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  • Section 7000: Foster and Adoptive Home Development

    7000 Foster and Adoptive Home Development

    7100 Inquiries and Initial Applications

    7110 Responding to Inquiries From Potential Foster Care or Adoptive Parents

    7120 Information Meetings

    7121 Previously Verified or Approved Applicants

    7122 Topics of Information Meetings

    7123 Distributing and Assisting with Applications

    7124 Processing the Application Packet Submitted by Prospective Foster or Adoptive Parents

    7200 Screening Applicants for Foster Care and Adoption

    7210 Reasons for Screening Applicants for Foster Care and Adoption

    7220 Screening Requirements for Prospective Foster and Adoptive Parents

    7221 Household Members

    7222 Age and Finances

    7223 Relationship Status

    7223.1 Relationship Status of Prospective Foster Parents

    7223.2 Relationship Status of Prospective Adoptive Parents

    7223.21 The Divorce Requirement for Adoptive Parents

    7223.22 Requesting a Waiver of the Divorce Requirement for Adoptive Parents

    7223.3 Single Applicants as Prospective Foster or Adoptive Parents

    7224 Physical and Mental Health

    7225 Criminal History

    7226 Citizenship

    7226.1 The Citizenship Requirement for Foster Parents

    7226.2 The Citizenship Requirement for Adoptive Parents

    7226.3 Verifying a Prospective Parent's Citizenship or Immigration Status

    7226.4 Requesting a Citizenship Waiver for Adoptive Parents

    7227 Fertility

    7228 Physical Discipline

    7229 Religion

    7300 Training Foster and Adoptive Applicants

    7310 Pre-Service Training of Foster and Adoptive Homes

    7311 Pre-Service Training Sessions

    7312 If Prospective Parents Complete Training and Then Withdraw

    7313 If Prospective Parents Complete Training, Are Approved, and Then Withdraw

    7314 Exception to the Requirement That Prospective Foster Parents Attend Pre-Service Training

    7320 Training in CPR and First Aid

    7330 Training in Recognizing and Reporting Sexual Abuse

    7400 Checking Criminal Records and Abuse and Neglect History

    7410 Determine Need for Background Check

    7411 General Requirements for Background Checks

    7411.1 Required Background Check Tables

    7412 Background Check Statement Form 4054

    7413 Out-of-State and Out-of-Country Abuse or Neglect History Checks

    7420 Submitting Checks

    7421 Ensuring Checks Are Submitted Timely

    7421.1 Time Frames for Initial Checks

    7421.2 Relying on a Previously Conducted Fingerprint Check for an Initial Check

    7421.3 Time Frames for Recurring Checks

    7421.4 Time Frames for Checks Required Before Consummating an Adoption

    7430 Requesting Information from Law Enforcement

    7431 Service Call Information from Law Enforcement

    7440 Evaluating Background Check Results and Service Call Information

    7441 Evaluating Criminal History Results

    7442 Evaluating DFPS and Out of State Abuse or Neglect History Results

    7443 New Background Check Results on a Verified or Approved Home

    7450 Risk Evaluations

    7451 Contact With Children During Risk Evaluations

    7452 When a Risk Evaluation is Not Required

    7460 Information Related to Specific Types of Checks

    7461 Rejected Fingerprints

    7462 Incorrect Criminal History Information

    7462.1 Texas Department of Public Safety

    7462.2 Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

    7500 Home and Family Assessment

    7510 If an Application to Become a Foster or Adoptive Parent Is Denied

    7511 Documentation for Verifying and Approving Homes

    7511.1 Documents Required Before Verifying or Approving Any Prospective Parent

    7511.2 Documents Required Before Verifying Prospective Foster Parents or Approving Prospective Foster and Adoptive Parents

    7511.3 Documents Required Before Approving Prospective Adoptive Parents

    7512 Home Screenings

    7512.1 Home Screening Interviews

    7512.11 Obtaining References During Home Screenings

    7512.2 Updating the Home Screenings

    7512.21 Updating Foster Home Screenings

    7512.22 Updating Adoptive Home Screenings

    7512.3 Documenting Home Screenings

    7512.4 Waivers and Variances

    7512.41 Requesting a Waiver or Variance

    7513 Inspections

    7513.1 Foster Home Inspections

    7513.2 Adoptive Home Inspections

    7514 Special Considerations Regarding Foster Parents

    7514.1 Verifying Temporary Assistance for Needy Families or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Recipients as Foster Parents

