Relating to advisory bodies for the Department of Family and Protective Services, including the creation of the child protective investigations advisory committee and the abolition of the Family and Protective Services Council.

Contracts

Existing service contracts do not require immediate amendment. However, the governance relationship has changed. If your organization currently holds a seat on the Family and Protective Services Council or intended to seek appointment to the new Committee, you are now statutorily disqualified under Section 40.031(e). You must pivot your government relations strategy immediately, as you can no longer influence policy as a voting member.

Hiring/Training

Operations Directors must update training for case managers and investigators to ensure "Audit Readiness." The new Committee is mandated to review a "random sample of closed child protective investigations." Staff must be trained that any closed file is subject to external review for adherence to due process and standardization. Deviations found in these random samples will be published in annual reports.

Reporting & Record-Keeping

Strict data sanitation protocols are required. If your agency assists DFPS in retrieving files for the Committee's random sample, you must ensure compliance with Section 40.031(i) regarding redaction. You must verify that your Professional Liability and Errors & Omissions (E&O) insurance covers breaches of confidentiality that might occur during these administrative reviews.

Fees & Costs

There are no new statutory fees. However, anticipate potential administrative costs associated with retrieving and redacting files if your cases are selected for the Committee's random sample audit.