Relating to court-ordered counseling in certain suits affecting the parent-child relationship.

New safeguards for families ordered into counseling

Texas courts can order counseling when they find a history of conflict over child custody, possession, or access. Courts can require a party to pay counseling costs. Counselors must have a family-therapy background and a mental health license requiring at least a master's degree. They must also have family-violence training when the court finds it relevant to the counseling needed. Courts must consider evidence of family violence or sexual abuse before ordering counseling. With credible evidence, courts cannot order victims into joint counseling with perpetrators or make victims pay counseling costs. Courts cannot order counseling that requires isolating children from family, school, religious communities, or other support. They also cannot order counseling requiring overnight or multi-day stays elsewhere, forced or unsafe transportation, or temporary or permanent custody-access schedule changes. Counseling requiring force, threats, undue pressure, or verbal abuse against children is also barred. The changes cover cases pending on the effective date and cases filed afterward. The law also supplies grounds to seek changes to earlier orders covering possession or access to a child. The act sets September 1, 2025, as its effective date unless two-thirds approval in each legislative chamber triggered immediate effect.