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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