# REFUGE HOUSE, INC.

| Policy Information | Details |
| :---- | :---- |
| **POLICY NAME** | Admission Matching & Criteria for Child Placement Policy |
| **POLICY NUMBER** | FC6-01 |
| **ORIGINATED** | 6/04 |
| **APPROVED BY** | Board of Directors |
| **EFFECTIVE DATE** | 5/15/25 |
| **REVISION DATE** | 7/13/26 (pending approval) |
| **LAST UPDATED** | 7/13/2026 |
| **LAST APPROVED** | 5/22/2026 |
| **RELATED PROCEDURE** | FC6-01.1 Admission Matching & Criteria for Child Placement Procedure |

| APPLICABLE T3C PACKAGES: | APPLICABLE T3C ADD-ON SERVICES: |
| :---- | :---- |
| ☒ T3C Basic Foster Family Home | ☒ Transition Support Services for Youth & Young Adults |
| ☒ Substance Use Support Services | ☒ Kinship Caregiver Support Services |
| ☒ Short-Term Assessment | ☒ Pregnant & Parenting Youth or Young Adult |
| ☒ Mental & Behavioral Health |  |
| ☐ Sexual Aggression/Sex Offender |  |
| ☐ Complex Medical Needs or Medically Fragile |  |
| ☐ Human Trafficking Victim/Survivor |  |
| ☒ Intellectual or Developmental Disability (IDD)/Autism Spectrum Disorder |  |
| ☒ T3C Treatment Foster Family Care |  |

## PURPOSE:

To establish the governing principles and criteria by which Refuge House matches each child or youth referred for placement with the foster family best able to meet the child's needs, support the child's permanency plan, and provide trauma-informed care, consistent with regulatory requirements and the T3C system.

## POLICY:

Refuge House places a high level of importance on ensuring that all children are matched to families within the Agency who are stable, steadfast in their commitment to foster, financially secure, and capable of providing quality care that supports each child. Refuge House and its families provide each child with a safe, secure, and nurturing home in which the child receives guidance, support, and encouragement while working to achieve the child's permanency plan. Refuge House completes a thorough foster home screening and verification process before any family is licensed with the Agency, ensuring that each family meets the criteria of RCCL Minimum Standards, the DFPS/SSCC contracts, applicable level-of-care guidelines, Bureau of Indian Affairs guidelines, and COA quality practice standards, and that the family as a whole can successfully care for each child entrusted to the Agency. (FC 6, FC 6.01)

## MATCHING STANDARD:

Each placement must meet the child's physical, medical, recreational, educational, and emotional needs as identified in the child's admission assessment (**TAC §749.1101(b)**). The matching process uses the information gathered during screening and assessment to evaluate each referral and determine the most appropriate match based on all known factors at the time of referral, including the child's history, behaviors, needs, personality, and strengths, with particular attention to trauma history and its impact on placement needs. All known information about the child is provided to the prospective foster family so that all parties can make an informed placement decision. A foster family has the right to refuse any placement at any time without fear of retaliation, and Refuge House does not make placement decisions on behalf of foster families.

## PLACEMENT PREFERENCES AND NON-DISCRIMINATION:

Refuge House complies with the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) and the Multiethnic Placement Act of 1996 (MEPA). MEPA prohibits the denial or delay of a placement based on the race, color, or national origin of the child or of a foster or adoptive parent. For an Indian child, Refuge House gives priority to identified tribal families and follows the ICWA placement preferences in order: (1) a member of the child's extended family; (2) other members of the child's tribe; (3) foster homes licensed, approved, or selected by the child's tribe; and (4) an institution approved by an Indian tribe or operated by an Indian organization (**ICWA, 25 U.S.C. §1915**). Refuge House works collaboratively with the child's tribe and notifies the tribe of any placement disruption. Refuge House does not license kinship foster homes and therefore cannot give kinship-based placement priority (FC 6.03b).

Siblings are placed together whenever possible; any separation must be documented and justified, with a visitation and communication plan carried forward in the admission assessment and service plan (FC 6.03a). When possible, children are placed in proximity to their community of origin, school, and biological family to maintain connections (FC 6.03c).

