Child Protective Services Handbook Revision November 2012
This revision of the Child Protective Services Handbook was published on November 20, 2012. Summaries of new or revised items are provided below.
Reorganization of the Eligibility Section of CPS 1000
The Eligibility items in Section 1000 have been reorganized and consolidated into sections 1500, 1600, and 1700. Items currently in those sections have been renumbered and moved elsewhere in the 1000 section, as shown below.
No policies have been revised. Handbook items have been moved in their entirety with no changes other than the item numbers. Revision dates have not changed, since the policies have not changed.
Items Moved Out of Sections 1500, 1600, and 1700
1240 (1510) General Eligibility Criteria
1241 (1511) Child Protective Services Priorities
1242 (1512) Request for Child Protective Services
1243 (1513) Right to Refuse Services and Consequences of Refusal
1244 (1514) Administrative Reviews of Client Complaints
1245 (1515) Fair Hearings
1250 (1516) Clients With Limited English Proficiency (LEP)
1251 (1517) Clients with Communication Disabilities
1251.1 (1517.1) Requirements for Auxiliary Aids and Services
1251.2 (1517.2) Sign Language Interpreter Requirements During CPS Interventions
1180 (1600) Information Systems
1181 (1610) Child Abuse and Neglect Central Registry
1181.1 (1611) Central Registry Retention Periods
1181.2 (1612) Who Can Access Central Registry
1181.3 (1613) Requests for Central Registry Information
1182 (1620) Child and Adult Protective System (CAPS)
1183 (1630) Previous Information Systems (Legacy Systems)
1183.1 (1631) Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting and Inquiry System (CANRIS)
1183.2 (1632) Social Services Management System (SSMS)
1183.3 (1633) Foster Care, Adoption, and Conservatorship Tracking System (FACTS)
1183.4 (1634) Resource Management System (RMS)
Reorganized Eligibility Items
1500 Eligibility for Child Protective Services
1510 (1540) Foster Care Maintenance Resources
1511 (1541) Foster Care Assistance and Review Policies
1512 (1541.1) Unknown Family Income on the Foster Care Assistance Application
1513 (1541.2) Zero Family Income on the Foster Care Assistance Application
1514 (1541.3) Notifications to SSA and Use of the Wire Third Party Query (WTPY) System
1515 (1423) Foster Care Eligibility Financial Case Record
1520 (1541.4) Obtaining Certified Birth Certificates and Screen-Printing Birth Records
1521 (1541.5) Requesting Certified Birth Certificates
1521.1 (1541.51) Requesting Birth Certificates for Children Born in Texas
1521.2 (1541.52) Requesting Birth Certificates for Children Born in Texas for Adoption Purposes
1521.3 (1541.53) Requesting Out-of-State Birth Certificates
1521.4 (1541.54) Requesting International Birth Certificates
1521.5 (1541.55) Request Reimbursement if Personal Funds Must Be Used to Obtain Certificate
1530 (1542) Eligibility Requirements for Title IV-E, MAO, and State-Paid Foster Care Assistance
1531 (1542.1) Additional Eligibility Requirements for Title IV-E Foster Care
1532 (1542.2) Additional Eligibility Requirements for State-paid Foster Care
1533 (1542.3) Additional Eligibility Requirements for MAO Foster Care
1533.1 (1542.31) Medical Coverage for Children in Foster Care
1533.2 (1542.32) Medical Assistance Only (MAO) Auto-Eligibility
1533.3 (1542.33) MAO Coverage for Children Placed in Kinship, Relative, or Own Home Placement
1533.4 (1542.34) MAO Coverage for Children in Adoptive Placements
1533.5 (1542.35) MAO Coverage for Children in Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD) Placements
1534 (1542.4) Eligibility In Medical Facilities before Placement
1535 (1542.5) Foster Care Payments During Absences From the Foster Care Home or Facility
1536 (1542.6) Medicaid Benefits for Foster Care Children Placed in Texas From Other States
1537 (1542.7) Medicaid Benefits for Foster Care Children Placed Out of State
