Handbook Revision, November 1, 2023
These revisions of the Child Protective Services Handbook were published on November 1, 2023.
On September 1, 2017, the investigations branch of CPS became a separate division named Child Protective Investigations (CPI). Until CPI develops its own policy handbook, investigation policies and procedures will remain in the CPS Handbook.
See:
Child Protective Services Revisions
Child Protective Investigations Revisions
Child Protective Services Revisions
Closing FBSS Case 10 Days (PATS 13923)
This handbook revision does the following:
- Removes unneeded information.
- Condenses sections regarding contact requirements during an FBSS case.
An asterisk (*) indicates that a section was renumbered but not revised in any other way.
See:
12200 Contacts in Family-Based Safety Services (FBSS)
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12230 Ten-Day Tasks and Case Decisions
12231 Closing the FBSS Case within Ten Days
* 12230 12232 Ten-Day Tasks When the FBSS Case Is Remaining Open
12240 Parent and Child Face-to-Face Contacts
12250 Contacts with PCSP Caregiver
* 12250 12260 Notifying a Supervisor When Unable to Meet the Time Frames for Face-to-Face Contact
* 12260 12270 Locating, Contacting, and Assessing Absent or Noncustodial Parents
* 12261 12271 Locating Absent or Noncustodial Parents
* 12262 12272 Contacting and Assessing Absent or Noncustodial Parents
* 12270 12280 FBSS Actions When a Child or Principal Cannot Be Located
Services Inappropriate Update (PATS 13924)
This update includes information on when it is appropriate to use the Services Inappropriate closure code to help avoid using this code incorrectly.
See:
12780 Services Inappropriate
Family Based Safety Services (FBSS) Administrative Closure (PATS 13925)
This handbook revision clarifies when it is appropriate to use the Administratively Closed closure code.
See:
12790 Administratively Closed
FBSS Case Closure Codes (PATS 13933)
This policy revision clarifies when to use the Court Ordered Services Closed code to close a Family-Based Safety Services (FBSS) case.
See:
12750 Determining Closure Code
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12752 Court Ordered Services Closed
12753 Child Outside of Home/No CVS
12754 Child Removed from Home/CVS
Receiving a Family-Based Safety Services (FBSS) Case from Investigation (INV) (PATS 13935)
This policy revision reflects what is being added and changed in section 2400 (PATS 13800). The FBSS policy needs to correspond with those changes, so there are no contradictions between those sections and these.
See:
12220 Receiving a Case in FBSS from Investigations
12221 FBSS Actions When the INV and Family Preservation (FPR) Stages Are Open Concurrently
Family Refusal (PATS 13936)
This policy revision clarifies when the Family Refused/Legal Impossible closure code is appropriate and under what circumstances it is used. This revision also adds language to align policy with a memo from the associate commissioner for CPS.
See:
12770 Family Refused/Legal Impossible
Suicide Prevention, Intervention, and Postvention Training Update (PATS 13971)
This update adds the curriculum components and a statement that DFPS promotes suicide prevention, intervention, and postvention training. This new information meets Child Care Regulation (CCR) approval.
See:
7645.1 Suicide Prevention and Intervention Training
Updates Concerning Services and the Initial Contact with the Kinship Caregiver (PATS 13975)
The 3-Day Medical Exam is now limited to six categories of children coming into care rather than all children receiving it. Policy was changed to align with legislation that limits the 3-Day Medical Exam. The DFPS Commissioner directed the change.
See:
6642 Services and Initial Contact with the Kinship Caregiver
Initial Assessment Services Updates (PATS 13976)
The 3-Day Exam will be limited to six categories of children coming into care rather than all children receiving it. Policy was changed to align with legislation that limits the 3-Day Exam. This is not new legislation. The DFPS Commissioner directed this change.
See:
6430 Initial Assessment Services
Enhanced Permanency Care Assistance (PCA) (PATS 14012)
The following policies are created to ensure client safety through services – kinship support. This new policy is due to Exception Item 02.E for Kinship Support to Enhance Permanency Care Assistant Payments from the 88th session.