    7515 Foster Home Verification

    7520 Annual Training Requirements for Foster Parents and Child Placement Staff

    7521 Annual Training Requirements for Foster Parents

    7522 Annual Training Requirements for Child Placement Staff

    7600 Developing Foster and Adoptive Homes

    7610 Foster Home Development

    7611 Rights and Responsibilities of Foster Parents

    7612 Supervisory Visits

    7612.1 Supervisory Visits: Unannounced Home Visits

    7612.2 Supervisory Visits: Normalcy

    7613 Foster Family Quarterly Assessment

    7613.1 Time Frames for Documenting the Quarterly Assessment

    7620 Evaluating Foster Home Compliance with Minimum Standards for Child-Placing Agencies

    7621 Evaluating Foster Home Compliance

    7621.1 When to Evaluate a Foster Home

    7621.2 Conducting Foster Home Evaluations

    7621.3 Documenting Foster Home Evaluations

    7621.4 Plans for Achieving Compliance and Follow-Up

    7621.5 Supervisor Approval

    7622 Updating a Foster Home's Verification Certificate

    7623 Inactive Foster Homes

    7623.1 Documenting an Inactive Foster Home

    7623.2 Contact With an Inactive Foster Home

    7623.21 Training Requirements for an Inactive Foster Home

    7623.22 Background Checks for Inactive Status Foster Homes

    7624 If Foster Families Move

    7624.1 If Foster Families Move Out of Region

    7624.2 If Foster Families Move Out-of-State

    7625 Temporary Verifications

    7626 Developmental Plans and Documenting Failure to Comply With Minimum Standards

    7626.1 Development Plans

    7626.2 Failure to Comply With Minimum Standards

    7626.21 Failure to Comply With a Minimum Standard or Other Licensing Rule

    7626.22 Corrective Action Plans

    7626.23 Serious Incidents

    7626.3 Closing a Foster Home

    7626.4 Foster Families that Adopt

    7626.5 Supervising Children Receiving Treatment Services

    7630 Developing and Supervising the Adoptive Home

    7631 Supervising the Adoptive Home

    7632 Homes for Legal Risk Placements

    7633 Inactive Adoptive Homes

    7633.1 Contact With an Inactive Adoptive Home

    7634 Closing an Adoptive Home

    7640 DFPS Policies That Exceed Minimum Standards

    7641 Water Safety and Swimming Activities

    7641.1 Water Policy Requirements for Foster, Adopt, and Foster-Adopt Homes

    7642 Disaster Planning and Procedures for Foster and Adoptive Home Development (FAD) Placements

    7642.1 Disaster Plan Practice

    7642.2 Documenting Disaster Plans for Foster and Adoptive Homes

    7642.3 Disaster Procedures for FAD Workers

    7643 Soliciting Funds

    7644 Weapons, Firearms, Explosive Materials, and Projectiles

    7700 Investigations in Foster Family and Adoptive Homes

    7710 Abuse and Neglect

    7711 Allegations and Incidents That Licensing Must Investigate

    7720 Minimum Standards Violations

    7730 Safety Plans

    7740 Administrative Review

    7741 Peer Review Appeal Process for DFPS Verified Foster Parents

    7800 Special Considerations

    7810 Avoiding a Conflict of Interest When DFPS Employees Apply to Foster or Adopt

    7811 Restrictions on FAD Verifying or Approving DFPS Employees and Others with Close Ties to DFPS

    7811.1 Requesting an Exception to the Policy Requirements for Fostering or Adopting a Child in DFPS Conservatorship by a DFPS Employee

    7900 Alternate Caregiving for Foster Children

    7910 Background Check Requirements for Babysitters and Intermittent Alternate Care Providers

    7911 Notice of Any Associated Child Sexual Aggression, Behaviors, or Victimization to an Alternate Caregiver or Temporary Placement

    7920 Babysitting and Overnight Care

    7921 Restrictions on DFPS Employees

    7922 Relatives

    7923 Approving and Documenting Babysitters

    7923.1 Approving and Documenting Adult Babysitters

    7923.2 Approving and Documenting Minor Babysitters

    7924 Approving Alternate Care Plans

    7925 Documenting Care Instructions

    7926 Notifying DFPS of Alternate Care Services

    7930 Intermittent Alternate Care (IAC) and DFPS Verified Foster Homes

    7931 Verified FAD Homes Providing Intermittent Alternate Care (IAC)

    7932 Service Limitation of Verified IAC Providers

    7933 Intermittent Alternate Care (IAC) Providers

    7933.1 Non-Verified Intermittent Alternate Care (IAC) Providers

    7934 Contracting for Intermittent Alternate Care (IAC) Services

    7935 Arranging Intermittent Alternate Care (IAC) Services

    7935.1 Requiring Prior Service Authorization to Ensure Payment of IAC Services

    7935.2 Procedures for Arranging Intermittent Alternate Care (IAC)

    7936 Processing the Billing for Intermittent Alternate Care (IAC) Services

    7936.1 Canceling Intermittent Alternate Care

    7936.2 Requesting Additional Units of Intermittent Alternate Care Service

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