1540 (1543) Foster Care Assistance Eligibility Requirements for Children and Youth Formerly in DFPS Conservatorship
1541 (1543.1) Extended Foster Care Assistance
1542 (1543.2) Return to Care Assistance
1543 (1554) Payment for Long-Term Care in Adulthood
1543.1 (1554.1) Youth in Voluntary Extended Foster Care: Signing Over SSI and RSDI Benefits
1544 (1544) Medicaid for Transitioning Foster Care Youth (MTFCY)
1550 (1545) Foster Care Maintenance Payments
1551 (1545.1) Effective Dates of Foster-Care-Assistance Payments
1552 (1545.2) Billing and Payment for Foster Care Assistance
1553 (1545.3) Recoupment of Foster Care Maintenance Overpayment
1553.1 (1545.31) Manual Recoupment
1553.2 (1545.32) Manual Recoupment Process
1553.3 (1545.33) Notification to Providers of Recoupment That Exceeds 50% of Next Payment
1553.4 (1545.34) Extreme Hardship and Repayment Plans
1560 (1340) Management of Children's Funds
1561 (1341) Accounting Procedures for Children's Funds
1562 (1342) Managing Children's Income Accounts (CIAs)
1562.1 (1342.1) Prior-Period Adjustment (PPA) Invoice Processing for Children With Income
1562.2 (1342.2) Account Resource Limits
1562.3 (1342.3) Adoptive Placement and Children’s Income
1562.4 (1345.3 ) Handling Deceased Child's Income
1563 (1343) Establishing, Transferring, and Closing Children's Savings Accounts
1564 (1344) Duties of Accounts Receivable (AR) Staff
1564.1 (1344.1) Manual Receipt of Funds by Accounts Receivable (AR) Staff
1564.2(1344.2) Receivables Procedures for Accounts Receivable (AR)
1564.3 (1344.3) Reconciliation Requirements for Accounts Receivable (AR) Staff
1564.4 (1344.4) Electronic Return of Benefits
1564.5 (1344.5) Lump Sum Distribution Instructions
1565 (1345) Duties of Accounts Payable (AP) Staff
1565.1 (1345.1) Handling Income When Child is in Paid Substitute Care
1565.2 (1345.2) Handling Income When Child is Not in Paid Substitute Care
1566 (1346) Duties of Accounting Supervisor
1566.1 (1346.1) Procedures for Reviewing Information and Reports
1566.2 (1346.2) Reconciliation Responsibilities of Accounting Supervisor
1566.3 (1346.3) Annual Reconciliation for Each Client
1566.4 (1346.4) Reconciliation of Child's Income at Discharge
1566.5 (1346.5) Reconciliation of Discrepancies
1566.6 (1346.6) Reconciliation of Child's Income at Death
1567 (1347) Records Retention Requirements for Transactions Involving Children's Funds
1570 (1546) Supplemental Security Income (SSI) for Children in Foster Care
1571 (1546.1) Effect of SSI Eligibility on Title IV-E Foster Care
1572 (1546.2) Effect of SSI Eligibility on State-Paid Foster Care
1573 (1546.3) Effect of SSI Eligibility on MAO Foster Care
1574 (1546.4) SSI Applications for Youth Aging Out of Care
1575 (1546.5) Placement in Home and Community-Based Services (HCS) Homes
1575.1 (1546.51) SSI Coordinator and Foster Care Eligibility Specialist Responsibilities
1576 (1546.6) Child Specific Contract Placements
1577 (1546.7) Establishing a Dedicated Account Using a Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Lump Sum
1578 (1551) Money Earned by Foster Children From Full- or Part-Time Employment per email Josie 4/12/12
1579 (1547) Third Party Resources for Medical Care Services
1579.1(1547.1) Cost Avoidance
1579.2 (1547.2) Post Payment Recovery
1580 (1555) Management of a Lump Sum Award (Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Non-SSI)
1581 (1555.1) Managing a Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Lump Sum
1581.1 (1555.11) Child Is In a DFPS Paid Foster Care Placement
1581.2 (1555.12) Child Is Not in DFPS Paid Placement
1581.3 (1555.13) Child Is No Longer in DFPS Conservatorship
1581.4 (1555.14) Child Dies While DFPS Is Managing Conservator
1581.5 (1555.15) Overpayments
1582 (1555.2) Managing a Non-SSI (Supplemental Security Income) Lump Sum
1583 (1556) Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Tracking Reports
1583.1 (1556.1) SSI Tracking Report
1583.2 (1556.2) 17-Year-Old SSI Report
