Human Resources Code § 45.005

Sec. 45.005. SECONDARY SERVICES PROVIDERS AND REFERRALS. (a) A child welfare services provider may not be required to provide any service that conflicts with the provider's sincerely held religious beliefs. (b) A governmental entity or any person that operates under governmental authority to refer or place children for child welfare services shall: (1) ensure that a secondary child welfare services provider is available in that catchment area to provide a service described by Subsection (a) to a child; or (2) if there is an insufficient number of secondary services providers willing or available in that catchment area to provide that service, provide for one or more secondary services providers in a nearby catchment area. (c) A child welfare services provider who declines to provide a child welfare service as authorized by this section shall: (1) provide to the person seeking the service written information directing the person to: (A) the web page on the department's Internet website that includes a list of other licensed child welfare services providers; or (B) other information sources that identify other licensed child welfare services providers who provide the service being denied; (2) refer the applicant to another licensed child welfare services provider who provides the service being denied; or (3) refer the applicant to the department or to a single source continuum contractor to identify and locate a licensed child welfare services provider who provides the service being denied. Added by Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1152 (H.B. 3859), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2017.