Tex. Gov't Code Section 501.0931
In-prison Therapeutic Communities

(a)

The institutional division shall establish a program to confine and treat in in-prison therapeutic communities inmates determined by the division to have a history of drug or alcohol abuse and to need drug or alcohol abuse treatment. The program is in addition to existing educational and substance abuse treatment services provided to inmates.

(b)

The institutional division and the Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse shall jointly develop methods of screening and assessing inmates to determine their need for treatment for alcohol or drug abuse problems. The institutional division shall screen for alcohol and drug abuse each inmate who is transferred to the custody of the institutional division. The institutional division shall assess the inmates who are identified as having a substance abuse problem and shall determine the severity of the problem and the need for treatment.

(c)

The program must consist of a treatment program of indeterminate length, not to exceed 12 months. The institutional division shall make a referral of an inmate to a program based on the severity of the substance abuse problem, eligibility of the inmate, and the availability of treatment space. An inmate who has not more than 12 months remaining in the inmate’s sentence before the earliest date the inmate is eligible for parole is eligible for the program.

(d)

The institutional division shall separate inmates participating in the program from the general population of the division and house the inmates in discrete units or areas within units, except during the diagnostic process or at other times determined to be necessary by the division for medical or security purposes. The institutional division shall separate an inmate who successfully completes the program from the general population of the division during any period after completion and before the inmate is discharged or released on parole or mandatory supervision from the department.

(e)

The program provided under this section must contain highly structured work, education, and treatment schedules, a clearly delineated authority structure, and well-defined goals and guidelines. The institutional division shall establish a graded system of rewards and sanctions for inmates who participate in the program.

(f)

The institutional division shall employ or contract with qualified professionals to implement the program. For purposes of this subsection, a “qualified professional” is a person who:

(1)

is a licensed chemical dependency counselor;

(2)

is a licensed social worker who has at least two years of experience in chemical dependency counseling; or

(3)

is a licensed professional counselor, physician, or psychologist and who has at least two years of experience in chemical dependency counseling.

(g)

The institutional division shall adopt:

(1)

a procedure for determining which inmates are the best candidates for participation in the program, with priority for those inmates who volunteer;

(2)

a procedure for determining which inmates may be required to participate in the program; and

(3)

rules of conduct for inmates participating in the program.

(h)

If the qualified professional implementing the program determines that an inmate is not complying with the rules of the program, the qualified professional shall notify the institutional division of that fact and the institutional division shall end the inmate’s participation in the program and transfer the inmate out of the program.

(i)

The institutional division shall provide at least 800 beds for housing participants in the program. The institutional division not less often than every two years shall determine whether the division should increase the number of beds provided by the division for the program.

(j)

Neither the institutional division nor a qualified professional implementing the program may operate the program in a manner that automatically excludes inmates who do not volunteer to participate, and the division and the treatment provider shall attempt to encourage nonvolunteer inmates to participate.

(k)

If funding is available, the Criminal Justice Policy Council, with the assistance of the institutional division, shall develop methods to evaluate the processes used by the division in providing the program and the level of success achieved by the program.
Added by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 490, Sec. 3, eff. Dec. 1, 1991. Transferred from Vernon’s Ann.Civ.St. art. 4413(401), Sec. 1.131 and amended by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., 2nd C.S., ch. 10, Sec. 9.02, eff. Aug. 29, 1991. Amended by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 988, Sec. 3.02, eff. Sept. 1, 1993; Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 321, Sec. 1.094, eff. Sept. 1, 1995; Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1269, Sec. 4, eff. Sept. 1, 1997; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 892, Sec. 23, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.

Source: Section 501.0931 — In-prison Therapeutic Communities, https://statutes.­capitol.­texas.­gov/Docs/GV/htm/GV.­501.­htm#501.­0931 (accessed Jun. 5, 2024).

