Child Protective Services Handbook Revision November 2012

This revision of the Child Protective Services Handbook was published on November 20, 2012. Summaries of new or revised items are provided below.

Reorganization of the Eligibility Section of CPS 1000

The Eligibility items in Section 1000 have been reorganized and consolidated into sections 1500, 1600, and 1700. Items currently in those sections have been renumbered and moved elsewhere in the 1000 section, as shown below.

No policies have been revised. Handbook items have been moved in their entirety with no changes other than the item numbers. Revision dates have not changed, since the policies have not changed.

Items Moved Out of Sections 1500, 1600, and 1700

1240 (1510) General Eligibility Criteria

1241 (1511) Child Protective Services Priorities

1242 (1512) Request for Child Protective Services

1243 (1513) Right to Refuse Services and Consequences of Refusal

1244 (1514) Administrative Reviews of Client Complaints

1245 (1515) Fair Hearings

1250 (1516) Clients With Limited English Proficiency (LEP)

1251 (1517) Clients with Communication Disabilities

1251.1 (1517.1) Requirements for Auxiliary Aids and Services

1251.2 (1517.2) Sign Language Interpreter Requirements During CPS Interventions

 

1180 (1600) Information Systems

1181 (1610) Child Abuse and Neglect Central Registry

1181.1 (1611) Central Registry Retention Periods

1181.2 (1612) Who Can Access Central Registry

1181.3 (1613) Requests for Central Registry Information

1182 (1620) Child and Adult Protective System (CAPS)

1183 (1630) Previous Information Systems (Legacy Systems)

1183.1 (1631) Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting and Inquiry System (CANRIS)

1183.2 (1632) Social Services Management System (SSMS)

1183.3 (1633) Foster Care, Adoption, and Conservatorship Tracking System (FACTS)

1183.4 (1634) Resource Management System (RMS)

Reorganized Eligibility Items

1500 Eligibility for Child Protective Services

1510 (1540) Foster Care Maintenance Resources

1511 (1541) Foster Care Assistance and Review Policies

1512 (1541.1) Unknown Family Income on the Foster Care Assistance Application

1513 (1541.2) Zero Family Income on the Foster Care Assistance Application

1514 (1541.3) Notifications to SSA and Use of the Wire Third Party Query (WTPY) System

1515 (1423) Foster Care Eligibility Financial Case Record

1520 (1541.4) Obtaining Certified Birth Certificates and Screen-Printing Birth Records

1521 (1541.5) Requesting Certified Birth Certificates

1521.1 (1541.51) Requesting Birth Certificates for Children Born in Texas

1521.2 (1541.52) Requesting Birth Certificates for Children Born in Texas for Adoption Purposes

1521.3 (1541.53) Requesting Out-of-State Birth Certificates

1521.4 (1541.54) Requesting International Birth Certificates

1521.5 (1541.55) Request Reimbursement if Personal Funds Must Be Used to Obtain Certificate

1530 (1542) Eligibility Requirements for Title IV-E, MAO, and State-Paid Foster Care Assistance

1531 (1542.1) Additional Eligibility Requirements for Title IV-E Foster Care

1532 (1542.2) Additional Eligibility Requirements for State-paid Foster Care

1533 (1542.3) Additional Eligibility Requirements for MAO Foster Care

1533.1 (1542.31) Medical Coverage for Children in Foster Care

1533.2 (1542.32) Medical Assistance Only (MAO) Auto-Eligibility

1533.3 (1542.33) MAO Coverage for Children Placed in Kinship, Relative, or Own Home Placement

1533.4 (1542.34) MAO Coverage for Children in Adoptive Placements

1533.5 (1542.35) MAO Coverage for Children in Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD) Placements

1534 (1542.4) Eligibility In Medical Facilities before Placement

1535 (1542.5) Foster Care Payments During Absences From the Foster Care Home or Facility

1536 (1542.6) Medicaid Benefits for Foster Care Children Placed in Texas From Other States

1537 (1542.7) Medicaid Benefits for Foster Care Children Placed Out of State

1540 (1543) Foster Care Assistance Eligibility Requirements for Children and Youth Formerly in DFPS Conservatorship

1541 (1543.1) Extended Foster Care Assistance

1542 (1543.2) Return to Care Assistance

1543 (1554) Payment for Long-Term Care in Adulthood

1543.1 (1554.1) Youth in Voluntary Extended Foster Care: Signing Over SSI and RSDI Benefits

