Bill Caption

Relating to referrals to and consent to services under certain programs designed to serve pregnant women and families. 

Fiscal Notes

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated. 

Bill Analysis

SB 1200 would require the Department of Family and Protective Services to coordinate with the Health and Human Services Commission, to promote the use of the nurse-family partnership competitive grant program for pregnant women receiving services through a public benefits program administered by the HHSC or DFPS. SB 1200 would require the Parenting Education Program report to include information on the sources from which pregnant women were referred in the preceding two-year period to a nurse-family partnership program. 

The Nurse-Family Partnerships grant program would award grants for the implementation of the nurse-family program. Such a program involves registered nurses regularly visiting the homes of low-income, first-time mothers to provide services designed to improve pregnancy outcomes, child health and development, family economic self-sufficiency and stability, and reduce the incidence of child abuse and neglect.

SB 1200 would also allow otherwise eligible minors to consent to receive those services from a home visiting program. 

Vote Recommendation Notes

SB 1200 would promote the use of the nurse-family partnership program and the grant program. This program is designed to provide specialized in-home services for new, at-risk parents to prevent child abuse and improve outcomes. The program already exists and this bill would not necessarily expand the program so we do not object to this provision.

However, minors should not be allowed to give consent to receive services from a government agency without first obtaining parental or guardian approval, especially not through a home visiting program. Minors are not able to give effective consent and are not the owners of the homes they live in so they lack standing to authorize service provider entry to the home. Therefore Texas Action opposes SB 1200 and recommends that this section be changed in order to ensure that minors do not receive in-home services while living at home without the consent of their parents or guardian. The adoption of such an amendment would satisfy our objection to the bill.