Child Protective Services
Handbook Revision, March 2016
This revision of the Child Protective Services Handbook was published on March 1, 2016.
CPS wants to ensure that the general public understands what critical actions caseworkers are required to perform and why. To further this understanding, CPS has set up a policy e-mail box for the general public: CPSPolicyQuestions@dfps.texas.gov. Please feel free to contact us, via this email address, with any general questions related to policy.
For questions or concerns regarding specific cases, please contact the caseworker or supervisor, or the Office of Consumer Affairs at 1-800-720-7777.
Funds Received on a Childs Behalf
Managing SSI and RSDI Funds for children in Conservatorship
Parental Child Safety Placement (PCSP)
The items below are revised to clarify the responsibilities of the medical consenter and caseworker when a court or a health care practitioner orders a service for a child that the medical consenter or caseworker is unsure is appropriate or covered by Medicaid. These items are also revised to remove some material that is not actually policy and is more appropriate in a Resource Guide. See:
11100 Medical Consent
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11120 Court Authorizes an Individual Other Than DFPS To Be the Child’s Medical Consenter
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11144 Offering Ongoing Support to Youth
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11200 Medical and Dental Services
Interviewing Parents (PATS 8807)
The items below were revised to remove references to Form 2626 Family Information, which has been deleted. The information collected in Form 2626 is now documented in Form 2279 Child Placement Summary. See:
2242 Interviewing Parents, Alleged Perpetrators, or Other Principal Adults
3221 Initiating a Removal
Funds Received on a Childs Behalf (PATS 8887)
Minor change to section 1332.1 Funds Received on Behalf of a Child. Removing unnecessary language and clarifying existing language. See:
1332.1 Funds Received on Behalf of a Child
1332.1 Children's Funds
Managing SSI and RSDI Funds for Children in Conservatorship (PATS 8892)
The items below are replaced in their entirety to clarify policies for the collection and distribution of SSI and RSDI payments for children in Foster Care.
See:
1580 Managing a Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Lump Sum or Retirement, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (RSDI) Lump Sum for a Child Receiving SSI Management of a Lump Sum Award (Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Non-SSI)
1581 Managing a Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Lump Sum
1581.1 Child Is in a DFPS Paid Foster Care Placement
1581.2 Child Is Not in DFPS Paid Placement
1581.3 Child Is No Longer in DFPS Conservatorship
1581.4 Child Dies While DFPS Is Managing Conservator
1581.5 Overpayments
1582 Managing a Non-SSI (Supplemental Security Income) Lump Sum
1581 Managing SSI and RSDI Lump Sums
1581.1 Dedicated SSI Account
1581.2 Approvals for Lump Sum Expenditures
1581.3 Nine-Month Exclusion Period for SSI and RSDI Lump Sums
1581.4 Conserved Funds From Prior Payee
1581.5 Returning Conserved Funds to SSA
1581.6 Receipt and Deposit of SSI Lump Sum
1581.7 SSI Overpayments
1582 Use and Conservation of SSI and RSDI Lump Sums for Children Receiving SSI
1582.1 Step 1: Consider the Appropriate Needs of the Child
1582.11 Expenditure Request Form
1582.2 Step 2: Maintain Funds in a Savings Account
1582.3 Step 3: Apply Balance to Nine Month’s Cost of Care
1582.4 Step 4: Determine Whether There Will Be Excess Funds
1583 Child Receiving SSI Not in Paid DFPS Care
1583.1 Child Receiving SSI Is Not in DFPS Paid Placement
1583.2 Child Resides With a Kinship Caregiver or Other Unpaid Caretaker
1584 How Monthly Payments are Distributed
1584.1 Child Resides With a Kinship Caregiver or Other Unpaid Caretaker
1584.2 Child is in an Adoptive Placement
1584.21 Child is Eligible for AA Payments and Receives SSI Only or Both SSI, and RSDI, or Other Monthly Payments
1584.22 Child is Eligible for AA Payments and Receives RSDI or a Monthly Payment from Another Source (Non-SSI Child)
1584.23 Child is Not Eligible for AA Payments and Receives SSI, RSDI or Monthly Payments from Another Source
1584.3 Child Returns to Parents
1584.4 Child is No Longer in DFPS Conservatorship
Due to the changes above, these headings are being re-numbered:
1585 1583 Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Reports
1585.1 1583.1 SSI Tracking Report
1585.2 1583.2 17-Year-Old SSI Report
1585.3 1583.3 SSA Change Reports
Child Safety Check Alert List (CSCAL) (PATS 8932)
The items below are revised to document how and when to place a missing child on the Child Safety Check Alert List (CSCAL). See:
3100 When a Child Who is With His or Her Family Cannot be Located
3110 Conducting a Search for a Child
3111 Preliminary Search
3112 Priority 1 Investigation Cases
3113 Priority 2 INV, AR, and FPR Cases – The Twenty Day Search
3114 Child in DFPS Conservatorship Abducted by Family
3120 After a Family is Placed on CSCAL
3121 CPS Locates a Child on CSCAL
3122 Law Enforcement Locates a Child or Family on CSCAL
3123 Child or Family on CSCAL is Not Located
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6314 When a Child or Youth is Missing from Care CPS Conservatorship
6314.1 Minor Child Missing from Foster Substitute Care Placement
6314.11 Notification Requirements
6314.12 Efforts to Locate
6314.13 Documentation
6314.14 Child Located
6314.2 Caseworker Actions When a Missing Child Returns to Care
Parental Child Safety Placement (PCSP) (PATS 8977)
The items below are revised to:
• clarify the types of criminal history and abuse and neglect history that are absolute bars to PCSP placement, and those which are not absolute bars, but require evaluation;
• specify the documentation requirements for program directors when approving or denying a PCSP;
• provide separate references in Appendix 4525 for PCSPs and kinship placements listing offenses from the Texas Penal Code that must be evaluated for each type of placement; and
• remove Appendix 2433: Conducting Criminal Background Checks for Parental Child Safety Placements because this information is now in Appendix 4525.
These policies and procedures went into effect on February 3, 2016, with the issuance to staff of Protective Services Action (PSA) memo 16-002.
See:
3210 Parental Child Safety Placement (PCSP)
3211 Evaluating the Child’s Safety Before Placement
3211.1 FBI Records Checks
3211.2 Household Members That Previously Lived Outside of Texas
3211.3 PCSP Household Member with Criminal History
3211.4 PCSP Household Member with Abuse or Neglect History
3211.5 Notifying Parent or Guardian of PCSP Approval or Denial
3211.6 Collateral Contacts
3211.7 Staffing with Regional Attorney
3212 Program Director Approval
3213 Documenting a PCSP Placement
3213.1 Voluntary Caregiver Manual
3213.2 New Children Placed into an Existing PCSP
3213.3 Program Director Documentation in Approving or Denying PCSPs
3214 Option to Enter Into Authorization Agreement for Nonparent Relative
3215 Required Contacts
3215.1 Required Contact with Child and PCSP Caregiver
3215.2 Required Parent Contact
3216 Extending a PCSP
3217 Closing a PCSP
3218 Closing a Case or Stage When the Child Remains in a PCSP with a Caregiver Who Does Not Have Legal Custody
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The reference in the appendix below has been divided into two separate charts. See:
Appendix 2425: Assessing Criminal History Offenses and Convictions
Chart 1: Assessing Criminal History Offenses and Convictions for PCSPs
Chart 2: Assessing Criminal History Offenses and Convictions for PCSPs, Kinship Placement and Kinship Foster and Adoptive Homes
Appendix 2433: Conducting Criminal Background Checks for Parental Child Safety Placements