1544 (1544) Medicaid for Transitioning Foster Care Youth (MTFCY)

1550 (1545) Foster Care Maintenance Payments

1551 (1545.1) Effective Dates of Foster-Care-Assistance Payments

1552 (1545.2) Billing and Payment for Foster Care Assistance

1553 (1545.3) Recoupment of Foster Care Maintenance Overpayment

1553.1 (1545.31) Manual Recoupment

1553.2 (1545.32) Manual Recoupment Process

1553.3 (1545.33) Notification to Providers of Recoupment That Exceeds 50% of Next Payment

1553.4 (1545.34) Extreme Hardship and Repayment Plans

1560 (1340) Management of Children's Funds

1561 (1341) Accounting Procedures for Children's Funds

1562 (1342) Managing Children's Income Accounts (CIAs)

1562.1 (1342.1) Prior-Period Adjustment (PPA) Invoice Processing for Children With Income

1562.2 (1342.2) Account Resource Limits

1562.3 (1342.3) Adoptive Placement and Children’s Income

1562.4 (1345.3 ) Handling Deceased Child's Income

1563 (1343) Establishing, Transferring, and Closing Children's Savings Accounts

1564 (1344) Duties of Accounts Receivable (AR) Staff

1564.1 (1344.1) Manual Receipt of Funds by Accounts Receivable (AR) Staff

1564.2(1344.2) Receivables Procedures for Accounts Receivable (AR)

1564.3 (1344.3) Reconciliation Requirements for Accounts Receivable (AR) Staff

1564.4 (1344.4) Electronic Return of Benefits

1564.5 (1344.5) Lump Sum Distribution Instructions

1565 (1345) Duties of Accounts Payable (AP) Staff

1565.1 (1345.1) Handling Income When Child is in Paid Substitute Care

1565.2 (1345.2) Handling Income When Child is Not in Paid Substitute Care

1566 (1346) Duties of Accounting Supervisor

1566.1 (1346.1) Procedures for Reviewing Information and Reports

1566.2 (1346.2) Reconciliation Responsibilities of Accounting Supervisor

1566.3 (1346.3) Annual Reconciliation for Each Client

1566.4 (1346.4) Reconciliation of Child's Income at Discharge

1566.5 (1346.5) Reconciliation of Discrepancies

1566.6 (1346.6) Reconciliation of Child's Income at Death

1567 (1347) Records Retention Requirements for Transactions Involving Children's Funds

1570 (1546) Supplemental Security Income (SSI) for Children in Foster Care

1571 (1546.1) Effect of SSI Eligibility on Title IV-E Foster Care

1572 (1546.2) Effect of SSI Eligibility on State-Paid Foster Care

1573 (1546.3) Effect of SSI Eligibility on MAO Foster Care

1574 (1546.4) SSI Applications for Youth Aging Out of Care

1575 (1546.5) Placement in Home and Community-Based Services (HCS) Homes

1575.1 (1546.51) SSI Coordinator and Foster Care Eligibility Specialist Responsibilities

1576 (1546.6) Child Specific Contract Placements

1577 (1546.7) Establishing a Dedicated Account Using a Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Lump Sum

1578 (1551) Money Earned by Foster Children From Full- or Part-Time Employment per email Josie 4/12/12

1579 (1547) Third Party Resources for Medical Care Services

1579.1(1547.1) Cost Avoidance

1579.2 (1547.2) Post Payment Recovery

1580 (1555) Management of a Lump Sum Award (Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Non-SSI)

1581 (1555.1) Managing a Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Lump Sum

1581.1 (1555.11) Child Is In a DFPS Paid Foster Care Placement

1581.2 (1555.12) Child Is Not in DFPS Paid Placement

1581.3 (1555.13) Child Is No Longer in DFPS Conservatorship

1581.4 (1555.14) Child Dies While DFPS Is Managing Conservator

1581.5 (1555.15) Overpayments

1582 (1555.2) Managing a Non-SSI (Supplemental Security Income) Lump Sum

1583 (1556) Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Tracking Reports

1583.1 (1556.1) SSI Tracking Report

1583.2 (1556.2) 17-Year-Old SSI Report

1583.3 (1556.3) SSA Change Reports

1590 (1350) Audits

1591 (1352) Audit Recommendations

1600 (1580) Permanency Care Assistance

1610 (1581) Definitions Related to Permanency Care Assistance

1611 (1582) Overview of Permanency Care Assistance

1612 (1583) Eligibility Requirements for Permanency Care Assistance

1612.1 (1583.1) Eligibility Requirements of the Prospective Permanent Managing Conservator for Permanency Care Assistance

