(a) A child-placing agency that is licensed or certified to provide only foster care services or to provide both foster care services and adoption services must adopt either:
  (1) The model suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention policy in §749.137 of this division (relating to What is the model suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention policy?); or
  (2) Another suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention policy that is approved by the Executive Commissioner of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission or designee and:
    (A) Addresses suicide prevention, intervention, and prevention for children in the care of your agency;
    (B) Is based on current and best evidence-based practices;
    (C) Requires employees to receive annual suicide prevention training that includes understanding of safety planning and screening for risk;
    (D) Requires foster parents in homes verified to care for children five years of age or older to complete at least one hour of suicide prevention training:
      (i) Within a year of being verified; and
      (ii) every two years thereafter;
    (E) Promotes suicide prevention training for non-employees, as appropriate; and
    (F) Includes plans and procedures to support children who return to your agency's care following hospitalization for a mental health condition.
(b) The suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention policy adopted under subsection (a) of this section may be part of a broader mental health crisis plan if the components of the plan include suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention.

Source Note: The provisions of this §749.136 adopted to be effective September 19, 2022, 47 TexReg 5490