Child Protective Services

Handbook Revision, August 2013

This revision of the Child Protective Services Handbook was published on August 1, 2013. Summaries of new or revised items are provided below.

SIL Settings (PATS 6272)

Recoupment (PATS 6152)

The ETV Program (PATS 5847)

Education Stability (PATS 6147)

Permanency Planning (PATS 4722)

Supervised Independent Living (SIL)

The item below is revised to update the language that is used during the contracting process to describe the settings for supervised independent living (SIL).

See 10482 Types of SIL Settings.

Recoupment

The item below is added to explain when and how to forgo recouping an overpayment of foster care payments, in the rare, extenuating circumstance that the standard recoupment procedures do not apply.

See 1553.5 When Not to Initiate Recoupment Procedures.

Education and Training Voucher (ETV) Program

The following ETV policies are revised to reflect recent changes to DFPS policy and clarifications of the federal regulation as required by the Administration for Child and Families (ACF).

See:

10320 Education and Training Voucher (ETV) Program

10321 Eligibility for the ETV Program

10321.1 [new item] Students Who Are Eligible for the ETV Program

10321.2 [new item] Others Who Are Eligible for the ETV Program

10321.3 [new item] Scholastic Eligibility Criteria for the ETV Program

10321.4 [new item] Eligibility for the ETV Program Based on Citizenship and Immigration

10321.5 [new item] Eligibility for the ETV Program: Before Age 21 and Until Age 23

10321.6 [new item] Minimum Credit Hours for the ETV Program

10321.7 [new item] Financial Aid Probation or Warnings for Students in the ETV Program

10321.8 [previously 10326.4] Moving to Another State to Attend School While Participating in the ETV Program

10322 [previously 10325] Staff Responsible for the ETV Program

10323 [previously 10322] Schools That Students May Attend in the ETV Program

10323.1 [new item] Enrolling in Correspondence, Distance Education, or Continuing Education Courses

10324 [previously 10326] The Application Process for the ETV Program

10324.1 [new item] Before Applying for the ETV Program

10324.2 [previously 10326.1] Submitting the ETV Application and Supporting Documents

10324.3 [new item] Submitting Other Documents After Being Approved for the ETV Program

10325 [previously 10326.3] Ongoing Eligibility Requirements After Initial Qualification for the ETV Program

10326 [new item] Determining and Disbursing ETV Funds

10326.1 [new item] The School’s Determination of Financial Aid

10326.2 [new item] DFPS’s Determination of the Amount of ETV Funds

10326.3 [new item] Disbursing ETV Funds

10326.4 [new item] How ETV Funds Are Paid in the First and Second Years of School

10326.5 [new item] How ETV Funds Are Paid in the Third and Fourth Years of School (or at Age 21)

10327 Expenses Covered by an ETV

10327.1 Overview of Expenses Covered by an ETV Funds

10327.2 Transportation Expenses Covered by ETV Funding

10327.3 [new item] Expenses Not Covered by the Costs of Attendance (COA)

10327.4 [new item] Students in DFPS Foster Care

10328 [previously 10326.2] The Right to Appeal ETV Decisions

10329 [previously 10326.5] Other Educational Resources

Education Stability

Education Section 15000 is updated to incorporate information from Children’s Commission on Education.

See:

15100 The Role of DFPS in Ensuring Education Stability and Success

15110 The Role of the Caseworker in Ensuring Education Stability

15111 [new item] Investigations

15112 [new item] Family-Based Safety Services

15113 [new item] Conservatorship

15120 The Role of the Education Specialist

15200 School Options for Children

15210 [previously 15111] Early Intervention and School Readiness Programs for Young Children

15220 [new item] Standard Schooling Options for School-Age Children and Youth

15221 [previously 15210] Choosing a Public School or RTC Program

15230 Exceptions to Standard Schooling

15231 [previously 15221] Sending a Child to Private School

15232 [previously 15222] School-Age Children Who Are Placed Out-of-State

15233 [previously 15223] School Services in Nursing Homes or for Students Who Are Homebound

