AI-assisted research summary: In an emergency, a foster child’s medical care may be given without consent or court authorization, but the physician or designee must notify the person authorized to consent by the second business day and document that notice in the child’s health passport.
Sec. 266.009. PROVISION OF MEDICAL CARE IN EMERGENCY. (a) Consent or court authorization for the medical care of a foster child otherwise required by this chapter is not required in an emergency during which it is immediately necessary to provide medical care to the foster child to prevent the imminent probability of death or substantial bodily harm to the child or others, including circumstances in which: (1) the child is overtly or continually threatening or attempting to commit suicide or cause serious bodily harm to the child or others; or (2) the child is exhibiting the sudden onset of a medical condition manifesting itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity, including severe pain, such that the absence of immediate medical attention could reasonably be expected to result in placing the child's health in serious jeopardy, serious impairment of bodily functions, or serious dysfunction of any bodily organ or part. (b) The physician providing the medical care or designee shall notify the person authorized to consent to medical care for a foster child about the decision to provide medical care without consent or court authorization in an emergency not later than the second business day after the date of the provision of medical care under this section. This notification must be documented in the foster child's health passport. (c) This section does not apply to the administration of medication under Subchapter G, Chapter 574, Health and Safety Code, to a foster child who is at least 16 years of age and who is placed in an inpatient mental health facility. Added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 268 (S.B. 6), Sec. 1.65(a), eff. September 1, 2005.