1583.3 (1556.3) SSA Change Reports
1590 (1350) Audits
1591 (1352) Audit Recommendations
1600 (1580) Permanency Care Assistance
1610 (1581) Definitions Related to Permanency Care Assistance
1611 (1582) Overview of Permanency Care Assistance
1612 (1583) Eligibility Requirements for Permanency Care Assistance
1612.1 (1583.1) Eligibility Requirements of the Prospective Permanent Managing Conservator for Permanency Care Assistance
1612.2 (1583.2) Eligibility Requirements of Children for Permanency Care Assistance
1612.3 (1583.3) Eligibility Requirements of Siblings for Permanency Care Assistance
1612.4 (1583.4) When a Child Is Not Eligible for Permanency Care Assistance (State-Paid or Title IV-E Funded)
1613 (1584) Requesting an Extension of Permanency Care Assistance
1614 (1585) Informing Families About Permanency Care Assistance
1615 (1586) Applying for Permanency Care Assistance
1616 (1587) The Regional Role in Determining Eligibility for Permanency Care Assistance
1616.1 (1587.1) The Eligibility Assistance Units in the Regions
1616.2 (1587.2) The Steps for Determining Eligibility for Permanency Care Assistance
1616.21 (1587.21) Step 1: Logging Receipt of a PCA Packet and Evaluating it for Completeness
1616.22 (1587.22) Step 2: Making a Preliminary Determination About PCA Eligibility
1616.23 (1587.23) Step 3: Negotiating a PCA Agreement With a Prospective Managing Conservator
1616.24 (1587.24) Step 4: Activating PCA Benefits Upon a Transfer of Managing Conservatorship
1616.4 (1587.4) Ongoing Responsibilities of Eligibility Units in Permanency Care Assistance
1616.5 (1587.5) Reimbursing Nonrecurring Expenses Covered by Permanency Care Assistance
1616.6 (1587.6) Determining Which Region Maintains a Case Involving Permanency Care Assistance
1618 (1588) Negotiating Permanency Care and Deferred Agreements
1618.1 (1588.1) The Role of the Negotiator in Determining Permanency Care Assistance
1618.2 (1588.2) Determining the Payment Ceiling When Negotiating for Permanency Care Assistance
1618.3 (1588.3) Other Considerations When Negotiating for Permanency Care Assistance
1618.4 (1588.4) Explaining Education Requirements When Negotiating for Permanency Care Assistance
1618.5 (1588.5) Negotiating Deferred Agreements for Permanency Care Assistance
1619 (1589) Providing Medical Assistance to Recipients of Permanency Care Assistance
1619.1 (1589.1) Providing Medical Care to a Child Who Lives in Texas and Receives Permanency Care Assistance
1619.2 (1589.2) Providing Medical Care to a Child Who Lives Out-of-State and Receives Permanency Care Assistance
1620 (1590) A Change in the Circumstances of a Recipient of Permanency Care Assistance
1621 (1591) Benefits: Recertification and Termination for Permanency Care Assistance
1621.1 (1591.1) Recertification of Eligibility for Permanency Care Assistance
1621.2 (1591.2) Terminating Permanency Care Assistance
1622 (1592) Fair Hearings Regarding Decisions About Permanency Care Assistance
1622.1 (1592.1) Duties of the Adoption Assistance Eligibility Specialist
1622.2 (1592.2) Appealing Decisions Made Regarding Permanency Care Assistance
1700 (1560) Adoption Assistance Program
1710 Description of the Adoption Assistance Program
1711 (1561) Adoption Assistance Eligibility Requirements for Children Adopted From DFPS Conservatorship
1711.1 (1561.1) General Eligibility Requirements
1711.2 (1561.2) Determining Whether a Child Has Special Needs
1711.3 (1561.3) Eligibility Requirements for Reimbursement of Nonrecurring Adoption Expenses
1711.4 (1561.4) Additional Eligibility Requirements for Monthly Payments and Medicaid Coverage
1711.5 (1561.5) Eligibility Requirements for State-Paid Adoption Assistance
1711.6 (1561.6) Determining Who Is an Applicable Child
1711.7 (1561.7) Eligibility Requirements for Extended Adoption Assistance
1711.8 (1561.8) When Adoption Assistance Is Not Available (Transferring Permanent Managing Conservatorship)
