Child Protective Services Handbook Revision March 2012
This revision of the Child Protective Services Handbook was published on March 1, 2012. Summaries of new or revised items are provided below.
Trial Independence for CPS Youth 18 and Older
Changes to IMPACT Regarding the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC)
Verifying the Citizenship or Immigration Status of Prospective Parents
Disallowing Placements into Private Child Placing Agency Foster Homes
The items below are revised to clarify the process for the caseworker to:
• request funding for funerals;
• request additional funding in excess of the allowed $4,500 when necessary; and
• work with families and stakeholders during funeral planning.
In addition, policy is clarified regarding when DFPS would accept financial responsibility for a young adult, age 18 or older, who dies while in extended care.
See:
6573 When a Child Dies While in Substitute Care
6573.1 Notifying DFPS Staff When a Child Dies While in Substitute Care
6573.2 Notifying Persons Outside of DFPS When a Child Dies While in Substitute Care
6573.3 Making Funeral Arrangements
6573.4 Other Tasks Required When a Child Dies While in Substitute Care
8512 Funeral and Burial Services for Children in DFPS Conservatorship
8512.1 DFPS Funding for Services
8512.2 Purchasing and Payment of Services
Cross-references were updated in:
1345.3 Handling Deceased Child’s Income
8122 Support Services
Appendix 8160: CPS Service Codes and Descriptions as Identified in IMPACT
Trial Independence for CPS Youth 18 and Older (PATS 4152)
These revisions incorporate trial independence and the related changes to Extended Foster Care, Return for Extended Foster Care, and Extended Court Jurisdiction. CPS youth turning 18 or older can return to care within six months to start or resume extended foster care and their foster care eligibility can be restored without having to be redetermined.
This reflects changes to the Texas Family Code §263.601 – 263.608 enacted by the 82nd Legislature, effective September 28, 2011.
CPS rules amendments reflecting this legislation at Texas Administrative Code §700.346 are scheduled for adoption early in 2012.
Staff were informed of these changes in PSA 12-013, issued September 19, 2011.
See:
1543 Foster Care Assistance Eligibility Requirements for Young Adults Formerly in DFPS Conservatorship
1543.1 Extended Foster Care Assistance
1543.2 Return for Extended Foster Care
5363 Extension of Court Jurisdiction Past Turning 18
5363.1 General Provisions
5363.11 Overview
5363.12 Required Actions for All Youth Aging out of DFPS Conservatorship
5363.2 Court Jurisdiction and Reviews in Extended Foster Care
5363.21 Extended Foster Care Review Hearings
5363.22 Required Actions for the Caseworker
5363.3 Court Jurisdiction and Reviews During and After Trial Independence
5363.31 Court Jurisdiction and TI
5363.32 Required Court Actions for the Caseworker
5363.4 Court Jurisdiction and Reviews for Young Adults Receiving Transitional Living Services Whose TI Period has Ended
5363.41 Court Jurisdiction and Transitional Living Services
5363.42 Required Court Actions for the Caseworker
5363.5 Court Jurisdiction and Reviews Pending Guardianship Referral
5363.51 Required Court Actions for the Caseworker
10122.21 Preparation for Youth Within 90 Days Before Turning 18
10400 Extending Foster Care for Young Adults Who Are 18 or Older
10410 Qualifying for Extended Foster Care
10411 Education and Work Related Criteria for Extended Foster Care
10412 Transitioning Between Education or Work Related Activities
10412.1 Enrollment in a Higher Education Program or a Post-Secondary Vocational or Technical School
10412.2 Young Adults Who Are Incapable of Performing Education and Work Related Activities
10420 Preparation Required When a Youth Plans To Stay in Extended Foster Care
10421 Within 90 Days Before the Youth’s 18th Birthday
10422 As Soon as Possible After the 18th Birthday
10430 Acceptable Documentation for Educational and Work Related Activities for Extended Foster Care
