Child Protective Services Handbook Revision August 2008
This revision of the Child Protective Services Handbook was published on August 1, 2008.
Civil Relief Act for Members of the Military Service
Civil Relief Act for Members of the Military Service (PATS 2032)
This policy implements federal law that prevents any party, including DFPS, from getting a default judgment against a person while that person is serving in the military. See Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA), and 50 USC Appendix §521 for information specific to default judgments
The purpose of the SCRA is to protect members of the armed forces (including reservists and the National Guard) from civil judgments that they cannot respond to while on active duty. Under an amendment to the Texas Family Code (TFC §153.3161), if a member of the military service has been given possession of a child as part of a court order and is subsequently deployed, he or she can, with court approval, formally designate someone to care for the child during his or her absence.
See:
6630 Working With Military Families
When a Child Travels (PATS 1597)
The item below is revised to reflect rules that have been revised to reflect requirements in the Texas Family Code §264.122.
When a child in DFPS's managing conservatorship travels outside of Texas, DFPS notifies the court and complies with local court requirements before permitting the child to travel.
When a child travels outside of the U.S., DFPS submits to the court a motion containing the caregiver’s travel plans and DFPS’s recommendations on the plans. DFPS must obtain a court order approving the travel in advance.
See:
6571 When a Child Travels
6571.1 Transporting Children by Vehicle
6571.2 Transporting Children by Airplane
6571.3 Special Issues While Transporting
6571.4 Traveling Within Texas
6571.41 Traveling With a Foster Caregiver
6571.42 Traveling With a Person Who Is Not a Caregiver or Relative
6571.5 Blanket Authorizations
6571.6 Traveling Outside of Texas or the U.S.
6571.61 When a Child Travels Outside of Texas
6571.62 When a Child Travels Outside of the U.S.
6571.7 Chart of Scenarios When Traveling With a Child
Child Day Care Services (PATS 1228)
This revision establishes policy for providing day care services to CPS clients and paying for those services.
DFPS staff were informed about some of these policy revisions with the issuance of the following PSAs. This revision supersedes those PSAs:
02-020 (11/28/2001) Rule and Policy Change for Foster Care Child Day Care
03-022 (11/25/2002) Foster Day Care Philosophy and Policy
03-025 (12/12/2002) Amending CPSH Items 8235.11 and 8235.12 General Protective Day Care
03-099 (08/26/2003) Child Day Care Policy 8235 Revisions
03-103 (08/28/2003) Overview of Day Care Systems and Controls
05-082 (05/24/2005) Foster Child Day Care
06-063 (03/01/2006) Kinship Child Day Care Policy
06-096 (06/20/2006) Day Care Referral Form and Process
The following items have been added or revised:
8235 Child Day Care Services
8235.1 For All Child Day Care Cases
8235.11 Definitions
8235.12 Contracting for Child Day Care
8235.13 Identifying Available Services
8235.14 Availability of Funding for Child Day Care Services
8235.15 Authorizing, Adding, Extending, Reauthorizing, Terminating, or Changing Services
8235.16 Worker Responsibilities
8235.17 When a Center’s Monitoring Status Changes to Plan 1
8235.18 When a Center Is the Subject of an Open Investigation
8235.2 General Protective Child Day Care
8235.21 Determining Eligibility
8235.22 Types of Centers That May Be Used
8235.23 Resolving Issues of Space
8235.24 Authorizing, Reauthorizing, and Terminating Services
8235.3 Foster Child Day Care
8235.31 Determining Eligibility
8235.32 Types of Day Care Centers That May Be Used
8235.33 Resolving Issues of Space
8235.34 Authorizing, Reauthorizing, and Terminating Services
8235.4 Special Needs Foster Child Day Care
8235.41 Determining Eligibility
8235.42 Types of Centers That May Be Used
8235.43 Resolving Issues of Space
8235.44 Authorizing, Reauthorizing, and Terminating Services
8235.5 Kinship Child Day Care
8235.51 Determining Eligibility
8235.52 Types of Centers That May Be Used
8235.53 Resolving Space Issues
8235.54 Initiating, Authorizing, Reauthorizing, and Terminating Services
8235.6 Former CPS Child Day Care — Provided by the Texas Workforce Commission
8235.61 Determining Eligibility
8235.62 Types of Centers That May Be Used
8235.63 Ensuring Continued Care
8235.64 Authorizing Services
8235.7 Regional Day Care Coordinator Responsibilities
8235.71 Handling Program-Related Duties
8235.72 Handling Fiscal Responsibilities
8235.73 Coordinating With Local Child-Care Management Services (CCMS) Agencies
Cross-references to items that were moved are updated in:
2236 Referring the Family for Community Services
Appendix 8160: CPS Service Codes and Descriptions