1712 (1562) Adoption Assistance Eligibility Requirements for Children Adopted From the Conservatorship of an LCPA
1712.1 (1562.1) Eligibility Requirements
1712.2 (1424) Adoption Assistance Eligibility Case Record
1712.3 (1562.2) International Adoptions
1713 (1563) Jurisdiction and Responsibility for Determining Eligibility and Activating Benefits
1713.1 (1563.1) Determining Which Children Are Within DFPS Jurisdiction
1713.2 (1563.2) Determining Region With Responsibility for a Case
1714 (1564) Program Notification, Application Process, and Responsibility for Cases
1714.1 (1564.1) Informing Families of the Adoption Assistance Program
1714.2 (1564.2) Application Process For Adoption Assistance
1714.3 (1564.3) Determination of Eligibility
1714.4 (1564.4) Responsibilities of the Eligibility Specialist in Entering Into the Initial Adoption Assistance Agreement
1714.5 (1564.5) Commencement of Benefits
1714.6 (1564.6) Ongoing Responsibilities of Eligibility Units for the Adoption Assistance Program
1714.7 (1564.7) Reimbursement of Nonrecurring Expenses of Adoption
1715 (1565) Negotiating Adoption Assistance Agreements and Deferred Adoption Assistance Agreements
1715.1 (1565.1) Responsibilities of Negotiators for Initial Adoption Assistance Agreement
1715.2 (1565.2) Ongoing Responsibilities of Negotiators
1715.3 (1565.3) Considerations During Negotiations
1715.4 (1565.4) Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Payments and Adoption Assistance Payments
1715.5 (1565.5) Determining the Adoption Assistance Payment Ceiling
1715.6 (1565.6) Education Requirements
1716 (1566) Deferred Adoption Assistance Agreements
1717 (1567) Changes in Circumstances and Periodic Certification of Continued Eligibility
1717.1 (1567.1) Recertification of Eligibility
1717.2 (1567.2) Adoptive Parents Die or Their Parental Rights Are Terminated
1718 (1568) Benefits: Termination and Resumption
1718.1 (1568.1) Termination of Benefits
1718.2 (1568.2) Recouping an Overpayment of Adoption Assistance
1718.21 (1568.21) Standard Cases – Recouping an Adoption Subsidy in 30 Days
1718.22 (1568.22) Hardship Cases – Recouping an Adoption Subsidy in Any Dollar Amount
1718.23 (1568.23) Extreme Hardship Cases – Recouping an Adoption Subsidy in More Than 12 Months (Requires State Office Approval)
1719 (1569) Fair Hearings Regarding Adoption Assistance Decisions
1719.1 (1569.1) Appealing Decisions
1719.2 (1569.2) An Agreement for Adoption Assistance Was Not Signed Before an Adoption's Consummation
1719.3 (1569.3) Responsibilities of the Adoption Assistance Eligibility Specialist and Negotiator
1730 (1574) Enhanced Adoption Assistance
1731 (1574.1) Definition of Enhanced Adoption Assistance
1732 (1574.2) Eligibility Requirements for Enhanced Adoption Assistance
1733 (1574.3) Proceeding With Adoptive Placements in a Timely Manner
1734 (1574.4) Approval Process for Enhanced Adoption Assistance
1734.1 (1574.41) Regional Approval Process
1734.2 (1574.42) State Office Approval Process
1734.3 (1574.43) Approvals and Notification to Family
1734.4 (1574.44) Summary of Forms
1735 (1574.5) Negotiation for Enhanced Adoption Assistance and Placement
1736 (1574.6) Authorization of Payments for Enhanced Adoption Assistance
1737 (1574.7) Denials of Enhanced Adoption Assistance
1738 (1574.8) Deferred Agreements for Enhanced Adoption Assistance
1739 (1574.9) Appeals and Fair Hearings
1760 (1570) Medicaid Coverage, The Interstate Compact on Adoption and Medical Assistance, and Adoption Assistance
1761 (1571) The Interstate Compact on Adoption and Medical Assistance and its Impact on Adoption Assistance
1762 (1572) Procedures of The Interstate Compact on Adoption and Medical Assistance
1763 (1573) Procedures Regarding Children Eligible for Adoption Assistance who Are Placed or Moved Out of State
Eligibility Appendix
Appendix 1510 (Appendix 1540-A): Procedures for Issuing HHSC Form 1027-A
Appendix 1511 (Appendix 1540-B): Information Needed for the Foster Care Application
