TITLE social-services-and-assistance

Part I. Texas Department of Human Services

Chapter 79. Legal Services

Subchapter E. Advisory Committees

40 TAC §79.404

The Texas Department of Human Services (DHS) adopts an amendment to §79.404, without changes to the proposed text published in the December 4, 1998, issue of the Texas Register (23 TexReg 12255).

The justification for the amendment is to change the name and composition of the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) advisory committee to represent all child and adult nutrition programs administered by DHS's Special Nutrition Programs (SNP).

The amendment will function by expanding the types of child and adult nutrition programs that are able to provide advice and consultation to DHS with regard to the programs administered by SNP.

No comments were received regarding adoption of the amendment.

The amendment is adopted under the Human Resources Code, Title 2, Chapters 22 and 33, which provides the department with the authority to administer public and nutritional assistance programs.

The amendment implements §§22.001-22.030 and §§33.001-33.024 of the Human Resources Code.

This agency hereby certifies that the adoption has been reviewed by legal counsel and found to be a valid exercise of the agency's legal authority.

Filed with the Office of the Secretary of State on January 11, 1999.

TRD-9900112

Paul Leche

General Counsel, Legal Services

Texas Department of Human Services

Effective date: January 31, 1999

Proposal publication date: December 4, 1998

For further information, please call: (512) 438-3765


Part II. Texas Rehabilitation Commission

Chapter 103. Vocational Rehabilitation Services Program

Subchapter A. Provision of Vocational Rehabilitation Services

40 TAC §103.7

The Texas Rehabilitation Commission (TRC) adopts an amendment to §103.7, concerning mental restoration services, without changes to the proposed text as published in the December 11, 1998, issue of the Texas Register (23 TexReg 12635) and will not be republished.

The section is being amended to include master social workers-advanced clinical practitioners who are licensed by the Texas State Board of Social Work Examiners to mental restoration services provided by the commission.

Comments were received in favor of the proposed rule on the basis that the change will be a beneficial addition to the range of choices available to TRC clients.

The comments were received from the National Association of Social Workers, Texas Chapter.

The amendment is adopted under the Texas Human Resources Code, Title 7, Chapter 111, §111.018 and §111.023, which provides the Texas Rehabilitation Commission with the authority to promulgate rules consistent with Title 7, Texas Human Resources Code.

This agency hereby certifies that the adoption has been reviewed by legal counsel and found to be a valid exercise of the agency's legal authority.

Filed with the Office of the Secretary of State on January 11, 1999.

TRD-9900120

Charles Schiesser

Chief of Staff

Texas Rehabilitation Commission

Effective date: January 31, 1999

Proposal publication date: December 11, 1998

For further information, please call: (512) 424-4050


Part XIX. Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services

Chapter 700. Child Protective Services

The Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services (TDPRS) adopts amendments to §§700.511, 700.512, 700.602, and 700.605, without changes to the proposed text published in the November 6, 1998, issue of the Texas Register (23 TexReg 11326).

In investigating allegations of child abuse and neglect within a family, TDPRS now uses a burden of proof of "some credible evidence" to support a finding of abuse or neglect. The higher standard of "preponderance of the evidence" is used when investigating allegations of abuse and neglect within mental health and mental retardation (MHMR) facilities, as well as in public and private schools. The justification for the amendments is to provide for the consistent use of "preponderance of the evidence" standard for all CPS investigations.

The amendments will function by enhancing the quality of decision making about the occurrence of abuse or neglect, improving the objectivity of investigation findings, and facilitating the appropriate release of confirmed findings of abuse and neglect when necessary to protect other children.

No comments were received regarding adoption of the amendments.

Subchapter E. Intake, Investigation, and Assessment

40 TAC §700.511, §700.512

The amendments are adopted under the Human Resources Code (HRC), Title 2, Subtitle D, Chapter 40, which provides the department with the authority to propose and adopt rules to comply with state law and implement departmental programs; and under the Texas Family Code, Chapters 261 and 264, which authorizes the department to provide services to alleviate the effects of child abuse and neglect.

The amendments implement the HRC, Chapter 40, and the Texas Family Code, Chapters 261 and 264.

This agency hereby certifies that the adoption has been reviewed by legal counsel and found to be a valid exercise of the agency's legal authority.

Filed with the Office of the Secretary of State on January 8, 1999.

