HB 1 Conference Committee Decisions
Department of Family and Protective
Services
Austin, Texas
May 26, 2015
This summary contains supplemental information from reliable sources where that information provides clarity
to the issues being discussed. Power Point tables used in the presentations may also be used in this summary.
Names of individuals may be misspelled but every attempt has been made to ensure accuracy. Tables and Text
have been used from executive and legislative agencies and departments’ presentations and publications.
The Conference Committee reached agreement on those items that were in disagreement between
the respective bills. Only those items that were in disagreement were discussed in most cases. As
such only those items are reflected in this document (unless noted otherwise). Top number is the GR
and GR related amount while the second number (bolded) is the All Funds amount.
Department of Family and Protective Services
FY 2016
$.66
$2.0
FY 2017
$.72
$1.0
Explanation
The committee adopts the
House provision which funds the
agency's request for the
replacement of the statewide
intake automated call distributor
system
1c.2 Refresh Smartphones
(capital)
$1.3
$1.5
$.21
$.35
2a Worker Supports and Systems
(includes capital)
$18.7
$22.4
$6.9
$10.2
The Committee compromises in
between the House which
funded the agency request and
the Senate which did not provide
funding.
The Committee adopts the
Senate provision which partially
funds the agency request.
3a Criminal Background Checks –
Implement National FBI Rap Back
(capital)
$1.2
$1.8
$.64
$.96
The Committee adopts the
House provision which funds the
agency's request to implement
national FBI rap back criminal
background
checks.
3b.1 PEI - Helping Military Families
$1.6
$1.6
$3.2
$3.2
The Committee adopts the
House provision which funds
2/3rd of the agency's request
3b.2 PEI - Automate the FINDRS
System (capital) (1.0 / 1.0 FTEs)
$1.1
$1.2
$.46
$.47
The Committee adopts the
Senate provision which funds
80% of the agency's request and
1.0 FTEs. The total request
would automate
the FINDRS system for data
matching between DFPS and the
Department of State Health
Services
3b.3 PEI Technology Replacement of Two Databases
(capital)
$3.3
$3.3
1c.1 SWI Automated Call
Distribution (ACD) System
Replacement (capital)
The Committee adopts the
Hpuse provision which funds the
agency's request for the
replacement of two prevention
databases.
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3c.3 Interregional Specialists
$1.7
$1.8
$1.5
$1.6
The Committee split the
difference between the House
and Senate provisions.
3d.1 Improve Child Care Licensing
Fee Collection
(capital)
$.35
$.35
The Committee adopted the
Senate provision which funds
80% of the agency request.
3d.2 Automate CCL Regulatory
Enforcement Process (capital)
$.80
$.80
3h.1 Chief Data Office (7.0 / 7.0
FTEs)
$.28
$.64
$.26
$.58
The Committee adopted the
House provision which fully
funds the agency request.
The Committee adopts the
Senate provision which fully
funds the agency request.
3h.2 Contract Monitoring Staff to
Perform Predictive Analytics
$.26
$.66
$.24
$.60
The Committee adopted the
Senate provision which funds the
agency's request for contract
monitoring staff to perform
predictive analytics
3h.4 Enhancing the Quality of CCL
Investigations
$.54
$1.8
$.40
$1.6
The Committee split the
difference between the Senate
which provided everything and
the House which did not fund
the item.
4 Continue Foster Care Redesign
(2.0 / 2.0 FTEs)
$3.2
$3.3
$3.5
$3.7
The Committee provides funding
for 2.0 FTEs and for
the roll-out of foster care
redesign to one new catchment
area during the 2016–17
biennium
5a Compliance with Federal Child
Care Licensing Requirements
$4.4
$4.6
$3.4
$4.4
5c Compliance with Sex
Trafficking and Strengthening
Families Act
$2.5
$5.7
$.74
$1.7
The Committee split the
difference between the two
houses providing funding for
3/4ths of agency request.
