Sec. 22.035. CHILDREN'S POLICY COUNCIL. (a) A work group to be known as the Children's Policy Council shall assist the department, the commission, the Department of State Health Services, the Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services, and the Department of Family and Protective Services in developing, implementing, and administering family support policies for children with disabilities relating to:
(1) long-term services and supports;
(2) health services; and
(3) mental health services.
(b) The executive commissioner shall appoint the members of the work group, which must include the following:
(1) a person who is younger than 22 years of age and is a consumer of long-term care and health programs for children;
(2) an individual who is younger than 25 years of age and who receives or has received mental health services;
(3) relatives of consumers of long-term care and health programs for children 26 years of age or younger;
(4) a representative from an organization that is an advocate for consumers of long-term care and health programs for children;
(5) a person from a private entity that provides long-term care and health programs for children;
(6) a person from a public entity that provides long-term care and health programs for children;
(7) a person with expertise in the availability of funding and the application of funding formulas for children's long-term care and health services;
(8) a representative from a faith-based organization;
(9) a representative from a nonspecialized community services organization; and
(10) a representative from a business that is not related to providing services to persons with disabilities.
(c) A majority of the members of the work group must be composed of relatives of consumers of long-term care and health programs for children.
(d) A person may not be appointed as a relative of a consumer of long-term care and health programs for children if the person:
(1) is an employee of a state agency that provides long-term care or health services for children; or
(2) contracts with a state agency described by Subdivision (1) to provide long-term care or health services for children.
(e) The commission shall provide administrative support, including staff, to the work group.
(f) A member of the work group serves at the will of the executive commissioner.
(g) The executive commissioner shall appoint a member of the work group to serve as a presiding officer.
(h) The work group shall meet at the call of the presiding officer.
(i) A member of the work group receives no additional compensation for serving on the work group. Consumers and relatives of consumers serving on the work group shall be reimbursed for travel and other expenses necessary for participation as provided in the General Appropriations Act. Other members of the work group may not be reimbursed for travel or other expenses incurred while conducting the business of the work group. Reimbursement under this subsection shall be paid equally out of funds appropriated to the department and funds appropriated to the Department of State Health Services.
(j) The work group may study and make recommendations in the following areas:
(1) access of a child or a child's family to effective case management services, including case management services with a single case manager, parent case managers, or independent case managers;
(2) the transition needs of children who reach an age at which they are no longer eligible for services at the Department of State Health Services, the Texas Education Agency, and other applicable state agencies;
(3) the blending of funds, including case management funding, for children needing long-term care, health services, and mental health services;
(4) collaboration and coordination of children's services between the department, the Department of State Health Services, the Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services, the Department of Family and Protective Services, and any other agency determined to be applicable by the work group;
(5) budgeting and the use of funds appropriated for children's long-term care services, health services, and mental health services;
(6) services and supports for families providing care for children with disabilities;
(7) effective permanency planning for children who reside in institutions or who are at risk of placement in an institution;
(8) barriers to enforcement of regulations regarding institutions that serve children with disabilities; and
(9) the provision of services under the medical assistance program to children younger than 23 years of age with disabilities or special health care needs under a waiver granted under Section 1915(c) of the federal Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. Section 1396n(c)).
(k) Not later than September 1 of each even-numbered year, the work group shall report on its findings and recommendations to the legislature and the executive commissioner.
(l) After evaluating and considering recommendations reported under Subsection (k), the executive commissioner shall adopt rules to implement guidelines for providing long-term care, health services, and mental health services to children with disabilities.
(m) The work group is not subject to Chapter 2110, Government Code.
(n) The work group is abolished and this section expires September 1, 2017.
Added by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1505, Sec. 1.04, eff. Sept. 1, 1999. Amended by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 198, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2001.
Amended by:
Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 388 (S.B. 50), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2013.
Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1 (S.B. 219), Sec. 4.033, eff. April 2, 2015.
Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 837 (S.B. 200), Sec. 3.35, eff. January 1, 2016.
Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 946 (S.B. 277), Sec. 2.32, eff. January 1, 2016.
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