AI-assisted research summary: The department must collect and compile specified child-welfare data and publish an annual report by February 1 that includes statewide and county data.
Sec. 40.0516. COLLECTION OF DATA; ANNUAL REPORT. (a) The department shall collect and compile the following data on the state and county level: (1) the following information for reports of abuse and neglect in residential child-care facilities, as defined by Section 42.002: (A) the number of reports of abuse and neglect made to the department hotline; (B) the types of abuse and neglect reported; (C) the investigation priority level assigned to each report; (D) the investigation response times, sorted by investigation priority; (E) the disposition of each investigation; (F) the number of reports of abuse and neglect to which the department assigned a disposition of call screened out or alternative or differential response provided; and (G) the overall safety and risk finding for each investigation; (2) the number of families referred to family preservation services, organized by the risk level assigned to each family through structured decision-making; (3) the number of children removed from the child's home as the result of an investigation of a report of abuse or neglect and the primary circumstances that contributed to the removal; (4) the number of children placed in substitute care, organized by type of placement; (5) the number of children placed out of the child's home county or region; (6) the number of children in the conservatorship of the department at each service level; (7) the number of children in the conservatorship of the department who are pregnant or who are a parent; (8) the number of children in the managing conservatorship of the department who are the parent of a child who is also in the managing conservatorship of the department; (9) the recurrence of child abuse or neglect in a household in which the department investigated a report of abuse or neglect within six months and one year of the date the case was closed separated by the following type of case: (A) cases that were administratively closed without further action; (B) cases in which the child was removed and placed in the managing conservatorship of the department; and (C) cases in which the department provided family preservation services; (10) the recurrence of child abuse and neglect in a household within five years of the date the case was closed for cases described by Subdivisions (9)(B) and (C); and (11) workforce turnover data for child protective services employees, including the average tenure of caseworkers and supervisors and the average salary of caseworkers and supervisors. (b) Not later than February 1 of each year, the department shall publish a report containing data collected under this section. The report must include the statewide data and the data reported by county. Added by Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 822 (H.B. 1549), Sec. 16, eff. September 1, 2017.