15234 [new item] Home Schooling

15234.1 [previously 15231] Requesting an Exception for Home Schooling

15300 School Enrollment and Records Transfer

15310 Prompt Enrollment in School After Removal From the Home or a Change in Placement

15320 Documents Required for School Enrollment

15321 [new item] Immunization Requirements

15330 [new item] Transferring a Child’s Records

15331 [previously 15321] Accessing and Maintaining School Records

15332 [previously 15322] Creating a Child’s Educational Record

15340 [previously 15330] Education-Related Documents Required for the Case File

15350 [previously 15340] The Child’s Education Service Plan

15360 [previously 15350] Updating the Education Section of IMPACT

15370 [previously 15360] The Child’s Education Portfolio

15380 [previously 15370] Developing, Maintaining, and Documenting the Education Portfolio

15381 [previously 15371] Creating the Education Portfolio

15382 [previously 15372] Delivering the Education Portfolio to the Child’s Caregiver

15383 [previously 15373] Maintaining the Education Portfolio

15383.1 [previously 15373.1] The Role of CPS in Maintaining the Education Portfolio

15383.2 [previously 15373.2] The Role of the Caregiver in Maintaining the Education Portfolio

15383.3 [previously 15373.3] Maintaining the Education Portfolio at Discharge

15400 Discipline of Children in DFPS Conservatorship in the Public Schools

15410 [new item] Corporal Punishment and Other Physical Discipline in Schools

15420 [previously 15410] Discipline Policy for Children With Disabilities

15430 [previously 15420] Discipline Strategies and Restrictions for Children With Disabilities

15500 Psychological Testing of School-Age Children

15600 School Services for Children With Disabilities

15610 The Role of the School in Serving Children With Disabilities

15611 The Role of Surrogate Parents in the Education of Children With Disabilities

15612 The Admissions, Review, and Dismissal (ARD) Committee

15613 [previously 15620] Denial of Education-Related Services

6318 [new item] Maintaining the Child in the School of Origin and Minimizing Educational Disruption

The items below contain updated cross-references to the items above.

2452.2 General Referral Procedures

3412.2 Developing Goals, Tasks, and Services for a Family Service Plan

11411 Referring a Child to Medical Professionals and Health-Related Community Services

Permanency Planning

Modification to clarify meaning and to reconcile with CAPTA regarding permanency planning. See:

6200 Permanency Planning and Case Planning in Substitute Care

6210 Permanency Planning

6211 [new item] Overview of Permanency Planning

6211.1 [new item] Philosophy of Positive Permanency

6211.2 [new item] Benefits of Permanency from a Child’s Perspective

6211.3 [new item] Permanency Planning Process

6211.4 [previously 6211.1] Concurrent Permanency Planning

6211.5 [previously 6211.2] Permanency Planning for Children with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities in Institutional Settings

6212 Permanency Planning Goals

6212.1 Family Reunification

6212.2 Adoption

6212.3 Permanent Managing Conservatorship to a Relative or Suitable Individual

6212.4 Another Planned Permanent Living Arrangement

6212.5 [previously 6213] Selecting the Permanency Goal

6212.51 [previously 6213.1] Prioritizing Permanency Goals

6212.52 [previously 6213.2] Priority of Family Reunification

6212.53 [previously 6213.3] Adoption vs. Conservatorship

6212.54 [previously 6213.4] Another Planned Permanent Living Arrangement

6213 [new item] Factors to Consider When Planning for Permanency

6214 [new item] The Permanency Plan

6214.1 [new item] Developing the Permanency Plan

6214.2 [previously 6221] Documenting the Permanency Plan

6214.3 [previously 6221.1] Approving the Permanency Plan

6214.4 [previously 6222] Presenting the Permanency Plan to the Court

6214.5 [previously 6223] Implementing the Permanency Plan

6214.6 [previously 6222.1] Changing or Revising the Permanency Plan

6215 [previously 6223.2] Specific Steps to Meet Time Frames for Permanent Family Placements

6216 [previously 6223.3] Specific Steps when a Child’s Permanent Placement Involves the Department Maintaining Conservatorship

6217 [new item] Permanency Roundtables (PRT)

6218 [previously 6224] Documentation of Efforts Made to Achieve the Permanency Goal

6219 [previously 6230] Selecting a Conservatorship Option That Supports the Permanency Goal

Items 6231 through 6234 deleted.

The items below contain cross-references that were updated to reflect this revision. See:

3510 Purpose of FRS

4214 DFPS-Licensed Institutions Serving Children With Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities

5300 Court-Related Services for Children in Conservatorship

6494 Permanent Placement with the Caregiver