Texas · Through 89th 2nd Called Legislative Session, 2025

Tex. Family Code § 264.4061: MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM RESPONSE REQUIRED.

(a) The department shall refer a case to a center and the center shall initiate a response by a center's multidisciplinary team appointed under Section 264.406 when conducting an investigation of:
(1) a report of abuse or neglect that is made by a professional as defined by Section 261.101 and that:
(A) alleges sexual abuse of a child; or
(B) is a type of case handled by the center in accordance with the working protocol adopted for the center under Section 264.4031; or
(2) a child fatality in which there are surviving children in the deceased child's household or under the supervision of the caregiver involved in the child fatality.
(b) Any interview of a child conducted as part of the investigation under Subsection (a) must be a forensic interview conducted in accordance with the center's working protocol adopted under Section 264.4031 unless a forensic interview is not appropriate based on the child's age and development or the center's working protocol adopted under Section 264.4031.
(c) Subsection (a) applies only to an investigation of abuse or neglect in a county served by a center that has executed an interagency memorandum of understanding under Section 264.403. If a county is not served by a center that has executed an interagency memorandum of understanding, the department may, if appropriate, directly refer a case to a center in an adjacent county to initiate a response by that center's multidisciplinary team.
Added by Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 945 (S.B. 1806), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2017.
Amended by:
Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 396 (S.B. 821), Sec. 7, eff. September 1, 2019.

Where this section sits in the code

FAMILY CODE
TITLE 5. THE PARENT-CHILD RELATIONSHIP AND THE SUIT AFFECTING THE PARENT-CHILD RELATIONSHIP
SUBTITLE E. PROTECTION OF THE CHILD
CHAPTER 264. CHILD WELFARE SERVICES
SUBCHAPTER E. CHILDREN'S ADVOCACY CENTERS

(a) The department shall refer a case to a center and the center shall initiate a response by a center's multidisciplinary team appointed under Section 264.406 when conducting an investigation of:

(1) a report of abuse or neglect that is made by a professional as defined by Section 261.101 and that:

(A) alleges sexual abuse of a child; or

(B) is a type of case handled by the center in accordance with the working protocol adopted for the center under Section 264.4031; or

(2) a child fatality in which there are surviving children in the deceased child's household or under the supervision of the caregiver involved in the child fatality.

(b) Any interview of a child conducted as part of the investigation under Subsection (a) must be a forensic interview conducted in accordance with the center's working protocol adopted under Section 264.4031 unless a forensic interview is not appropriate based on the child's age and development or the center's working protocol adopted under Section 264.4031.

(c) Subsection (a) applies only to an investigation of abuse or neglect in a county served by a center that has executed an interagency memorandum of understanding under Section 264.403. If a county is not served by a center that has executed an interagency memorandum of understanding, the department may, if appropriate, directly refer a case to a center in an adjacent county to initiate a response by that center's multidisciplinary team.

Added by Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 945 (S.B. 1806), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2017.

Amended by:

Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 396 (S.B. 821), Sec. 7, eff. September 1, 2019.

Collected 2026-08-27T01:47:10Z. Source file · JSON

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