Sec. 51.005. CONTRACT SPECIFICATIONS. (a) The commission shall contract only with public or private nonprofit organizations that fulfill the requirements of this chapter.

(b) The contracts shall require the persons operating a family violence center to:

(1) make a quarterly and an annual financial report on a form prescribed by the commission;

(2) cooperate with inspections the commission makes to ensure services standards and fiscal responsibility; and

(3) provide, as its primary purpose, services to victims of family violence that include:

(A) 24-hour-a-day shelter, except that a family violence nonresidential center may provide access to a 24-hour-a-day shelter;

(B) a 24-hour-a-day crisis hotline, except that a family violence nonresidential center may provide access to a 24-hour-a-day crisis hotline operated by another organization located in the nonresidential center's service area;

(C) access to emergency medical care;

(D) intervention services, including safety planning, understanding and support, information, education, referrals, and other resource assistance;

(E) access to emergency transportation;

(F) legal assistance in the civil and criminal justice systems, including:

(i) identifying individual needs, legal rights, and legal options; and

(ii) providing support and accompaniment in pursuing those options;

(G) information about educational arrangements for children;

(H) information about training for and seeking employment;

(I) cooperation with criminal justice officials;

(J) community education;

(K) a referral system to existing community services; and

(L) a volunteer recruitment and training program.

(c) The contracts may require the persons operating a family violence center to use intake and case study forms. Forms required shall be developed by the commission with consultation as outlined in Section 51.008.

Added by Acts 1981, 67th Leg., p. 3313, ch. 867, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1981. Amended by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 636, Sec. 5, eff. Sept. 1, 1989; Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 6, Sec. 7, eff. Sept. 1, 2001.

Amended by:

Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1 (S.B. 219), Sec. 4.293, eff. April 2, 2015.