TRD-9900077

C. Ed Davis

Deputy Director, Legal Services

Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services

Effective date: April 1, 1999

Proposal publication date: November 6, 1998

For further information, please call: (512) 438-3765


Subchapter F. Release Hearings

40 TAC §700.602, §700.605

The amendments are adopted under the Human Resources Code (HRC), Title 2, Subtitle D, Chapter 40, which provides the department with the authority to propose and adopt rules to comply with state law and implement departmental programs; and under the Texas Family Code, Chapters 261 and 264, which authorizes the department to provide services to alleviate the effects of child abuse and neglect.

The amendments implement the HRC, Chapter 40, and the Texas Family Code, Chapters 261 and 264.

This agency hereby certifies that the adoption has been reviewed by legal counsel and found to be a valid exercise of the agency's legal authority.

Filed with the Office of the Secretary of State on January 8, 1999.

TRD-9900076

C. Ed Davis

Deputy Director, Legal Services

Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services

Effective date: April 1, 1999

Proposal publication date: November 6, 1998

For further information, please call: (512) 438-3765


Subchapter Q. Purchased Protective Services

40 TAC §§700.1741-700.1750

The Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services (TDPRS) adopts the repeal of §§700.1741-700.1750, without changes to the proposed text published in the November 6, 1998, issue of the Texas Register (23 TexReg 11327).

The justification for the repeals is to revise the rules so they address the major overriding areas that impact overall functions of the program. TDPRS is adopting the new rules in new Chapter 701, Community Initiatives.

The repeals will function by moving the rules to another rule chapter where they will be more appropriate.

No comments were received regarding adoption of the repeals.

The repeals are adopted under the Texas Family Code, Chapter 264, which directs the department to operate a program to provide services for children in at-risk situations.

The repeals implement the Texas Family Code, 264.301.

This agency hereby certifies that the adoption has been reviewed by legal counsel and found to be a valid exercise of the agency's legal authority.

Filed with the Office of the Secretary of State on January 8, 1999.

TRD-9900080

C. Ed Davis

Deputy Director, Legal Services

Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services

Effective date: February 11, 1999

Proposal publication date: November 6, 1998

For further information, please call: (512) 438-3765


Chapter 701. Community Initiatives

Subchapter A. Services to At-Risk Youth (STAR) Program

40 TAC §§701.100-701.103

The Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services (TDPRS) adopts new §§701.100-701.103 in new Chapter 701, Community Initiatives. New §701.100 is adopted with changes to the proposed text published in the November 6, 1998, issue of the Texas Register (23 TexReg 11328). New §§701.101-701.103 are adopted without changes to the proposed text and will not be republished. The new sections are adopted in new Subchapter A, Services to At- Risk Youth (STAR) Program.

The justification for the new sections is to provide overall direction for the STAR program.

The new sections will function by allowing TDPRS to be more responsive to changes that are needed in the program.

During the public comment period, TDPRS received a comment from the Texas Network of Youth Services (TNOYS). TNOYS recommended that the rules more clearly reflect the nature of the STAR services to provide brief, strengths-based, family-oriented, youth-development services to youth in at-risk situations. TNOYS believes it is important to clarify that these services follow an accepted trend in social work services to provide families and youth with programs and services that build on youth and families strengths and abilities, rather than focusing on their deficits. With these ideas in mind, TNOYS recommends that §701.100 be stated as follows: "§701.100. Service. The Services to At-Risk Youth (STAR) program provides services to youth in at-risk situations. Examples of these services are brief counseling, crisis intervention, emergency short-term residential care, strengths-based family counseling, parenting skills training, youth coping skills training, mentoring, advocacy training, and other youth-development services to eligible youth and their families. This is not an all-inclusive list." TDPRS agrees and has incorporated the changes.

The new sections are adopted under the Texas Family Code, Chapter 264, which directs the department to operate a program to provide services for children in at-risk situations.

The new sections implement the Texas Family Code, 264.301.

§701.100.Services.

The Services to At-Risk Youth (STAR) program provides services to youth in at-risk situations. Examples of these services are brief counseling, crisis intervention, emergency short-term residential care, strengths-based family counseling, parenting skills training, youth coping skills training, mentoring, advocacy training, and other youth-development services to eligible youth and their families. This is not an all- inclusive list.

This agency hereby certifies that the adoption has been reviewed by legal counsel and found to be a valid exercise of the agency's legal authority.

Filed with the Office of the Secretary of State on January 8, 1999.

