Policy
For initial placements, when do you complete background checks on caregivers?
Bonus (50 points)
When do you complete background checks on parents?
At the time of notification of placement for a new case
Bonus (50 points)
At the beginning of a case and before unsupervised and monitored return
What is our response time to emails/calls/texts?
24 hours however, acknowledgment can go a long way with providers/stakeholders
Is a safety assessment required for unsupervised/monitored return staffings?
Bonus: (extra 50)
When do we complete a risk assessment?
Yes
Bonus: (extra 50)
Completes a Risk Reassessment tool every 90 days. If the risk score is High or Very High, the caseworker completes a new FSNA and FPOS to make sure appropriate services are in place to keep the child safe.
6590
The purpose of the Risk Reassessment tool is to help caseworkers and supervisors assess whether the risk to child safety has decreased enough for CPS to recommend closing a case. The tool helps them see whether the family’s behaviors and actions have changed.
The Risk Reassessment tool combines items from the original Risk Assessment tool with additional items that evaluate a family’s progress toward the goals in the FPOS.
The caseworker completes a Risk Reassessment tool at least every 90 days after all children whose goal was reunification with the parent from whom they were removed have returned home.
The caseworker completes the Risk Reassessment tool sooner if the case has any of the following:
• A court review.
• New circumstances.
• New information that could affect risk.
The caseworker continues to use the Reunification Assessment tool (not the Risk Reassessment tool) to assess the family if there is a plan for another child or children to return to the home.
What is required to be completed on children 10 and older on all cases?
Bonus: (50 extra)
When else would this be completed?
CSE-IT Tool
After a recovery from a missing event
Can a caseworker have their phone in their pocket when testifying?
Bonus (50 points)
Why not?
No
Bonus (50 points)
It can be used as evidence
After a child is picked up for emergency placement, how many hours does Intake have to locate placement? Who is responsible for staying with the child IF the emergency occurred at 3pm?
4 hours and the primary worker
How soon after a baby is born during an open CVS case does the caseworker need to make contact with the parents and the baby?
6371
The caseworker must make face-to-face contact with the baby and mother as soon as possible, but no later than three days after the birth of the baby. The caseworker must assess if the baby is safe with the parents.
The caseworker provides the Keeping Children Safe Wherever You Go! document and reviews it with the parents. The visit must include an assessment of the:
If the mother and infant are not released from the hospital within three days of the infant’s birth, the caseworker must conduct a home visit to address the home and sleeping area within 48 hours of discharge.
The caseworker must address any safety concerns immediately and develop a plan with the parents. The caseworker must staff with the supervisor the results of this visit and safety assessment.
If the caseworker determines that there are active safety concerns to the baby, the caseworker must:
During the investigation, the primary caseworker must work closely with the Investigations caseworker to provide information and assist as necessary. The caseworker must document the following in IMPACT:
At least monthly, the caseworker must maintain face-to-face contact with the parents and each child who remains with the parents if any sibling is in DFPS temporary managing conservatorship (TMC). See 6321 Frequency of Contact.
When reviewing monthly evaluations, what day should supervisors accept/reject monthly evaluations for their workers?
Bonus: (Extra 50 points)
When should workers submit corrected monthly evaluations that were rejected to supervisors?
By the 10th Business Day of the month
Bonus: By the next business day
When does the reunification assessment tool need to be completed in IMPACT?
6510
The caseworker is required to complete the Reunification Assessment tool at the following times:
• Before any reunification staffing (see 6521 Reunification Staffing), if the last Reunification Assessment tool was completed more than 30 days before.
• At least 30 days before a required permanency hearing, if family reunification is either the primary or concurrent goal for a child.
• Before removing family reunification as either a primary or concurrent permanency goal.
A Reunification Assessment tool can be completed at any time, in addition to the times listed above.
A Reunification Assessment tool is not required if either of the following apply:
• Family reunification is not the primary or concurrent goal for the child.
• Reunification is with a parent who was not a perpetrator of abuse or neglect of the child that resulted in DFPS removing the child.
There is a guide for this, as well
For Transitional Living Services for older youth, when does their medicaid coverage end?
Texas is required to provide Medicaid coverage to youth and young adults under age 26 who were in foster care and were receiving Medicaid when they aged out of foster care.
If traveling in Texas, can a caregiver travel for less than 72 hours with the child without written permission from the caseworker?
