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8525 Title IV-E University Pass-Through Services

8525.1 Title IV-E — Professional Training

CPS November 2006

DFPS may use Title IV-E funds to provide short-term professional training to:

  •  CPS staff;

  •  Prospective and current foster and/or adoptive parents; and 

Note: Training is provided through contracts with accredited educational institutions. As sub-recipients of the Title IV-E funds, the institutions must provide matching funds from non-federal sources.

For detailed instructions and policies on Title IV-E training contracts, see The Contract Handbook.

Regions may purchase ongoing staff training through Title IV-E university contracts with the university supplying the matching funds.

Note: Training services not meeting Title IV-E requirements are purchased and managed through the Health and Human Services Commission's (HHSC) Enterprise Contract and Procurement Services (ECPS). The region must supply all funds for non-Title IV-E training services, and the regional CPS director must consent to the training. Regions must ensure that training purchased doesn't duplicate training offered by the state office PSTI contract.  Unjustified duplications of PSTI training will not be approved.

8525.2 Title IV-E — Ongoing Training

CPS November 2006

Regions may purchase ongoing staff training through Title IV- E university contracts with the university supplying the matching funds.

Note: Training services not meeting Title IV-E requirements are purchased and managed through the HHSC ECPS. The region must supply all funds for non-Title IV-E training services and the regional CPS director must consent to the training. Regions must ensure that training purchased doesn't duplicate training offered by the state office PSTI contract. Unjustified duplications of PSTI training will not be approved.

8525.3 Title IV-E — University Degree and Stipend Programs

CPS November 2006

DFPS operates a staff development and training program that supports the goals and objectives in the Child and Family Services state plan for Title IV-E training. A goal of the Title IV-E training program is to enhance the skills of current and prospective CPS workers through undergraduate and graduate education in social work. To accomplish this stated goal, DFPS has developed the Title IV-E University Degree and Stipend Program

Regions may enter into a pass-through contract with public universities in Texas that are:

  •  approved to offer a social work degree, and

  •  have obtained national accreditation for the social work degree program from the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).

Note: If the university does not currently meet these conditions but is in the process of receiving accreditation from CSWE, consent from the associate commissioner for CPS must be obtained. 

8525.31 Identifying Allowable Services

CPS November 2006

Contracts for university degree and stipend programs that are paid with Title IV-E funds may include stipends to:

  •  CPS employees, or

  •  students preparing for employment in CPS who are enrolled in accredited Bachelor of Social Work or Master of Social Work programs.

For detailed instructions and policies on Title IV-E training contracts, see the Contracts Handbook.

8525.32 Student Responsibilities

CPS November 2006

To participate in a stipend program, employees and students must:

  •  sign a contract with DFPS committing to accept CPS employment once they complete their training;

  •  be accepted for admission by a contracted university of the student's choice;

  •  be recommended for a stipend by the stipend committee of university staff and CPS regional or state office staff; and

  •  be approved by the CPS regional staff.

To fulfill their commitment to the stipend program, students and employees agree:

  •  to work in the CPS division of DFPS in a Title IV-E eligible position;

  •  to transfer to a title IV-E eligible position; and

  •  to transfer to a different office within their current region of employment or to another region within the state, if there are no Title IV-E eligible positions available within their current region of employment.

To fulfill their employment obligations, students may not be employed in positions that conduct or supervise investigations or in positions that develop policy related to investigations. 

8525.34 Applying — Employees

CPS November 2006

To apply for a university degree and stipend program paid with Title IV-E Education funding, an employee must:

  •  Have satisfactory performance evaluations;

  •  Apply and be accepted by a contracted university; and

  •  Apply for acceptance through regional processes, beginning with the employee's supervisor.

Note:Regional procedures may vary.

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