HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE

TITLE 2. HEALTH

SUBTITLE B.  HEALTH PROGRAMS

Chapter 54, consisting of Secs. 54.001 to 54.011, was added by Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1033 (S.B. 24), Sec. 14.

For another Chapter 54, consisting of Secs. 54.001 to 54.002, added by Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 88 (S.B. 1249), Sec. 1, see Sec. 54.001 et seq., post.

CHAPTER 54.  THRIVING TEXAS FAMILIES PROGRAM

Sec. 54.001.  DEFINITIONS.  In this chapter:
(1)  "Abortion" has the meaning assigned by Section 245.002.
(2)  "Network contractor" means a person who contracts with the commission to provide or coordinate the provision of services under this chapter.
Added by Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1033 (S.B. 24), Sec. 14, eff. September 1, 2023.

Sec. 54.002.  ESTABLISHMENT.  (a)  The commission shall establish the Thriving Texas Families Program as a continuation of the alternatives to abortion program to facilitate the operation of a statewide support network that provides community outreach, consultation, and care coordination for women with an unexpected pregnancy.
(b)  The Thriving Texas Families Program shall:
(1)  promote healthy pregnancy and childbirth;
(2)  promote childbirth as an alternative to abortion;
(3)  increase access to resources that promote family and child development;
(4)  encourage family formation;
(5)  help parents establish and implement successful parenting techniques;
(6)  increase the number of families who achieve economic self-sufficiency; and
(7)  provide a local approach and personalized support to pregnant women to promote childbirth in all instances of pregnancy.
(c)  The commission shall contract with network contractors to establish a statewide network of service providers, including pregnancy support centers, adoption assistance providers, and maternity homes, to provide the services described by Section 54.003.  The commission may contract with the service providers to provide the services in accordance with this chapter.
(d)  In developing the statewide network of service providers, the commission shall, to the extent practicable, contract with providers who have a history of working with the commission in programs similar to the program created by this chapter.
Added by Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1033 (S.B. 24), Sec. 14, eff. September 1, 2023.

Sec. 54.003.  SERVICES.  (a)  Using the network contractors described under Section 54.002, the commission shall ensure that services described by this chapter are available throughout this state.
(b)  Services provided through the program include:
(1)  counseling and mentoring on pregnancy, education, parenting skills, adoption services, life skills, and employment readiness topics;
(2)  care coordination for prenatal, perinatal, and postnatal services, including connecting participants to health services;
(3)  educational materials and information about pregnancy, parenting, and adoption services;
(4)  referrals to governmental and social service programs, including child care, transportation, housing, and state and federal benefit programs;
(5)  classes on life skills, personal finance, parenthood, stress management, job training, job readiness, job placement, and educational attainment;
(6)  provision of supplies for infant care and pregnancy, including car seats, cribs, maternity clothes, infant diapers, and formula; and
(7)  housing services.
(c)  A service provider participating in the program may not be required to provide all services listed under Subsection (b).
(d)  A network contractor may provide housing services under Subsection (b)(7) through a maternity home.
(e)  The commission or network contractors may not provide family planning services through the network.
Added by Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1033 (S.B. 24), Sec. 14, eff. September 1, 2023.

Sec. 54.004.  ELIGIBILITY.  Program services are available to a resident of this state who is:
(1)  a pregnant woman;
(2)  the biological father of an unborn child;
(3)  the biological parent of a child who is 36 months of age or younger;
(4)  an adoptive parent of a child who is 36 months of age or younger;
(5)  an approved adoptive parent of an unborn child;
(6)  a former participant who has experienced the loss of a child;
(7)  a parent or legal guardian of a pregnant minor who is a program client;
(8)  the parent, legal guardian, or adult caregiver of a child who is 36 months of age or younger; and
(9)  a parent who experienced a miscarriage or loss of a child not more than 90 days before the parent begins participation in the services offered through the program.
Added by Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1033 (S.B. 24), Sec. 14, eff. September 1, 2023.

Sec. 54.005.  PROVISION OF SERVICES.  (a)  The commission and its network contractors shall contract with service providers to assess the needs of the participants and implement a plan to provide services to address the participants' most critical needs.
(b)  A service provider participating in the program may refer a program client to a service provider not participating in the program for medical services otherwise covered by the program.  Services received through a referral under this subsection may not be paid for using program funds.
Added by Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1033 (S.B. 24), Sec. 14, eff. September 1, 2023.

Sec. 54.006.  PERFORMANCE OUTCOMES.  (a)  The commission and its network contractors may contract only with service providers whose performance outcomes include:
(1)  improving healthy pregnancy and childbirth outcomes;
(2)  improving child health and development;
(3)  assisting families in achieving economic self-sufficiency and stability;
(4)  increasing workforce participation; or
(5)  promoting marriage and family formation for participating parents.
(b)  The commission shall identify indicators to measure the performance outcomes under Subsection (a) and require periodic reporting on the outcomes by network contractors and participating service providers.
Added by Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1033 (S.B. 24), Sec. 14, eff. September 1, 2023.

Sec. 54.007.  IMPACT EVALUATION.  (a)  The commission shall periodically conduct impact evaluations to measure the effects of services on participants receiving services through the program and to report on measured performance outcomes.
(b)  The commission shall contract with an external third party to perform impact evaluations under this chapter.
(c)  The commission shall select the impact evaluator through a competitive bidding process.  The evaluator must have a demonstrated history in evaluating social services programs using an integrated holistic impact approach and data modeling.
(d)  The commission may not enter into an interagency agreement to conduct an evaluation under this section.
Added by Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1033 (S.B. 24), Sec. 14, eff. September 1, 2023.

Sec. 54.008.  REPORTS; AUDITS.  (a)  The commission shall compile reports provided by network contractors and service providers under Section 54.006 and audit a sampling of the reports to ensure validity.
(b)  The commission shall annually issue a report that includes:
(1)  the total number of network contractors and service providers, sorted by geographical region served;
(2)  the total number of individuals served by each provider, sorted by age and sex;
(3)  the total amount of expenditures, sorted by method of finance;
(4)  the value of the contracts with each network contractor and service provider;
(5)  any outcome measures reported to the commission by network contractors and service providers;
(6)  any performance outcomes reported to the commission under Section 54.006; and
(7)  the results of any impact evaluation conducted under Section 54.007.
Added by Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1033 (S.B. 24), Sec. 14, eff. September 1, 2023.

Sec. 54.009.  RULES.  (a)  The executive commissioner may adopt rules to implement this chapter.
(b)  The executive commissioner may not adopt a rule that violates Chapter 110, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, or Chapter 45, Human Resources Code.
Added by Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1033 (S.B. 24), Sec. 14, eff. September 1, 2023.

Sec. 54.010.  PROHIBITED CONTRACT TERMS.  A contract under this chapter may not include a provision that violates Chapter 110, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, or Chapter 45, Human Resources Code.
Added by Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1033 (S.B. 24), Sec. 14, eff. September 1, 2023.

Sec. 54.011.  FUNDING.  (a)  The commission shall, to the greatest extent possible, seek private funding to supplement and match funding provided through the program.
(b)  The commission or a service provider may not:
(1)  use funding provided through the program to perform, induce, assist, or refer an abortion; or
(2)  grant funds to an abortion provider or an affiliate of an abortion provider.
(c)  The commission may not use more than three percent of funding allocated to the program to:
(1)  administer the program; and
(2)  procure evaluator services under Section 54.007.
Added by Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1033 (S.B. 24), Sec. 14, eff. September 1, 2023.