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RCL
Residential Child Care Licensing Overview

The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services is granted its authority to
regulate child care facilities and child placing agencies (CPS) by the Texas Legislature in
Chapter 42 of the Texas Human Resources Code.

The purpose of regulation is to protect a group or class of children by establishing and enforcing statewide minimum standards.

Paid Expenditures and Total Average Filled
Full Time Equivalent (FTE) Staff

Total Staff 204.6
Direct Delivery Total Staff 204.6
Caseworkers 136.0
Supervisors 22.3
Clerical 20.4
Other 26.1
Staff Costs $10,399,651.63

Worker demographic

Demographic Subcategory Number or Percent
Turnover Rate n/a 9.1%
Tenure Less than 1 Year 16.3%
1-3 Years 39.8%
Greater than 3 Years 43.9%
Entry Salary (INV) n/a $36,355.68
Entry Salary (Non INV) n/a $32,610.96
Average Age n/a 39.6
Race/Ethnicity African-American 38.2%
Anglo 39.0%
Hispanic 20.3%
Other 2.4%

Supervisor Demographics

Demographic Subcategory Number or Percent
Turnover Rate n/a 13.3%
Tenure Less than 1 Year 4.5%
1-3 Years 9.1%
Greater than 3 Years 86.4%
Entry Salary n/a $41,605.92
Average Age n/a 39.2
Race/Ethnicity African-American 27.3%
Anglo 31.8%
Hispanic 36.4%
Other 4.5%

Description of the Monitoring/Investigation Process

Step 1: Application/Permit Issuance
  • Orientation
  • Inspection
  • Background Check
  • Technical Assistance
  • Fees
  • Initial Permit
  • Non-expiring Permit
Step 2: Monitoring/Investigation
  • Routine Action: Continue to Monitoring
  • Complaint Based Action: Continue to Investigation
Step 2a: Monitoring
  • Assess Risk
  • Annual Unannounced Inspections
  • Biennial Background Checks
  • Random Sampling of CPA Foster Homes
  • Technical assistance
Step 2b: Investigation
  • Assess Risk
  • Abuse, Neglect, or exploitation
  • Minimum Standards violations, including serious incidents
Step 3: Deficiencies Found? Reports Validated?
Step 4: Due Process
Step 5: Enforcement/Remedial Action
  • Document Inspection
  • Share results with facility and the public via CLASS database
  • Require correction to reduce risk
  • Verify compliance
  • Increase monitoring plan as necessary
Types of Remedial Action
  • Corrective Action
  • Probation/Evaluation
  • Fines/Penalties
  • Denials
  • Suspension
  • Revocation

Note: The described process is for reference only and does not necessarily represent the flow of a case.

Statistics FY 2009

  • 24-Hour Care Facilities: 10,361
  • Capacity of Facilities: 43,107
  • Abuse/Neglect Investigations: 2,238
  • Non-Abuse/Neglect Investigations: 3,129
  • Inspections: 10,481
  • Adverse Actions: 0

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Page 86

Legal Responsibility for Child-Care Licensing

Statutory References

Day Care and Residential Care: Statutory References
Social Security Act
Human Resources Code, Chapters 40, 42, and 43
Texas Family Code, Title 5
Texas Government Code
Texas Health and Safety Code, Chapter 249
Texas Administrative Code, Title 40

Major Provisions

  • Develop minimum standards to promote the
    health, safety and well being of children in out-of-home
    care.
  • Validating a system of weighted minimum
    standards in order to help quantify compliance.
  • Inspect child-care operations to ensure they
    maintain compliance with minimum standards.
  • Investigate allegations of abuse/neglect, violations
    of standards violations or the law and ensure
    appropriate corrective or adverse actions are taken.
  • Conduct criminal background checks and DFPS
    central registry checks on all adult staff or
    caregivers, and youth age 14 – 18 who will be
    in frequent contact with children in child-care
    operations excluding children in care.
  • Offer consultation to potential applicants and
    permit holders about meeting and maintaining
    compliance with Licensing standards, and achieving
    programs of excellence.
  • Educate and advise consumers of child-care
    operations by providing the operations’ compliance
    history.
  • Balancing standards for safety with the needs for
    the least restrictive environment.

