INVESTIGATIONS REGARDING CERTAIN CHILDREN RECEIVING SERVICES FROM CERTAIN PROVIDERS.

(a) Notwithstanding Section 261.005, in this section:

(1) "Commission" means the Health and Human Services Commission.

(2) "Executive commissioner" means the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission.

(a-1) The commission shall investigate a report of abuse, neglect, or exploitation of a child receiving services from a provider, as those terms are defined by Section 48.251, Human Resources Code, or as otherwise defined by rule. The commission shall also investigate, under Subchapter F, Chapter 48, Human Resources Code, a report of abuse, neglect, or exploitation of a child receiving services from an officer, employee, agent, contractor, or subcontractor of a home and community support services agency licensed under Chapter 142, Health and Safety Code, if the officer, employee, agent, contractor, or subcontractor is or may be the person alleged to have committed the abuse, neglect, or exploitation.

(a-2) For an investigation of a child living in a residence owned, operated, or controlled by a provider of services under the home and community-based services waiver program described by Section 542.0001(11)(B), Government Code, the department, in accordance with Subchapter E, Chapter 48, Human Resources Code, may provide emergency protective services necessary to immediately protect the child from serious physical harm or death and, if necessary, obtain an emergency order for protective services under Section 48.208, Human Resources Code.

(a-3) For an investigation of a child living in a residence owned, operated, or controlled by a provider of services under the home and community-based services waiver program described by Section 542.0001(11)(B), Government Code, regardless of whether the child is receiving services under that waiver program from the provider, the department shall provide protective services to the child in accordance with Subchapter E, Chapter 48, Human Resources Code.

(a-4) For purposes of this section, Subchapters E and F, Chapter 48, Human Resources Code, apply to an investigation of a child and to the provision of protective services to that child in the same manner those subchapters apply to an investigation of an elderly person or person with a disability and the provision of protective services to that person.

(b) The commission shall investigate a report under this section under rules developed by the executive commissioner.

(c) If a report under this section relates to a child with an intellectual disability receiving services in a state supported living center or the ICF-IID component of the Rio Grande State Center, the commission shall, within 24 hours of receiving the report, notify the facility in which the child is receiving services of the allegations in the report.

(d) If, during the course of the commission's investigation of reported abuse, neglect, or exploitation, a caseworker of the commission or the caseworker's supervisor has cause to believe that a child with an intellectual disability described by Subsection (c) has been abused, neglected, or exploited by another person in a manner that constitutes a criminal offense under any law, including Section 22.04, Penal Code, the caseworker shall immediately notify the commission's office of inspector general and promptly provide the commission's office of inspector general with a copy of the commission's investigation report.

(e) The definitions of "abuse" and "neglect" prescribed by Section 261.001 do not apply to an investigation under this section.

(f) Repealed by Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1272 , Sec. 19(1), and Ch. 860 , Sec. 15(1), effective September 1, 2015