Child Protective Services

Handbook Revision, December 2013

This revision of the Child Protective Services Handbook was published on December 2, 2013. Summaries of new or revised items are provided below.

Conferring After a Removal

Juvenile Justice

Legal Authority When Another State Completes a Home Study or Placement

Conferring After a Removal (PATS 6507)

The following items are revised to:

  •  update the time frame for conferring with conservatorship staff after a removal;

  •  revise the topics needing discussion during the post-removal staffing to match those required by recent legislative changes;

  •  expand the discussion held about the reasons for a child’s removal, to enable the removal worker to answer the questions that will be asked at the adversary hearing, in accordance with the Texas Family Code §262.201(b)(1-3);

  •  eliminate the requirement that safety assessments be brought to the post-removal staffing; and

  •  include the requirement to bring the Form 2279 Placement Summary to the post-removal staffing

CPS staff were informed about this policy with the issuance of PSA 14-023 on October 21, 2013.

See:

2550 Provide Information to the Child, Parents, Caregiver, and Court After a Removal

2563 Conferring Through a Post-Removal Staffing

Juvenile Justice (PATS 6637)

The following item is being revised to include items in the juvenile justice policy regarding local and county juvenile probation department placements. This revision includes a new section about pre-adjudication detention and some expanded policy regarding juvenile probation departments (JPDs). See:

6520 CPS Youth and Juvenile Justice

6522 [new item] Pre-Adjudication Detention

6523 [new introductory heading] When a Youth Is in JPD Custody or on JPD Probation

6523.1 [new item] General Procedures When Youth Are Committed to the Custody of Local County Juvenile Probation Departments (JPDs) or Placed on Probation

6523.2 [new item] Documenting in IMPACT Actions Related to Youth Adjudicated to a Local or County JPD

6523.3 [new item] Providing Medical Care to Youth Adjudicated to JPD Custody or Probation

6523.31 [new item] Options Available if Medicaid has Ended

6523.4 [new item] Coordinated Service Planning

6523.5 [new item] Providing Other Services to Youth in Juvenile Probation Custody or on Probation

6523.6 [new item] Addressing Other Juvenile Probation-Related Issues

The items below were renumbered to accommodate the new items above. Policy in these items was not reviewed or revised, so the revision date that appears below the title of each item has not been revised to reflect today’s publication. See:

6524 [previously 6522, no changes to policy] When a Youth Is in TJJD Custody or on TJJD Parole

6524.1 [previously 6522.1, no changes to policy] General Procedures When Youth Are Committed to the TJJD

6524.2 [previously 6522.2, no changes to policy] Documenting in IMPACT Actions Related to Youth Committed to the TJJD

6524.3 [previously 6522.3, no changes to policy] Providing Medical Care to Youth in TJJD Custody or on TJJD Parole

6524.4 [previously 6522.4, no changes to policy] Meeting and Consulting With TJJD Staff

6524.5 [previously 6522.5, no changes to policy] Providing Other Services to Youth in TJJD Custody or on TJJD Parole

6524.6 [previously 6522.6, no changes to policy] Addressing Other TJJD-Related Issues

Legal Authority When Another State Completes a Home Study or Placement (PATS 6482)

The following item is being revised to clarify that if another state completes a home study and places a child who is under DFPS conservatorship in accordance with that state’s laws and standards, DFPS has no legal authority to request that the home study or placement be handled in accordance with the minimum standards for child-placing agencies in Texas.

6934 Adoptive Homes in Other States