The commission may contract only with qualifying nonprofit organizations, and contracts must require family violence centers to report, cooperate with inspections, and provide voluntary trauma-informed services.
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, voluntary and trauma-informed 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) crisis and intervention services, including understanding and support, information, education, referrals, and other resource assistance; (E) access to emergency transportation; (F) advocacy focused on: (i) economic and housing stability; (ii) physical, behavioral, and mental health; (iii) the needs of children who are victims and the children of victims; and (iv) the civil and criminal legal systems, including: (a) identifying individual needs, legal rights, and legal options; and (b) providing support and accompaniment in pursuing those options; (G) ongoing safety planning services in collaboration with the self-stated priorities and needs of the victim of family violence; (H) community education regarding family violence and family violence prevention efforts; (I) counseling services; and (J) peer support services led by victims of family violence, including activities and other efforts that facilitate connections and the creation of community among victims of family violence. (b-1) The contracts shall: (1) specify that participation in services by a victim of family violence is voluntary; and (2) prohibit the persons operating a family violence center from requiring a victim of family violence to participate in other services as a condition of receiving shelter. (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. Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 164 (S.B. 1841), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2024.