See:
1625 Enhanced Permanency Care Assistance
1625.1 Definition of Enhanced Permanency Care Assistance
1625.2 Eligibility Requirements for Enhanced Permanency Care Assistance
1625.3 Proceeding with Permanent Managing Conservatorship with Permanency Care Assistance Placements in a Timely Manner
1625.4 Approval Process for Enhanced Permanency Care Assistance
1625.41 Regional Approval Process
1625.42 State Office Approval Process
1625.43 Approvals and Notification to Family
1625.44 Summary of Forms
1625.5 Timing of Negotiation for Enhanced Permanency Care Assistance and Placement
1625.6 Authorization of Payments for Enhanced Permanency Care Assistance
1625.7 Denials of Enhanced Permanency Care Assistance
1625.8 Deferred Agreements for Enhanced Permanency Care Assistance
1625.9 Appeals and Fair Hearings for Enhanced Permanency Care Assistance
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6687 Enhanced Permanency Care Assistance
6687.1 Definition of Enhanced Permanency Care Assistance
6687.2 Eligibility Requirements for Enhanced Permanency Care Assistance
6687.3 Proceeding with Permanent Managing Conservatorship with Permanency Care Assistance Placements in a Timely Manner
6687.4 Approval Process for Enhanced Permanency Care Assistance
6687.41 Regional Approval Process
6687.42 State Office Approval Process
6687.43 Approvals and Notification to Family
6687.44 Summary of Forms
6687.5 Timing of Negotiation for Enhanced Permanency Care Assistance and Placement
6687.6 Authorization of Payments for Enhanced Permanency Care Assistance
6687.7 Denials of Enhanced Permanency Care Assistance
6687.8 Deferred Agreements for Enhanced Permanency Care Assistance
6687.9 Appeals and Fair Hearings for Enhanced Permanency Care Assistance
Case Closure in Family-Based Safety Services (PATS 14055)
Multiple updates are needed to align with changes from Texas Legislative Session 88R that had direct impact on these policies and other policy sections that impacted these sections.
Note: The sections marked with an asterisk (*) below are being renumbered but not revised.
See:
12700 Case Closure in Family-Based Safety Services (FBSS)
12710 Case Closure Tasks
12711 Case Closure Conference (Staffing)
12712 Final Risk Reassessment Before Closure
12713 Final Safety Assessment Before Closure
12720 Closing Summary
12721 Final Face-to-Face Contact with Parents/Caregivers
12722 Final Child Face-to-Face Contact, Pictures, and Home Visit
12730 Case Closure Approval
12731 Whom to Notify of the Case Closure Decision
12740 Submitting an FBBS Case for Closure
12750 12740 Case Closure Letter
* 12760 12750 Determining Closure Code Closure
* 12761 12751 Risk is Reduced in the Family
* 12762 12752 Court Ordered Services Closed
* 12763 12753 Child Outside of Home/No CVS
* 12764 12754 Child Removed from Home/CVS
* 12765 12755 Only Child Died
* 12766 12756 Family Moved
* 12767 12757 Unable to Locate the Family
* 12770 12760 Family Refused/Legal Impossible
* 12780 12770 Services Inappropriate
* 12781 12771 Using Closure Code Services Inappropriate When Closing before Initial Family Plan of Service
* 12790 12780 Administratively Closed
Intoxication Manslaughter Restitution (PATS 14060)
This new policy is related to House Bill 393, 88th Legislature, Regular Session.
See:
1569.7 Restitution Payments for Intoxication Manslaughter
Child Protective Investigations Revisions
Emergency Removal before Court Order (PATS 13999)
This handbook revision updates policy about emergency removals conducted before obtaining a court order. It aligns policy with Texas Family Code Section 262.104 and House Bill 968, 88th Texas Legislature, Regular Session.
See:
5412 Conducting an Emergency Removal before Obtaining a Court Order (Exigent)
5412.1 Standard for Conducting an Emergency Removal before Obtaining a Court Order (Exigent)
5412.11 Exigent Circumstances and Imminent Danger
5412.2 Basic Process for Conducting an Emergency Removal before Obtaining a Court Order (Exigent)
5412.3 Required Time Frame for Ex Parte Emergency Hearing and Steps to Take If Hearing Is Not Held within the Required Time Frame (Exigent)
Concurrent Process (PATS 13800)
Policy 2400 is being updated to remove the exception rationales and replace them with updated policy to clarify when a case is referred to Family-Based Safety Services (FBSS).
Policy 2412 is being updated to identify the responsibilities of a supervisor who is reviewing the FBSS referral and the time frame for the supervisor’s review.
Policy 2413 is being updated to identify the responsibilities of the Investigation and Family-Based Safety Services caseworkers during the transition period when both the INV and FPR stages are open concurrently.
Policy 2414 is being updated to include a new section that clarifies that, when DFPS requests a court order, the caseworker must enter the legal action in the Investigation stage, regardless of whether the request is approved or denied by an attorney or judge.
This policy update also includes revisions to meet the requirements of House Bill 968, 88th Legislature, Regular Session.
See:
2400 Referring a Case from Investigations to Voluntary or Court-Ordered Family-Based Safety Services (FBSS)
2410 Process for Concurrent Stages – Referring a Case to Family-Based Safety Services (FBSS)
2411 Role of the Referring Caseworker
2412 Role of the Referring Supervisor
2413 Concurrent Stages Process
2414 Court-Ordered Participation in FBSS