Texas dept of family and protective services kinship program staff

Governor Sheila Oliver. DCF Home. Related Links. Kinship Care Frequently Asked Questions. A board representing more than one county has the same powers as a board representing a single county and is subject to the same conditions and liabilities. The child welfare board shall work with the commissioners court. The commissioners court of a county may appropriate funds from its general fund or any other fund for the administration of its county child welfare board.

The court may provide for services to and support of children in need of protection and care without regard to the immigration status of the child or the child's family.

The child welfare service fund is a special fund in the state treasury. The fund shall be used to administer the child welfare services provided by the department. If such attorney is unable to represent the department in an action under this code because of a conflict of interest or because special circumstances exist, the attorney general shall represent the department in the action.

Amended by Acts , 74th Leg. Subject to the availability of funds, the department, in cooperation with district and county courts, shall expand the use of teleconferencing and videoconferencing to facilitate participation by medical experts, children, and other individuals in court proceedings, including children for whom the department or a licensed child-placing agency has been appointed managing conservator and who are committed to the Texas Juvenile Justice Department. Added by Acts , 79th Leg.

Acts , 81st Leg. May 23, April 2, If a plan is not submitted to the department under this section, the department shall document the county's failure to submit a plan and may spend appropriated funds in the county to carry out the department's duties under this subtitle.

The county or council of governments may voluntarily provide a longer plan. The child is the sole and absolute owner of the deposit account. Not later than the fifth day after the date the department is notified of the death of a child for whom the department has been appointed managing conservator, the department shall provide the information described by Section Added by Acts , 84th Leg.

June 17, Subject to the availability of funds, the department shall enter into agreements with other states to allow for the exchange of information relating to a child for whom the department is or was the managing conservator. The information may include the child's health passport and education passport. Added by Acts , 82nd Leg. Acts , 83rd Leg. The department shall pay for the training provided under this subsection with gifts, donations, and grants and any federal money available through the Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of Pub.

The department shall annually evaluate the effectiveness of the training provided under this subsection to ensure progress toward a trauma-informed system of care. Added by Acts , 81st Leg. Acts , 82nd Leg. The report must include, with respect to the preceding year:.

The department shall evaluate the public input provided under this subsection and seek to facilitate reporting to the maximum extent feasible within existing resources and in a manner that is most likely to assist public understanding of department functions. The department may publish the information described by this subsection in the same report required by Subsection a or in another annual report published by the department.

The term includes the occurrence or onset of an injury or illness that requires hospitalization for surgery or another procedure that is not minor emergency care. A a placement change, including failure by the department to locate an appropriate placement for at least one night;. C an initial prescription of a psychotropic medication or a change in dosage of a psychotropic medication;. D a major change in school performance or a serious disciplinary event at school;. E a placement in a qualified residential treatment program as that term is defined by 42 U.

Section k 4 ; or. F any event determined to be significant under department rule. The managed care organization shall give notice of the placement change to the primary care physician listed in the child's health passport before the end of the second business day after the day the organization receives the notification from the department.

In a catchment area in which community-based care has been implemented, the single source continuum contractor that has contracted with the commission to provide foster care services in that catchment area shall, as soon as possible but not later than 24 hours after a change in placement of a child in the conservatorship of the department, give notice of the placement change to the managed care organization that contracts with the commission to provide health care services to the child under the STAR Health program.

The managed care organization shall give notice of the placement change to the child's primary care physician in accordance with Subsection d The person shall update the person's contact information as soon as possible after a change to the information.

The department is not required to provide notice under this section to a person who fails to provide contact information to the department. The department may rely on the most recently provided contact information in providing notice under this section. Acts , 86th Leg. B the data collected under Section If the commissioner of the department does not make that determination, the department shall implement this section not later than the date of the department's next update of the automated case tracking and information management system.

Added by Acts , 86th Leg. January 1, A has initiated suit and been named conservator of the child; or. B has the duty of care, control, and custody after taking possession of the child in an emergency without a prior court order as authorized by this subtitle.

The department shall continue to pay the cost of foster care for a child after the month in which the child attains the age of 18 as long as the child is:. The commission shall recover the money that exceeds the maximum amount established under this subsection.

May 27, October 1, The department may make direct payments for foster care to a foster parent residing in a county with which the department does not have a contract authorized by Section The department shall monitor the performance of a foster parent who has been verified by the department in the department's capacity as a child-placing agency.

The method under which performance is monitored must include the use of objective criteria by which the foster parent's performance may be assessed. The department shall include references to the criteria in a written agreement between the department and the foster parent concerning the foster parent's services. In determining whether a placement is in a child's best interest, the department shall consider whether the placement:.

The employee may not provide emergency care under this subsection in the employee's residence. The department or contractor shall provide notice to the court for a child placed in temporary care under this subsection not later than the next business day after the date the child is placed in temporary care. Acts , 80th Leg. June 14, The department may not allow a child to stay overnight in a department office. Added by Acts , 87th Leg. The department shall develop, in accordance with 42 U.

