(a) Screening.
  (1) Unless the exception in subsection (b) of this section applies, a mental health screening instrument approved by TJJD shall be administered to each resident that is admitted into the non-secure correctional facility within 24 hours after admission. Documentation of administration shall be maintained to include, at a minimum, the date and time administered and the name and title of the person administering the screening.
  (2) The individual administering the screening instrument is not required to be a juvenile supervision officer or a certified juvenile probation officer, but the individual shall have either received training from TJJD in administering the screening instrument or training from an individual who is documented to have received training from TJJD on administering the screening instrument.
(b) Exceptions.
  (1) A mental health screening is not required if the referral documents that arrive with the resident contain a TJJD-approved mental health screening instrument completed within the previous 14 calendar days or a psychological evaluation or behavioral health assessment completed within the previous 365 days. However, if the resident experienced a significant event (such as adjudication or removal from his/her home county) after the mental health screening was conducted, a new screening is required within 24 hours of admission.
  (2) A facility that chooses to administer a clinical assessment conducted by a mental health provider within 48 hours of a resident's admission is exempted from the screening instrument required by this standard. However, if a resident is released prior to the 48-hour time frame, a mental health screening shall be conducted prior to release.
  (3) If the facility uses the mental health screening instrument for the suicide risk assessment required in §355.504 of this title, the mental health screening instrument shall be administered within two hours after a resident's admission into the facility.
(c) Referral. A resident who scores a positive screening on the screening instrument shall be:
  (1) administered a secondary screening immediately to assist in clarifying the resident's need for mental health intervention;
    (A) If the secondary screening confirms the positive screening and that mental health intervention is warranted, then a referral shall be made to a mental health provider or licensed physician within two hours from the completion of the initial mental health screening.
    (B) If the secondary screening substantiates that the initial positive screening was false, then no further mental health intervention is required; or
  (2) referred to a qualified mental health professional within two hours for consultation to determine if further mental health intervention is warranted;
    (A) The facility shall maintain documentation of the consultation in the resident's file.
    (B) If the qualified mental health professional recommends further mental health intervention is needed, then the resident must be referred to a mental health provider or licensed physician within 48 hours; or
  (3) referred directly to a mental health provider or licensed physician within two hours.
(d) Documentation of secondary screening and referrals specific to the juvenile's positive screening on the screening instrument shall be maintained and forwarded to the resident's supervising juvenile probation officer.
(e) Documentation of referrals, completed assessments, and evaluations, including dates and times, shall be retained in the resident's file and forwarded to the resident's supervising juvenile probation officer.

Source Note: The provisions of this §355.502 adopted to be effective November 15, 2013, 38 TexReg 7973