10431 Educational Services: High School, General Equivalency Diploma (GED) Programs, Vocational and Technical Schools, Colleges and Universities
10432 Employment
10433 Programs or Activities to Promote or Remove Barriers to Employment
10434 Inability to Perform Either Educational or Work Related Activity Because of a Medical Condition
10435 Monitoring Continued Participation
10440 General Eligibility Issues
10441 Temporary Absences From Extended Foster Care
10442 Young Adults Receiving Social Security Benefits
10442.1 Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) Guardianship
10442.2 Young Adult’s Refusal to Sign the VEFCA Financial Agreement
10450 Issues Related to a Young Adult with a Physical or Intellectual Disability
10451 Physically Unable to Sign VEFCA
10452 Mental Capacity Issues in Signing the VEFCA
10460 Casework Activity for Young Adults in Extended Foster Care
10461 Casework Activity That Respects Young Adult Status
10462 Casework Activity
10463 Extended Care Monthly Face-to-Face Visits
10464 Service Plan for Young Adults 18 and Older
10465 Medical Consenter Issues and Documentation
10466 Young Adult with an Intellectual or Developmental Disability Missing from Extended Foster Care Placement
10470 Ongoing Review of Eligibility for Extended Foster Care
10471 Annual Review for Extended Foster Care Eligibility
10480 When Young Adults Are Ready for Discharge
10500 Trial Independence and Return for Extended Foster Care
10510 Trial Independence
10511 IMPACT Documentation for Trial Independence
10512 Returning to Extended Foster Care after Trial Independence (TI) Period Has Ended
10520 Acceptance Criteria for Return to Extended Foster Care
10530 Processing a Young Adult’s Initial Request to Return to Extended Foster Care
10531 Receiving the Young Adult’s Request
10532 Referring the Young Adult to Regional PAL Staff
10540 Roles and Responsibilities of Staff Helping a Young Adult Return for Extended Foster Care
10541 Roles and Responsibilities of PAL Staff
10541.1 Pre-Screen for Eligibility for Return for Extended Foster Care
10541.2 Continue Return Process, If Young Adult Is Eligible To Proceed
10541.3 End the Return Process, if Young Adult Not Eligible To Proceed
10542 Re-Entry Staff (Regional and Unit)
10542.1 Regional Re-Entry Staff
10542.2 Unit Re-Entry Staff
10542.3 Upon Approval of Re-Entry Into Extended Foster Care
10550 Special Circumstances Related to Re-Entry into Extended Foster Care
10551 Primary Contact for a Young Adult Who Wants to Return to Care and is Outside of the Young Adult’s Previous Legal Region
10552 When Immediate Assistance Is Needed
10553 Handling Monthly SSA Awards That Exceed the Cost of Care
10554 Young Adults With Children
10560 Returning to Extended Foster Care for College Breaks and Holidays
10570 Providing Support After a Young Adult Returns to Extended Foster Care
10571 Foster Care Eligibility
10572 Contacts and Time Frames
10573 Revising the Transition Plan
10574 Completing the Child Plan of Service
10575 Restarting Court Reviews
10576 Ongoing Casework Activity after Resuming Care
Appendix 10130: Documentation for Youth Changing Placements or for Youth Transitioning Out of Foster Care
The following appendix has been deleted:
Appendix 10531: Roles and Responsibilities of Staff Returning a Youth to Care
Cross-references were updated in:
10331.1 Researching Long-Term Care Resources
10334.2 CPS Extended Foster Care to Continue
10121 Permanency Planning Meetings for Youth Age 16 and Older
10122 Transition Plan
1554.1 Youth in Voluntary Extended Foster Care: Signing Over SSI and RSDI Benefits
10130 Documents Given to Youth Who Are Transitioning to Adulthood
10331.2 Ensuring Funding and Eligibility for Services
10441 Loss of Eligibility
Changes to IMPACT Regarding the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC) (PATS 4372)
This revision of the 9000 Interstate Placements (ICPC) is to incorporate changes from the IT IMPACT redesign:
• A tab has been added in the substitute care (SUB) and adoption (ADO) stages.