Other Programmatic Information:

Challenges:

  • Appropriately and consistently enforcing minimum
    standards across operation types.
  • Implementing a system of weighted minimum
    standards in order to help quantify compliance.
  • Developing inclusive, appropriate and effective
    relationships with child-care operations resulting in
    increased compliance and stronger protection for
    children.
  • Determining exemption status for new and
    different types of child care operations.
  • Providing technical assistance to child care
    operations struggling to manage behavior problems
    exhibited by young children.
  • Providing thorough, efficient and timely
    background check results to over a quarter of a
    million people seeking to work in child care, foster
    care or seeking to adopt a child.
  • Maximizing the use of Mobile Technology.

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Fiscal Year 2004 and 2009 Pre- and Post-Reform Statistics by Region (RCCL)

Region 1 - Lubbock

Region 1 - Lubbock 2004 2009
Turnover 0.0% 0.0%
Average Base Salary $44,338 $36,634
Inspections 95 543
Investigations 129 252

Region 2 - Abilene

Region 2 - Abilene 2004 2009
Turnover 0.0% 14.8%
Average Base Salary $0 $37,057
Inspections 38 317
Investigations 134 184

Region 3 - Arlington

Region 3 - Arlington 2004 2009
Turnover 0.0% 4.7%
Average Base Salary $39,191 $35,790
Inspections 341 1,896
Investigations 436 886

Region 4 - Tyler

Region 4 - Tyler 2004 2009
Turnover 0.0% 0.0%
Average Base Salary $32,501 $37,131
Inspections 95 357
Investigations 139 202

Region 5 - Beaumont

Region 5 - Beaumont 2004 2009
Turnover 100.0% 0.0%
Average Base Salary $34,518 $39,218
Inspections 57 277
Investigations 62 161

Region 6 - Houston

Region 6 - Houston 2004 2009
Turnover 0.0% 22.4%
Average Base Salary $36,337 $36,673
Inspections 660 2,433
Investigations 991 1,154

Region 7 - Austin

Region 7 - Austin 2004 2009
Turnover 26.7% 5.5%
Average Base Salary $34,351 $35,321
Inspections 396 1,542
Investigations 603 791

Region 8 - San Antonio

Region 8 - San Antonio 2004 2009
Turnover 38.1% 10.7%
Average Base Salary $34,462 $36,365
Inspections 337 1,769
Investigations 367 984

Region 9 - Midland

Region 9 - Midland 2004 2009
Turnover 0.0% 0.0%
Average Base Salary $0 $46,726
Inspections 24 143
Investigations 87 69

Region 10 - El Paso

Region 10 - El Paso 2004 2009
Turnover 0.0% 0.0%
Average Base Salary $32,865 $38,805
Inspections 38 272
Investigations 47 125

Region 11 - Edinburg

Region 11 - Edinburg 2004 2009
Turnover 0.0% 0.0%
Average Base Salary $33,926 $37,607
Inspections 132 903
Investigations 339 457

Statewide Totals

Statewide Totals 2004 2009
Caseworkers* 33.8 136.0
Turnover 12.9% 9.1%
Average Base Salary $36,499 $36,659
Inspections 2,213 10,454
Investigations 3,341 5,265

* RCCL workers report to a state office division and are not regionally allocated.
The State Total for Completed Investigations includes those where the Region was Unknown and/or Out of State.

