HBA-NRS S.B. 962 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 962
By: Moncrief
Human Services
5/2/2001
Engrossed



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, the turnover rate for child protective services (CPS)
caseworkers in Dallas and Tarrant counties is 43 and 25 percent,
respectively. Current caps on full-time employees prevents the training
academy for the Department of Protective and Regulatory Services from
enrolling enough trainees to fill vacant positions because trainees count
toward the full-time employee cap, even though the trainees do not actively
work on CPS cases. Senate Bill 962 creates a pilot project in a region of
the state with the highest percentage of unfilled caseworker positions and
highest caseworker turnover rate to increase temporarily the enrollment of
CPS trainees to twice the current limit to address the shortage of CPS
caseworkers. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

Senate Bill 962 establishes a pilot project to aid a target region having
the highest percentage of authorized caseworker positions unfilled and the
highest caseworker turnover rate in meeting its needs for caseworkers. The
bill requires the Department of Protective and Regulatory Services (PRS) to
remove the limit on the number of authorized caseworkers, increase the
number of trainees and trainers, and provide funds to meet the target
region's needs for caseworkers. The bill authorizes PRS to terminate the
pilot project if PRS determines that the number of caseworkers serving the
public in the target region equals or exceeds the number of authorized
caseworker positions as that number existed immediately before September 1,
2001. The bill requires PRS to submit a report to the legislature regarding
the impact of the pilot project on the retention of caseworkers. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.