Bonus: (extra 50)
At the minimum, how soon in advance does an out of country travel need to be submitted to DFPS?
yes
Bonus: (extra 50)
At least 14 days; however, resource guide will day 10.
Within how many hours after a child being deemed CSA should the caseworker update the application for placement, CPOS, and notify placement?
24 hours
In what situations do you not complete an FSNA?
Bonus (Extra 50)
Do we complete FSNA and FPOS in incarcerated parents?
6330
he caseworker must complete the Family Strengths and Needs Assessment (FSNA) by the 21st day from the date of removal. The caseworker uses the FSNA to develop the initial FPOS.
A new FSNA must be completed and approved at least 30 days before the caseworker completes a Family Plan of Service evaluation. The caseworker must meet with the parent before completing the FSNA.
The caseworker must complete an FSNA on a parent, except in any of the following situations:
• The parent’s whereabouts are unknown.
• The court has ordered aggravated circumstances.
• The child in care meets criteria of a Baby Moses case and the parents are unknown. See 2351 Baby Moses.
The caseworker must complete an FSNA within 30 days of locating a parent whose whereabouts were previously unknown.
The caseworker must send the FSNA to Star Health by the 21st day after removal. To ensure information from the FSNA and Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS) assessment is available for the caseworker to use in service planning, the caseworker must follow the process in the 3 in 30 Resource GuidePDF Document under How to Fax the FSNA to Superior Health Plan.
Bonus (Extra 50)
YES!
Although a parent who is incarcerated may not be able to participate fully in his or her child’s case, the parent must be:
• notified of any court hearings or legal actions that will be taken regarding his or her child;
• interviewed to gather information to fully assess the family;
• provided with information about the child;
• provided with appropriate services (to the extent available); and
• included in case planning as appropriate.
See the Incarcerated Parents Resource GuidePDF Document for guidelines on:
• locating incarcerated parents;
• visiting an incarceration facility;
• engaging an incarcerated parent; and
• facilitating contact between a child and an incarcerated parent.
When children return home on monitored returns, when should the FRE FPOS be created, signed, and efiled within the case?
Bonus: (Extra 50 points)
After placing a child in a monitored return, when should the caseworker go back out to the home?
6242.13 DFPS policy reports that the caseworker completes the FRE plan within 30 days of all the children returning home who have a permanency plan of Family Reunification. The caseworker must complete the FRE FPOS in collaboration with the parents.
Bonus: (Extra 50 points)
No later than 2 days after the placement occurring
If there are 2 children on a case and 1 is ready to returned to the parents, when will the FRE stage open?
6530
The caseworker documents reunification services in the Family Reunification (FRE) stage in IMPACT. The only exception is when at least one child returns home and at least one child remains in substitute care. In that situation, the caseworker documents contacts and services in the Family Substitute Care (FSU) stage. IMPACT opens the FRE stage when all children have returned home.
True or False: A visitation schedule is required to be efiled with the court AND must state that the visits will be supervised by 4K4F staff or any other designated/approved person by 4K4F Staff.
True
If a parent's primary language is Spanish, do you continue with the FGC/PC/Court hearing without an interpreter?
No
If TMC is not granted, which department is responsible for closing the FSU/Sub stages?
DFPS
If TMC is dismissed at the Adversary Hearing, the SUB and FSU stages will be re-assigned primary to the DFPS removing staff for closure or stage progression whichever is needed. The removing staff will be responsible for notifying all parties of the dismissal including SSCC staff. The removing staff will coordinate the transport of the child home.*If there are challenges or unique circumstances, please staff with DFPS and SSCC staff when needed.
When are we not required to provide a FPOS to the parents and the courts?
Bonus: (50 extra points)
Are we still required to complete an entry for an FSNA?
6242.31
CPS is not required to develop a Family Plan of Service (FPOS) for the parents, or include the parents in the development of the child’s plan of service, if:
• the child’s parents are unknown or cannot be found despite the exercise of due diligence, as outlined in 5233 Exercising Due Diligence to Locate Missing Parents and Other Relatives;
• the court has:
• issued a finding that the parent has subjected the child to aggravated circumstances;
• issued a finding that the child was abandoned without identification and the child’s identity cannot be determined; or
• terminated the parent’s parental rights.
• CPS has been named permanent managing conservatorship (PMC) without termination of parental rights and the caseworker has determined, in accordance with 6365 Reassessing Inactive Parents and Parents Unable to Provide a Safe Home When Parental Rights Have Not Been Terminated, that case planning with the parents may be discontinued.
