Texas Government Code 531.156 – Designation of Advocate
(a) The Department of Aging and Disability Services shall designate a person, including a member of a community-based organization, to serve as a volunteer advocate for a child residing in an institution to assist in developing a permanency plan for the child if:
(1) the child’s parent or guardian requests the assistance of an advocate;
(2) the institution in which the child is placed cannot locate the child’s parent or guardian; or
(3) the child resides in an institution operated by the department.
(b) The person designated to serve as the child’s volunteer advocate under this section may be:
(1) a person selected by the child’s parent or guardian, except that the person may not be employed by or under a contract with the institution in which the child resides;
(2) an adult relative of the child; or
(3) a representative of a child advocacy group.
Terms Used In Texas Government Code 531.156
- Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
- Guardian: A person legally empowered and charged with the duty of taking care of and managing the property of another person who because of age, intellect, or health, is incapable of managing his (her) own affairs.
- Person: includes corporation, organization, government or governmental subdivision or agency, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, association, and any other legal entity. See Texas Government Code 311.005
(c) The Department of Aging and Disability Services shall provide to each person designated to serve as a child’s volunteer advocate information regarding permanency planning under this subchapter.
Text of section effective until April 01, 2025