**SSCC-2INGAGE — addition start** *(provider-specific; remove this block if the 2INgage contract ends)*

For **2INgage** placements, Refuge House places children within **50 miles** of the child's home community whenever possible and keeps siblings together. *(2INgage Provider Manual Rev. 1.2026 §2, p.13)*

**SSCC-2INGAGE — addition end**

**SSCC-EMPOWER — addition start** *(provider-specific; remove this block if the EMPOWER contract ends)*

For **EMPOWER** placements, children are placed within **50 miles** of the home community whenever possible *(EMPOWER Provider Manual Rev. 1.2026 §4, p.18)*, and Refuge House does not initiate a placement change — including respite-to-placement or any sub-move — without **prior approval from EMPOWER** (staffing requested at **placement@3empower.org**), in addition to DFPS Managing Conservator approval *(EMPOWER Provider Manual Rev. 1.2026 §4, p.22)*.

**SSCC-EMPOWER — addition end**

**SSCC-OCOK — addition start** *(provider-specific; remove this block if the OCOK contract ends)*

For **OCOK** children, Refuge House does not make its own placement changes — including moving a child from respite into placement or any sub-move — without **prior approval from OCOK**; the case manager contacts the OCOK Permanency Specialist or Therapeutic Services Coordinator to set up a staffing as soon as a change may be needed *(OCOK Network Management Operations Manual Rev. 7-1-2025 §5.04, p.116)*.

**SSCC-OCOK — addition end**

**SSCC-BELONG — addition start** *(provider-specific; remove this block if the Belong contract ends)*

For **Belong** children, placement decisions are made by the Belong Permanency Specialist and supervisor; before requesting a removal, Refuge House documents efforts to maintain the placement over the prior **30 days**, and discharge notices are sent to **dischargebelong@sjrctexas.org** *(Belong Stage I & II Provider Manual, pp.14–15)*.

**SSCC-BELONG — addition end**

**SSCC-STFRANCIS — addition start** *(provider-specific; based on the publicly-sourced July-2020 SFCS manual — confirm against the current SFCS manual; remove this block if the SFCS contract ends)*

For **SFCS** children, Refuge House may not make its own placement changes without **prior SFCS approval**; the case manager contacts the SFCS Child Case Manager to set up a staffing *(SFCS Placement Provider Manual, July 2020 §2.1.4, p.15)*.

**SSCC-STFRANCIS — addition end**

## CHILD/CAREGIVER RATIOS AND SUPERVISION:

A review of the home environment with respect to safety, supervision, and capacity is required before placing or sub-placing any child in a Refuge House foster home. The maximum number of children a foster family home may care for is governed by **TAC §749.2551** — generally up to six children, including the caregivers' own children and any respite or day-care children, with a maximum of two infants and two additional children under six years old, and lower limits for children receiving treatment services for primary medical needs. A home may care for seven or eight children only for the limited reasons permitted by §749.2551(b) (such as keeping a sibling group together) and only with a completed Foster Family Home Capacity Exception Form; any further exception requires a variance under §749.2551(d) and 26 TAC Chapter 745, Subchapter J. Capacity is determined under **TAC §749.2555** based on the number of caregivers, the ages, services, and needs of the children, available space, and bathroom accommodations. Certain T3C Service Packages impose tighter limits than the general standard: a home serving the **Short-Term Assessment** package may have no more than four children in foster care at one time (unless necessary to keep a sibling group together), and a home serving **Treatment Foster Family Care** no more than two, due to the intensity of services (T3C Blueprint). Where the Minimum Standards, the applicable Service Package, and the contract differ, the strictest applicable limit controls. Before extending a placement offer, Refuge House confirms the placement is within the home's verified capacity and the applicable package limit, and that the family can provide appropriate supervision for each child (FC 6.05).

## MINIMIZING PLACEMENT MOVES:

Recognizing that every move compounds the trauma a child has already experienced, Refuge House prevents placement moves without proper cause in order to minimize trauma to the child (FC 6.06). Revolving subsequent placements and administrative disruptions are considered only when an emergency arises (FC 6.06b). When a move is unavoidable, the move is planned, the child is involved throughout the process, and the child is given a clear explanation of the reason for the move; planned placements are less harmful than abrupt moves (FC 6.06a, FC 6.06c–e). A subsequent placement from one Refuge House home to another requires prior written approval from the child's DFPS Managing Conservator and documented review and sign-off by the Treatment Director and CPMS before the move (**TAC §749.1281, §749.1333**); the supporting forms and timelines are maintained in FC6-01.1. Emergency discharge or transfer is governed by the Discharge Policy (**TAC §749.1369, §749.1377**).

