Child Protective Services
Handbook Revision, January 30, 2017
This revision of the Child Protective Services Handbook was published on January 30, 2017.
CPS wants to ensure that the general public understands what critical actions caseworkers are required to perform and why. To further this understanding, CPS has set up a policy e-mail box for the general public: CPSPolicyQuestions@dfps.texas.gov. Please feel free to contact us, via this email address, with any general questions related to policy.
For questions or concerns regarding specific cases, please contact the caseworker or supervisor, or the Office of Consumer Affairs at 1-800-720-7777.
Streamlined 6000 Substitute Care Services
Grounds for Termination of Parental Rights
Alternative Response – Administrative Closure
Streamlined 6000 Substitute Care Services (PATS 9807)
Section 6000 of the CPS Handbook (Placement) has been rewritten and streamlined. This has removed non-policy material, reorganized sections, combined some policy from the prior 4000 section and updated policy to be current. This is part of CPS’s ongoing streamlining and reorganization of Policy Handbooks.
See the attached table, which documents the new locations of policy.
Sections 4500. 4600, and 4700 are removed, as those policies are now in the 6000 section.
Appendices related to the 6000 section have been reorganized as shown below. Deleted appendices are either duplicates or have been incorporated into resource guides:
Appendix 5000-1 Appendix 6133: When a Suit to Terminate Must be Filed
Appendix 6141: Federal Case-Planning Requirements
Appendix 7000-1 Appendix 6151-A: Licensing Criteria for Granting Variances for Level 1 Child Placing Staff Qualifications
Appendix 7000-2 Appendix 6151-B: Procedure for Requesting a Level 1 Policy Variance
Appendix 6242 Federal Law Pertinent to Case Planning
Appendix 6250 Guide for Completing the Child Plan of Service
Appendix 6260 Legal Requirements for the Family Plan of Service
Appendix 1100-1 Appendix 6273.1: Roles and Responsibilities of Family Group Decision-Making (FGDM)
Appendix 4000-1 Appendix 6323.5: Additional Actions for Placing Children with Intellectual or Developmental Disabilities
Appendix 4000-2 Appendix 6323.51: ICF-ID/RC Levels of Care
Appendix 6000-1 Appendix 6392: Discharging Children From Substitute Care
Appendix 6520: Filing Charges with the Juvenile Justice System
Appendix 6717-A: Understanding the Risks and Benefits of Applying for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status
Appendix 6717-B: Entendiendo los Riesgos v Beneficios al Aplicar para el Estato de Inmigrante Juvenil Especial
Appendix 6921: Requirements for Completing the Health, Social, Educational, and Genetic History Report
Appendix 6931-A: Information to Consider about the Child When Selecting an Adoptive Family
Appendix 6931-B: Information to Consider about the Prospective Adoptive Family When Placing a Child for Adoption
Grounds for Termination of Parental Rights (PATS 9747)
Updating section 5564.14 Criminal Activity and Imprisonment. Previous policy said that “Certain specific conduct that causes death or serious injury to a child or adult and results in criminal or delinquency proceedings against the perpetrator is grounds for termination of parental rights.” Legal has determined that this does not correctly interpret TFC 161.001(b)(1)(L).
Correcting policy to read “Certain specific conduct that causes death or serious injury to a child or adult and results in a criminal conviction or deferred adjudication for the perpetrator is grounds for termination of parental rights.” See:
5564.14 Criminal Activity and Imprisonment
Alternative Response – Administrative Closure (PATS 9777)
This new item adds the existing administrative closure policy to the Alternative Response section.
2656 Administrative Closure
Special Health Care Needs (PATS 9852)
Adding a subsection to 11400 Special Health Care Needs. New subsection 11413 (Children with Primary Medical Needs) contains links to the PMN Resource Guide and to 4114.7 Specific Placement Considerations for Children Who Have Primary Medical Needs.
11413 Children with Primary Medical Needs (PMN)