Section , a plan to ensure the educational stability of a foster child. Added by Acts , 83rd Leg. The department and single source continuum contractors shall:. The assessment may be used to determine the most appropriate substitute care placement for the child, if needed.

If the child is placed in the managing conservatorship of the department after the child's 16th birthday, the determination of intellectual disability must be conducted as soon as possible after the assessment required by Subsection b. In this subsection, "authorized provider" has the meaning assigned by Section The prohibition on the administration of a vaccination under this subsection does not apply after the department has been named managing conservator of the child after a hearing conducted under Subchapter C , Chapter The guidelines developed under this subsection must provide assistance and guidance regarding:.

The report must include the level of compliance with the requirements of this section in each region of the state. Section k 4. The work group shall consider topics and changes to current practices the work group determines necessary to ensure the appropriate use of and to improve the transition into and out of residential treatment center placements, including:.

The department or a licensed child-placing agency making a foster care placement shall comply with the Multiethnic Placement Act of 42 U. Section b. If an application for Title IV-D services is required and the department has been named managing conservator of the child, then an authorized representative of the department shall be the designated individual entitled to apply for services on behalf of the child and shall promptly apply for the services.

All child support funds recovered under this section and retained by the department or the Title IV-D agency and any federal matching or incentive funds resulting from child support collection efforts in substitute care cases shall be in excess of amounts otherwise appropriated to either the department or the Title IV-D agency by the legislature. Renumbered from Family Code Sec. As part of the program, the department shall:.

In cooperation with the department, OneStar Foundation may provide training and technical assistance to establish networks and services in faith-based organizations based on best practices for supporting prospective and current foster families. If the child's physical or mental condition improves so that the child's attendance in school is feasible, the department shall ensure that the child immediately returns to school.

Renumbered from Family Code, Section Section f and 45 C. Section The department shall adopt procedures to ensure that the identity of each child participating in a department survey remains confidential. A extend foster care eligibility and transition services for youth up to age 21 and develop policy to permit eligible youth to return to foster care as necessary to achieve the goals of the Transitional Living Services Program; and.

B extend Medicaid coverage for foster care youth and former foster care youth up to age 21 with a single application at the time the youth leaves foster care;.

The department, the Texas Workforce Commission, and the local workforce development boards shall ensure that services are prioritized and targeted to meet the needs of foster care and former foster care children and that such services will include, where feasible, referrals for short-term stays for youth needing housing;.

The Department of Family and Protective Services is jointly funded by both state and federal dollars. In , By , the federal share of funding for DFPS had dropped to September 6, Legislative Appropriations Request for Fiscal Years and Pages As DFPS notes in their Legislative Appropriations Request for FY , much of the need for increased state spending on services related to the foster care system is a result of both higher costs per foster care child and the nationwide trend of declining federal funding through the Title IV-E program:.

This erosion […] is the direct result of linking IV-E eligibility to the Aid to Families with Dependent Children AFDC income and asset standards that were in place in [and] have not been increased or indexed for inflation in more than 15 years. Applying those same standards today means that a child has to come from a poorer household than in SWI receives the initial call and then routes the information to the appropriate department i.

SWI handles reports of abuse for adults and children in all types of settings, including private homes, childcare facilities, nursing homes, and state facilities. The average hold time for a phone call to the Statewide Intake department has increased by almost a minute in the last four years — from 7. Those , reports corresponded to the following departments within DFPS:. While Figure 98 below shows some of the most common types of reporters of abuse and neglect for children and in-home investigations of adult victims.

Page 6. Child Protective Services CPS is responsible for responding to and investigating allegations of child abuse and neglect, providing at-home services for families and youth in need, removing children from unsafe environments, managing the foster care system, as well as assisting youth to successfully transition out of the CPS system and into safe environments.

Thus, CPS interacts with children at three stages: investigating abuse allegations, placing youth in emergency custody or inpatient treatment, and transitioning youth back into normalcy and a healthy environment.

Of those , allegations in CPS investigates abuse and neglect allegations to make a determination as to whether there is a threat to the safety of the children in their home environment. If the caseworker determines that a child is not safe, then the caseworker initiates protective services. A child is placed in foster care after other parent engagement services and outpatient treatment options have been exhausted. As of August 31, , there were 16, children in the Texas foster care system excluding the 11, children in nonfoster substitute placements such as kinship care and DFPS adoptive homes.

A total of more than 47, children were in DFPS custody at some point during FY , and 31, of them lived in some type of a foster care placement. Hispanic However, when you take into account the racial demographics of Texas children as a whole, African-American children More than 40 percent of children in DFPS conservatorship are in kinship placements.

When it is unsafe for a child to remain in his or her home and there are no appropriate family or friends who can provide shelter and care for that child, CPS will petition the court for temporary legal conservatorship. When family and kinship placements are unavailable, CPS may place a youth in a variety of different settings, including:.

Annual Report and Data Book The CPS Alternative Response AR system aims to ameliorate the stress of a CPS investigation and provide services to more families in need by adapting the typical investigation process when workers identify a lower-risk allegation. In doing so, CPS provides a non-adversarial means of dealing with less serious cases of abuse and neglect in a more client-centered and less intrusive manner.

