TITLE: Relating to the establishment of a caseload management system for child protective services caseworkers.

SUMMARY: Relating to the establishment of a caseload management system for child protective services caseworkers.

FULL TEXT:
AN ACT relating to the establishment of a caseload management system for child protective services caseworkers. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 40, Human Resources Code, is amended by adding Section 40.0328 to read as follows: Sec. 40.0328. CASEWORKER CASELOAD MANAGEMENT SYSTEM. The department shall manage the duties of caseworkers to maintain the safety of children in child protective services by establishing a caseload management system that: (1) assigns a risk score to each child in the department's care based on an assessment of the current and potential risk of harm to the child from abuse or neglect; (2) determines the appropriate number of cases to be assigned to a caseworker based on the risk scores of the children assigned to the caseworker; and (3) proportionally limits the number of children with higher risk scores that may be assigned to any one caseworker. SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date of this Act, the Department of Family and Protective Services shall establish and implement the caseload management system as required under Section 40.0328, Human Resources Code, as added by this Act. SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.