The Committee adopted the
Senate provision which funds
50% of the agency's request,
14.8 FTEs per fiscal year, and
provides full capital
authority for IMPACT
modifications
6 Records Management and
Access
$1.7
$3.6
$1.4
$3.1
The Committee adopted the
House provision which funds the
agency's request to improve
records management and access
and for 67.2 FTEs per fiscal year
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7a Stakeholder and External
Coordination (
$.24
$.47
$.23
$.45
The Committee split the
difference between the House
which fully funded the item and
the Senate which provided no
funding.
H3/S4 Parental Child Safety
Placements
$2.6
$2.9
$1.9
$2.1
The Committee adopted a
compromise position on funding.
H4/S5 CASA Family Finding
Collaboration
$.23
$.23
$.32
$.32
The Committee adopted the
House provision which provides
General Revenue
Funds for CASA family finding
collaboration
S1a Expand CYD (2.0 / 2.0 FTEs)
$.73
$.74
$2.4
$2.4
S1d Shaken Baby Syndrome and
Safe Sleep Initiatives (2.0 / 2.0
FTEs)
$.67
$.67
$1.4
$1.4
The Committee adopted the
Senate provision which provides
funding to expand the
community youth development
(CYD) program
services and 1.0 FTE
The Committee adopted the
Senate provision which provides
funding for shaken baby
syndrome and safe sleep
initiatives awareness campaigns
and 1.0 FTE
S2a Sub-Acute Inpatient
Treatment Program
$.84
$.84
$3.3
$3.3
The Committee adopted the
Senate provision which provides
funding for the development of a
sub-acute inpatient treatment
program
S2c Child and Adolescent Needs
and Strengths (CANS) Assessment
Tool
$.23
$.26
$.34
$.37
The Conference Committee
provides funding for the
development of a child and
adolescent needs and strengths
(CANS) assessment for children
in the conservatorship of DFPS.
(Exceeding the recommendation
from either house).
S3a.2 Pay Down Overtime for APS,
CCL, SWI, and the Office of
Consumer Affairs/NonProgram Administration
$.79
$.83
$.52
$.55
The Committee adopted the
Senate provision which provides
funding for the paying down of
overtime to 140 hours for Adult
Protective
Services, Child Care Licensing,
Statewide Intake, and the Office
of Consumer Affairs
staff/caseworkers
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S3c $1,250 One-Time
Performance Based Merit to 25%
of Eligible Staff (Every 6 Months)
(CPS)
$3.3
$3.8
$3.1
$3.6
The Committee adopted the
Senate provision which provides
funding for merit increases for
child protective services
caseworkers. A new rider was
also added
Riders that had been in disagreement or were Initiatives of the Conference Committee
Rider Provision
31. Exempt Salary for the Commissioner of the
Department of Family and Protective Services.
Notwithstanding Article IX, Section 3.04, the annual
compensation for the individual occupying the position of
Commissioner of the Department of Family and Protective
Services on September 1, 2015 shall be $230,523.
Notwithstanding the rate listed in the Department's
"Schedule of Exempt Positions," the annual salary for any
other individual subsequently occupying that exempt
position may not exceed $168,000.
Explanation
The Conference Committee adopts the
House provision which provides $20,523
in additional authority
for the DFPS Commissioner salary
33. Sunset Contingency. Pursuant to Government Code
Chapter 325, the Department of Family and Protective
Services (DFPS) was the subject of review by the Sunset
Advisory Commission and a report pertaining to DFPS was
delivered to the Eighty-fourth Legislature. Government
Code 325.015 provides that the legislature may by law
continue DFPS for up to 12 years, if such a law is passed
before the sunset date for DFPS.
The Committee adopts the Senate
provision which notes that the Sunset
report was delivered to the Eighty-fourth
Legislature and that the Legislature may
by law continue DFPS
for up to 12 years, if such a law is passed
before the sunset date for DFPS.
1) Funds appropriated above are contingent on such
action continuing DFPS by the Eighty-fourth Legislature.
2) In the event that the legislature does not choose to
continue the agency, the funds appropriated for fiscal year
2016, or as much thereof as may be necessary, are to be
used to provide for the phase out of agency operations or
to address the disposition of agency programs and
operations as provided by the legislation.
