Title HR, Human Resources Code

Sec. 244.003. RECORDS OF EXAMINATIONS AND TREATMENT. (a) The department shall keep written records of all examinations and conclusions based on them and of all orders concerning the disposition or treatment of each child subject to its control. (b) Except as provided by Section 2…

Sec. 244.004. FAILURE TO EXAMINE OR REEXAMINE. (a) Failure of the department to examine or reexamine a child as required by this subchapter does not entitle the child to be discharged from the control of the department, but the child may petition the committing court for discharg…

Sec. 244.005. DETERMINATION OF TREATMENT. When a child has been committed to the department, the department may: (1) permit the child liberty under supervision and on conditions the department believes conducive to acceptable behavior; (2) order the child's confinement under cond…

Sec. 244.006. TYPE OF TREATMENT PERMITTED. (a) As a means of correcting the socially harmful tendencies of a child committed to the department, the department may: (1) require the child to participate in moral, academic, vocational, physical, and correctional training and activit…

Sec. 244.007. FAMILY PROGRAMS. The department shall develop programs that encourage family involvement in the rehabilitation of the child. Transferred, redesignated and amended from Human Resources Code, Subchapter E, Chapter 61 by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 85 (S.B. 653), S…

Sec. 244.0075. RESTRAINT OF PREGNANT JUVENILE. (a) The department may not use restraints to control the movement of a pregnant child who is committed to the department at any time during which the child is in labor or delivery or recovering from delivery, unless the executive dir…

Sec. 244.008. INFANT CARE AND PARENTING PROGRAM. (a) In this section, "child" means the child of a person who is committed to the department. (b) The department may establish child care and parenting programs for persons committed to the department who are parents. (c) The depart…

Sec. 244.009. HEALTH CARE DELIVERY SYSTEM. (a) In providing medical care, behavioral health care, or rehabilitation services, the department shall integrate the provision of those services in an integrated comprehensive delivery system. (b) The delivery system may be used to deli…

Sec. 244.010. DEPARTMENT CASEWORKERS. (a) The department shall assign a caseworker to a child committed to the department. A department caseworker shall: (1) explore family issues and needs with the parent or guardian of a child committed to the department; (2) as needed, provide…

Sec. 244.0105. REPORT CONCERNING FOSTER CHILDREN COMMITTED TO DEPARTMENT. (a) Not later than the 10th day before the date of a permanency hearing under Subchapter D, Chapter 263, Family Code, or Subchapter F, Chapter 263, Family Code, regarding a child for whom the Department of …

Sec. 244.0106. RULES REGARDING SERVICES FOR FOSTER CHILDREN. (a) The board and the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission shall jointly adopt rules to ensure that a child for whom the Department of Family and Protective Services has been appointed mana…

Sec. 244.011. CHILDREN WITH MENTAL ILLNESS OR INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES. (a) The department shall accept a child with mental illness or intellectual disabilities who is committed to the department. (b) Unless the child is committed to the department under a determinate sentence u…

Sec. 244.012. EXAMINATION BEFORE DISCHARGE. (a) The department shall establish a system that identifies children with mental illness or intellectual disabilities in the department's custody. (b) Before a child with mental illness is discharged from the department's custody under …

Sec. 244.0125. TRANSFER OF CERTAIN CHILDREN SERVING DETERMINATE SENTENCES FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES. (a) The department may petition the juvenile court that entered the order of commitment for a child for the initiation of mental health commitment proceedings if the child is com…

Sec. 244.013. NOTICE OF PENDING DISCHARGE. As soon as practicable after the department makes a decision to discharge a child or authorize the child's absence from the department's custody, the department shall give notice of the department's decision to the juvenile court and the…

Sec. 244.014. REFERRAL OF DETERMINATE SENTENCE OFFENDERS FOR TRANSFER. (a) After a child sentenced to commitment under Section 54.04(d)(3), 54.04(m), or 54.05(f), Family Code, becomes 16 years of age but before the child becomes 19 years of age, the department may refer the child…

Sec. 244.015. EVALUATION OF CERTAIN CHILDREN SERVING DETERMINATE SENTENCES. (a) When a child who is sentenced to commitment under Section 54.04(d)(3), 54.04(m), or 54.05(f), Family Code, becomes 18 years of age, the department shall evaluate whether the child is in need of additi…

Sec. 244.051. INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO CHILDREN, PARENTS, AND OTHERS. (a) In the interest of achieving the purpose of the department and protecting the public, the department may disclose records and other information concerning a child to the child and the child's parent or guar…

Sec. 244.052. RIGHTS OF PARENTS. (a) The department, in consultation with advocacy and support groups such as those described in Section 242.056(a), shall develop a parent's bill of rights for distribution to the parent or guardian of a child who is under 18 years of age and comm…

Sec. 245.001. PAROLE OFFICERS; PAROLE MANAGEMENT. (a) The department may employ parole officers to investigate, place, supervise, and direct the activities of a parolee to ensure the parolee's adjustment to society in accordance with the rules adopted by the board. (b) Parole off…

Sec. 245.002. CONTRACTS WITH COUNTIES. (a) The department may make a contract with a county to use the services of the county's juvenile probation department for the supervision of children within the county who are on furlough from a department facility or who are released under…

Sec. 245.051. RELEASE UNDER SUPERVISION. (a) The department may release under supervision any child in the department's custody and place the child in the child's home or in any situation or family approved by the department. Prior to placing a child in the child's home, the depa…

Sec. 245.052. SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT. Subject to an express appropriation to fund the treatment programs required by this section, the department may not release a child under supervision or parole a child if: (1) the child has a substance abuse problem, including the use of a…

