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Texas Human Resources Code - Section 152.1073. Harris County Children's Protective Services Board

Legal Research Home > Texas Laws > Human Resources Code > Texas Human Resources Code - Section 152.1073. Harris County Children's Protective Services Board

§ 152.1073. HARRIS COUNTY CHILDREN'S PROTECTIVE SERVICES 
BOARD.  (a) In this section:
		(1)  "Board" means the Harris County Children's 
Protective Services Board.  
		(2)  "Director" means the highest administrative 
officer who is responsible to the board.
		(3)  "Institution" means an institution for the care 
and protection of children who have been abandoned or abused, or are 
for any other reason in need of protective services.  The term does 
not include a detention facility for delinquent children or 
children in need of supervision or a facility primarily for 
children with severe psychological or other medical conditions.
	(b)  The board has the powers and duties of a child welfare 
board created under Section 264.005, Family Code.
	(c)  The board may, with the approval of the commissioners 
court, assume jurisdiction, management, and control over a county 
owned institution.  If the board assumes control and management of 
an institution, the board shall perform the functions in relation 
to the institutions that the juvenile board and chief probation 
officer of Harris County formerly performed.
	(d)  The board may designate the director or a specially 
designated assistant as the director of one or more institutions.
	(e)  The board may hire and remove institution employees.  
The board shall establish a general personnel policy for 
institution employees and shall pay the salaries and expenses of 
the employees from funds supplied by the commissioners court under 
the annual budget or supplemental budget approved by the 
commissioners court or from funds supplied by the state or other 
sources.
	(f)  The board shall prepare an annual budget for the 
institutions and submit the budget to the commissioners court for 
final approval as prescribed by law for other county agencies and 
departments.  The board shall also make an annual report to the 
commissioners court on the operations and efficiency of the 
institutions.
	(g)  In addition to the authority granted to the board by the 
commissioners court and the Texas Department of Human Services, the 
board may:
		(1)  disburse funds from sources other than the 
commissioners court and the Texas Department of Human Services to 
benefit children under this section and to provide care, 
protection, evaluation, training, treatment, education, and 
recreation to those children; 
		(2)  refuse to accept any funds the board considers to 
be inappropriate, incompatible, or burdensome to board policies or 
the provision of services; 
		(3)  accept a gift or grant of real or personal property 
or accept support under or an interest in a trust to benefit 
children under this section and hold the gift or grant directly or 
in trust; 
		(4)  use a gift or grant to benefit children under this 
section and to provide care, protection, education, or training to 
those children; 
		(5)  accept and disburse as provided by Subdivision (1) 
fees and contributions from parents, guardians, and relatives of 
children who are:
			(A)  in county supported substitute care or 
custody;  or                   
			(B)  being assisted by casework, day care, or 
homemaker services, by medical, psychological, dental, or other 
remedial help, or by teaching, training, or other services; 
		(6)  account for and spend funds the board receives as 
fees, contributions, payments made by guardians, or payments made 
to benefit a child in the board's legal custody; 
		(7)  receive and disburse funds available to support or 
benefit a child in the board's legal custody, including social 
security benefits, life insurance proceeds, survivors' pension or 
annuity benefits, or a beneficial interest in property;  and
		(8)  receive and use funds, grants, and assistance 
available to the board from a federal or state department or agency 
to carry out the functions and programs of the department or agency 
that is designed to aid or extend programs and operations approved 
by the board.
	(h)  The board shall designate the director or an assistant 
to apply for letters of guardianship if necessary to receive funds 
under Subsection (g)(7).  The director or an assistant may:
		(1)  apply for and disburse the funds to provide 
special items of support for children under this section or to pay 
general administrative expenses relating to services under this 
section; 
		(2)  hold the funds in trust;  or                                             
		(3)  apply the funds for a particular or more 
restricted purpose as required by law or the source of the funds.
	(i)  The board may delegate to the director or an assistant 
any function or duty authorized or prescribed by this section.  If 
the board delegates the duty to prepare the annual budget and 
report, the board must approve the budget and report before they are 
submitted to the commissioners court.  The board may periodically 
review any delegation.

Added by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 352, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1989.  
Amended by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 165, § 7.50, eff. Sept. 1, 
1997.

Last modified: August 11, 2007