Public records are held by government agencies. These may include contracts, complaints, inspections, payments, and correspondence between facilities and public entities. You can request them under the Texas Public Information Act or federal FOIA.
What you can request:
Facility licenses, renewals, and ownership filings
Inspections, citations, deficiency letters, corrective action plans
Complaints and investigation reports
Contracts with providers
Where to send: HHSC Open Records (Click here) or DFPS Public Information Requests (Click here)
What you can request:
Facility-operated charter school records
Special education complaints or investigations
Teacher/staff credentialing information
Contracts with districts for student placements
Where to send: TEA Public Information Office (Click here)
What you can request:
Facility monitoring reports
Ombudsman complaints and findings
Probation placement contracts
Investigations into abuse/neglect
Where to send: TJJD Open Records Coordinator (Click here)
What you can request:
Property ownership and tax records for facility campuses
County contracts and payments to facilities (ex: probation, placement, mental health services)
Sheriff/police call logs and incident reports
Court filings related to facility lawsuits
Where to send: County clerk, county auditor, tax assessor, purchasing/procurement office, sheriff’s records unit. Most counties offer websites.
What you can request:
Certificates of formation and LLC/Corp filings: Texas Secretary of State website (Click here)
Assumed name (DBA) filings: Local County Clerk
IRS nonprofit 990 filings: GuideStar (Click here) or ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer (Click here)
Campaign contributions: Texas Ethics Commission (Click here)
The following entities will be tied to whatever county or city the facility resides in.
School Districts: contracts, tuition payments for placed students
Law Enforcement: incident/call logs, police reports
Medical Examiner: autopsy reports (if applicable)
To locate the correct entity: Google search *county name* + *entity you want to request from* + "open record requests."
Business Filings Request Template:
Communications Between Agencies and Facilities Request Template:
Local County or City Contacts, Invoices and Payments Request Template:
Texas Public Information Act General Request Template:
HHSC / DFPS Licensing, Inspections and Complaint Request Template:
Texas Education Agency Request Template:
Texas Juvenile Justice Department and Independent Ombudsman Request Template:
How to Use These Templates
Click Preview to see if it fits your need.
Click Download to edit your own copy.
Replace all placeholders (red lettering)
Email or mail your request; keep a copy.
Be specific with date ranges, keywords, and record types
Request electronic copies and a fee estimate
Ask for rolling production so you get records as they’re ready
If denied, request the specific statute/exemption and consider appealing
