Texas House Bill HB 5536

Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

• Filed: 3/14/25

Caption

Relating to the establishment of a child protective services prevention grant program.

Summary

HB 5536 would create a child protective services prevention grant program within Chapter 264 of the Family Code and direct the Health and Human Services Commission to administer it. The program would award grants to one or more eligible Texas-based, community-based nonprofit organizations that provide child-centered preservation services aimed at preventing or reducing child abuse and neglect and improving child well-being. The bill focuses on early identification of children at highest risk before they enter the child protective services system, with the stated goal of helping families stay together and improving outcomes for children. The bill limits grant activity to targeted areas of need in counties with among the five highest per-capita rates of child abuse and neglect, and it requires applicants to meet several eligibility conditions. These include being headquartered in Texas, having data-sharing agreements with a state agency, showing local government support, holding authorization to serve children in foster care, and using statistical and psychological assessments to measure program effectiveness and child well-being. Grantees would also have to submit annual reports to HHSC with participant outcomes and recommendations for prevention strategies that could be used in other regions.

Impact

If enacted, HB 5536 would add new statutory provisions to the Family Code establishing a state grant program for child abuse and neglect prevention services. It would require HHSC, through the executive commissioner, to adopt rules and administer grants, and it would set a minimum allocation of $10 million per fiscal biennium from appropriated funds for the program. The bill would therefore create a new funding stream and administrative framework for prevention-focused nonprofit services, while also imposing reporting, evaluation, and eligibility requirements on participating organizations.

Sentiment

Based on the available record, the bill appears to have been introduced and referred to the House Human Services Committee without any recorded floor votes or committee discussion in the provided materials. The bill text itself reflects a generally supportive policy approach toward child welfare prevention, emphasizing family preservation, early intervention, and measurable outcomes. Because no transcripts or votes are available, there is no documented public sentiment in the record beyond the bill’s stated purpose and structure.

Contention

The main potential points of contention are likely to be the funding commitment, the narrow geographic targeting, and the administrative and evidentiary requirements placed on applicants. Requiring a minimum $10 million biennial allocation could raise budget concerns, while limiting grants to areas within counties with the highest per-capita abuse and neglect rates may prompt questions about fairness or statewide reach. The bill also requires data-sharing agreements, local governmental support, foster-care service authorization, and the use of accepted statistical and psychological assessments, which could be viewed as necessary accountability measures by supporters but as burdensome or restrictive by critics.