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 department may permit a mother to have possession of her child in a residential program that has an infant care and parenting program or to have possession of her child in a department-funded independent living residence for up to six months if:

(1) the child's father or another relative or guardian of the child agrees in advance of the child's placement with the child's mother to assume possession of the child immediately upon notice by the department to do so;

(2) the child's parents and any other person having a duty of support acknowledge that by permitting the mother to have possession of the child while the mother is confined in a residential facility or placed in an independent living residence, the department assumes no responsibility for the child's care beyond the responsibility of care that is ordinarily due the child's mother and the reasonable accommodations that are necessary for the mother's care of her child;

(3) the child's parents and any other person having a duty of support agree to indemnify and hold the department harmless from any claims that may be made against the department for the child's support, including medical support; and

(4) the department determines that the placement is in the best interest of both the mother and her 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), Sec. 1.007, eff. September 1, 2011.