Safety and Protection

Safety and Protection from Abuse and Neglect

Texas Law

  • Provides protection through investigation, and resolution of allegations of abuse, neglect, or exploitation of individuals with disabilities.
  • Provides specific protection for students of the Texas School for the Deaf (TSD) and the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (TSBVI).
  • Requires any person with cause to believe that a child has been abused to report the suspected abuse to the authorities. Requires a professional person to report the suspected abuse within 48 hours of learning about it. These reports may be made confidentially.
  • Requires any person with cause to believe that a person who is elderly or who has a disability has been abused to report all incidents of abuse to the authorities. This report may be made confidentially.
  • Provides a system to report abuse of persons who are residents of State facilities serving people with mental illness and or people with intellectual disabilities.
  • Provides criminal liability for nursing home employees who fail to report incidents of abuse or neglect of residents.
  • Provides that all State agencies use standardized definitions of abuse, neglect, and exploitation and maintain consistent procedures with each other for investigation of incidents.
  • Bars persons with certain convictions from working directly with clients in facilities serving people who are elderly or have disabilities.
  • Provides increased penalties for sexual assault of victims with disabilities.
  • Prohibits a provider from retaliation against anyone making an allegation or providing information of abuse, neglect, or exploitation.

Texas Statutes

Contact

  • Texas Abuse Hotline:
    (800) 252-5400