TX HB1536

Establishes a rural community-based care pilot program for child welfare services in eligible rural regions where at least two-thirds of counties have populations of 50,000 or less and where no bids were received for existing community-based care programs

Requires the Department of Family and Protective Services to partner with a lead entity (either a nonprofit with local board members or a local government entity) to provide comprehensive child welfare services including family preservation, foster care, kinship care, adoption services, case management, and transition services for youth aging out of care

Creates a community alliance of local stakeholders including families with lived experience, judges, educators, and healthcare representatives to guide program priorities, conduct needs assessments, and promote community resource development

Mandates a funding model that accounts for rural-specific costs such as increased transportation, staff recruitment challenges, and service provider network development, with provisions for financial risk-sharing, innovation incentives, and reinvestment of cost savings

Requires a program development report to the legislature by January 1, 2027, annual implementation reports beginning December 1, 2028, and an independent evaluation assessing outcomes, cost-effectiveness, and community satisfaction, with the program expiring September 1, 2031