1612.2 (1583.2) Eligibility Requirements of Children for Permanency Care Assistance

1612.3 (1583.3) Eligibility Requirements of Siblings for Permanency Care Assistance

1612.4 (1583.4) When a Child Is Not Eligible for Permanency Care Assistance (State-Paid or Title IV-E Funded)

1613 (1584) Requesting an Extension of Permanency Care Assistance

1614 (1585) Informing Families About Permanency Care Assistance

1615 (1586) Applying for Permanency Care Assistance

1616 (1587) The Regional Role in Determining Eligibility for Permanency Care Assistance

1616.1 (1587.1) The Eligibility Assistance Units in the Regions

1616.2 (1587.2) The Steps for Determining Eligibility for Permanency Care Assistance

1616.21 (1587.21) Step 1: Logging Receipt of a PCA Packet and Evaluating it for Completeness

1616.22 (1587.22) Step 2: Making a Preliminary Determination About PCA Eligibility

1616.23 (1587.23) Step 3: Negotiating a PCA Agreement With a Prospective Managing Conservator

1616.24 (1587.24) Step 4: Activating PCA Benefits Upon a Transfer of Managing Conservatorship

1616.4 (1587.4) Ongoing Responsibilities of Eligibility Units in Permanency Care Assistance

1616.5 (1587.5) Reimbursing Nonrecurring Expenses Covered by Permanency Care Assistance

1616.6 (1587.6) Determining Which Region Maintains a Case Involving Permanency Care Assistance

1618 (1588) Negotiating Permanency Care and Deferred Agreements

1618.1 (1588.1) The Role of the Negotiator in Determining Permanency Care Assistance

1618.2 (1588.2) Determining the Payment Ceiling When Negotiating for Permanency Care Assistance

1618.3 (1588.3) Other Considerations When Negotiating for Permanency Care Assistance

1618.4 (1588.4) Explaining Education Requirements When Negotiating for Permanency Care Assistance

1618.5 (1588.5) Negotiating Deferred Agreements for Permanency Care Assistance

1619 (1589) Providing Medical Assistance to Recipients of Permanency Care Assistance

1619.1 (1589.1) Providing Medical Care to a Child Who Lives in Texas and Receives Permanency Care Assistance

1619.2 (1589.2) Providing Medical Care to a Child Who Lives Out-of-State and Receives Permanency Care Assistance

1620 (1590) A Change in the Circumstances of a Recipient of Permanency Care Assistance

1621 (1591) Benefits: Recertification and Termination for Permanency Care Assistance

1621.1 (1591.1) Recertification of Eligibility for Permanency Care Assistance

1621.2 (1591.2) Terminating Permanency Care Assistance

1622 (1592) Fair Hearings Regarding Decisions About Permanency Care Assistance

1622.1 (1592.1) Duties of the Adoption Assistance Eligibility Specialist

1622.2 (1592.2) Appealing Decisions Made Regarding Permanency Care Assistance

1700 (1560) Adoption Assistance Program

1710 Description of the Adoption Assistance Program

1711 (1561) Adoption Assistance Eligibility Requirements for Children Adopted From DFPS Conservatorship

1711.1 (1561.1) General Eligibility Requirements

1711.2 (1561.2) Determining Whether a Child Has Special Needs

1711.3 (1561.3) Eligibility Requirements for Reimbursement of Nonrecurring Adoption Expenses

1711.4 (1561.4) Additional Eligibility Requirements for Monthly Payments and Medicaid Coverage

1711.5 (1561.5) Eligibility Requirements for State-Paid Adoption Assistance

1711.6 (1561.6) Determining Who Is an Applicable Child

1711.7 (1561.7) Eligibility Requirements for Extended Adoption Assistance

1711.8 (1561.8) When Adoption Assistance Is Not Available (Transferring Permanent Managing Conservatorship)

1712 (1562) Adoption Assistance Eligibility Requirements for Children Adopted From the Conservatorship of an LCPA