• New items of policy incorporate the changes.
• Revisions have been made to align policy with the changes to the IMPACT system.
See:
9240 Understanding the Supervision Stage of an Interstate Placement
9260 Overview of Maintaining the File for an Interstate Placement
9300 Placing Children Outside of Texas
9311 Documenting a Request to Place a Child Outside of Texas
9311.1 Specifying How Costs Will Be Covered for Daily Care
9311.2 ICPC Financial / Medical Form for an ICPC Placement Request
9311.3 Information About the Child for an ICPC Placement Request
9312 Requesting Placement With a Parent or Relative Outside of Texas
9312.1 Criteria for Priority Home Screening
9313 Requesting Placement With a Foster Family Outside of Texas
9314 Requesting Placement With an Adoptive Family Outside of Texas
9315 Requesting Placement in a Residential Treatment Center Outside of Texas
9316 When a Texas Caregiver Moves to Another State
9317.1 The Role of the DFPS Regional ICPC Coordinator
9317.2 TICO’s Role in ICPC Disaster Planning
9318 The Role of the Receiving State’s Compact Office During an Interstate Placement
9320 Obtaining the Other State’s Decision on an Interstate Placement
9330 Placing a Child in Another State
9410 Accepting a Request to Place a Child From Another State in Texas
9411 Creating an ICPC Case in IMPACT
9411.1 Entering the Information Into the Intake Stage
9411.2 Progressing the ICPC Intake to a SUB or ADO stage
9412 When a Caregiver Moves to Texas
9420 Completing a Home Screening When a Child From Another State Is Placed in Texas
9430 Making the Decision to Accept an ICPC Placement
9431 Placing a Child From Another State in a Licensed Residential Facility in Texas
9440 Supervising a Child Placed in Texas From Another State
9441 When a Caregiver Moves During the Supervision of an ICPC Case
9450 Closing an ICPC Case
9451 Documenting an ICPC Closure in IMPACT
9511 Private Adoptions
9512 When a Parent Requests to Make a Private Placement in a Licensed Residential Facility
9513 When a Juvenile Probation Officer Requests Placement in a Licensed Residential Facility
9514 ICPC Request Website When Texas Is the Sending State
Appendix 9110: Roles and Responsibilities of the Regional ICPC Coordinator
Appendix 9300: States That Require All Non-Parents to Be Licensed as Foster Parents
The following appendices have been deleted:
Appendix 9110-A: The Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC)
Appendix 9110-B: Regulations Adopted by the Association of Administrators of the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC)
Appendix 9211: Child's Summary Interstate Placement Request
Verifying the Citizenship or Immigration Status of Prospective Parents (PATS 4872)
The item below replaces 7638 Foster Parent Citizenship and Immigration Status. See:
7122 The Citizenship or Immigration Status of Prospective Parents
7122.1 The Citizenship Requirement for Foster Parents
7122.2 The Citizenship Requirement for Adoptive Parents
7122.21 Waiving the Citizenship Requirement for Adoptive Parents
7122.22 Requesting a Waiver of the Citizenship Requirement for Adoptive Parents
7122.3 Verifying Citizenship or Immigration Status
Cross reference was updated in:
7122 Verifying Citizenship or Alien Status
On March 21, 2012, we also deleted the following item, which was inadvertently left out on March 1:
7642 Adoptive Parent Citizenship and Immigration Status
Disallowing Placements into Private Child Placing Agency Foster Homes (PATS 4889)
The item below is revised to provide procedures for disallowing new placements of children in DFPS conservatorship with foster parents verified by private CPAs. This policy supersedes policy released with PSA-10-053 Disallowing Placements Into Private Child Placing Agency (CPA) Foster Homes.
See:
6323.2 Foster Group Homes
6323.21 Disallowing Placements into Foster Homes
6323.22 Re-Allow Placement Procedure