If a parent executes an affidavit of relinquishment of parental rights, a family plan must remain active and the parent must be included in case planning, until that affidavit is entered into the court records and the parent’s parental rights are terminated.
Bonus: (50 extra points)
In some circumstances, you are still required to submit an entry for an FSNA however, you will use the correct radio buttons to indicate that a FPOS is not required due to XYZ.
How long after a serious incident or concern should a worker notify their supervisor of a situation regarding child safety or major concerns? How long after you are notified should you notify your regional manager?
No later than 2 hours depending on the situation however, most definitely same day to address the situation and form a plan, timely, that prevents any additional child safety concerns.
Is placement paperwork required for monitored returns?
Yes
True or False: The court must find both parents committed specific types of serious child abuse in order to approve aggravated circumstances.
If Aggravated circumstances are found in a case, they must be found by the Status Hearing?
A parent pending a sexual abuse crime against a child not in their care constitutes grounds for aggravated circumstances?
False
False
False
Are there any times where you name the reporter?
The caseworker must try to ensure that the court is aware that identifying information about the reporter is confidential. When testifying in a protective services case, the caseworker must not identify the reporter without the reporter’s consent, unless the judge specifically orders the caseworker to do so under Texas Family Code §261.201
Who needs to be notified when Medicaid does not pay for a medical service?
The CAM
When Medicaid will not pay for the service, treatment, or test, SSCC will decide, in coordination with the CAM, how the provider will be paid. If the decision is that DFPS will pay the provider, SSCC will submit the following items as soon as possible to the CAM
Signed copy of the court order directing that the child be provided with the specific medical service, treatment, or test. • Proof that Medicaid denied paying the claim (an email from the provider is sufficient). • Copy of the invoice or bill from the laboratory or provider. The DFPS CAM will create a requisition for payment through CAPPS Financia
Do we provide a FPOS to parents who live outside of the US?
6243: Yes.
If a parent lives outside the U.S., the service plan must reflect the services available in the parent’s community. A service plan should not require a parent to enter the U.S. to participate in a service, unless a parent can legally do so. As with any parent, the service plan should focus on specific issues the parent must address to safely care for the child in question.
To find out about available services in Mexico, caseworkers must contact the CPS border liaison staff or the CPS immigration specialists who work closely with Mexican consular staff.
For other countries, information about available social services may be available on the Internet (search for government agencies for child protection, substance abuse and related issues) from foreign consul representatives, or the International Social ServicesExternal Link office. CPS immigration specialists are also available to assist in this process.
When should the unit begin staffing for unsupervised visits?
Bonus: (50 extra points)
When notified that a mother is pregnant, when should a pregnancy staffing be requested?
Around the 5th month mark
Bonus: (50 extra points)
Around the 7th month mark and every month after to determine safety concerns
When should caseworker and supervisor staff monitored returns that are occurring?
Some supervisors have implemented that the worker's reach out to them prior to leaving the home to hold a quick staffing.
Can a child who has received a ticket from a municipal or county court be made to pay the fine?
6821
If a caseworker learns that a CPS youth has received a ticket from a municipal or county court, the caseworker must do all of the following:
The caseworker ensures that the youth consults with the youth’s attorney ad litem, guardian ad litem, and CASA. The caseworker must never advise the youth regarding a plea.
In all cases, the caseworker must remind the court and others that Texas Code of Criminal Procedure Article 45.041(b-6) prohibits justices of the peace and municipal court judges from imposing fines and court costs on a youth in DFPS conservatorship or a young adult in extended foster care.
Instead of paying fines and costs, the court may require the youth or young adult to perform community service. The court can consider the following as community service:
A youth or young adult can also perform community service through any of the following:
The entity must agree to supervise the youth or young adult and report on his or her community service to the court.
If the case is a traffic ticket, the caseworker must inquire whether the youth can take a defensive driving course to have the case dismissed. This helps the current case that is before the court and improves the youth’s driving record.
How often should PMC cases have a Permanency Conference?
Every 6 months
Where should worker safety concerns be reported?
To report a worker safety incident, SSCC staff will send notification to WSS at workersafetysupport@dfps.texas.gov and CC SSCC Worker Safety Incidents Contact The DFPS Worker Safety Support team will document and track reportable incidents as well as send notification to points of contact with DFPS and SSCC. SSCC will be notified at SSCC Worker Safety Incidents Contact . Additionally, SSCC staff should document worker safety information in the IMPACT case record. This information can be documented on the Case Summary page, under the Special Handling drop down section by checking the box next to Worker Safety and adding details regarding the safety concern in the comment box. The information should also be documented as a regular contact in the case, so it appears on the contact summary page SSCC staff should also follow any internal procedures for incident reporting that may be outlined in the SSCC Operations manual.