1712.1 (1562.1) Eligibility Requirements

1712.2 (1424) Adoption Assistance Eligibility Case Record

1712.3 (1562.2) International Adoptions

1713 (1563) Jurisdiction and Responsibility for Determining Eligibility and Activating Benefits

1713.1 (1563.1) Determining Which Children Are Within DFPS Jurisdiction

1713.2 (1563.2) Determining Region With Responsibility for a Case

1714 (1564) Program Notification, Application Process, and Responsibility for Cases

1714.1 (1564.1) Informing Families of the Adoption Assistance Program

1714.2 (1564.2) Application Process For Adoption Assistance

1714.3 (1564.3) Determination of Eligibility

1714.4 (1564.4) Responsibilities of the Eligibility Specialist in Entering Into the Initial Adoption Assistance Agreement

1714.5 (1564.5) Commencement of Benefits

1714.6 (1564.6) Ongoing Responsibilities of Eligibility Units for the Adoption Assistance Program

1714.7 (1564.7) Reimbursement of Nonrecurring Expenses of Adoption

1715 (1565) Negotiating Adoption Assistance Agreements and Deferred Adoption Assistance Agreements

1715.1 (1565.1) Responsibilities of Negotiators for Initial Adoption Assistance Agreement

1715.2 (1565.2) Ongoing Responsibilities of Negotiators

1715.3 (1565.3) Considerations During Negotiations

1715.4 (1565.4) Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Payments and Adoption Assistance Payments

1715.5 (1565.5) Determining the Adoption Assistance Payment Ceiling

1715.6 (1565.6) Education Requirements

1716 (1566) Deferred Adoption Assistance Agreements

1717 (1567) Changes in Circumstances and Periodic Certification of Continued Eligibility

1717.1 (1567.1) Recertification of Eligibility

1717.2 (1567.2) Adoptive Parents Die or Their Parental Rights Are Terminated

1718 (1568) Benefits: Termination and Resumption

1718.1 (1568.1) Termination of Benefits

1718.2 (1568.2) Recouping an Overpayment of Adoption Assistance

1718.21 (1568.21) Standard Cases – Recouping an Adoption Subsidy in 30 Days

1718.22 (1568.22) Hardship Cases – Recouping an Adoption Subsidy in Any Dollar Amount

1718.23 (1568.23) Extreme Hardship Cases – Recouping an Adoption Subsidy in More Than 12 Months (Requires State Office Approval)

1719 (1569) Fair Hearings Regarding Adoption Assistance Decisions

1719.1 (1569.1) Appealing Decisions

1719.2 (1569.2) An Agreement for Adoption Assistance Was Not Signed Before an Adoption's Consummation

1719.3 (1569.3) Responsibilities of the Adoption Assistance Eligibility Specialist and Negotiator

1730 (1574) Enhanced Adoption Assistance

1731 (1574.1) Definition of Enhanced Adoption Assistance

1732 (1574.2) Eligibility Requirements for Enhanced Adoption Assistance

1733 (1574.3) Proceeding With Adoptive Placements in a Timely Manner

1734 (1574.4) Approval Process for Enhanced Adoption Assistance

1734.1 (1574.41) Regional Approval Process

1734.2 (1574.42) State Office Approval Process

1734.3 (1574.43) Approvals and Notification to Family

1734.4 (1574.44) Summary of Forms

1735 (1574.5) Negotiation for Enhanced Adoption Assistance and Placement

1736 (1574.6) Authorization of Payments for Enhanced Adoption Assistance

1737 (1574.7) Denials of Enhanced Adoption Assistance

1738 (1574.8) Deferred Agreements for Enhanced Adoption Assistance

1739 (1574.9) Appeals and Fair Hearings

1760 (1570) Medicaid Coverage, The Interstate Compact on Adoption and Medical Assistance, and Adoption Assistance

1761 (1571) The Interstate Compact on Adoption and Medical Assistance and its Impact on Adoption Assistance

1762 (1572) Procedures of The Interstate Compact on Adoption and Medical Assistance

1763 (1573) Procedures Regarding Children Eligible for Adoption Assistance who Are Placed or Moved Out of State

Eligibility Appendix

Appendix 1510 (Appendix 1540-A): Procedures for Issuing HHSC Form 1027-A

Appendix 1511 (Appendix 1540-B): Information Needed for the Foster Care Application

Appendix 1514 (Appendix 1541.3): Requesting Wire Third Party Query (WTPY) System Access

