Handbook Revision, December 1, 2021
These revisions of the Child Protective Services Handbook were published on December 1, 2021.
On September 1, 2017, the investigations branch of CPS became a separate division named Child Protective Investigations (CPI). Until CPI develops its own policy handbook, investigation policies and procedures will remain in the CPS handbook.
See:
Child Protective Services Revisions
Child Protective Investigations Revisions
Child Protective Services Revisions
DFPS Role in Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC) Disaster Planning (PATS 13037)
This policy revision updates the Texas ICPC unit’s role in disaster planning to reflect CPS's new protocol for emergency evacuation.
See:
9500 TICO’s DFPS Role in Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC) Disaster Planning
Staff Administers Medications (PATS 13640)
Policy is being updated to do the following:
- Reflect the new Form 2406 Daily Prescription Medication Log Sheet that staff members must use when administering prescription medication.
- Provide additional directions for staff.
- State that this policy applies to SSCC staff, in addition to CPI and CPS staff.
See:
11310 If CPI or CPS CPI, CPS, or SSCC Staff Administers Medications
Protective Services Contracts, Volunteer and Community Engagement, Program Planning, IMPACT and Central Registry (PATS 13377)
This policy revision is part of the process of updating Section 1000 of the CPS Handbook. These updates reflect current definitions and practices and mirror relevant policy updates in other parts of the handbook. Outdated definitions, practices, and processes are being removed.
See:
1142 1142.1 Child Welfare Protective Services Contracts
1142.1 1142.2 Development of Child Welfare Protective Services Contracts
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1144 Criminal Records Check for Authorized Volunteer Organizations
1145 Bookkeeping and External Entities
1150 DFPS CPS Volunteer and Community Engagement
1151 Acceptance of Gifts and Donations
1160 Public Information About Child Protective Investigations and Child Protective Services
1170 Program Planning
1171 Regional Planning
1171.1 Development of Regional Program Plans
1172 State Planning
1172.1 Plans Required by Federal Funding Sources
1172.2 Legislative Appropriations Request (LAR)
1180 Information Systems
1181 Information Management Protecting Adults and Children in Texas (IMPACT)
1181.1 Child Abuse and Neglect Central Registry
1181.2 Who Can Access Central Registry
1182 Self-Request Central Registry Checks
1183 Previous Information Systems (Legacy Systems)
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Appendix 1132.2(a): Steps in Developing a Child Welfare Protective Services Contract
Child Protective Investigations Revisions
Initial Contact (PATS 13448)
This handbook revision updates policy related to the following topics:
- Meeting the Child and Family Services Review requirement that a caseworker must have a separate face to face contact with each child in the home (meaningful contact) after the family meeting to address safety and wellbeing.
- The decision that all cases going to Family-Based Safety Services must be transitioned through the Investigations pathway before referring to FBSS.
- Clarification on the timeframes and criteria for making the first contact with a family in Alternative Response.
- Clarification around approvals needed when reassigning an AR case after it is stage progressed to a traditional investigation.
- Changes in criteria for when a case must be stage progressed during AR investigation and when it may be stage progressed.
- Clarification on determining whether family contact needs to be made on a new intake.
See:
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
2612.3 Completing Case Merges
2612.4 Determining Whether Family Contact Needs to be Made on a New Intake
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2622 AR Initial Contacts
2622.1 First Contact Time Frames
2622.2 2622.4 First Face-to-Face Contact
2622.3 Meaningful Contact
2622.4 2622.6 Notifying and Making Face-to-Face Contact with an Involved Parent that a Child Has Been Seen
2622.5 Family Member Not Present
2622.6 2622.7 Family Refuses to Participate
2622.7 2622.2 Unable to Make Contact
2622.8 2622.3 Unable to Locate
2622.9 2622.8 Determining Alleged Perpetrator’s Military Status
2623 Initial Contact Tasks
2623.1 Initial Tasks
2623.2 Contact with Collaterals
2623.3 Family Refusal to Cooperate at Any Time
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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 2633 Legal Orders to Participate in Services
2637 2634 Parent or Caregiver Request for Reassignment
2635 Stage Progress to Investigation Within 24 Hours