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Texas Child Population Ages Birth through 17 Years
Fiscal Year 2009

State Total: 6,510,210

Region Number Child Population (Birth - 17 Years)
Region 1 214,012
Region 2 133,139
Region 3 1,795,971
Region 4 262,916
Region 5 186,404
Region 6 1,556,994
Region 7 670,603
Region 8 647,583
Region 9 145,371
Region 10 231,347
Region 11 665,870
Total 6,510,210

Population Data Source: Texas State Data Center; University of Texas (San Antonio)

Texas Child Population Ages Birth through 17 Years by County

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Residential Child Care Licensing Operations* in Texas as of August 31

Fiscal Year Child Placing Agencies (CPS)** Homes Verified by CPAs General Residential Operations Independent Foster Family and Group Homes Residential Treatment Centers Maternity Homes Total Licensed Residential
2005 292 9,670 152 34 94 15 10,257
2006 304 9,842 140 20 91 15 10,412
2007 332 9,438 140 15 87 16 10,028
2008 331 9,518 144 10 90 13 10,106
2009 334 9,761 150 14 89 13 10,361

* Counts do not include Applicants
** Counts include Branch Offices

Residential Child Care Licensing Operations in Texas as of August 31

Child Placing Agencies*

Child Placing Agencies* 2008 Count 2008 Capacity 2009 Count 2009 Capacity
Main Offices 202 NA 204 NA
Branch Offices** 129 NA 130 NA
Subtotal 331 NA 334 NA

Homes Verified by Child Placing Agencies

Child Placing Agencies* 2008 Count 2008 Capacity 2009 Count 2009 Capacity
Agency Foster Homes *** 6,481 22,360 6,602 22,350
Agency Group Homes *** 467 4,309 440 3,974
CPS Foster Homes 1,810 5,520 1,754 5,239
CPS Foster Group Homes 34 221 27 188
CPS Adoptive Homes  726 N/A 938 N/A
Subtotal 9,518 32,410 9,761 31,751

Licensed Residential Operations

Licensed Residential Operations 2008 Count 2008 Capacity 2009 Count 2009 Capacity
General Residential Operations 144 7,166 150 7,217
Independent Foster Family Homes 3 16 3 14
Independent Foster Group Homes 7 77 11 106
Residential Treatment Centers 90 3,889 89 3,838
Maternity Homes 13 191 13 181
Subtotal 257 11,339 266 11,356

Total Residential Child Care Licensing Operations

RCCL Operation in Texas as of Aug 31 2008 Count 2008 Capacity 2009 Count 2009 Capacity
Total Residential Child Care Licensing Operations 10,106 43,749 10,361 43,107

* Includes 11 DFPS Regional Child Placing Agencies
** Branch Offices operate under the license authority of the main office.
*** Adoptive only homes are not included in the number of private agency homes.

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Page 90

Residential Child Care Licensing Operations Regulated by Fiscal Year

Child Placing Agencies

Region Main Offices 2008 Main Offices 2009 Branch Offices 2008 Branch Offices 2009 Total CPAs 2008 Total CPAs 2009
1 Lubbock 11 10 8 8 19 18
2 Abilene 6 6 13 13 19 19
3 Arlington 66 68 19 21 85 89
4 Tyler 4 5 10 9 14 14
5 Beaumont 4 4 5 5 9 9
6 Houston 37 36 17 17 54 53
7 Austin 34 35 15 15 49 50
8 San Antonio 27 29 13 14 40 43
9 Midland 2 2 3 3 5 5
10 El Paso 4 4 5 5 9 9
11 Edinburg 7 5 21 20 28 25
Unknown/Out of State 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 202 204 129 130 331 334

Homes Verified by Child Placing Agencies (CPAs)