Appendix 1514 (Appendix 1541.3): Requesting Wire Third Party Query (WTPY) System Access
Appendix 1530 (Appendices 1542): Foster Care Eligibility
Appendix 1530 A (Appendix 1542-A): AFDC Income Determination Worksheet
Appendix 1530 B (Appendix 1542-B): Stepparent Allowance Deduction
Appendix 1530 C (Appendix 1542-C): AFDC Income Limits
Appendix 1530 D (Appendix 1542-D): Income Guidelines for Underemployed Parent
Appendix 1530 E (Appendix 1542-E): Title IV-E Eligibility Checklist
Appendix 1530 F (Appendix 1542-F): Categorical Requirements for AFDC
Appendix 1530 G (Appendix 1542-G): Underemployed Parent Checklist
Appendix 1531 (Appendix 1542.1): Acceptable U.S. Citizenship Verification Documents
Appendix 1533.2 (Appendix 1542.3): MAO Auto-Eligibility
Appendix 1562.1 (Appendix 1342.1) Prior-Period Adjustment (PPA) Invoice Processing for Children With Income
Appendix 1563 (Appendix 1343-A): Setting Up Savings Accounts
Appendix 1564.1 (Appendix 1344.1A): Manual Receipt of Funds
Appendix 1564.3 (Appendix 1344.3A): Outstanding Items Procedures
Appendix 1581.1 (Appendix 1555): Appropriate Needs
Appendix 1581 (Appendix 1556): Examples of Appropriate and Inappropriate Items and Services to Purchase With Lump Sum Benefits
Appendix 1583.1 (Appendix 1557): Guide to the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Tracking Report
Appendix 1618.3 (Appendix 1580): Discussion Guide - Negotiating Permanency Care Assistance
Appendix 1715.3 (Appendix 1560): Negotiation of Adoption Assistance Discussion Guide
Cross-References in CPS
Cross-references to the sections being moved were updated throughout the handbook. See:
1223 Title IV-E, Federal Payments for Foster Care and Adoption Assistance
1224 Title XIX, Medicaid
1332.1 Children's Funds
1422 Organization of Paper Case Records
1424 Adoption Subsidy Eligibility Case Record
1814 Child Abuse and Neglect Central Registry
1820 Records Checks on Applicants, Employees, Interns, and Volunteers
2243.1 Interviews with Parents or Primary Caretakers
2281.15 Person Language
2290 Reviews and Hearings
2413 Other Definitions
4518 Definition of Permanency Care Assistance
4710 Obtaining Permanency Care Assistance
4720 Applying for Permanency Care Assistance
5100 Overview of Court-Related Services
6213.3 Adoption vs. Conservatorship
6252.4 Content of the Family Service Plan
6410 Services to the Child's Family When the Child Is in Substitute Care
6412 Family Services When Family Reunification Is the Permanency Goal
6492 Services at Discharge from Substitute Care
6494 Permanent Placement with the Caregiver
6513 Making Funeral Arrangements
6910 Criteria and Types of Service
6935 Considering the Need for an Adoption Subsidy
6942 Preparing the Family and the Child for the Placement
6945 Making Placements in Other States
6952.2 CPS Caseworker’s Tasks After the Adoption Petition Is Filed
6952.3 Termination of DFPS’s Managing Conservatorship
7633 When Foster Families Move
9300 Placing Children 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
9314 Requesting Placement With an Adoptive Family Outside of Texas
10133.2 Social Security Cards
10133.3 Requesting Certified Birth Certificates
10256 Host Home for PAL Aftercare Room and Board Payment
10331.1 Researching Long-Term Care Resources
10331.2 Ensuring Funding and Eligibility for Services
10335.2 CPS Foster Care Placement After DADS Appointed as Guardian
10441 Temporary Absences From Extended Foster Care
10442.1 Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) Guardianship
10553 Handling Monthly SSA Awards That Exceed the Cost of Care
10554 Young Adults With Children
10630 Youth Parents in DFPS Conservatorship
Appendix 1211: Responsibilities Under the Texas Family Code
Appendix 3213: Americans With Disabilities Act Reasonable Accommodations in Service Planning
Appendix 8160: CPS Service Codes and Descriptions as Identified in IMPACT
Appendix 8160: CPS Service Codes and Descriptions as Identified in IMPACT