Handbook Revision, June 3, 2024

This revision of the Statewide Intake Policy and Procedures Handbook was published on June 3, 2024. Summaries of new or revised items are provided below.

Reports (PATS 14092)

This policy revision updates links, fixes typographical errors, updates cross-references, and makes changes for plain language, consistency in terminology, and accuracy in policy and procedure. The revisions include the following:

Clarifies that a direct basis of knowledge is not required.
Adds subheadings to 2122 Anonymous Reporters for easier access to information.
Clarifies that reports received via e-report, fax, or mail may have incomplete reporter information and still be accepted for CPI in certain situations.
Combines sections about anonymous and incomplete reports received by e-report, fax, or mail.
Clarifies actions to take when a reporter refuses to use interpretation services.
Clarifies that I&Rs sent to other agencies need to be understandable to non-DFPS readers.
Clarifies that a collateral does not go on the person list if there is no name or contact information.
Corrects that an Unknown placeholder is not assigned to collaterals on the person list.
Adds information about the Child Death checkbox.
Merges race and ethnicity into the demographics section.
Clarifies who to select as the reporter when law enforcement’s basis of knowledge is an anonymous reporter.
Clarifies that the intake specialist documents relevant questions asked of the reporter but unknown to the reporter.
Clarifies that temporary locations are documented in the narrative.
Clarifies that information from case history is not documented in the General Information section of the narrative.
Adds community providers under PI jurisdiction.
Clarifies the use of the term “retired military” in special handling.
Clarifies information related to subsequent contact from a new professional reporter.
Clarifies subsequent contact when a report is in progress.
Clarifies that an intake specialist determines the purpose of the need to speak with field staff before referring to the local office.
Updates information related to system downtime.
Clarifies to not use the New Using function on unrelated reports.
Adds a statement for documentation when sensitivity is removed from history.
Clarifies which field staff may authorize invalid reentry requests.

See:

2000 Reports

2100 Reporters

2110 Information about the Reporter

2111 Secondary Phone Numbers

2112 Supporting Materials and Documentation

2113 Notes about the Reporter Interaction

2111 2114 Caller ID

2112 2115 Speakerphone

2120 Types of Reporters

2121 Professional Reporters

2122 Anonymous Reporters

2122.1 Due Diligence to Gather Information

2122.2 Determining Program Jurisdiction

2122.3 Documenting Anonymous CPI Reports

2122.4 When Law Enforcement is the Reporter

2122.5 When an Anonymous Reporter Reveals Name, Phone Number, or Relationship

2122.6 2122.1 Anonymous Reporter Includes Concerns about Child Abuse or Neglect under CPI’s Jurisdiction While Making a Report for Law Enforcement or Another Program

2122.7 2122.2 Anonymous Reporter Reveals Enough Information to Find an Existing CPI Case

2122.8 2122.3 Anonymous or Incomplete Reports Received via E-Report, Fax, Mail, or Email