Sec. 245.053. SEX OFFENDER COUNSELING AND TREATMENT. (a) Before releasing a child described by Subsection (b) under supervision, the department: (1) may require as a condition of release that the child: (A) attend psychological counseling sessions for sex offenders as provided by…

Sec. 245.0535. COMPREHENSIVE REENTRY AND REINTEGRATION PLAN FOR CHILDREN; STUDY AND REPORT. (a) The department shall develop a comprehensive plan for each child committed to the custody of the department to reduce recidivism and ensure the successful reentry and reintegration of …

Sec. 245.0536. PROVIDING RELEASED OR DISCHARGED CHILD WITH STATE-ISSUED IDENTIFICATION. (a) Before releasing a child under supervision or finally discharging a child, the department shall: (1) determine whether the child has: (A) a valid license issued under Chapter 521, Transpor…

Sec. 245.0537. PROVIDING RELEASED OR DISCHARGED CHILD WITH BIRTH CERTIFICATE AND SOCIAL SECURITY CARD. (a) In addition to complying with the requirements of Section 245.0536, before releasing a child under supervision or finally discharging a child, the department must: (1) deter…

Sec. 245.054. INFORMATION PROVIDED TO COURT BEFORE RELEASE. (a) In addition to providing the court with notice of release of a child under Section 245.051(b), as soon as possible but not later than the 30th day before the date the department releases the child, the department sha…

Sec. 245.101. COMPLETION OF MINIMUM LENGTH OF STAY; PANEL. (a) After a child who is committed to the department without a determinate sentence completes the minimum length of stay established by the department for the child under Section 243.002, the department shall, in the mann…

Sec. 245.102. EXTENSION ORDER. (a) A panel may extend the length of the child's stay as provided by Section 245.101(a)(3) only if the panel determines by majority vote and on the basis of clear and convincing evidence that: (1) the child is in need of additional rehabilitation fr…

Sec. 245.103. STATISTICS AND REPORTS CONCERNING EXTENSION ORDERS. (a) The department shall maintain statistics of the number of extensions granted by a panel under Section 245.102. The statistics must include aggregated information concerning: (1) the race, age, sex, specialized …

Sec. 245.104. REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATION OF EXTENSION ORDER. (a) The board by rule shall establish a process to request the reconsideration of an extension order issued by a panel under Section 245.102. (b) The process to request reconsideration must provide that: (1) a child, a…

Sec. 245.105. STATISTICS AND REPORTS CONCERNING RECONSIDERATIONS OF EXTENSION ORDERS. (a) The department shall maintain statistics of the number of requests for reconsideration of an extension order that are submitted under Section 245.104 and the action taken on reconsideration …

Sec. 245.106. TRANSPORTATION, CLOTHING, MONEY. The department shall ensure that each child it releases under supervision has: (1) suitable clothing; (2) transportation to his or her home or to the county in which a suitable home or employment has been found; and (3) money in an a…

Sec. 245.151. TERMINATION OF CONTROL. (a) Except as provided by Subsections (b) and (c), if a person is committed to the department under a determinate sentence under Section 54.04(d)(3), Section 54.04(m), or Section 54.05(f), Family Code, the department may not discharge the per…

Sec. 245.152. DETERMINATE SENTENCE PAROLE. (a) Not later than the 90th day before the date the department transfers a person to the custody of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for release on parole under Section 245.051(c) or 245.151(e), the department shall submit to the…

Sec. 246.001. PURPOSE; IMPLEMENTATION. The purposes of the department industries program are: (1) to provide adequate employment and vocational training for children; and (2) to develop and expand public and private department industries. Transferred, redesignated and amended fro…

Sec. 246.003. PAY AND DISTRIBUTION OF PAY. The department shall apportion wages earned by a child working under the industries program in amounts determined at the discretion of the department, in the following priority: (1) a person to whom the child has been ordered by a court …

Sec. 246.004. INDUSTRIES FUND. (a) A Texas Juvenile Justice Department industries program fund is created in the state treasury. (b) Proceeds from the operation of the industries program shall be deposited in the fund. (c) Money from the fund may be appropriated only for use by t…

Sec. 246.005. CONTRACTS. To encourage the development and expansion of the industries program, the department may enter into necessary contracts related to the program. Transferred, redesignated and amended from Human Resources Code, Subchapter I, Chapter 61 by Acts 2011, 82nd Le…

Sec. 246.006. DONATIONS. The industries program may be financed through contributions donated for this purpose by private businesses contracting with the department. Transferred, redesignated and amended from Human Resources Code, Subchapter I, Chapter 61 by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg.,…

Sec. 246.007. GRANTS. (a) The department may accept a grant for the vocational rehabilitation of children. (b) The department shall maintain a record of the receipt and disbursement of a grant and shall annually report to the lieutenant governor and the speaker of the house of re…

Sec. 246.008. LEASE OF LAND. (a) The department may lease land owned by the department to a private business to expand and develop the industries program. (b) The term of the lease may not exceed 20 years. (c) The business must lease the land at fair market value. (d) The busines…

Sec. 246.009. OPTIONAL AD VALOREM TAX ABATEMENT. (a) A business contracting with the department may enter into an ad valorem tax abatement agreement under Subchapters B and C, Chapter 312, Tax Code, with the governing body of the municipality and county in which the business is l…

Sec. 261.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: (1) "Independent ombudsman" means the individual who has been appointed under this chapter to the office of independent ombudsman. (2) "Office" means the office of independent ombudsman created under this chapter. Transferred, redesigna…

Sec. 261.002. ESTABLISHMENT; PURPOSE. The office of independent ombudsman is a state agency established for the purpose of investigating, evaluating, and securing the rights of children: (1) committed to the department, including a child released under supervision before final di…