When a child is placed in an ICPC with another state, how do you document that in IMPACT?
Bonus: (extra 100 points)
If the supervising state decides that after 18 months of the case being open, they will only see the child once every 6 months. How do you proceed with supervision of the child and documenting face to faces?
6418
The other state’s agency provides monthly face-to-face visits with the child and prepares a supervisory report at least quarterly. The other state’s agency may provide more frequent supervision, if the child’s caseworker has requested it (based on the child’s needs). The Texas caseworker must document the other state’s visits in IMPACT each month.
After obtaining the courtesy supervision worker’s contact information, the child’s Texas caseworker must:
• maintain frequent contact with the receiving agency’s assigned courtesy supervision caseworker; and
• continue to perform all case planning activities until the court terminates DFPS’s conservatorship appointment.
Contacts
The CPS caseworker must make monthly contact with the child and caregiver by phone. The CPS caseworker must make monthly contact with the other state’s courtesy supervision caseworker.
Documentation
The caseworker must enter the date that the other state’s caseworker made face to face (FTF) contact with the child in IMPACT, as the CVS Monthly Required FTF contact.
Bonus: (extra 100 points)
Extended Supervision
If a child’s case remains open for more than a year, the receiving agency may reduce the frequency of the supervisory reports to once every six months. However, the CPS caseworker must continue to see the child once a month. If necessary, the caseworker must travel to the other state to see the child.
How soon after a legal status or legal action change occurs does the caseworker have to enter it into IMPACT?
Same day
The caseworker, or their designee, must document in IMPACT any changes made to the legal status of a case or a legal action being taken on the same day that the order for the change is issued.
When that is not possible, the caseworker or designee must document the change as soon as possible but no later than three calendar days following the date the court orders the change. The caseworker is responsible for ensuring documentation in IMPACT accurately reflects any changes to the legal status or legal actions in a case.
The caseworker must not wait for a written court order to be issued, even when documenting changes to final court orders, such as:
Can an ICPC be conducted on a parent in another state?
Yes, if the parent requests due to being deemed as "unfit" to parent the children. Or the parent can request a court hearing for the court to deem them fit.
Except in those counties listed above, if the non-custodial parent requests that the Texas caseworker initiate an ICPC home study, the caseworker must prepare the documentation specified in 4511 Documenting a Request to Place a Child Outside of Texas. The caseworker must submit the competed documentation for supervisory approval no later than 15 calendar days after the date of the non-custodial parent’s request.
The supervisor submits the approved home study request to the regional ICPC coordinator, who submits it to the Texas Interstate Compact Office (TICO). TICO must receive an approved home study request no later than 30 calendar days after the date of the non-custodial parent’s request.
Requesting a Hearing in the Texas Court
If the non-custodial parent requests that a hearing be set, all parties, including DFPS, will have the opportunity at the hearing to present evidence regarding the non-custodial parent’s fitness or lack of fitness.
Can a youth in care be their own medical consenter?
A youth in foster care who is at least 16 years old may consent to receiving medical care if the court with continuing jurisdiction determines that the youth has the capacity to consent to medical care.
If a court determines that a youth is capable of consenting to his or her own medical care, the caseworker must:
• educate the youth about his or her medical care and the process for making informed decisions on an ongoing basis;
• ensure the youth completes the Caregiver Medical Consent Training in whichever of the following situations occurs first:
• within seven days of the court order authorizing the youth as his or her own medical consenter; or
• at least 48 hours before a non-emergency appointment with the youth's health or behavioral healthcare provider;
• file the youth's signed Form 2759 Acknowledgement of Completion of Medical Consent Training in the youth's case record;
• ensure a youth who has been prescribed psychotropic medication, or is considering taking psychotropic medication, completes the Psychotropic Medication for Children in Foster Care Training, in whichever of the following situations occurs first:
• within seven days of the court order authorizing the youth as his or her own medical consenter; or
• at least 48 hours before a non-emergency appointment with the youth's health or behavioral healthcare provider (see also 11141 Educating Children and Youth about Their Medical Care);
• file documentation in the youth's case record that the youth completed the training;
• document in IMPACT if the court authorizes a youth to consent to his or her medical care (see 11142 Documenting Court Authorization for Youth Consent);
• offer ongoing support and guidance to the youth (see 11143 Offering Ongoing Support to Youth);
• consent to payment for services on the youth's behalf;
• ensure the youth is making decisions in the youth's best interest;
• request, if needed, a court order authorizing medical care in certain situations when the youth refuses medical care (see 11144 Requesting a Court Order If a Youth Refuses Medical Care);
• access any of the youth's medical records;
• include medical information in court reports on an ongoing basis (see 11161 Including Medical and Behavioral Health Information in Court Reports);
• notify both parents of significant medical conditions (see 11162 Notifying Parents About Psychotropic Prescriptions and Significant Medical Conditions); and
• notify the youth's parents, at the next scheduled meeting, of the youth's decisions regarding the youth's medical care, including the youth's decision to consent or not consent to psychotropic medications.
