1170 Program Planning
CPS December 2021
Planning for DFPS occurs on a regional and state office level. DFPS’s approach to planning is to make as many decisions as possible at the service-delivery level (the regions).
1171 Regional Planning
CPS December 2021
Regional planning includes all of the following:
- Assessing needs.
- Delivering services.
- Allocating staff within a region.
- Determining the mix of service delivery (direct, volunteer, or purchased).
- Preparing regional program plans.
1171.1 Development of Regional Program Plans
CPS December 2021
In regional program plans, regions set goals for the amount of services to be delivered and the methods of service delivery. Regional staff develops the plans and negotiates the plans yearly with the CPS deputy associate commissioner.
Public officials, parents, and community and advisory groups such as county child welfare boards and regional councils of child welfare boards participate in planning by doing the following:
- Identifying community needs.
- Reviewing the proposed regional program plans.
1172 State Planning
CPS December 2021
In state office, planning includes all of the following:
- Preparing state plans as required by federal funding sources.
- Creating legislative appropriations requests.
- Developing and updating the DFPS strategic plan.
1172.1 Plans Required by Federal Funding Sources
CPS December 2021
Intended Use Report
This report is published annually and describes how DFPS will use block grant funds (Title XX) in service development. The report identifies the following:
- Program goals.
- Descriptions of services provided using block grant funds.
- Categories of clients served.
- Geographic areas served.
- Public involvement in the planning.
The Intended Use Report is available to DFPS staff and the public through:
Texas Department of Human Services
Media and Policy Services, Mail Code E-205
P.O. Box 149030
Austin, Texas 78714-9030
Child and Family Services Plan
This plan is required by Title IV-B of the Social Security Act (as amended through PL 117-2). The Child and Family Services Plan consolidates planning for all of the following:
- Title IV-B, Subparts 1 and 2.
- The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act block grant to states.
- Title IV-E Independent Living Program.
The plan does the following:
- Describes and defines services to be delivered.
- Establishes five-year goals, objectives, and measures for program development.
- Provides assurances that the program meets federal requirements.
The CPS associate commissioner or the designee is responsible for developing this plan.
Title IV-E Plan
This is the plan for administration of Title IV-E of the Social Security Act (AFDC foster care and adoption subsidies). This plan is DFPS’s assurance to the federal government that the programs are consistent with federal regulations. The CPS associate commissioner or the designee is responsible for preparing and updating the Title IV-E Plan.
Availability of State Plans
Regional directors must keep and make available for public review copies of the Intended Use Report, the Child and Family Services Plan, and the Title IV-E Plan.
1180 Information Systems
1181 Information Management Protecting Adults and Children in Texas (IMPACT)
CPS December 2021
IMPACT is the automated system in which DFPS staff record casework-related activities. The system is set up similar to a physical case file and has separate pages and tools for the various tasks required in the different stages of service. See 1411 Types of Cases and Stages of Service for a list and explanation of all stages of service.
Within each stage of service there are other pages to document the following:
- Important people in the life of the case.
- Services provided.
- Legal actions.
- Supporting documents obtained by the caseworker.
- Case contacts.
CPI and CPS caseworkers are trained on IMPACT during their professional development training and most policies have a documentation component that requires a caseworker or supervisor to document within a specific time frame.
The documentation in IMPACT that is approved by the supervisor becomes the child’s and family’s case file. This is used for federal case reviews and could be subpoenaed for court proceedings. It is also the record of the family’s involvement with DFPS and is used by future caseworkers to assess safety and risk and to monitor progress in remedying problems that led to the initial DFPS involvement.
1181.1 Child Abuse and Neglect Central Registry
CPS December 2021
As required by the Texas Family Code §261.002, DFPS maintains a central registry of substantiated cases of child abuse and neglect.
The DFPS Central Registry is part of DFPS’s electronic case management system. It contains only the names of people designated or sustained as perpetrators of child abuse or neglect by one of the following:
- The Child Protective Investigations division of DFPS, including the Investigations division and Child Care Investigations division.
- The Adult Protective Services Provider Investigation division of the Health and Human Services Commission.
If DFPS is conducting an open child abuse or neglect investigation, the alleged perpetrator in the investigation will show up on the DFPS Central Registry and the person will not clear a Central Registry check. Once the investigation is complete, if DFPS does not make a Reason-To-Believe finding against the person, the person’s name will no longer show up on the Central Registry.
Cases involving adult victims are not included in the DFPS Central Registry.
See the DFPS Background Checks Handbook, 6000 Central Registry Checks for the Public.
A person’s name remains on the Central Registry for as long as DFPS maintains the case records for the person. When DFPS disposes of the case records related to the person in accordance with DFPS’s Records Retention Schedule, the person’s name is also deleted from the Central Registry.
1181.2 Who Can Access Central Registry
CPS December 2021
Employees in the following divisions have the authority to access the Central Registry for internal administrative purposes:
- Child Protective Services
- Single source continuum contractors in the Community-Based Care catchment areas
- Child Protective Investigations
- Child Care Investigations
- Adult Protective Services
- DFPS Background Checks
- Centralized Background Check Unit in the Health and Human Services Commission
- FINDRS team
1182 Self-Request Central Registry Checks
CPS December 2021
A person may request a Central Registry check on themselves through the DFPS Background Check division in certain circumstances.
See the following sections of the DFPS Background Checks Handbook:
6100 Requesting a Central Registry Check and its subitems
1183 Previous Information Systems (Legacy Systems)
CPS December 2021
DFPS’s history of information systems includes both computerized systems and paper versions. Some of the goals of the systems have been to provide the following:
- A source of case documentation.
- A system to manage workload.
- An ability to obtain data on a local, state, and federal level.
- A system to manage client purchases for services and goods.
The following are the names and acronyms of the legacy systems:
- Child and Adult Protective System (CAPS)
- Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting and InqCuiry System (CANRIS)
- Social Services Management System (SSMS)
- Foster Care, Adoption, and Conservatorship Tracking System (FACTS)
- Resource Management System (RMS)
1190 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
CPS August 2023
A memorandum of understanding (MOU) is a non-financial agreement. DFPS enters into an MOU with an external party or stakeholder when no money is exchanged and no invoices are generated.
An MOU provides details on how DFPS and the other party will coordinate or collaborate to fulfill expectations. It may be initiated by DFPS or an outside person or entity.
An MOU may also be referred to as any of the following:
- Letter of agreement
- Memorandum of agreement (MOA)
- Cooperation agreement
While an MOU does not involve the exchange of funds, the DFPS Contract Signature Authority and Delegation matrix must be followed.
See the Contract Handbook, Chapter 3, Memorandum of Understanding.