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Section 2000: Intake, Investigation, and Assessment
2000 Intake, Investigation, and Assessment
2100 Processing Reports of Abuse or Neglect
2110 Definitions of Abuse/Neglect and Authority
2112 Primary Statutory Definitions
2113 Statutory Definitions of Child Abuse and Neglect
2114 Statutory Definition of Person Responsible for Child's Care, Custody, or Welfare
2115 Terms Used in Primary Statutory Definitions
2120 CPI Authority for Investigating Reports of Abuse or Neglect
2121 Reports within CPI Authority to Investigate
2121.1 DFPS Employee or Single Source Continuum Contractor (SSCC) Abuse or Neglect Investigations
2121.2 Expedited Investigations
2122 Reports Not Within CPS Authority to Investigate
2123 Children Not Yet Born or Not Born Alive
2130 The Roles of SWI and CPS During Intake
2131 Legal Requirements for Reporting Abuse or Neglect
2132 Reporting Requirements for DFPS Staff
2132.1 Reporting Requirements for Licensed or Certified DFPS Staff
2132.3 Reporting Requirements for All DFPS Staff When a Person Refuses to Report
2132.4 Exception to the Requirement That CPS Staff Notify SWI About Additional Allegations
2133 Special Issues Relating to Reporting Abuse or Neglect
2134 Reporting Directly to SWI About Abuse or Neglect
2135 Reports Made to Field Offices
2136 When to Notify Law Enforcement About Reports of Abuse or Neglect
2140 Screening an Intake for Investigation
2141 Screening and Prioritizing Reports of Abuse or Neglect
2142 The Allegations That CPS Accepts for Investigation and Assessment
2142.1 Criteria for Initiating an Investigation
2142.3 Incomplete or Questionable Reports of Abuse or Neglect
2142.4 When Abuse or Neglect Occurs in a Foster or Adoptive Home
2142.5 Reports of Abuse or Neglect That Relate to Child-Care Facilities
2143 Assigning Priority to Reports of Abuse or Neglect
2143.1 Assigning a Report as Priority 1 (P1)
2143.11 Examples of Priority 1 (P1) Reports
2143.12 When a Priority 1 (P1) Report Is Received After-Hours
2143.2 Assigning a Report as Priority II (P2)
2143.3 Assigning a Report as Priority None (PN)
2144 The Role of SWI in Screening Reports of Abuse or Neglect
2150 CPS Process of Screening Intakes for Investigations
2151 The CPI Supervisor's Role in Reviewing Reports of Abuse or Neglect
2151.1 Notification of a Report Involving a Child in DFPS Conservatorship
2152 Contacting Collateral Sources About Reports of Abuse or Neglect
2153 Formally Screening Reports of Abuse or Neglect (The Role of the Investigation Screener)
2153.1 Criteria for Formally Screening Reports of Abuse or Neglect
2153.2 CPS Staff Who Formally Screen Reports of Abuse or Neglect
2153.3 Determining a Report's Eligibility for Screening
2153.4 Reports That Clearly Meet Investigation Guidelines
2153.5 Reports That Do Not Clearly Meet Investigation Guidelines
2153.6 Recommending a Formally Screened Report for Investigation
2153.7 Closing a Formally Screened Report (Not Recommending Investigation)
2153.8 Time Frames for Completing the Formal Screening of a Report
2153.9 Documenting the Formal Screening of a Report
2154 Notifying the Reporter When a Report Is Closed
2155 Changing the Priority of a Report – Abuse or Neglect
2156 Closing Investigation Reports of Abuse or Neglect Using Priority None (PN) Closure Codes
2156.1 Closing Reports Priority None (PN) That Involve Children in Care
2156.2 Closing Reports Priority None (PN) That Involve a Child Fatality
2156.3 Closing Reports Using Priority None (PN) Closure Codes
2156.4 Required Tasks before Closing Report Using Priority None (PN)
2156.5 Reports of Abuse or Neglect That Require Program Director Approval for Closure
2156.6 Reports of Abuse or Neglect That Require Program Administrator Approval for Closure
2157 Receiving a New Intake During an Open Investigation of Abuse or Neglect
2157.1 Determining Whether Face-to-Face Contact Is Required
2200 Basic Investigation Process
2221 Documentation and Same Day Contact Entry for Alleged Victims and Other Children
