptions or foster homes to meet the needs of children and families by increasing foster care capacity, recruiting and retaining more foster and adoptive parents, increasing the use of relative care, and developing best practices for reducing foster care placement breakdowns. This includes studying innovative ways to promote adoption and kinship care in Texas and best practices for foster/adoptive parents to improve their ability to care for abused and neglected children. Explore potential improvements and enhancements in the Preparation for Adult Living (PAL) program to increase successful transitioning from foster care to adult living. Study current death review processes for children who die while in state care.
6. Examine Texas' current strategies for preventing child abuse. Specifically study the effectiveness of current programs and how these programs compare to other state efforts. Identify national research-based solutions, including best practices and programs addressing sexual abuse. Explore promising existing and emerging approaches to child abuse and neglect prevention, especially those with a strong evidence base. Identify additional funding sources for increased child abuse prevention activities by the state.
7. Study the changes in statute contained in SB 10, 80th R.S., as well as the state's current prevention and wellness efforts and chronic care management efforts, and identify opportunities for improvement in state policies and programs. Examine options for expanding and optimizing the state's current investment in wellness programs and management tools for individuals with chronic care conditions, including options that address childhood asthma. Review partnerships with the private sector that specifically address the following:
  • tobacco cessation, including the evaluation of a statewide smoking ban in public places;
  • reducing obesity;
  • availability and effectiveness of childhood and adult vaccines, including public education programs to promote the use of vaccines; and
  • more effective management of chronic care conditions.
8. Study the effectiveness and efficiency of nursing homes and home-based solutions/home care in Texas, and make recommendations to improve nursing homes and their funding. Identify and study successful nursing home funding models established by other states. Consider ways to fund infrastructure for nursing and therapists and home care. Examine the possibility of an incentive-based “pay for performance” rate plan for nursing facilities and consider factors that it could be based on, taking into account similar plans implemented in other states. Make recommendations on how best to use Medicaid to fund skilled nursing and home health care in Texas. Explore options for improving graduation rates for nurses in Texas.
9. Study and address ethical issues surrounding the impact of a pandemic influenza in this state, particularly focusing on the following:
  • the availability of human and material resources;
  • the benefits and burdens of mass vaccination plans;
  • the involvement of private sector professional organizations and businesses in the state's pandemic influenza preparedness and response plans; and
  • development and implementation of communication plans that will inform and prepare the public on risk reduction behaviors and local/state preparedness and response.
10. Study the potential for development of Health Enterprise Zones, which could offer tax incentives to medical providers who locate within the boundaries of designated medically underserved areas. Analyze similar legislation enacted in other states, specifically New Jersey, and estimate costs and benefits. Consider expanding incentives to medically related industries such as medical research facilities, laboratories and equipment manufacturers in order to spur economic development.
11. Monitor the collection and availability of cord blood stem cells for treatments and research in Texas. Review the current state of basic and clinical research using these and other types of adult stem cells. Assess the potential for clinical and economic benefits from current and increased adult stem cell research.
12. Review Medicaid provider reimbursement rate methodologies, including the impact of factors such as infrastructure concerns, federal minimum wage changes, and cost reports. Study the impact on access to care, quality of care, and value, and make recommendations for legislative changes, taking into account rate increases contained in the current budget. (Joint charge with Senate Finance Committee)
13. Study the state's current and long-range need for physicians, dentists, nurses, and other allied health and long-term care professionals. Make recommendations on how the state can help recruit high-need professions, especially for primary care providers and long-term care professionals in the underserved regions of Texas. (Joint charge with the Senate Committee on International Relations and Trade)
14. Monitor the implementation of legislation addressed by the Health and Human Services Committee, 80th R.S., and make recommendations for any legislation needed to improve, enhance, and/or complete implementation. Specifically, report on the implementation of SB 10, 80th R.S., to ensure meaningful improvement in access to quality care in the Texas Medicaid program, focusing on how to cover more uninsured in Texas with market-based plans or premium assistance for employer health plans, and monitor the creation of the Texas Cancer Research and Prevention Institute.
Committee: House Human Services
Title: Interim Report
Library Catalog Title: House Committee on Human Services, Texas House of Representatives interim report, 2008 : a report to the House of Representatives, 81st Texas Legislat
Subjects: Adoption | Child abuse | Child abuse prevention | Child Protective Services | Family and Protective Services, Texas Department of | Foster care | Long-term care | Nursing homes | Senior citizens | Services for persons with disabilities | Terminal care |
Library Call Number: L1836.80 H88
Session: 80th R.S. (2007)
Online version: View report [186 pages  File size: 21,784 kb]
Charges: This report should address the charges below.
1. Research strategies to promote permanency and stability for children and families involved with Child Protective Services. Identify any priorities that would approve the adoption process.
2. Explore strategies to support the needs of aging Texans effectively and efficiently. This investigation should include best practices in delaying or avoiding the need for institutionalized care as well as promoting high-quality services for those who are best served in nursing homes.
3. Evaluate Prevention and Early Intervention programs at the Department of Family and Protective Services that have been funded by the Texas Legislature for the prevention of child abuse and neglect. Consider if higher priority for selection should be given to child or family mentoring or other support services, such as foster grandparents and efforts to assist mothers.
4. Evaluate existing and part efforts by the state for Youth Transitions in Independent Living. Recommend improvements to educational, occupational, health, and life skills components of preparation of foster children for adult living.
5. Investigate the need and potential of respite care programs to delay or avoit institutional placements, thereby resulting in cost savings for the state.
6. Examine compliance issues and concerns of hospices with certification surveys and ability to meet federal standards.
7. Monitor the agencies and programs under the committee's jurisdiction.
Committee: House General Investigating
Title: Interim Report
Library Catalog Title: Interim report to the 72nd Texas Legislature / House of Representatives, General Investigating Committee.
Subjects: Child abuse | Child abuse prevention | Pardons and Paroles, Texas Board of | Parole | Parole consultants |
Library Call Number: L1836.71 IN8
Session: 71st R.S. (1989)
Online version: View report [86 pages  File size: 4,035 kb]
Charges: This report should address the charges below.
1. Conduct a thorough investigation of the Board of Pardons and Paroles. Investigate complaints regarding the mishandling of parole supervision fees, the falsification of travel vouchers, and the activities of parole advocates. *
2. To investigate all matters relating to the prevention, detection, investigation, treatment, management and prosecution of child abuse in Texas.

* This represents an abstract of the report contents. Charge text is incomplete or unavailable.

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