Region Agency Foster Homes 2008 Agency Foster Homes 2009 Agency Group Homes 2008 Agency Group Homess 2009 CPS Foster Homes 2008 CPS Foster Homes 2009
1 Lubbock 289 280 12 14 176 159
2 Abilene 174 183 18 19 99 103
3 Arlington 1,642 1,653 108 93 368 382
4 Tyler 252 275 16 15 121 122
5 Beaumont 146 150 16 18 102 110
6 Houston 1,385 1,384 90 70 329 338
7 Austin 898 963 68 69 189 161
8 San Antonio 966 997 62 64 179 192
9 Midland 87 97 11 13 97 46
10 El Paso 200 180 9 8 35 43
11 Edinburg 440 439 57 57 85 78
Unknown/Out of State 2 1 0 0 30 20
Total 6,481 6,602 467 440 1,810 1,754

Homes Verified by Child Placing Agencies (CPAs)

Region CPS Foster Group Homes 2008 CPS Foster Group Homes 2009 CPS Adoptive Homes 2008 CPS Adoptive Homes 2009 Subtotal - Homes Verified by CPAs 2008 Subtotal - Homes Verified by CPAs 2009
1 Lubbock 5 4 9 30 491 487
2 Abilene 0 0 17 12 308 317
3 Arlington 6 4 119 149 2,243 2,281
4 Tyler 1 0 18 47 408 459
5 Beaumont 0 0 16 42 280 320
6 Houston 11 9 222 317 2,037 2,118
7 Austin 2 2 105 150 1,262 1,345
8 San Antonio 4 4 75 105 1,286 1,362
9 Midland 2 1 54 4 251 161
10 El Paso 0 1 24 20 268 252
11 Edinburg 2 2 35 40 619 616
Unknown/Out of State 1 0 32 22 65 43
Total 34 27 726 938 9,518 9,761

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Residential Child Care Licensing Operations Regulated by Fiscal Year

Licensed Residential Operations

Region General Residential Operations 2008 General Residential Operations 2009 Independent Foster Family Homes 2008 Independent Foster Family Homes 2009 Independent Foster Group Homes 2008 Independent Foster Group Homes 2009
1 Lubbock 13 13 0 0 0 0
2 Abilene 6 6 0 0 0 0
3 Arlington 21 23 1 1 0 0
4 Tyler 7 7 0 0 0 0
5 Beaumont 8 5 0 0 0 0
6 Houston 20 21 0 1 6 9
7 Austin 21 22 0 0 0 2
8 San Antonio 27 30 2 1 0 0
9 Midland 4 4 0 0 1 0
10 El Paso 5 6 0 0 0 0
11 Edinburg 12 13 0 0 0 0
Unknown/Out of State 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 144 150 3 3 7 11
Region Residential Treatment Centers 2008 Residential Treatment Centers 2009 Maternity Homes 2008 Maternity Homes 2009 Subtotal - Licensed Residential Operations 2008 Subtotal - Licensed Residential Operations 2009
1 Lubbock 2 2 1 1 16 16
2 Abilene 0 1 2 1 8 8
3 Arlington 5 6 3 4 30 34
4 Tyler 4 5 1 1 12 13
5 Beaumont 3 3 0 0 11 8
6 Houston 48 44 2 2 76 77
7 Austin 15 14 2 2 38 40
8 San Antonio 11 12 1 1 41 44
9 Midland 0 0 0 0 5 4
10 El Paso 1 1 0 0 6 7
11 Edinburg 1 1 1 1 14 15
Unknown/Out of State 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 90 89 13 13 257 266

Total Residential Child Care Licensing Operations

Region Total Residential Child Care Licensing Operations 2008 Total Residential Child Care Licensing Operations 2009
1 Lubbock 526 521
2 Abilene 335 344
3 Arlington 2,358 2,404
4 Tyler 434 486
5 Beaumont 300 337
6 Houston 2,167 2,248
7 Austin 1,349 1,435
8 San Antonio 1,367 1,449
9 Midland 261 170
10 El Paso 283 268
11 Edinburg 661 656
Unknown/Out of State 65 43
Total 10,106 10,361
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Total Residential Child Care Licensing Operations

Region Residential Applications Accepted Residential Initial Permits Issued (New)
1 Lubbock 0 0
2 Abilene 2 2
3 Arlington 19 20
4 Tyler 2 2
5 Beaumont 0 0
6 Houston 25 17
7 Austin 10 7
8 San Antonio 12 10
9 Midland 0 0
10 El Paso 1 1
11 Edinburg 1 1
State Total 72 60

Note: Does not include homes verified by CPA's.

