REFUGE HOUSE, INC.

PURPOSE:

To operationalize the Discipline Policy (FC-16.07) by detailing acceptable and prohibited forms of discipline, the restriction-of-privileges process, documentation, training, and reporting responsibilities for all who care for a Refuge House child.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT:

All foster families and caregivers sign and date the Discipline Policy Acknowledgment (Attachment A) prior to verification of the home and prior to beginning job duties, and at least annually thereafter. The signed acknowledgment is filed in the family or personnel record.

PROHIBITED FORMS OF DISCIPLINE (TAC §749.1953, §749.1957):

The following are never permitted, nor may they be threatened:

• Corporal or physical punishment of any kind, including spanking; pinching, hair-pulling, biting, or shaking a child of any age
• Any harsh, cruel, unusual, unnecessary, demeaning, or humiliating discipline or punishment
• Ridicule, verbal abuse, threats, derogatory or humiliating remarks, sarcasm, or profane/abusive language directed at the child or family
• Punishment for bedwetting or actions related to toilet training
• Delegation of punishment to another child, group punishment for an individual's behavior, or delegation of discipline to a person not known by the child
• Denial of nutritious food, water, shelter, sufficient sleep, clothing, or bedding; denial of any element of the Individualized Service Plan; denial of basic child rights; denial of mail, communication, or visits with biological family
• Assignment of physically strenuous exercise or non-productive work as punishment
• Requiring the child to remain silent or inactive for inappropriately long periods, or to hold an uncomfortable position (kneeling, arms out)
• Placement in a locked, dark, or enclosed space (locked room, dark room, bathroom, closet, high chair, box, or similar)
• Threats of removal from the foster/adoptive home or loss of placement
• Putting anything in or on the child's mouth (soap, tape, hot peppers, hot sauce)
• Any use, permitted use, or threat of emergency behavior intervention as discipline; chemical, mechanical, or physical restraints as discipline; seclusion

Confinement limits: a child must never be confined or restricted to a particular room or isolated building for more than 12 hours as discipline. Discipline must never result in bruises, welts, burns, fractures, sprains, exposure, or poisoning, or violate any prohibition in the Minimum Standards or state law.

ACCEPTABLE FORMS OF DISCIPLINE:

These approaches operationalize the TBRI® principles — Connecting (relationship-preserving), Empowering (addressing unmet needs and offering structure/choice), and Correcting (proactive, teaching-oriented) — and are individualized to the child's developmental level and trauma history. Package-specific application: align with the child's behavior-support/crisis plan (Mental & Behavioral Health), adapt to developmental/communication and sensory needs (IDD/Autism), and treat relapse as a clinical event, never disciplined (Substance Use). The standards apply uniformly to every child regardless of Service Package.

• Praise, positive reinforcement, and encouragement as the primary motivation
• A clear, communicated system of rewards and consequences appropriate to the child's age and understanding
• Time-out periods — best practice of no more than one minute per year of the child's chronological or developmental age (adjusted as appropriate, e.g., for ADHD); not appropriate for infants and not recommended for toddlers
• Withholding privileges for short periods; reminders or prompts of behavioral expectations
• Talking with the child about the situation and preparing for future incidents; focusing on the rule and its reason rather than blame
• Redirection, personal time away, and offering acceptable choices or alternatives
• Arranging the environment to allow safe testing of limits; using kind but firm action
• Natural and logical consequences, including restorative work when the child's behavior caused damage (e.g., repainting a defaced fence)

RESTRICTION OF PRIVILEGES (TAC §749.1959):

A child must never be confined or restricted to a room or isolated building for more than 12 hours as discipline.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

TRAINING REQUIREMENTS:

All training is documented in the foster-parent or personnel record (see FC-16).

REPORTING AND NON-RETALIATION:

Report any suspected misuse of discipline, prohibited discipline, threatened or actual prohibited EBI, or any incident constituting abuse, neglect, or exploitation as follows:

• Immediately to the Texas Abuse and Neglect Hotline (1-800-252-5400 or txabusehotline.org)
• Within 24 hours to HHSC Child Care Regulation; notify the parent/managing conservator within 24 hours
• Within 24 hours (written) to the applicable SSCC; verbally within 12 hours where Saint Francis serves as the residential network and a Critical/Significant/Unusual incident occurs
• To the Residential Contract Manager, caseworker, and caseworker's chain of command per DFPS 24-Hr RCC §1411
• For out-of-state placements, also report to DFPS ICPC (ICPCHS@dfps.texas.gov)

Refuge House prohibits any discharge or retaliation against any person who, in good faith, reports the misuse of EBI or prohibited discipline.

CHILDREN'S RIGHTS NOTIFICATION (TAC §749.1003):

Within 7 days of admission, inform the child and the child's parent — orally and in writing — of the child's rights related to discipline, including the right to be free from harsh/cruel/humiliating treatment; the right to age- and developmentally-appropriate discipline; the right to have measures explained at admission and when imposed; and the right to report or complain without retaliation to the DFPS Abuse/Neglect Hotline (1-800-252-5400), the HHSC Ombudsman for Children and Youth in Foster Care (1-844-286-0769), the DFPS Office of Consumer Affairs (1-800-720-7777), and Disability Rights of Texas (1-800-252-9108).

REFERENCES:

Same as Policy FC-16.07.

SSCC alignment (FY-26): Reviewed against the 2INgage Provider Manual Rev. 1.2026; aligned — no additional provider-specific provisions required. 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 — reviewed; aligned, no additional provider-specific provisions required. 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 — reviewed; aligned, 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) — 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 — reviewed; aligned, 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) — SFCS: SFCS Placement Provider Manual (July 2020, publicly-sourced — currency unconfirmed) / 2019 Affiliate Provider Agreement — reviewed; aligned, no additional provider-specific provisions required in this document. Cross-reference: FC-CQI-01 Continuous Quality Improvement Policy; FY-26 SSCC variance matrix.

FORMS/ATTACHMENTS:

• Discipline Policy / Acknowledgment (Attachment A)
• Foster Parent Notes (behavioral section)
• Case Manager Notes

This procedure operationalizes the principles established in FC-16.07 Discipline Policy. While policies require Board approval and remain relatively stable, procedures may be updated by the Executive Director to adapt to regulatory changes or operational improvements without requiring Board approval, provided such changes maintain alignment with the policy's intent.