Child Protective Services Handbook Revision February 2008

This revision of the Child Protective Services Handbook was published on February 29, 2008. Summaries of recently revised items are provided below.

Statewide Case Transfer Protocol (PATS 1218)

This revision incorporates policies initiated with the issuance to staff of PSA 07-086 on February 19, 2007. These policies were adopted to provide consistent statewide procedures for timely transfer of cases to family-based safety services and conservatorship. The entire 3000 section of the handbook has been reviewed and updated for clarification and to incorporate recommendations of disproportionality specialists. See affected items.

Family-Based Safety Services Rules (PATS 1218)

This revision incorporates policies reflecting rules adopted in March 2007. These rule changes separate family-based safety services (previously "family preservation services") from family reunification services. See DFPS Rules, 40 TAC Chapter 700, Subchapter G, Services to Families, and 40 TAC §700.1713. See affected items.

Referrals to Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) (PATS 1532)

ECI and CPS have been working collaboratively to meet the requirements of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA). In order to best meet the needs of our children policy has been developed regarding referrals to ECI and services. See:

2236.1 Referrals to Early Childhood Intervention (ECI)

Correction

As part of the January 2008 revision, the policy in items 2285 and 2285.1 was revised and moved, so these items should have been deleted at that time. This oversight was corrected on February 25, 2008.

Affected Items

The items below are revised or added to address issues related to the protocol for statewide case transfer:

3141 Overview of Case Transition, Initial Face-to-Face Contact, and Frequency of Face-To-Face Contacts with Children and Parents

3142 Conducting the Family Assessment

3145 Documenting the Case

3150 Closing a Case, Closing a Stage, and Transferring a Case

3151 Closing a Case

3152 Closing a Stage and Transferring a Case

3152.1 Transferring From Family-Based Safety Services to Substitute Care

3152.2 Transfer in IMPACT From Substitute Care to Family Reunification Services

3153 Removals After Reunification

3160 The Family Service Plan

3170 Special Issues

3179 Referral to Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) Services (New item)

3301.21 Goal of Family Preservation

3310 Regular Family-Based Safety Services (FBSS)

3311 Definition and Objectives of FBSS

3312 Eligibility and Guidelines for Assigning Intensity Level of Services

3314 Initial Face-to-Face Contact Following Stage Progression

3315 Case Staffings

3320 Moderate Family-Based Safety Services (M-FBSS)

3321 Definition and Objectives

3322 Eligibility (Moderate FBSS)

3324 The Moderate Family-Based Safety Services (M-FBSS) Initial Face-to-Face Contact

3325 Case Staffings

3330 Intensive Family-Based Safety Services (I-FBSS)

3331 Definition and Objectives

3332 Eligibility (Intensive FBSS)

3334 The Intensive Family-Based Safety Services (I-FBSS) Initial Face-to-Face Contact,

3335 Case Staffings

8220 Purchased Family-Based Safety Services (FBSS)

8221 Determining Eligibility

8222 Identifying Available Services

8223 Referring Clients for Family-Based Safety Services

8224 Using IMPACT for Completing Service Authorizations

8225 Handling Liaison Duties

8226 Starting New Investigations of Open Cases

8227 Handling Returned Open Cases

8228 Adding, Changing, or Terminating

The items below are revised to reflect amendments made to rules 40 TAC §700.701, §700.702, §700.703, and §700.1713, the repeal of 40 TAC, §700.704, §700.705, and the adoption of new rules 40 TAC §700.704, 700.705, and §700.706:

3120 Definition and Criteria

3130 Types of Family-Based Safety Services

3320 Moderate Family-Based Safety Services (M-FBSS)

3321 Definition and Objectives

3330 Intensive Family-Based Safety Services (I-FBSS)

3331 Definition and Objectives

3400 Family Reunification Services (FRS)

3410 Purpose of FRS

3420 Regular Family Reunification Services (R-FRS)

3440 Intensive Early Family Reunification Services (IE-FRS)

3441 Definition and Objectives

3442 Eligibility

3450 Intensive Family Reunification Services (I-FRS)

3451 Definition and Objectives

3452 Eligibility

8220 Purchased Family-Based Safety Services (FBSS)

8221 Determining Eligibility

8222 Identifying Available Services

8223 Referring Clients for Family-Based Safety Services

8224 Using IMPACT for Completing Service Authorizations

8225 Handling Liaison Duties

8226 Starting New Investigations of Open Cases

8227 Handling Returned Open Cases

8228 Adding, Changing, or Terminating

The following items were revised only to update cross-references to titles changed with this revision:

1124 Definition of Stages of Service

3111 The Role of the Worker

3430 Moderate In-Home Safety Services in the Reunification Safety Services Stage

6110 Definition, Criteria, Goals, and Objectives

6121.1 Deciding to Remove the Child

6221.1 List of Permanency Goals

6221.41 Family Reunification

6431 Reviewing the Family Service Plan

6611 Family Services When Family Reunification Is the Permanency Goal

6611.4 Initiate the Reunification Process

6611.51 Providing Services After a Child Is Returned

6700 Discharging Children from Substitute Care

6721 Family Reunification