501.001
Discrimination Against Inmates Prohibited 501.002
Assault by Employee on Inmate 501.003
Food 501.004
Clothing 501.005
Literacy Programs 501.006
Emergency Absence 501.007
Inmate Claims for Lost or Damaged Property 501.008
Inmate Grievance System 501.009
Volunteer and Faith-based Organizations 501.010
Visitors 501.011
Zero-tolerance Policy 501.012
Family Liaison Officer 501.013
Materials Used for Arts and Crafts 501.014
Inmate Money 501.015
Providing Discharged or Released Inmate with Clothing and Money 501.016
Discharge or Release Papers 501.017
Cost of Confinement as Claim 501.019
Cost of Confinement as Claim 501.021
Use of Inmates in Training Prohibited 501.022
Infant Care and Parenting 501.023
Information Concerning Foster Care History 501.024
Verification of Inmate Veteran Status 501.025
Veterans Services Coordinator 501.026
Limitation on Certain Searches 501.027
Access to Programs by Female Inmates 501.0051
Receipt of Books by Mail 501.051
Medical Facilities at University of Texas Medical Branch 501.052
Medical Residencies 501.053
Reports of Physician Misconduct 501.054
Aids and Hiv Education 501.055
Report of Inmate Death 501.056
Contract for Care of Inmates with Mental Illness or Intellectual Disability 501.057
Civil Commitment Before Parole 501.058
Compensation of Psychiatrists 501.059
Screening for and Education Concerning Fetal Alcohol Exposure During Pregnancy 501.060
Tuberculosis Screening 501.061
Orchiectomy for Certain Sex Offenders 501.062
Study of Rate of Recidivism Among Sex Offenders 501.063
Inmate Fee for Health Care 501.064
Availability of Correctional Health Care Information to Inmates 501.065
Consent to Medical, Dental, Psychological, and Surgical Treatment 501.066
Restraint of Pregnant Inmate or Defendant 501.067
Availability of Certain Medication 501.068
Mental Health Assessment for Certain Inmates 501.069
Developmentally Disabled Offender Program 501.070
Trauma History Screening 501.071
Access to Telemedicine and Telehealth Services and On-site Medical Care 501.0081
Dispute Resolution: Time-served Credits 501.091
Definitions 501.092
Comprehensive Reentry and Reintegration Plan for Offenders 501.093
Inmates Suffering from Drug or Alcohol Abuse 501.095
Inmates with History of Chronic Unemployment 501.096
Reentry Program for Long-term Inmates 501.097
Reintegration Services 501.098
Reentry Task Force 501.099
Family Unity and Participation 501.101
Programs and Services for Wrongfully Imprisoned Persons Who Are Discharged 501.102
Reentry and Reintegration Services for Wrongfully Imprisoned Persons 501.103
Annual Report 501.111
Temporary Housing 501.112
Mixing Classifications Prohibited 501.113
Triple-celling Prohibited 501.114
Housing Requirements Applicable to Pregnant Inmates 501.131
Definitions 501.132
Application of Sunset Act 501.133
Committee Membership 501.134
Public Member Eligibility 501.135
Membership and Employee Restrictions 501.136
Appointment 501.137
Presiding Officer 501.138
Grounds for Removal 501.139
Meetings 501.140
Training 501.141
Compensation 501.142
Administration 501.143
Division of Responsibilities 501.144
Qualifications and Standards of Conduct Information 501.145
Equal Employment Opportunity Policy 501.146
Managed Health Care Plan 501.147
Powers and Duties of Department 501.148
General Powers and Duties of Committee 501.149
Disease Management Services 501.150
Quality of Care Monitoring by the Department and Health Care Providers 501.151
Complaints 501.152
Public Participation 501.153
Alternative Dispute Resolution 501.154
Use of Technology 501.155
Availability of Correctional Health Care Information to the Public 501.0155
Providing Discharged or Released Inmate with Documentation for Employment 501.156
Student Loan Repayment Assistance 501.0165
State-issued Identification 501.0166
Providing Discharged or Released Inmate with Birth Certificate and Social Security Card 501.171
Definitions 501.172
Appointment of Ombudsperson 501.173
Powers and Duties of Ombudsperson 501.174
Department to Adopt Policy 501.175
Ombudsperson to Make Available to Public Certain Information 501.176
Annual Report 501.177
State Auditor Audits, Investigations, and Access to Information Not Impaired 501.178
Authority of State Auditor to Conduct Timely Audits Not Impaired 501.0215
Educational Programming for Pregnant Inmates 501.0515
Procedures for Transportation of Female Inmates for Medical Care 501.0551
Anatomical Gifts 501.0665
Certain Invasive Searches Prohibited 501.0666
Nutrition Requirements for Pregnant Inmates 501.0667
Inmate Postpartum Recovery Requirements 501.0668
Duties Following Miscarriage or Physical or Sexual Assault of Pregnant Inmate 501.0675
Provision of Feminine Hygiene Products 501.0921
Risk and Needs Assessment Instrument 501.0931
In-prison Therapeutic Communities 501.0971
Provision of Reentry and Reintegration Information to Inmates 501.1471
Report 501.1485
Corrections Medication Aides
Green check means up to date. Up to date

Accessed:
Jun. 5, 2024

§ 501.0931’s source at texas​.gov