35. Youth Specialist Activities. Out of funds
appropriated above in strategy B.1.6, PAL Purchased
Services, the Department of Family and Protective Services
(DFPS) shall allocate $100,000 in General Revenue Funds
in fiscal year 2016 and $100,000 in General Revenue
The Committee adopts the House
provision which requires DFPS to allocate
$100,000 in General Revenue Funds per
fiscal year to regional youth leadership
specialist and youth specialist activities.
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Funds in fiscal year 2017 for regional youth leadership
specialist and youth specialist activities, including:
a. assisting DFPS with the development of services,
policies, and procedures for foster youth;
b .the creation and coordination of leadership
opportunities for foster youth;
c. assisting foster youth in understanding the foster
children's bill of rights developed under Section 263.008,
Family Code;
d. coordinating and facilitating the operation of the
regional youth leadership councils;
e. facilitation of the operation of the state youth
leadership council;
f. training for regional youth specialists and the youth
specialist at the state office; and travel to the regional
youth leadership council and state youth leadership
council; and
g. travel to the regional youth leadership council and state
youth leadership council.
35. Prevention Outcomes. Included in the amount
appropriated above in Goal C,
Prevention Programs, is $121,702,665 $115,735,737 in All
Funds for the 2016-17
biennium. Not later than December 1, 2016, the
Department of Family and Protective
Services shall report on the effectiveness of the
prevention programs. Specifically, DFPS
shall report the number of families served for each
prevention program, how the
additional appropriations provided in the 2016-17
biennium, which is a $46,060,494
$35,030,861 increase from the 2014-15 biennium, are
being expended, and whether:
1) Parents abuse or neglect their children during or up to 3
years after receiving
services;
2) Youth are referred to juvenile courts during or after
services;
3) Protective factors in parenting have increased(based on
a validated pre and post
survey);
4) The length of time in foster care has been reduced;
5)4)The programs focused on children ages three and
under helped to reduce the
number of child fatalities;
6)5)The parents receiving the services had any prior CPS
involvement; and
7)6)Any other outcome measures DFPS determines are
appropriate based on the
Strategic Plan for PEI required in SB 206, or similar
legislation.
The report shall be provided to the Legislative Budget
Board, Office of the Governor, the
The Committee adopts the Senate rider,
as amended, which requires DFPS to
report on how the prevention program
funds will be expended for
the 2016-17 biennium and the
effectiveness of the prevention
programs.
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Chair of the House Appropriations Committee, Chair of
the Senate Finance Committee,
Speaker of the House, Lieutenant Governor, and the
permanent standing committees in
the House of Representatives and the Senate with
jurisdiction over health and human
services.
37. Parental Child Safety Placement Caseworkers.
Included in the amounts appropriated above in strategy
B.1.1, CPS Direct Delivery Staff, is $4,000,000 $2,550,034 in
General Revenue Funds and $356,974 in Federal Funds
$2,868,698 in All
Funds in fiscal year 2016 and $7,000,000 $1,932,704 in
General Revenue Funds and $669,434 in Federal Funds
$2,131,302 in All Funds in fiscal year 2017 for 50.2 30.3
FTEs per fiscal year and for implementing a pilot project
that ensures consistent and frequent contact with the
caregivers of children who are in parental child safety
placements (PCSP). caseworkers in fiscal year 2016 and
104.5 PCSP caseworkers in fiscal year 2017. In
implementing this pilot, The Department of Family and
Protective Services (DFPS) shall also:
a. develop guidelines for caseworkers for parental child
safety placements;
The Committee adopts the House
provision as amended
b. develop a tracking system for these placements; and
c. report to the Legislative Budget Board (LBB) by
December 1, 2016 on whether improved outcomes were
achieved by these placements, along with a
recommendation to expand or cease the project.
Funding for fiscal year 2017 for PCSP caseworkers is
contingent upon the findings of the report and thus
requires prior written approval of the Legislative Budget
Board before fiscal year 2017 funding identified above
may be expended.
The report to the Legislative Budget Board should include
information on the number of
children diverted from foster care as a result of a PCSP,
the number of children that are
able to remain in their home communities due to a PCSP,
the ability of family members
or other designated caregivers to provide for the children,
length of time in the PCSP, and
the number of case closures due to a PCSP, the number of
families receiving legal
assistance, and any other information or outcomes DFPS
determines appropriate.
