Relating to a family preservation services program.

SB 837 establishes a pilot program in Texas to prevent children from entering foster care by providing family preservation services to at-risk families. It directly affects families of children facing imminent foster care placement due to abuse or neglect, as well as pregnant or parenting foster youth. The program allows the state’s child welfare agency to offer short-term expense services (such as rent, transportation, or job training assistance) for up to 90 days, with a written plan detailing specific services and family tasks to address safety risks. The pilot will be implemented in one urban and one rural child protective services region, using existing funds from Title IV-E and TANF programs. The bill also prohibits court-appointed guardians ad litem in certain cases and requires program orders to expire after one year.