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Inspections in Residential Child Care Licensing Operations

Facility Type 2008 Number 2008 Percent 2009 Number 2009 Percent
Child Placing Agencies 4,439 44.0% 4,783 45.6%
CPA Foster Family & Group Homes 2,456 24.3% 2,221 21.2%
CPS Foster Family & Foster Group & Adoptive Homes 584 5.8% 516 4.9%
Licensed Residential Operations 2,576 25.5% 2,934 28.0%
Illegal Operations 38 0.4% 27 0.3%
Total 10,093 100.0% 10,481 100.0%

Note: RCL inspects agency foster homes for two reasons (1) to conduct an investigation; or (2) to determine whether the CPA managing the foster homes is compliant in its verification, monitoring and management of the foster home and the child in care. Foster home inspections for the latter purpose are periodically selected at random from across the state from across the state from the DFPS database for inspection.

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Inspections in Residential Child Care Licensing Operations by Type of Inspection, Fiscal Year 2009

Total Inspections: 10,481

Residential Child Care Licensing Operations

Inspection Type Number Percent
Investigation 5,086 48.7%
Agency Home Sample Inspections 2,716 26.0%
Monitoring 1,295 12.4%
Follow-up 243 2.3%
Other 1,114 10.7%
Total  10,454 100%

Illegal Operations

Inspection Type Number Percent
Investigation 20 74.1%
Monitoring 0 0.0%
Follow-up 1 3.7%
Other 6 22.2%
Total  27 100%

Note: RCL inspects agency foster homes for two reasons (1) to conduct an investigation; or (2) to determine whether the CPA managing the foster homes is compliant in its verification, monitoring and management of the foster home and the children in care. Foster home inspections for the latter purpose are periodically selected at random from across the state from the DFPS database for inspection.

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Investigations in Residential Child Care Licensing Operations

Residential Licensing Operations Type

Residential Licensing Operations Type 2006 2007 2008 2009
Child Placing Agencies (CPA)* 4,483 4,496 3,851 3,304
Licensed Residential Operations 1,971 2,042 2,048 1,961
Illegal Operations 0 2 0 22
Total  6,454 6,540 5,899 5,287

* Includes 22 Investigations of Illegal Operations
** Includes homes regulated by Child Placing Agencies

Investigations in Residential Child Care Licensing Operations,
Fiscal Year 2009

Region Child Placing Agencies (CPA)* Licensed Residential Operations Illegal Operations Total Investigations
1 Lubbock 158 94 0 252
2 Abilene 164 20 0 184
3 Arlington 780 106 4 890
4 Tyler 118 84 0 202
5 Beaumont 92 69 0 161
6 Houston 639 515 6 1,160
7 Austin 406 385 1 792
8 San Antonio 456 528 6 990
9 Midland 49 20 0 69
10 El Paso 108 17 0 125
11 Edinburg 334 123 0 457
Other/Unknown 0 0 5 5
Total 3,304 1,961 22 5,287

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Investigations in Residential Child Care Licensing (CCL) Operations, Fiscal Year 2009

Total Number Residential CCL Operations as of 8/31/09 and Investigations

Operation Type Total Number Operations as of 8/31/09 Investigations
Child Placing Agencies (CPA)* 334 3,304
General Residential Operations 150 852
Independent Foster/ Foster Group Homes 14 16
Residential Treatment Centers 89 1,092
Maternity Homes 13 1
Subtotal 600 5,265
Illegal Operations 13 22
Total 613 5,258

