Handbook Revision, March 1, 2023
This revision of the Statewide Intake Policy and Procedures Handbook was published on March 1, 2023. Summaries of new or revised items are provided below.
Assessment and Allegations (PATS 13891)
Clarification on using professional reporters (REPs) opinions in intake assessments. Continuity of language for all programs allegations sections (4200, 5300, 6300, 7300, 8300, 9300).
See:
2500 Assessment
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4200 CPI and CPS Allegations
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5300 APS Allegations
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6300 PI Facility Allegations
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7300 PI Community Allegations
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8300 DCI Allegations
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9300 RCCI Allegations
Cross References (PATS 13893)
Adding cross references to SWI 2000 section to connect with related program sections. Adding minor text edits and related to phrasing and clarity in section 2200.
See:
2200 Person List
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2240 Types
2241 Principal (PRN)
2242 Collateral (COL)
2250 Roles
2251 Alleged Victim (VC)
2252 Alleged Perpetrator (AP)
2253 Alleged Victim Perpetrator (VP)
2254 Unknown (UK)
2255 No Role (NO)
2260 Relationship or Interest (Rel/Int)
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2530 Allegations
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2560 Priorities
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4123 Alleged Victim Perpetrator (VP)
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4130 Relationship /or Interest (Rel/Int)
Case Name and In Regard To (PATS 13895)
Adding clarification regarding how to choose a case name for CRSRs (4400, 5500, 8620).
See:
2620 Case Name and In Regards To
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4400 Processing CPI Intakes and CRSRs
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5500 Processing APS Intakes and CRSRs
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8620 Case Name Field
Chronic Callers (PATS 13896)
Edited for clarity and corrected one link.
See:
5650 Chronic Callers
Duplicating a Report (PATS 13898)
Clarified instructions for duplicating a report (2812) and determining report date and time (2821). Edited reentry section (2862) to ensure continuity.
See:
2812 Duplicating a Report (New Using)
2813 Modifying a Report Created by the New Using Function an Unrelated or Companion Report
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2821 DFPS Field Staff Makes a Report for His or Her Their Program
2821.1 Determining the Date and Time of the Report
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2860 Reentry Requests from Field Workers Staff
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2862 Obtaining Details about a Re-Eentry Request
When the Specific Foster Home Cannot be Identified (PATS 13900)
This new section provides direction for intake for past abuse or neglect, when the placement that the incident occurred is unknown.
See:
9614 When the Specific Foster Home Cannot Be Identified
Law Enforcement Notification (PATS 13901)
This policy update clarifies how to notify law enforcement about concerns inside of Texas and out-of-state, including situations involving human trafficking. The update adds details about which DFPS and HHSC programs provide their own law enforcement notification.
See:
2670 Law Enforcement Notification
2671 When the Location of the Abuse or Neglect Incident Is Known
2672 When the Location of the Abuse or Neglect Incident Is Not Specific
2673 When the Location of the Abuse or Neglect Incident Is Unknown
2674 Multiple Criminal Jurisdictions
2675 When the Location of the Abuse or Neglect Incident Is Out-of-State
2676 When the Abuse or Neglect Incident Involves Human Trafficking
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3120 I&R to Existing Case
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3171 Non-FPS Criminal Matter Referred to Law
3171.1 When Not to Use the I&R Non-FPS Criminal Matter Referred to Law
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3173 Matter Referred On
Reentering a Child Death CRSR (PATS 13902)
This update adds child death CRSRs as a reason for reentry, along with the procedures, so that the CRSR and the new intake are linked as related reports, even though the intake would have a new narrative and a different reporter.
See:
2851 Reasons for a Reentry
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2865.1 Reentering a Child Death CRSR as an Intake
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4631.2 Case-Related Special Request (CRSR)
I&R Caseworker Notification (PATS 13903)
The handbook was updated to clarify that the I&R CVS Caseworker Notification goes to the C-IC Substitute Care (SUB) stage too, as typically nothing is sent to that type of SUB stage case.
See:
3101 CVS Caseworker Notification
Sexual Abuse Allegation Changes (PATS 13904)
The handbook was updated to reflect House Bill 375 from the 87th Legislature in 2021 that changed the Texas Penal Code, Section 21.02, Continuous Sexual Abuse of Young Child or Disabled Individual, to include “disabled individual” to the offense of continuous sexual abuse.
See:
4210 Abuse Allegations
4211 Emotional Abuse (EMAB)
4212 Human Trafficking
4212.1 Labor Trafficking (LBTR)
4212.2 Sex Trafficking (SXTR)
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4213 Physical Abuse (PHAB)
4214 Sexual Abuse (SXAB)
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5313 Sexual Abuse (SXAB)
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6311 Emotional Abuse (EMAB)
6312 Physical Abuse (PHAB)
6313 Sexual Abuse (SXAB)
6320 Neglect (NEGL)
6330 Exploitation (EXPL)
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7311 Emotional Abuse (EMAB)
7312 Physical Abuse (PHAB)
7313 Sexual Abuse (SXAB)
7320 Neglect (NEGL)
7330 Exploitation (EXPL)
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8313 Sexual Abuse (SXAB)
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8331 Labor (LBTR) and Sex Trafficking (SXTR) in DCI Reports
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9331 Labor (LBTR) and Sex Trafficking (SXTR) in RCCI Reports
Child Neglect Allegations (PATS 13905)
Updating handbook child neglect allegations due to 2021 House Bill 567 in 87th Legislature regarding Texas Family Code (TFC) Section 261.001(4).