Appendix 1530 (Appendices 1542): Foster Care Eligibility

Appendix 1530 A (Appendix 1542-A): AFDC Income Determination Worksheet

Appendix 1530 B (Appendix 1542-B): Stepparent Allowance Deduction

Appendix 1530 C (Appendix 1542-C): AFDC Income Limits

Appendix 1530 D (Appendix 1542-D): Income Guidelines for Underemployed Parent

Appendix 1530 E (Appendix 1542-E): Title IV-E Eligibility Checklist

Appendix 1530 F (Appendix 1542-F): Categorical Requirements for AFDC

Appendix 1530 G (Appendix 1542-G): Underemployed Parent Checklist

Appendix 1531 (Appendix 1542.1): Acceptable U.S. Citizenship Verification Documents

Appendix 1533.2 (Appendix 1542.3): MAO Auto-Eligibility

Appendix 1562.1 (Appendix 1342.1) Prior-Period Adjustment (PPA) Invoice Processing for Children With Income

Appendix 1563 (Appendix 1343-A): Setting Up Savings Accounts

Appendix 1564.1 (Appendix 1344.1A): Manual Receipt of Funds

Appendix 1564.3 (Appendix 1344.3A): Outstanding Items Procedures

Appendix 1581.1 (Appendix 1555): Appropriate Needs

Appendix 1581 (Appendix 1556): Examples of Appropriate and Inappropriate Items and Services to Purchase With Lump Sum Benefits

Appendix 1583.1 (Appendix 1557): Guide to the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Tracking Report

Appendix 1618.3 (Appendix 1580): Discussion Guide - Negotiating Permanency Care Assistance

Appendix 1715.3 (Appendix 1560): Negotiation of Adoption Assistance Discussion Guide

Cross-References in CPS

Cross-references to the sections being moved were updated throughout the handbook. See:

1223 Title IV-E, Federal Payments for Foster Care and Adoption Assistance

1224 Title XIX, Medicaid

1332.1 Children's Funds

1422 Organization of Paper Case Records

1424 Adoption Subsidy Eligibility Case Record

1814 Child Abuse and Neglect Central Registry

1820 Records Checks on Applicants, Employees, Interns, and Volunteers

2243.1 Interviews with Parents or Primary Caretakers

2281.15 Person Language

2290 Reviews and Hearings

2413 Other Definitions

4518 Definition of Permanency Care Assistance

4710 Obtaining Permanency Care Assistance

4720 Applying for Permanency Care Assistance

5100 Overview of Court-Related Services

6213.3 Adoption vs. Conservatorship

6252.4 Content of the Family Service Plan

6410 Services to the Child's Family When the Child Is in Substitute Care

6412 Family Services When Family Reunification Is the Permanency Goal

6492 Services at Discharge from Substitute Care

6494 Permanent Placement with the Caregiver

6513 Making Funeral Arrangements

6910 Criteria and Types of Service

6935 Considering the Need for an Adoption Subsidy

6942 Preparing the Family and the Child for the Placement

6945 Making Placements in Other States

6952.2 CPS Caseworker’s Tasks After the Adoption Petition Is Filed

6952.3 Termination of DFPS’s Managing Conservatorship

7633 When Foster Families Move

9300 Placing Children Outside of Texas

9311.1 Specifying How Costs Will Be Covered for Daily Care

9311.2 ICPC Financial / Medical Form for an ICPC Placement Request

9314 Requesting Placement With an Adoptive Family Outside of Texas

10133.2 Social Security Cards

10133.3 Requesting Certified Birth Certificates

10256 Host Home for PAL Aftercare Room and Board Payment

10331.1 Researching Long-Term Care Resources

10331.2 Ensuring Funding and Eligibility for Services

10335.2 CPS Foster Care Placement After DADS Appointed as Guardian

10441 Temporary Absences From Extended Foster Care

10442.1 Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) Guardianship

10553 Handling Monthly SSA Awards That Exceed the Cost of Care

10554 Young Adults With Children

10630 Youth Parents in DFPS Conservatorship

Appendix 1211: Responsibilities Under the Texas Family Code

Appendix 3213: Americans With Disabilities Act Reasonable Accommodations in Service Planning

Appendix 8160: CPS Service Codes and Descriptions as Identified in IMPACT

Appendix 8160: CPS Service Codes and Descriptions as Identified in IMPACT