The commission must develop and provide a health passport for each foster child, and the department must keep the information confidential, maintain it in the child’s record while the child remains in foster care, and provide it when the child leaves foster care.
Sec. 266.006. HEALTH PASSPORT. (a) The commission, in conjunction with the department, and with the assistance of physicians and other health care providers experienced in the care of foster children and children with disabilities and with the use of electronic health records, shall develop and provide a health passport for each foster child. The passport must be maintained in an electronic format and use the department's existing computer resources to the greatest extent possible. (b) The executive commissioner, in collaboration with the commissioner, shall adopt rules specifying the information required to be included in the passport. The required information may include: (1) the name and address of each of the child's physicians and health care providers; (2) a record of each visit to a physician or other health care provider, including routine checkups conducted in accordance with the Texas Health Steps program; (3) an immunization record that may be exchanged with ImmTrac; (4) a list of the child's known health problems and allergies; (5) information on all medications prescribed to the child in adequate detail to permit refill of prescriptions, including the disease or condition that the medication treats; and (6) any other available health history that physicians and other health care providers who provide care for the child determine is important. (c) The system used to access the health passport must be secure and maintain the confidentiality of the child's health records. (d) Health passport information shall be part of the department's record for the child as long as the child remains in foster care. (e) The commission, in collaboration with the department, shall provide training or instructional materials to foster parents, physicians, and other health care providers regarding use of the health passport. (f) The department shall make health passport information available in printed and electronic formats to the following individuals when a child is discharged from foster care: (1) the child's legal guardian, managing conservator, or parent; or (2) the child, if the child is at least 18 years of age or has had the disabilities of minority removed. 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. 19, eff. September 1, 2017.