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Texas Health and Safety Code - HEALTH & SAFETY § 532.013. Forensic Director

Current as of January 01, 2024 | Updated by Findlaw Staff

(a) In this section:

(1) “Forensic patient” means a person with mental illness or a person with an intellectual disability who is:

(A) examined on the issue of competency to stand trial by an expert appointed under Subchapter B, Chapter 46B, Code of Criminal Procedure;  1

(B) found incompetent to stand trial under Subchapter C, Chapter 46B, Code of Criminal Procedure;  2

(C) committed to court-ordered mental health services under Subchapter E, Chapter 46B, Code of Criminal Procedure;  3

(D) found not guilty by reason of insanity under Chapter 46C, Code of Criminal Procedure;

(E) examined on the issue of fitness to proceed with juvenile court proceedings by an expert appointed under Chapter 51, Family Code; or

(F) found unfit to proceed under Subchapter C, Chapter 55, Family Code.

(2) “Forensic services” means a competency examination, competency restoration services, or mental health or intellectual disability services provided to a current or former forensic patient in the community or at a department facility.

(b) The commissioner shall appoint a forensic director.

(c) To be qualified for appointment as forensic director, a person must have proven expertise in the social, health, and legal systems for forensic patients, and in the intersection of those systems.

(d) The forensic director reports to the commissioner and is responsible for:

(1) statewide coordination and oversight of forensic services;

(2) coordination of programs operated by the department relating to evaluation of forensic patients, transition of forensic patients from inpatient to outpatient or community-based services, community forensic monitoring, or forensic research and training; and

(3) addressing issues with the delivery of forensic services in the state, including:

(A) significant increases in populations with serious mental illness and criminal justice system involvement;

(B) adequate availability of department facilities for civilly committed forensic patients;

(C) wait times for forensic patients who require competency restoration services;

(D) interruption of mental health services of recently released forensic patients;

(E) coordination of services provided to forensic patients by state agencies;

(F) provision of input regarding the regional allocation of mental health beds for certain forensic patients and other patients with mental illness under Section 533.0515; and

(G) provision of input regarding the development and maintenance of a training curriculum for judges and attorneys for treatment alternatives to inpatient commitment to a state hospital for certain forensic patients under Section 1001.086.

1 Vernon’s Ann. C.C.P. art. 46B.021, et seq.
2 Vernon’s Ann. C.C.P. art. 46B.051, et seq.
3 Vernon’s Ann. C.C.P. art. 46B.101, et seq.
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Cite this article: FindLaw.com - Texas Health and Safety Code - HEALTH & SAFETY § 532.013. Forensic Director - last updated January 01, 2024 | https://codes.findlaw.com/tx/health-and-safety-code/health-safety-sect-532-013/

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