2222 Case Activities Requiring 24 Hour Documentation
2231 When to Notify Children Advocacy Centers About Reports of Abuse or Neglect
2232 Making a Referral to the Forensic Assessment Center Network
2232.1 When and When Not to Make a Referral to FACN
2232.2 Specialty Consultations
2232.3 Documenting Results from FACN Consultations
2232.4 Requesting an Extension While Awaiting FACN Response
2232.5 Removing a Child Based on FACN Consult
2240 Interviewing, Examining, Transporting, and Removing a Child
2241 Constitutional Protections Under the Fourth Amendment
2242 General Requirements for Consent
2242.11 Determining Whether a Child Has the Capacity to Consent
2242.5 Documenting Consent and Actions Taken Based on Exigent Circumstances
2243.1 Consent to Enter the Home
2243.11 Who Has the Authority to Give Consent to Enter the Home
2243.12 Consent Provided by an Adult Resident of the Home
2244.1 Time Frames for Interviewing Children
2244.2 Interviewing Other Children in the Home
2244.3 Consent to Interview a Child
2244.31 Consent to Interview a Child at Home
2244.32 Consent to Interview a Child at School
2244.4 Conducting the Interview
2244.41 Assessing Communication Needs when Interviewing a Child
2244.5 Notifying a Parent that a Child Has Been Interviewed
2244.6 Interviews with Children at Specialized Facilities
2244.7 Accepting Child Interviews Conducted by Others
2244.8 Interviews with a Child Who Is Alleged to Be a Victim and a Perpetrator
2245.2 Consent for Visual Examination of a Child at School
2245.21 Visual Examination of a Child at a School Under TEA Jurisdiction
2245.22 Visual Examinations of a Child at a School Not Under TEA Jurisdiction
2245.3 Conducting a Visual Examination
2245.4 Audio and Visual Documentation of a Child's Interview and Injuries to the Child
2245.5 Examinations by External Entities
2245.51 Sexual Abuse Examinations
2245.52 Medical, Psychological, and Psychiatric Assessments
2246.1 Authority to Transport a Child From School
2246.2 Transporting a Child in Other Circumstances
2246.3 Notifying the Parents Before Transporting a Child
2247 Removing a Child from the Child’s Home
2248 Interviews and Contact with Parents, Alleged Perpetrators, Other Adults, and Principals
2248.1 Interviewing Parents and Alleged Perpetrators
2248.11 Assessing Communication Needs when Interviewing an Adult
2248.2 Notice of Right to Record an Alleged Perpetrator’s Interview
2248.3 Recording Interviews of an Adult
2248.4 Obtaining Demographic Information from Principals
2248.5 Required Documents to Provide to Parents
2248.6 Complaints or Requests for Clarification from Alleged Perpetrators or Principal Adults
2248.7 Determining Alleged Perpetrator’s Military Status
2260 Adding Additional Information to an Open Investigation
2270 Assessing Safety and Risk
2271.1 Completing an Initial Safety Assessment
2271.2 Completing a Safety Reassessment
2271.3 Completing a Closure Safety Assessment
2273 Supervisor Review of Case Actions and Safety Decisions
2274 Assessment of Ongoing Child Safety
2281 Reaching Dispositions for the Allegations
2282 Referral to Early Childhood Intervention (ECI)
2290 Submitting Investigations
2291 Submitting an Investigation for Closure
2291.2 Unable to Complete, Family Moved/Cannot Locate
2291.3 All Other Recommended Actions
2291.4 Need for Ongoing Services
2292 Action on a Submitted Investigation
2292.1 Roles of the Child Safety Specialist, Supervisor, and Program Director
2292.2 Child Safety Specialist Approval Required on Child Fatalities
2292.3 Requesting Legal Orders
2293 Notifying Clients of Investigation Findings
2293.1 Exceptions to Notifying Clients of Investigation Findings
2294 Investigation Recommended Actions at Closure
2300 Special Circumstances for Investigations
2310 Criteria for Administrative Closure of an Investigation
2312 ADMIN – Refute the Allegations
2314 ADMIN – Already Investigated
2315 ADMIN – Investigation Is Longer Than 60 Days
2321 Criteria for a School Investigation
2322 Actions Required before Starting a School Investigation
