GUARDIANSHIP PROGRAM GRANT REQUIREMENTS.

(a) The commission in accordance with commission rules may award grants to:

(1) a local guardianship program; and

(2) a local legal guardianship program to enable the family members and friends with low incomes of a proposed ward who is indigent to have legal representation in court if the individuals are willing and able to be appointed guardians of the proposed ward.

(b) To receive a grant under Subsection (a)(1), a local guardianship program operating in a county with a population of at least 150,000 must offer or submit a plan acceptable to the commission to offer, among the program's services, a money management service for appropriate clients, as determined by the program. The program may provide the money management service directly or by referring a client to a money management service that satisfies the requirements under Subsection (c).

(c) A money management service to which a local guardianship program may refer a client must:

(1) use employees or volunteers to provide bill payment or representative payee services;

(2) provide the service's employees and volunteers with training, technical support, monitoring, and supervision;

(3) match employees or volunteers with clients in a manner that ensures that the match is agreeable to both the employee or volunteer and the client;

(4) insure each employee and volunteer and hold the employee or volunteer harmless from liability for damages proximately caused by acts or omissions of the employee or volunteer while acting in the course and scope of the employee's or volunteer's duties or functions within the organization;

(5) have an advisory council that meets regularly and is composed of individuals who are knowledgeable with respect to issues related to guardianship, alternatives to guardianship, and related social services programs;

(6) be administered by a nonprofit corporation:

(A) formed under the Texas Nonprofit Corporation Law, as described by Section 1.008, Business Organizations Code; and

(B) exempt from taxation under Section 501(a), Internal Revenue Code of 1986, by being listed as an exempt entity under Section 501(c)(3) of that code; and

(7) refer clients who are in need of other services from an area agency on aging to the appropriate area agency on aging.

(d) A local guardianship program operating in a county with a population of less than 150,000 may, at the program's option, offer, either directly or by referral, a money management service among the program's services. If the program elects to offer a money management service by referral, the service must satisfy the requirements under Subsection (c), except as provided by Subsection (e).

(e) On request by a local guardianship program, the commission may waive a requirement under Subsection (c) if the commission determines the waiver is appropriate to strengthen the continuum of local guardianship programs in a geographic area.