**SSCC-2INGAGE — addition start** *(provider-specific; remove this block if the 2INgage contract ends)*

For **2INgage** children, Refuge House does not initiate a placement change — including moving a child from respite into placement or any subsequent/sub-placement move — without **prior approval from 2INgage** (staffing arranged via cmd@2INgage.org), in addition to DFPS Managing Conservator approval. *(2INgage Provider Manual Rev. 1.2026 §4, p.19)*

**SSCC-2INGAGE — addition end**

## CHILDREN WITH MULTIPLE PLACEMENTS:

Any child referred for placement with a history of multiple placements is treated as a Routine Admission. Refuge House matches such children with foster families who have the skill sets, specialized training, proactive problem-solving ability, and temperament to minimize the effects of trauma, and ensures additional supports and supervision — including a safety plan and a highly structured supervision plan — before or at the time of placement (FC 6.07, FC 6.07b). For an Indian child who has experienced multiple placements, Refuge House provides additional supports and engages the child's tribe (FC 6.07).

## ONGOING PLACEMENT-STABILITY MONITORING:

Disruption mitigation continues after placement. Placement stability is monitored on an ongoing basis through the **quarterly placement-stability review and periodic status updates**, which document, for each child in placement: any pending discharge or placement change; disruption risk or elevated support needs; behaviors affecting stability and the behavior-support methods in use; household stress affecting the placement; and any additional support needed. Identified risks trigger additional supports and intervention to preserve the placement before a disruption occurs, consistent with the move-minimization commitment above (see FC-WCM-01 Worker Contact and Monitoring; FC-04 Crisis Management).

## PRE-PLACEMENT, INFORMATION SHARING, AND PLACEMENT AGREEMENT:

Refuge House offers pre-placement visits, in coordination with the child's caseworker, so the child can become familiar with the prospective foster family before the move; when pre-placement cannot be arranged, the Agency documents its efforts (**TAC §749.1251**). Refuge House shares the admission assessment information required by **TAC §749.1255** with caregivers and provides the information caregivers must receive at admission under **TAC §749.1115**. A placement agreement meeting the requirements of **TAC §749.1109** is completed at or before placement.

## NOTICE REQUIREMENTS:

When no suitable foster home within the Agency can meet a child's needs, Refuge House provides the caseworker a 30-day notice of discharge together with recommendations regarding the home or environment that would best meet the child's needs (FC 6.07a–c). A child is informed of a move no later than four days before discharge from a foster home (FC 6.07a). In emergencies — such as a child requiring psychiatric hospitalization or placement in a detention facility where the behaviors are too high-risk to remain in care — a 24-hour notice of discharge is provided in accordance with contract terms (see the Discharge Policy). For an Indian child, the tribe is notified of any disruption with a 30-day notice and placement recommendations (FC 6.07a,c).

Every such notice is made using **Form 2109 Discharge Notice** and sent to the CPS Caseworker, the CPS Supervisor, and the **Regional Placement unit for the child's legal region** — including when Refuge House moves a child from one of its own foster homes to another ("Form 2109 is also submitted if a Child-Placing Agency is moving a Child from one foster home to another within the same agency") (RCC FY26 §8200). In addition to the 24-hour and 30-day types above, the RCC recognizes a **72-Hour Discharge Notice** (child absent without permission; voided if the child returns before it expires) and a **Fourteen Day Discharge Notice** (documentation from a psychiatrist, licensed psychologist, physician, LCSW, or LPC that the child "consistently exhibits behavior that cannot be managed within the provider's licensed Programmatic Services") (RCC FY26 §8220). The canonical statement of the discharge-notice machinery — notice types, recipients, voiding rules, documentation, and bed-hold conditions — is **FC14-01 T3C Discharge and Permanency Planning Policy §4** and FC14-01.1 §9; this section is summary-level only.