When a child is found to be a "Baby Moses" case, who names the baby?
Upon verifying that the case meets criteria for Baby Moses, the caseworker must inform hospital staff of the intention to name the infant within five calendar days. This ensures the hospital can file the infant’s birth certificate with the infant’s name on it. Either CPS or CPI staff or the infant’s first foster parents can name the infant (first, middle, and last names).
What does JOM stand for?
Joint Operations Manual
Can DFPS cancel a child under the age of 18's drivers license?
6454.2
For youth under age 18, DPS allows the adult who signed the Parental Authorization section of DPS Form DL-14B – Texas Driver License or Identification Card Application (Minor – Under 17 Years 10 Months of Age)PDF Document External Link to cancel a youth’s driver license. The DFPS regional director, as the final authority, approves the cancellation of a youth’s driver license. Only a DFPS staff member, at a caseworker level or above, may sign the Parental Authorization section or cancel the license, not the caregiver.
The youth’s primary caseworker discusses, with the youth and the youth’s caregiver, the issues that led up to a driver license cancellation or withdrawal. The caseworker documents reasons for this action on the Contact Detail page in IMPACT. The caseworker signs and submits DPS Form DL-163 Withdrawal/Restoration of Authorization for Minor’s License PDF Document External Link to the DPS office to request cancellation of a youth’s driver license.
No Insurance
The youth’s primary caseworker or DFPS supervisor immediately submits DPS Form DL-163PDF Document External Link to the DPS office to request cancellation of the youth’s driver license, if the caseworker or supervisor becomes aware of either of the following:
When are children required to get a TB test while in foster care?
Policy changed. It is not required.
Caseworkers are required to see children in the home at a minimum of once per week for the first 8 weeks during a monitored return.
Yes, per policy
When a youth in care has a baby, is it the responsibility of the caseworker to see the baby and inquire on the baby safety and wellbeing?
Bonus (50 extra)
Would the caseworker refer a male parent to HHS Family Support Serivces?
6442.2
When DFPS does not have conservatorship of the youth’s child, the child may be placed in the same placement as the youth parent. This placement can be either paid by DFPS or unpaid.
The youth’s caseworker enters medical consenters as stated in 11153 Youth Who Are Parents in DFPS Conservatorship or Extended Foster Care.
If DFPS does not have conservatorship of the youth’s child, a Child’s Plan of Service (CPOS) is not needed for the child. The caseworker addresses the following in the youth’s CPOS:
During monthly visits, the caseworker does as follows:
The caseworker documents the following in the youth’s monthly contact:
The caseworker immediately staffs with his or her supervisor when there is a safety concern or concern that the child’s needs are not being met.
Bonus (50 extra)
Yes.
DFPS must make sure a youth in conservatorship, who is pregnant or parenting (including a male youth who is parenting), is referred to HHS Family Support ServicesExternal Link, using Form 3105 Service Referral for Youth Parents and Pregnant Youth in DFPS ConservatorshipPDF Document, or to other community services that make sure the youth parent receives developmentally appropriate information and support in providing a safe environment for the youth’s child, including instruction on all the following topics:
DFPS must also make sure a youth is referred to a STAR Health service management program, such as the STAR Health Start Smart for Your Baby program, if the youth is eligible for STAR Health Medicaid. STAR Health can be contacted at 1-866-912-6283 for enrollment in service management.
Legal start times begin at the TMC date only.
No, they can begin at the care, custody, control date
Where do you find the JOM?
DFPS Intranet