By: Metcalf (Senate Sponsor - Creighton) H.B. No. 454
         (In the Senate - Received from the House April 12, 2021;
  April 13, 2021, read first time and referred to Committee on
  Criminal Justice; May 6, 2021, reported favorably by the following
  vote:  Yeas 6, Nays 0; May 6, 2021, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the creation of a specialty treatment court for certain
  individuals residing with a child who is the subject of a juvenile
  court case.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subtitle K, Title 2, Government Code, is amended
  by adding Chapter 130 to read as follows:
  CHAPTER 130.  JUVENILE FAMILY DRUG COURT PROGRAM
         Sec. 130.001.  JUVENILE FAMILY DRUG COURT PROGRAM
  DEFINED.  In this chapter, "juvenile family drug court program"
  means a program that has the following essential characteristics:
               (1)  the integration of substance abuse treatment
  services in the processing of cases and proceedings under Title 3,
  Family Code;
               (2)  the use of a comprehensive case management
  approach involving court-appointed case managers and
  court-appointed special advocates to rehabilitate an individual
  who is suspected of substance abuse and who resides with a child who
  is the subject of a case filed under Title 3, Family Code;
               (3)  early identification and prompt placement of
  eligible individuals who volunteer to participate in the program;
               (4)  comprehensive substance abuse needs assessment
  and referrals to appropriate substance abuse treatment agencies for
  participants;
               (5)  a progressive treatment approach with specific
  requirements for participants to meet for successful completion of
  the program;
               (6)  monitoring of abstinence through periodic
  screening for alcohol or screening for controlled substances;
               (7)  ongoing judicial interaction with program
  participants;
               (8)  monitoring and evaluation of program goals and
  effectiveness;
               (9)  continuing interdisciplinary education for the
  promotion of effective program planning, implementation, and
  operation; and
               (10)  development of partnerships with public agencies
  and community organizations.
         Sec. 130.002.  AUTHORITY TO ESTABLISH PROGRAM. The
  commissioners court of a county may establish a juvenile family
  drug court program for individuals who:
               (1)  are suspected by the Department of Family and
  Protective Services or the court of having a substance abuse
  problem; and
               (2)  reside in the home of a child who is the subject of
  a case filed under Title 3, Family Code.
         Sec. 130.003.  PARTICIPANT PAYMENT FOR TREATMENT AND
  SERVICES.  A juvenile family drug court program may require a
  participant to pay the cost of all treatment and services received
  while participating in the program, based on the participant's
  ability to pay.
         Sec. 130.004.  FUNDING.  A county that creates a juvenile
  family drug court under this chapter shall explore the possibility
  of using court improvement project money to finance the juvenile
  family drug court in the county. The county also shall explore the
  availability of federal and state matching money to finance the
  court.
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.
 
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