Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code - CIV PRAC & REM § 81.001. Definitions

(1) “Mental health services” means assessment, diagnosis, treatment, or counseling in a professional relationship to assist an individual or group in:

(2) “Mental health services provider” means an individual, licensed or unlicensed, who performs or purports to perform mental health services, including a:

(3) “Patient” means an individual who seeks or obtains mental health services.  The term includes a person who has contact with a special officer for mental health assignment because of circumstances relating to the person's mental health.

(4) “Sexual contact” means:

(5) “Sexual exploitation” means a pattern, practice, or scheme of conduct, which may include sexual contact, that can reasonably be construed as being for the purposes of sexual arousal or gratification or sexual abuse of any person.  The term does not include obtaining information about a patient's sexual history within standard accepted practice while treating a sexual or marital dysfunction.

(6) “Therapeutic deception” means a representation by a mental health services provider that sexual contact with, or sexual exploitation by, the mental health services provider is consistent with, or a part of, a patient's or former patient's treatment.

(7) “Mental health services,” as defined by this section, provided by a member of the clergy does not include religious, moral, and spiritual counseling, teaching, and instruction.