37. Abusive Head Trauma Prevention. Out of funds
appropriated above in Strategy C.1.5, Other At-Risk
The Committee adopts the Senate
provision which directs the agency to
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Prevention Programs, up to $1,019,730 in General
Revenue Funds and $1,020,116 in All Funds in fiscal year
2016 and $1,019,731 in General Revenue Funds and
$1,020,116 in All Funds in fiscal year 2017 may be
allocated to prevent abusive head trauma and other child
abuse and neglect related fatalities for hospital-based and
prenatal provider parent education focused on infant
crying. The Department shall evaluate the effectiveness of
the program and provide a report to the legislature no
later than September 1, 2017.
allocate funds in strategy, C.1.5, Other AtRisk Prevention Programs, for the
prevention of abusive head
trauma and other child abuse and
neglect related fatalities and to report on
the effectiveness of the program.
38. Contingency for Senate Bill 125. Appropriations
above in Strategy B.1.2, CPS Program Support, includes
$300,000 in General Revenue Funds and 4.1 FTEs in fiscal
year 2016 and $300,000 in General Revenue Funds and 4.1
FTEs in fiscal year 2017, contingent upon passage and
enactment of Senate Bill 125, or similar legislation relating
to certain assessments for children in the conservatorship
of the Department of Family and Protective Services
(DFPS), by the Eighty-fourth Legislature, Regular Session.
The Committee adopts the Senate
provision.
38. CASA Family Finding Collaboration. Out of funds
appropriated above in strategy B.1.2,
CPS Program Support, the Department of Family and
Protective Services (DFPS) shall allocate
$226,800 in General Revenue Funds in fiscal year 2016
and $321,800 in General Revenue Funds
in fiscal year 2017 for a contract with a statewide
organization for volunteer advocate programs
authorized under Texas Family Code, Section 264.604.
Funding shall be used for personnel,
developing curriculum, training and other necessary costs
to support family finding efforts in
order to increase permanency options and other
beneficial outcomes for children and youth in
state custody.
The Committee adopts the House
provision as amended.
DFPS shall enter into a memorandum of understanding
with volunteer advocates programs to
specify the respective roles of volunteer advocates
programs and local CPS offices. DFPS shall develop a
method to evaluate the success of this effort in improving
child outcomes.
Not later than August 31, 2016 December 1, 2016, DFPS
shall report to the Legislative Budget
Board, Office of the Governor, the Chair of the House
Appropriations Committee, Chair of the Senate Finance
Committee, Speaker of the House, Lieutenant Governor,
and the permanent standing committees in the House of
Representatives and the Senate with jurisdiction over
health and human services on the success of these CASA
family finding services on improving child permanency
outcomes
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___. Compensation Effectiveness. Out of funds
appropriated above, the Department of Family and
Protective Services (DFPS) shall report to the Legislative
Budget Board, Office of the Governor, the Chair of the
House Appropriations Committee, Chair of the Senate
Finance Committee, Speaker of the House, Lieutenant
Governor, and the permanent standing committees in the
House of Representatives and the Senate with jurisdiction
over health and human services by December 1, 2016 on
the effectiveness of the merit salary increases, paying
down of overtime hours to 140 hours, and mentoring
stipends on improving recruitment and retention rates by
region
The Committee adopts a new rider to
require the agency to report on the
effectiveness of the compensation
package for improving recruitment and
retention
__. Rate Increases for Foster Care Providers. Included in
the amounts appropriated
above in strategy B.1.9, Foster Care Payments, is
$24,980,448 in All Funds, including
$9,914,264 in General Revenue Funds and $8,217,181 in
TANF Federal Funds, for the
2016-17 biennium for rate increases for certain foster care
providers. The funding is intended to provide a:
The Committee adopts funding for rate
increases for certain foster care
providers.
a. 5.1% increase to Child Placing Agencies (weighted
across all service levels);
b. 9.58% increase for the Specialized level and 0.3% for the
Intense level at Residential Treatment Centers, and;
c. 6% increase for Emergency Shelters.
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