1. (a) Purpose. The purpose of this policy is to facilitate TYC youth contact with their families by affording reasonable access and equal opportunity within a facility to use the telephone.

2. (b) Applicability.

   1. (1) For rules regarding telephone calls to attorneys and courts, see (GAP) §93.11 of this title (relating to Access to Attorneys and Courts).
   2. (2) See related (GAP) §93.1 of this title (relating to Basic Youth Rights).
3. (c) Calls to attorneys may not be restricted.
4. (d) Youth may place a reasonable number of collect phone calls each month. Calls are restricted to the youth's parents, guardian, family members, approved volunteers or other adult responsible for the youth.
5. (e) Youth may make or receive calls only during hours when they do not interfere with required activities, e.g., school, group meetings. Messages may be left when youth are not available to receive calls.
6. (f) TYC is not obligated to pay for calls by youth. TYC will be responsible for calls by or on behalf of the youth in cases of emergency as approved by the primary service worker (PSW). All out-going calls are to be placed on pay or coinless phones provided for that purpose.
7. (g) Calls placed by youth may be recorded for the purpose of detecting fraudulent telephone calls or possible illegal activity. Youth upon entering the assessment unit and/or other initial placement are to be notified that any call placed by the youth, except calls to the youth's legal counsel, may be recorded.
8. (h) When a youth is found through investigation to have abused telephone privileges by placing fraudulent calls, the PSW may restrict the youth's use of the telephone for a reasonable period of time.

Source Note:The provisions of this §380.9313 adopted to be effective December 31, 1996, 21 TexReg 12187; transferred effective June 4, 2012, as published in the Texas Register June 22, 2012, 37 TexReg 4639.