The following words and terms, when used in this chapter shall have the following meanings, unless context clearly indicates otherwise.

1. (1) Applicant--An individual applying for certification as a juvenile probation officer, juvenile supervision officer or youth activities supervisor.
2. (2) Board--The governing board of the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission.
3. (3) Certified Officer--A juvenile probation officer or juvenile supervision officer who has met the minimum certification requirements and is currently certified by the Commission.
4. (4) Chief Administrative Officer--Regardless of title, the person hired by a juvenile board who is responsible for the oversight of the day-to-day operations of a single juvenile probation department for a county or a multi-county judicial district.
5. (5) Commission--The Texas Juvenile Probation Commission.
6. (6) Competency Examination--An examination or other assessment instrument required by any statute or Commission rule that governs an individual's certification as a juvenile probation officer or juvenile supervision officer.
7. (7) Continuing Education--Courses, programs, or organized learning experiences required to maintain certification and to enhance personal or professional goals.
8. (8) Direct Unsupervised Access--The ability to physically interact with juveniles in a juvenile justice program or facility without the accompanying physical presence of or constant visual monitoring by a certified officer or other authorized employee of the program or facility.
9. (9) Facility Administrator--An individual designated by the chief administrative officer or governing board of a juvenile justice facility as the on-site program director or superintendent of a secure facility.

10. (10) Juvenile Justice Facility ("facility")--A facility, including its premises and all affiliated sites, whether contiguous or detached, operated wholly or partly by or under the authority of the governing board, juvenile board or by a private vendor under a contract with the governing board, juvenile board or governmental unit that serves juveniles under juvenile court jurisdiction. The term includes:

    1. (A) A public or private juvenile pre-adjudication secure detention facility, including a short-term detention facility (i.e., holdover) required to be certified in accordance with Texas Family Code §51.12;
    2. (B) A public or private juvenile post-adjudication secure correctional facility required to be certified in accordance with Texas Family Code §51.125, except for a facility operated solely for children committed to the Texas Youth Commission; and
    3. (C) A public or private non-secure juvenile post-adjudication residential treatment facility housing juveniles under juvenile court jurisdiction.
11. (11) Juvenile Justice Program ("program")--A program or department operated wholly or partly by the governing board, juvenile board or by a private vendor under a contract with the governing board or juvenile board that serves juveniles under juvenile court jurisdiction or juvenile board jurisdiction. The term includes a juvenile justice alternative education program and a non-residential program that serves juvenile offenders under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court or juvenile board jurisdiction and a juvenile probation department.
12. (12) Juvenile Probation Department ("department")--All physical offices and premises utilized by a county or district level governmental unit established under the authority of a juvenile board to facilitate the execution of the responsibilities of a juvenile probation department enumerated in Title 3 of the Texas Family Code and Chapter 141 of the Texas Human Resources Code.
13. (13) Juvenile Probation Officer--An individual whose primary responsibility and essential job function is to provide juvenile probation services and supervision duties authorized under statutory and agency administrative law that can only be performed by an active certified juvenile probation officer in good standing with the Commission.
14. (14) Juvenile Supervision Officer--An individual whose primary responsibility and essential job function is the supervision of juveniles in a juvenile justice program or juvenile justice facility.
15. (15) Mandatory Topics--Specified training topics mandated in the Commission's administrative standards designed to provide officers the essential skills and knowledge necessary for certification and to fulfill the duties and responsibilities of a certified officer.
16. (16) One Year of Graduate Study--As described in Texas Human Resources Code §141.061(a)(3)(A), successful completion of at least 18 post-graduate credit hours in criminology, corrections, counseling, law, social work, psychology, sociology, or other field of instruction approved by the Commission at a college or university accredited by an accrediting organization recognized by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.
17. (17) Training--An organized, planned and evaluated activity designed to achieve specific learning objectives.
18. (18) Youth Activities Supervisor--Regardless of title, an individual whose primary responsibility and essential job function is the supervision of juveniles strictly in a non-secure setting within a juvenile justice program or facility other than a juvenile justice alternative education program.

Source Note:The provisions of this §344.100 adopted to be effective January 1, 2010, 34 TexReg 4191; amended to be effective July 1, 2011, 36 TexReg 3601.