Sec. 161.132. REPORTS OF ABUSE AND NEGLECT OR OF ILLEGAL, UNPROFESSIONAL, OR UNETHICAL CONDUCT. (a) A person, including an employee, volunteer, or other person associated with an inpatient mental health facility, a treatment facility, or a hospital that provides comprehensive medical rehabilitation services, who reasonably believes or who knows of information that would reasonably cause a person to believe that the physical or mental health or welfare of a patient or client of the facility who is receiving chemical dependency, mental health, or rehabilitation services has been, is, or will be adversely affected by abuse or neglect caused by any person shall as soon as possible report the information supporting the belief to the agency that licenses the facility or to the appropriate state health care regulatory agency.

(b) An employee of or other person associated with an inpatient mental health facility, a treatment facility, or a hospital that provides comprehensive medical rehabilitation services, including a health care professional, who reasonably believes or who knows of information that would reasonably cause a person to believe that the facility or an employee of or health care professional associated with the facility has, is, or will be engaged in conduct that is or might be illegal, unprofessional, or unethical and that relates to the operation of the facility or mental health, chemical dependency, or rehabilitation services provided in the facility shall as soon as possible report the information supporting the belief to the agency that licenses the facility or to the appropriate state health care regulatory agency.

(c) The requirement prescribed by this section is in addition to the requirements provided by Chapter 261, Family Code, and Chapter 48, Human Resources Code.

(d) The executive commissioner by rule for the department and the Department of Aging and Disability Services, and each state health care regulatory agency by rule, shall:

(1) prescribe procedures for the investigation of reports received under Subsection (a) or (b) and for coordination with and referral of reports to law enforcement agencies or other appropriate agencies; and

(2) prescribe follow-up procedures to ensure that a report referred to another agency receives appropriate action.

(e) Each hospital, inpatient mental health facility, and treatment facility shall prominently and conspicuously post for display in a public area of the facility that is readily available to patients, residents, volunteers, employees, and visitors a statement of the duty to report under this section. The statement must be in English and in a second language and contain a toll-free telephone number that a person may call to report.

(f) The executive commissioner by rule and each state health care regulatory agency by rule shall provide for appropriate disciplinary action against a health care professional licensed by the agency who fails to report as required by this section.

(g) An individual who in good faith reports under this section is immune from civil or criminal liability arising from the report. That immunity extends to participation in an administrative or judicial proceeding resulting from the report but does not extend to an individual who caused the abuse or neglect or who engaged in the illegal, unprofessional, or unethical conduct.

(h) A person commits an offense if the person:

(1) intentionally, maliciously, or recklessly reports false material information under this section; or

(2) fails to report as required by Subsection (a).

(i) An offense under Subsection (h) is a Class A misdemeanor.

(j) In this section, "abuse" includes coercive or restrictive actions that are illegal or not justified by the patient's condition and that are in response to the patient's request for discharge or refusal of medication, therapy, or treatment.

Added by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 573, Sec. 1.01, eff. Sept. 1, 1993. Amended by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 7.41, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.

Amended by:

Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1 (S.B. 219), Sec. 3.0474, eff. April 2, 2015.