Number of Abuse/Neglect Investigations

Total Number of Abuse/Neglect Investigations Total Valid Percent Validated
Child Placing Agencies (CPA)* 1,505 61 4.1%
General Residential Operations 275 11 4.0%
Independent Foster/ Foster Group Homes 1 0 0.0%
Residential Treatment Centers 456 19 4.2%
Maternity Homes 0 0 0.0%
Subtotal 2,237 91 4.1%
Illegal Operations 1 0 0.0%
Total 2,238 91 4.1%

Number of Non Abuse/Neglect Investigations

Total Number of Abuse/Neglect Investigations Total Investigations with a Deficiency Cited
Child Placing Agencies (CPA)* 1,861 483
General Residential Operations 598 152
Independent Foster/ Foster Group Homes 15 4
Residential Treatment Centers 633 141
Maternity Homes 1 1
Subtotal 3,108 781
Illegal Operations 21 4
Total 3,129 785

* Includes CPA branch offices

Note: The number of Investigations and the number of Non Abuse/Neglect Investigations are based on the date that the worker completed the investigation. The number of Abuse/Neglect Investigations uses the date that the Investigation stage closed. Therefore, the sum of Abuse/Neglect Investigations and Non Abuse/Neglect Investigations will not match the total Investigations.

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Adverse and Corrective Actions in Residential Child Care Licensing Operations by Region, Fiscal Year 2009

Adverse Actions in Residential Child Care Licensing Operations by Region

Region Permits Denied Permits Revoked Permits Suspended Total Adverse Actions
1 Lubbock 0 0 0 0
2 Abilene 0 0 0 0
3 Arlington 0 0 0 0
4 Tyler 0 0 0 0
5 Beaumont 0 0 0 0
6 Houston 0 0 0 0
7 Austin 0 0 0 0
8 San Antonio 0 0 0 0
9 Midland 0 0 0 0
10 El Paso 0 0 0 0
11 Edinburg 0 0 0 0
Unknown 0 0 0 0
State Total 0 0 0 0

Corrective Actions in Residential Child Care Licensing Operations by Region

Region Evaluation Probation Total Corrective Action
1 Lubbock 0 0 0
2 Abilene 0 0 0
3 Arlington 3 0 3
4 Tyler 0 0 0
5 Beaumont 0 0 0
6 Houston 9 2 11
7 Austin 2 0 2
8 San Antonio 0 0 0
9 Midland 0 0 0
10 El Paso 0 0 0
11 Edinburg 0 0 0
Unknown 0 0 0
State Total 14 2 16

Note: Adverse actions are determined by the date the facility was sent the letter of intent. Finalizing adverse action through due process is lengthy. Voluntary Suspensions are not counted in the number of suspensions. Corrective actions begin after the due process is completed.

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Background Checks for Residential Child Care Licensing Operations, Fiscal Year 2009

Residential Child Care Licensing Operations Central Registry Checks DPS Checks FBI Checks*
CPAs, CPA Foster Agency Homes 40,182 40,209 13,316
General Residential Operations 11,048 11,048 621
Independent Foster/ Group Homes 298 298 28
Residential Treatment Centers 9,252 9,252 226
Maternity Homes 308 308 17
Total 61,088 61,115 14,208

* Represents the number of FBI checks that were requested, not the number that were actually processed.
Note: Does not include background checks conducted on individuals in illegal child-care operations or CPS Foster and CPS Adoptive homes.

Child Care Administrator Credential Exam
Fiscal Year 2009

Child Care Administrator Credential Exam Passed Failed Total
Licensed Child Care Administrators (LCCA) 49 2 51
Licensed Child Placing Agency Administrators (LCPA) 69 2 71
Total number of exams n/a n/a 122

On 8/31/2009 there were:

Child Care Administrator Credential Exam Active Inactive Total
Licensed Child Care Administrators (LCCA) 647 164 811
Licensed Child Placing Agency Administrators (LCPA) 346 12 358
Total Exams n/a n/a 1,169

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