2323 Required Actions during a School Investigation
2324 Schools Not Under the Jurisdiction of the Texas Education Agency (TEA)
2325 Danger to a Child during a School Investigation
2326 Completion and Closure of a School Investigation
2327 Release of the School Investigation Report
2332 Sending Notifications When a Child Dies
2333 Releasing Information About an Investigation Into the Death of a Child
2340 Situations Requiring Confidentiality
2341.1 Referral to Prosecution of Suspected Physical or Sexual Abuse
2342 OAG Address Confidentiality
2350 Abandoned or Missing Child
2352 When a Child is Abandoned at a DADS Facility
2353 Taking Possession of a Missing Child
2354 Providing Assistance to TJJD about Non-CPS Youth
2361 Child Under the Age of 11 With a Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD)
2363 Dispositions Involving Drug or Alcohol Pre-Natal Exposure
2364 Dispositions Involving Emotional Abuse
2372 Out-of-State Abuse or Neglect Incidents
2372.1 Handling Requests for Taking Legal Custody of Children Who Are Out of State
2380 Child Trafficking (Sex and Labor Trafficking) Investigations
2381 Informing Special Investigations of Child Sex or Labor Trafficking
2382 Informing Law Enforcement of Child Sex or Labor Trafficking
2383 Confirmed and Suspected Victims of Child Sex or Labor Trafficking
2392 Referring the Child for a Residential Treatment Center Bed Funded by DSHS
2392.2 Providing Crisis Services During the Referral Process
2392.3 Responding to the Referral Process Outcome
2393 If DFPS Removal Appears Necessary
2393.1 Discussing the Option of Joint Temporary Managing Conservatorship
2410 Process for Concurrent Stages – Referring a Case to Family-Based Safety Services (FBSS)
2610 Eligibility for Alternative Response
2611 Intakes or Cases Ineligible for Alternative Response (AR)
2611.1 Intakes Ineligible for Alternative Response
2611.2 Criteria for Routing a Case to Traditional Investigation
2612 New Intakes on an Open Alternative Response Case
2612.1 If the New Intake Meets Alternative Response Criteria
2612.2 If the New Intake Does Not Meet Alternative Response Criteria
2612.4 Determining Whether Family Contact Needs to be Made on a New Intake
2621 Documentation and Contact Entry
2621.1 Same Day Contact Entry with Children
2621.2 Case Activities Requiring 24 Hour Documentation
2621.3 All Other Documentation
2622.2 First Face-to-Face Contact
2622.4 Notifying and Making Face-to-Face Contact with an Involved Parent
2622.5 Family Member Not Present
2622.6 Family Refuses to Participate
2622.9 Determining Military Status
2623.2 Contact with Collaterals
2624.1 Completing the Safety Reassessment
2624.2 Supervisor's 15 Day Review of AR Case Actions and Safety Decisions
2624.3 Completing the Risk Assessment
2626 Alternative Response Family Plan
2626.2 Documenting the Plan in IMPACT
2626.3 Addressing Dangers to a Child
2630 Stage Progressing an AR Case to Traditional Investigation
2631 When an AR Case Must be Progressed to Traditional Investigation
2632 When an AR Case May be Progressed to Traditional Investigation
2633 Approval for Transferring a Case to Traditional Investigations
2634 Stage Progression Time Frames
2635 Referring a Case to Family-Based Safety Services (FBSS)
2636 Legal Orders to Participate in Services
2637 Parent or Caregiver Request for Reassignment
2642 When Not to Allow Extension
2643 Extension Approval Time Frame
2644 Closure Time Frames for Cases with Extension
2652 Alternative Response Case Closure Notifications
2652.1 Exceptions to Providing Case Closure Notifications
2655 Submitting an Alternative Response Case for Administrative Closure
2655.1 Close – ADMIN – Anonymous Report
2655.2 Close – ADMIN – Refuting the Allegations
2655.3 Close – ADMIN – Lacks Authority
2655.4 Close – ADMIN – Already Investigated
2700 Emergency Assistance (EA) Eligibility
2710 Determining the Family’s Total Annual Income
2711 People for Whom to Collect Income Information
2712 Types of Income Information to Collect