Bill

HB 1536

86(R) - 2019
House Human Services
House Human Services
Healthcare

Vote Recommendation

No
  • Neutral
  • Neutral
  • Neutral
  • Negative
  • Negative

Author(s)

Rick Miller
Briscoe Cain
Sarah Davis
Jarvis Johnson
Mayes Middleton
Tan Parker
Mary Ann Perez
Richard Raymond
Phil Stephenson
Steve Toth
James White
John Zerwas

Bill Caption

Relating to trauma-informed care for children in the conservatorship of the Department of Family and Protective Services, trauma-informed care training for certain department employees, and the establishment of the Trauma-Informed Care Task Force.

Fiscal Notes

According to the Legislative Budget Board, there would be a negative impact of ($8,458,358) through the biennium ending August 31, 2021.

Bill Analysis

HB 1536 would make numerous updates to Family Code. The bill would require foster parents, adoptive parents, and kinship caregivers to receive training in trauma-informed care. The bill specifies what must be included in the training and provides an exemption for caregivers who can demonstrate that they have received training elsewhere that meets the requirements. The bill would also require trauma-informed training for DFPS employees who regularly interact with or make decisions on behalf of a child in the department's conservatorship. 

The bill would  would create the Trauma-Informed Care Task Force which would assist in implementing the transition to a trauma-informed system of care for children in the department’s conservatorship and leveraging outside resources and coordinating state resources toward implementing a trauma-informed care system.

Vote Recommendation Notes

Texas Action opposes HB 1536 because it violates the principle of limited government and individual liberty by adding substantial new required training for caregivers. This will likely result in fewer people being able to step in and become foster or adoptive parents or kinship caregivers. 

Furthermore the bill significantly expands the size and cost of government in order to move the child-welfare system to a more trauma-informed system. Without commenting on the merits of this public policy, making these changes should be done in a way that is not so burdensome to Texas Taxpayers.