SECTION 700.1335. What is the Treatment Foster Family Care Program?

(a) Treatment Foster Family Care is a program designed to provide innovative, multi-disciplinary treatment services to a child or youth in a highly-structured family home environment.

(b) Caregivers who participate in the Treatment Foster Family Care Program have specialized training in providing services to children with mental health and/or socio-behavioral needs that cannot be met in traditional foster care settings, including:

(1) 24-hour supervision to ensure the child's safety and sense of security, which includes frequent one-to-one monitoring with the ability to provide immediate on site response;

(2) individualized, strengths-based therapeutic services and case management;

(3) time-limited services which include wrap-around services designed to transition children to a permanent and stable placement; and

(4) other training specified in the contract.

(c) A Treatment Foster Family Care home includes:

(1) one or two foster parents who are highly-trained to meet the specific needs of this child population. Single parents can participate as long as quality care can be assured;

(2) a limitation of no more than two foster children at one time; and

(3) other characteristics and limitations specified in the contract.

(d) Child placing agencies providing Treatment Foster Family Care Services must:

(1) have a 24 hour on-call crisis person available to provide in-home crisis intervention and placement stabilization services, available to the child and family;

(2) a formal respite system, both routine and available upon request, when determined appropriate;

(3) a standardized case load to support this population of children; and

(4) other requirements specified in the contract.

Source Note: The provisions of this §700.1335 adopted to be effective September 1, 2017, 42 TexReg 4307; amended to be effective August 10, 2022, 47 TexReg 4688