TRD-9900079

C. Ed Davis

Deputy Director, Legal Services

Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services

Effective date: February 11, 1999

Proposal publication date: November 6, 1998

For further information, please call: (512) 438-3765


Chapter 725. General Licensing Procedures

Subchapter YY. Institutional Administrators Licensing

40 TAC §725.5012

The Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services (TDPRS) adopts an amendment to §725.5012, without changes to the proposed text published in the November 6, 1998, issue of the Texas Register (23 TexReg 11336).

The justification for the amendment is to clarify the time frame for disqualification from re-examination for a child care administrator's license.

The amendment will function by clarifying the time frame for disqualification from re- examination for a child care administrator's license after failing the required examination three times.

During the public comment period, TDPRS received comments from the Sandy Brook Residential Treatment Center and an individual. Both commenters found the proposed amendment reasonable.

The amendment is adopted under the Human Resources Code (HRC), Title 2, Chapter 42, which authorizes the department to administer general child-placing and child care licensing programs.

The amendment implements the Human Resources Code, §§42.001-42.077.

This agency hereby certifies that the adoption has been reviewed by legal counsel and found to be a valid exercise of the agency's legal authority.

Filed with the Office of the Secretary of State on January 8, 1999.

TRD-9900082

C. Ed Davis

Deputy Director, Legal Services

Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services

Effective date: March 1, 1999

Proposal publication date: November 6, 1998

For further information, please call: (512) 438-3765


Part XX. Texas Workforce Commission

Chapter 803. Skills Development Fund

Subchapter B. Program Administration

40 TAC §803.13

The Texas Workforce Commission (Commission) adopts amendments to §803.13, concerning program objectives regarding the operation of the Skills Development Fund, without changes to the proposed text as published in the October 30, 1998 issue of the Texas Register (23 TexReg 11099). The adopted text will not be republished here.

The purpose of the amendments is to create a new, heightened emphasis on serving local workforce development areas (workforce areas) possessed of higher than average unemployment rates.

Training for jobs that are known to exist is an important goal in areas with high unemployment rates. The Skills Development Fund can help meet that need.

The Commission, while maintaining efficient statewide distribution for the program's resources, is committed to timely service of these high-need areas.

The amendments allow the Director of the fund to emphasize service to areas with high unemployment rates.

Under the amendments, applications for grant money available to a workforce area with a high unemployment rate would be processed on a priority basis.

Expedited processing will encourage grant applications from eligible areas. Applications can be expected to arrive earlier in the fiscal year and in greater quantity. This will help assure that the Skills Development Fund is helping workers in eligible areas as fast as possible and help assure the most effective use of dollars available to eligible areas.

The North Central Texas Workforce Board (Board) submitted the only public comment on the rule. The Board expressed concerns regarding the rule, which indicated that the Board was against the amendment. The comment and response are set forth as follows:

Comment: The commenter stated that the changes to the rule could result in conflicts with the legislative program objective of ensuring that funds are spent in all areas of this state and that the changes are not an appropriate way to encourage applications from high unemployment areas. The commenter stated that the current application process is designed to be efficient and timely, as applications are only two pages long (plus backup documentation). The commenter stated that the goal is a two-week turnaround on completed applications. However, the commenter expressed that many applications require revisions, lengthening that time frame. Expediting the revision process for programs in high unemployment areas is unfair. There is a potential that each quarter only those programs would be funded. This is unfair to employers who have jobs available in low unemployment areas. Changing the rules for the program favors the fewer and lower paying jobs in high unemployment areas to the detriment of the plentiful and higher paying jobs in lower unemployment areas.

Response: The Commission disagrees with the comment because the amendment will not effect state-wide distributions of the funds available for the Skills Development Fund program nor is it expected to significantly alter the processing of applications from areas that do not have high unemployment. The amendment is anticipated to decrease the response time for applications from areas of high unemployment without affecting the processing time for applications from other areas. The Commission is strongly dedicated to a fair execution of the legislative intent. As indicated in Texas Labor Code §303.004, "It is the intent of the legislature that, to the greatest extent practicable, money from the skills development fund shall be spent in all areas of this state."

The amendment is adopted under Texas Labor Code §301.061, which provides the Commission with the authority to adopt, amend, or repeal such rules as it deems necessary for the effective administration of the Commission programs.

This agency hereby certifies that the adoption has been reviewed by legal counsel and found to be a valid exercise of the agency's legal authority.

Filed with the Office of the Secretary of State on January 7, 1999.

TRD-9900057

J. Randel Hill

General Counsel

Texas Workforce Commission

Effective date: January 27, 1999

Proposal publication date: October 30, 1998

For further information, please call: (512) 463-8812