Also, the term a substantial risk was changed to an immediate danger throughout the section of the TFC.
See:
4220 Neglect Allegations
4221 Abandonment (ABAN)
4222 Medical Neglect (MDNG)
4223 Neglectful Supervision (NSUP)
4224 Physical Neglect (PHNG)
4225 Refusal to Assume Parental Responsibility (RAPR)
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8320 Neglect Allegations
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8322 Neglectful Supervision (NSUP)
8323 Physical Neglect (PHNG)
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9320 Neglect Allegations
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9322 Neglectful Supervision (NSUP)
Sexual Behavior (PATS 13906)
This policy was updated to conform with plain language. New policy was added related to the child of a youth who has a sexual partner who is more than three years older and when to complete an intake for the child of the youth.
See:
4530 Sexual Behavior in Children and Youth
4531 Young Children Who Are Sexually Acting Out Children Exhibiting Sexual Behavior
4531.1 Determining an Intake Assessing Behavior
4531.2 Identifying the Source of Sexual Exposure Behavior
4531.3 Processing Reports on Young Children Who are Sexually Acting Out Reports for Children Under the age of 10 Who are Exhibiting Age Inappropriate Sexual Behavior
4531.4 Children Ages 13 or Younger Engaged in Sexual Activity
4532 Sexually Active Youth Ages 14-17
4532.1 Age 13 or Younger Engaged in Sexual Activity
4532.2 4532.1 A Youth Agesd 14-16 Engaged in Sexual Activity
4532.3 4532.2 A Youth Agesd 14-16 Living with a Non-Related an Unrelated Partner Who is More than Three Years Older
4532.3 A Youth Aged 14-16 Has a Child and Is in a Relationship with an Unrelated Partner Who Is More Than Three Years Older
4532.4 A Youth Age 17 Engaged in Sexual Activity
4533 A Child or Youth with a Developmental Delay Engaged in Sexual Activity
4534 Limited Information about a Sexually Active Children or Youth
Therapeutic Needs Placement (PATS 13908)
Updating language to comply with plain language guidelines.
See:
4564.1 Residential Treatment Center Project
4564.11 Assessing Reports for Residential Treatment Center Project
4564.2 Post-Adoption Substitute Care Services
4564.21 Assessing Reports for Post-Adoption Substitute Care
Assessing CRSR Child Death History (PATS 13909)
Information was added about how CRSR child death history for children not in DFPS conservatorship is assessed when found. An additional assessment for past abuse and neglect with vague, unclear, or unknown child death information was added. The organization was changed to align with the child death table.
See:
4142 Person Lists Involving a Child Fatality Death Report
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4630 Child Fatality Death
4631 Death of a Child Not in DFPS Conservatorship
4631.1 Priority 1 (P1)
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4631.3 Current Allegations with Vague Child Death Information
4631.4 Current Allegations with Clear Child Death Information
4631.5 Priority None (PN)
4631.6 Information and Referral (I&R)
4631.7 Child Death Assessment Table
Young Adults CRSR Return to Care (PATS 13910)
This policy was updated to conform with changes made to 4561.14 Youth in Conservatorship Has a Child and 4561.15 Youth in Conservatorship Abuses or Neglects Own Child and correct backdating of CRSR only, not the intake.
See:
4825.3 Young Adults Returning to Care Who Have with Children of Their Own
HHSC PI Jurisdiction for Alleged Perpetrator and Child Client and CPI Jurisdiction for Care Provided in the Child’s Home (PATS 13911)
This policy was updated in plain language and clarifies that the funding source does not matter for a child receiving services from a HCSSA. Also, a link was added to another policy related to care in a child’s home.
See:
7222.2 Alleged Perpetrator and Child Client
I&R to Existing Case (PATS 13914)
Updated 3121 to include language removed from 4450 (Information and Referrals). Added numbers to subsections in 3121, added hyperlinks to 3121 and 4150.
See:
3121 Specific Considerations for an I&R to Existing Case
3121.1 When to Send an I&R to Existing CPS Case
3121.2 CPS Case-Related Special Requests
3121.3 When Not to Send an I&R to Existing CPS Case
3121.4 Aging Out of Care (AOC) Stage in APS Cases
3121.5 APS Case-Related Special Request Cases
3121.6 Existing Provider Investigation (PI) Case and Possible Client’s Rights Issues
3121.7 DCR or RCCR Standards Compliance and an Open DCI or RCCI Case
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4450 Information and Referral (I&Rs)
4450 4451 Open Cases Case Stages