In considering diverting a case to AR, staff considers the type and severity of the allegation, any history of previous reports, and the willingness of the family to participate and be involved with support services. National research has found that differential response systems lead to more positive outcomes related to child safety, better family engagement, increased community involvement, and improved worker satisfaction.

Despite higher initial investments, this approach is more cost-effective in the long run because it reduces the need for long-term services and more costly intensive interventions.

If the current success of AR continues and there are no unforeseen barriers to implementation, DFPS expects AR to be used in all regions statewide by the end of A total of 4, allegations of child abuse or neglect were transferred to the new AR System in FY , only 1. In , the STAR Health program was created to provide children in foster care with primary care and behavioral health services using a managed care delivery model.

The statewide program was designed to improve the continuity and coordination of care by improving data sharing and access to health services for children in the foster care system. In FY , 30, children were enrolled in STAR Health including those in kinship care, foster youth up to age 22, and former foster youth receiving transitional Medicaid services.

STAR Health requires that each foster care child has access to primary care physicians, behavioral health clinicians, specialists, dentists, vision services, and more. Behavioral health services offered by Superior include:. To help solve this continuity of care issue, DFPS began using a computer-based system called the Health Passport to track and monitor the medical information of every child enrolled in the STAR Health program.

The Health Passport follows children wherever they go so that every caregiver, DFPS staff member and medical professional working with a child has a full understanding of his or her past and current treatments and can access that information in one central, easy-to-find location. While the Health Passport is not a full and complete medical record, it provides claims data on pharmacy, dental, vision, physical, and behavioral health services provided to each child.

Many foster children who age out of the foster care system lose health insurance coverage. Many children in foster care experience trauma or other mental health conditions that impact them even after they have left the child welfare system. Foster care alumni are more likely than young adults in the general population to rely on public assistance, experience difficulties in finding and keeping a stable home, and have a high risk for physical and mental health concerns.

Thus, retaining health insurance for former foster care children for a longer period of time may lead to better outcomes by ensuring that they have more consistent and reliable access to the mental health care services and supports needed for recovery and longterm wellbeing. With the implementation of the FFCC plan, more adults formerly in the foster care system will have health insurance coverage up until their 26th birthday.

There are two groups of young adults previously in CPS conservatorship that are ineligible for access to post-care health services: individuals originally from Texas who have aged out of the foster care system in another state and individuals who have aged out of the Texas foster care system and have since moved to another state. Unlike Medicaid or other foster care insurance plans, FFCC has no asset, income, or educational requirements for coverage.

See Figure for an overview of existing health insurance programs for former foster care children. Medical Benefits ; and Texas Law Help.

Pages 4 and 5. While the state recognizes that it is preferred that children grow up in family, home-based environments, some children in the custody of the state are placed in congregate care facilities. Prior to placing a child in foster care, the court is required to consider temporary placement with a relative if possible.

If this option is not available or appropriate, the child may be placed in a foster home with foster parents, a foster family group home, or a general residential operations GRO facility. A GRO is a congregate care facility that provides residential services for 13 or more children up to the age of 18 years. GROs are licensed by DFPS and include longterm residential facilities that provide basic childcare, emergency shelters in which children are typically placed for less than 30 days, and more long-term residential treatment centers RTC.

An RTC provides care and treatment services exclusively for children with complex emotional and psychological needs. RTCs had capacity to provide services to a total of 3, children in August , while GROs had capacity to serve a total of 9, youth. DFPS provides an online search tool that lists all of these child-care facilities in the state. Child fatalities continue to occur in the Texas child welfare system, but the rate of these deaths has decreased in recent years. DFPS reports that a total of children in Texas died as a result of child abuse or neglect in FY — a 36 percent decrease from FY , when there were such deaths.

If you have additional questions, please email them to application ckfamilyservices. Please email a cover letter and a copy of your current resume to application ckfamilyservices.

It will be sent for approval. If approved, you will receive an email from us with the application paperwork. You can email Kandace Martin at application ckfamilyservices. We never know where the assessments are going to be. When we receive assessments, we assign them out per the location of the assessment. We try to assign them to a writer that either A lives within 50 miles of the assessment home or B has stated that they will work in that area.

However, you may receive a call for an area outside of your specified range from time to time, it just depends on how busy we are. We do not reimburse mileage.

You may turn down an assessment if you know you will not have the time to do it when we call and give you the due date. However, if you start to turn down multiple in a row, we will talk to you about going on hold or terming your contract if you feel that you no longer have the time to complete assessments. Please see your subcontractor agreement for information regarding payment. For example, if you turn in a draft to your supervisor on the 15th of September and the final draft is submitted to CPS on the 17th of September, a check will be mailed to you the 20th of October.

If you turn in a draft to your supervisor on the 30th of September and the final draft is submitted to CPS on the 2nd of October, then a check will be mailed to you on the 20th of November.