Sec. 266.003.  MEDICAL SERVICES FOR CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT VICTIMS.  (a)  The department shall collaborate with the commission and health care and child welfare professionals to design a comprehensive, cost-effective medical services delivery model, either directly or by contract, to meet the needs of children served by the department.  The medical services delivery model must include:
(1)  the designation of health care facilities with expertise in the forensic assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of child abuse and neglect as pediatric centers of excellence;
(2)  a statewide telemedicine system to link department investigators and caseworkers with pediatric centers of excellence or other medical experts for consultation;
(3)  identification of a medical home for each foster child on entering foster care at which the child will receive an initial comprehensive assessment as well as preventive treatments, acute medical services, and therapeutic and rehabilitative care to meet the child's ongoing physical and mental health needs throughout the duration of the child's stay in foster care;
(4)  the development and implementation of health passports as described in Section 266.006;
(5)  establishment and use of a management information system that allows monitoring of medical care that is provided to all children in foster care;
(6)  the use of medical advisory committees and medical review teams, as appropriate, to establish treatment guidelines and criteria by which individual cases of medical care provided to children in foster care will be identified for further, in-depth review;
(7)  development of the training program described by Section 266.004(h);
(8)  provision for the summary of medical care described by Section 266.007; and
(9)  provision for the participation of the person authorized to consent to medical care for a child in foster care in each appointment of the child with the provider of medical care.
(b)  The department shall collaborate with health and human services agencies, community partners, the health care community, and federal health and social services programs to maximize services and benefits available under this section.
(c)  The commissioner shall adopt rules necessary to implement this chapter.
(d)  The commission is responsible for administering contracts with managed care providers for the provision of medical care to children in foster care.  The department shall collaborate with the commission to ensure that medical care services provided by managed care providers match the needs of children in foster care.
Added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 268 (S.B. 6), Sec. 1.65(a), eff. September 1, 2005.
Amended by: 
Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 316 (H.B. 5), Sec. 18, eff. September 1, 2017.