## DEFINITIONS:

**COA**: Council on Accreditation
**CPU**: Centralized Placement Unit
**DFPS**: Department of Family and Protective Services
**ICWA**: Indian Child Welfare Act
**LOC**: Level of Care
**MEPA**: Multiethnic Placement Act of 1996
**RCCL**: Residential Child Care Licensing
**SSCC**: Single Source Continuum Contractor
**T3C**: Texas Child-Centered Care
**TBRI®**: Trust-Based Relational Intervention — an evidence-informed, trauma-informed approach

## REFERENCES:

- TAC §749.1101(b) (each placement must meet the child's needs per the admission assessment)
- TAC §749.1109 (placement agreement), §749.1115 (information provided to caregivers at admission), §749.1251 (pre-placement visits), §749.1253 (preparing a child for placement), §749.1255 (sharing admission assessment information with caregivers)
- TAC §749.1281 (requirements when moving a child from one foster home to another), §749.1333 (effect of a transfer on review timing), §749.1137 (reasonable efforts to obtain required information); emergency discharge/transfer §749.1369, §749.1377 (see Discharge Policy)
- ICWA, 25 U.S.C. §1915 (placement preferences); Multiethnic Placement Act of 1996 (MEPA)
- DFPS 24-Hour RCC Requirements (FY26) §§1420 (notifications/signatures), 7000 (transfer), 8200 (Form 2109 Discharge Notice; Regional Placement unit; intra-agency moves), 8220 (notice types incl. 72-hour and 14-day)
- T3C Blueprint Standards — Placement Selection Process; package capacity limits (Short-Term Assessment ≤ 4 children; Treatment Foster Family Care ≤ 2 children); Mental & Behavioral Health (pp. 76–86); IDD/Autism (pp. 123–135)
- SSCC Provider Manuals — 4Kids4Families, OCOK, Saint Francis, Belong, 2INgage, EMPOWER
- TAC §749.2551 (maximum number of children a foster family home may care for) and §749.2555 (determining capacity)
- RH ICWA Policy; RH Ratio Policy; RH Caregiver Manual; RH Case Manager Handbook

**SSCC alignment (FY-26):** 2INgage Provider Manual Rev. 1.2026 — §2 (p.13 proximity/siblings); §4 (p.19 placement-change gate). Cross-reference: FC-CQI-01 Continuous Quality Improvement Policy; FY-26 SSCC coverage tracker (`temporary-reference/fy26-sscc-joint-monitoring/sscc-alignment/`).

**SSCC alignment (FY-26) — EMPOWER:** EMPOWER Provider Manual Rev. 1.2026 — §4 (p.18 proximity; p.22 placement-change gate). Cross-reference: FC-CQI-01 Continuous Quality Improvement Policy; FY-26 SSCC variance matrix.

**SSCC alignment (FY-26) — OCOK:** OCOK Network Management Operations Manual Rev. 7-1-2025 — §5.04 (p.116 placement-change gate). Cross-reference: FC-CQI-01 Continuous Quality Improvement Policy; FY-26 SSCC variance matrix.

**SSCC alignment (FY-26) — 4Kids:** 4Kids4Families Joint Operations Manual (Dec 2025) / Subcontractor Agreement — reviewed; aligned (4Kids items here are casework/Minimum-Standards-level), no additional provider-specific provisions required in this document. Cross-reference: FC-CQI-01 Continuous Quality Improvement Policy; FY-26 SSCC variance matrix.

**SSCC alignment (FY-26) — Belong:** Belong Stage I & II Provider Manual (Aug 2025) / Provider Services Agreement — pp.14–15 placement-change approval. Cross-reference: FC-CQI-01 Continuous Quality Improvement Policy; FY-26 SSCC variance matrix.

**SSCC alignment (FY-26) — SFCS:** SFCS Placement Provider Manual (July 2020, publicly-sourced — currency unconfirmed) / 2019 Affiliate Provider Agreement — Manual §2.1.4 (placement-change approval); §2.7 (proximity). Confirm against the current SFCS provider manual. Cross-reference: FC-CQI-01 Continuous Quality Improvement Policy; FY-26 SSCC variance matrix.

## RELATED PROCEDURES:

- FC6-01.1 Admission Matching & Criteria for Child Placement Procedure
- FC1-01 Admission Screening Policy / FC1-01.1 Admission Screening Procedure
- FC2-01 Admission Assessment Policy / FC2-01.1 Admission Assessment Procedure
- RH ICWA Services Policy
- RH BSM Policy Manual
- Discharge Policy

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*This policy document establishes the governing principles for Admission Matching & Criteria for Child Placement. The corresponding procedure document (FC6-01.1) operationalizes these principles by providing specific implementation details (who, when, where, and how). While policies require Board approval and remain relatively stable, procedures may be updated by the Executive Director to adapt to regulatory changes, technological advancements, or operational improvements without requiring Board approval, provided such changes maintain alignment with the policy's intent.*