ELIGIBILITY FOR CONTRACTS

(a) A person is eligible for a contract under Section 264.602 only if the person is a public or private nonprofit entity that operates a volunteer advocate program that: (1) uses individuals appointed as volunteer advocates or guardians ad litem by the court to provide for the needs of abused or neglected children; (2) has provided court-appointed advocacy services for at least six months; (3) provides court-appointed advocacy services for at least 10 children each month; (4) has demonstrated that the program has local judicial support; (5) has adopted a grievance procedure to address complaints regarding negligence or misconduct related to a volunteer advocate's duties under Section 107.002; and (6) maintains accurate records regarding active volunteer advocates and inactive volunteer advocates under the program. (b) The statewide organization with which the commission contracts under Section 264.603 may not contract with a person that is not eligible under this section. However, the statewide organization may waive the requirement in Subsection (a)(3) for an established program in a rural area or under other special circumstances.