2122.4 E-Reports with Incomplete Reporter Information

2123 Chronic Reporters (Chronic Callers)

‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑‑

2126 Reporters (and Principals) Who May Be Known to Intake SWI Staff

2127 Reporters Who Refuses Decline an Interpreter

2130 Whom to Designate as the Reporter

2131 DFPS, CCR, PI, and SSCC Reporters

2131.1 Reporting in a Professional Capacity

2131.2 Reporting on Behalf of Someone Else

2131.3 Reporting as a Personal Witness or Participant

2134 Walk-In Reporters

2140 Feedback to the Reporter

2143 Intake Specialist Name and Worker ID

2144 Referrals

2145 Law Enforcement Welfare Check

2146 Notification about Status Updates or Investigation Results from the Local Office Outcome

2200 Person List

2210 Names

2270 Demographics

2280 Race and Ethnicity

2290 2280 Person Notes

2300 Narratives

2310 Narrative Structure

2312 Conclusions Section

2313 Locating Information Section

2320 Clear and Professional Writing

2330 Reporter’s Confidentiality in the Narrative

2340 Information from Case History Previous Narratives

2400 Searches

2420 IMPACT Case History Searches

2440 IMPACT Staff Searches

2450 IMPACT Event Searches

2460 Internet Searches

2470 Social Media Searches

2480 Texas Integrated Eligibility Redesign System (TIERS) Searches

2490 License Plate Searches

2500 Assessment

2510 Report Types

2520 Programs

2540 Determination Factors

2550 Determination Descriptors

2570 Consulting (Staffing)

2600 Processing

2630 County

2650 Worker Safety Issues

2660 Special Handling

2661 Active Military

2662 Law Enforcement

2663 Native American Reservation

2665 Retired Military

2666 Suspected Manufacturing of Methamphetamines

2667 Sensitive Case Report

2680 Call-Outs and Routing

2681 On-Call Schedules

2683 2682 Problem with an On-Call Schedule

2682 2683 Changing an On-Call Schedule

2687 Routing

2700 Special Topics, Part 1

2710 Subsequent Contact from Reporters

2712 Subsequent Contact from a Different Reporter

2713 Subsequent Contact from a New Professional Reporter

2715 Subsequent Information on an Intake a Report in Procgress

2715.1 The Same Reporter Calls while the Original Intake Specialist is Still Completing the Report

2715.2 Report Assigned to Immediate Call-Out Workload

2715.3 Sensitive Report Submitted to Supervisor Approval Workload

2720 Reporter Requests to Speak to Field Staff

2721 Law Enforcement Requests to Speak to Field Staff

2730 Law Enforcement Dispatch Calls with Limited Information

2740 Limited Locating Information for CPI and APS

2750 Sole Basis of Knowledge from Media

2760 Family or Adult Victim Moves During an Investigation: Requests to Transfer Cases Reports

2770 System Downtime

2800 Special Topics, Part 2

2810 Multiple Reports from the Same Contact

2811 Requesting Help with Multiple Unrelated Reports

2820 Assessing Reports Made by Field Staff

2822 Field Staff Makes a Report for a Different Program

2830 Sensitive Reports

2832 Consulting (Staffing) on a Sensitive Report

2834 Law Enforcement Notification for a Sensitive Report

2840 Complaints

2841 Public Complaint about SWI

2844 SWI Complaint about SWI Staff

2845 SWI Complaint about Field Worker Staff

2846 Field Worker Staff Complaint about SWI

2850 Reentering Reports (Reentry)

2852 Changes That Do Not Require a Ree-Entry

2860 Reentry Requests from Field Staff

2861 Verifying the Requestor’s Employment

2863 Evaluating a Ree-Entry Request

2863.1 Valid Request

2863.2 Invalid Request Received by Phone

2863.3 Invalid Request Received through Mail, Fax, or Internet

2864 Documenting a Ree-Entry Request

2865 Completing a Ree-Entry

2866 Sending the Ree-Entry Feedback Template

2867 Deleting the Original Report from a Workload

2868 Ree-Entry Requests Handled by an SWI Supervisor or Worker V

Legal Basis for Screening (PATS 14094)

This policy revision updates links, fixes typographical errors, updates cross-references, completes minor changes for plain language, consistency in language usage, accuracy in policy and procedure, and organization. Some specifics are as follows:

Changed the organization to better follow the actual workflow and mirror the organization of the RCCI Screener chapter for consistency.
Removed two sections about eligibility for formal screening with the most relevant information added to 11320 Criteria.
Removed two sections detailing specific collaterals to contact as it is case specific.
Removed three sections related to specific searches outside IMPACT as it was redundant with other parts of the SWI Handbook and had superfluous details.
Merged one section on decisions and assessments with another as a separate section was not needed.
Merged one section on closing an intake with another as it contained similar content and did not warrant a new section.

See:

11100 Legal Basis for Screening

11200 Screening Purpose and Program Organization

11210 SWI Child Protective Investigations (CPI) Screeners

11220 Screener Supervisors

11230 Screener Program Administrator

11240 Workload Distribution

11250 Sensitive Intakes

11300 Screening Process

11400 Searching

11310 11410 Searching for DFPS History

11311 11420 Analyzing History

11312 11430 External Resources

11431 Texas Integrated Eligibility Redesign System (TIERS) Searches

11432 Data Broker

11433 Other External Resources

11320 11310 Criteria

11320 Eligibility

11321 Not Eligible for Formal Screening

11330 Times Frames

11340 Contacts Contacting and Interviewing

11341 Contacting Reporters

11342 Contacting Collaterals

11342.1 Reliable Collateral

11342.2 People Who Are Not Appropriate to Contact

11343 Contacting Principals Principal Sources or Parents

11350 11730 When a Formal Screening is Not Conducted

11400 11500 Consulting (Staffing)

11410 11510 Children in DFPS Conservatorship

11420 11520 Child Deaths

11430 11530 Other Situations with that Require Mandatory Consultation

11500 11600 Decisions (Assessments)

11610 Assessment Responses

11510 11620 Changing the Priority of an Intake about Abuse or Neglect

11630 Forwarding to Program or Closing the Intake

11520 11631 An Intake Intakes That Clearly Meets Meet Investigation Guidelines

11530 11612 Alternative Response (A-R)

11540 11611 Traditional Investigations (INV)

11550 11632 Closing an Intake

11632.1 Closing Intakes Without Assignment for Investigation

11551 11632.2 Closing A Child Death Intakes Without An Investigation

11552 11632.3 Closing Intakes for Children in DFPS Conservatorship

11553 11632.4 Closing Intakes for Unaccompanied Alien Children (UAC)

11554 11613 Case Closure with Differential Response

11600 11700 Documenting the Screening

11610 11710 Formal Questions in IMPACT

11620 11720 Document within 24 Hours

11700 11800 Reporter Notification of Closure

11800 11900 Special Topics

11810 11910 Intake Call Recordings

11820 11920 Concerns About Intakes Follow-Up to SWI Documentation

Request for the Status of a Report or Report ID (PATS 14157)

This handbook revision updates policy to note that a first and last name are required when an intake specialist verifies that a caller is the original reporter on a previous report.

See:

3411 Request for the Status of a Report or for a Report ID

Child-Specific Contracts (PATS 14162)

This handbook revision adds links to existing SWI policy on child-specific contracts for cross-reference.

See:

6636 Child-Specific Contract (CSC)

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9613 Child-Specific Contract (CSC)

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Handbook Revision, June 3, 2024