REFUGE HOUSE, INC.
| Policy Information | Details |
|---|---|
| POLICY NAME | Extended Foster Care and Transition Age Services Policy |
| POLICY NUMBER | FC-EFC-01 |
| ORIGINATED | 7/26 |
| APPROVED BY | Board of Directors |
| EFFECTIVE DATE | 7/13/26 (pending Board approval) |
| LAST UPDATED | 7/13/2026 |
| RELATED PROCEDURE | FC-EFC-01.1 Extended Foster Care and Transition Age Services 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 |
The age-triggered duties in this policy (VEFC notifications, Forms 2540/2532 record-keeping, NYTD survey support) apply to any youth meeting the age or selection trigger, whatever T3C package governs the placement.
PURPOSE:
To state the DFPS 24-Hour RCC Contract mechanics Refuge House must perform for transition-age youth: Extended Foster Care (EFC) record-keeping and notifications (RCC §§1431, 1432, 8300), EFC operational support duties including Trial Independence returns and FFCC healthcare information (RCC §8500), and NYTD survey support (RCC §8400).
SCOPE AND RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER P&Ps:
- With DFPS approval, Refuge House may care for youth 18 to 22 years of age who meet eligibility criteria and voluntarily agree to participate in the Extended Foster Care program (RCC §8500; 40 TAC §§700.316, 700.346).
- Transition planning content (CPS Transition Plan/Form 2500 participation, PAL coordination, Casey Life Skills, aging-out seminars, Transitional Living Services / Texas Youth Connection access) is governed by the Youth Transition Support Services Add-On (FC-YTSS-01); post-discharge aftercare is governed by FC-AF-01 Aftercare Services. This policy does not duplicate them — it covers only the RCC contract mechanics those documents do not: the §1431/§1432 notifications, the §8300 EFC forms record-keeping, the §8500 EFC support duties, and §8400 NYTD support.
POLICY:
Record-keeping — Forms 2540 and 2532 (RCC §8300)
For children ages 18 up to age 22, Refuge House keeps in the child's records the completed Voluntary Extended Foster Care Agreement (Form 2540) and Trial Independence: Ability to Return for Extended Foster Care (Form 2532) (RCC §8300, Extended Foster Care subsection).
2-calendar-day notice — incomplete VEFC agreement (RCC §1431)
Refuge House notifies the child's CPS Caseworker in writing within 2 calendar days when:
- a Voluntary Extended Foster Care Agreement signed by the child has not been completed within 10 calendar days prior to the child's 18th birthday; or
- a Voluntary Extended Foster Care Agreement has not been received for a child 18 to 22 years of age participating in Extended Foster Care.
Efforts made to obtain a copy of the signed agreement are documented in the child's record (RCC §1431).
30-calendar-day notice — EFC participation violations (RCC §1432)
When a child 18 to 22 years of age has requested Extended Foster Care or Return for Extended Foster Care but is not participating in the required school, work, or other activity, Refuge House notifies the CPS Caseworker of this in writing within 30 calendar days (RCC §1432).
EFC support duties (RCC §8500)
Refuge House offers, or ensures that the Caregiver offers, to help the youth:
- maintain documentation, such as school transcripts or pay stubs, to demonstrate that the youth is qualified to remain in the Extended Foster Care program (RCC §8500); and
- complete the Voluntary Extended Foster Care Agreement (Form 2540) if CPS requests it (RCC §8500).
If a youth under 21 seeks to return to the Extended Foster Care program during or after participating in the Trial Independence period, Refuge House directs the youth to contact regional DFPS Preparation for Adult Living (PAL) staff (RCC §8500).
NYTD survey support (RCC §8400)
Refuge House maintains contact with regional PAL staff to determine whether a youth has been selected to take the NYTD survey, and assists any selected youth with any support necessary, including (RCC §8400):
- providing on-going computer access to the youth during the reporting period;
- helping the youth register with NYTD on the Texas Youth Connection website;
- helping the youth maintain a personal email address to receive NYTD updates;
- helping the youth enter NYTD contact updates to the Texas Youth Connection website; and
- helping the youth complete the NYTD survey within the required timeframe.
FFCC healthcare information (RCC §8500)
As part of the §8500 duties, staff and caregivers make the Former Foster Care Children (FFCC) Program information stated in §8500 available to the youth: FFCC provides healthcare coverage through age 25 to young adults who age out of DFPS foster care and were receiving Medicaid when they aged out; young adults 18 through 20 are automatically enrolled in STAR Health (with the option to switch to a STAR member health plan, or STAR Kids if they qualify), and young adults 21 and older choose a STAR member health plan or STAR+PLUS if they have a disability (RCC §8500).
DOCUMENTATION:
The written §1431 and §1432 notices, the documented efforts to obtain the signed VEFC agreement, the completed Forms 2540 and 2532, and NYTD assistance provided are all maintained in the child's record (RCC §§1431, 8300, 8400).
REGULATORY ALIGNMENT:
- RCC §1431 — Reporting Incomplete Voluntary Extended Foster Care Agreement (2-calendar-day written notice; documented efforts)
- RCC §1432 — Reporting Violations of the Extended Foster Care Program (30-calendar-day written notice)
- RCC §8300 (Extended Foster Care subsection) — Forms 2540 and 2532 kept in the records of children 18 up to 22
- RCC §8400 — NYTD survey support (regional PAL contact; the five enumerated supports)
- RCC §8500 — Voluntary Extended Foster Care and Return for Extended Foster Care (DFPS approval to serve 18–22; qualification-documentation and Form 2540 help; Trial Independence return via regional PAL; FFCC healthcare information); 40 TAC §§700.316, 700.346
- RCC Appendix I — definitions (Child through the month of the 22nd birthday; Aging-Out Seminars; Casey Life Skills Assessment)
RELATED POLICIES AND PROCEDURES:
- FC-EFC-01.1 Extended Foster Care and Transition Age Services Procedure
- FC-YTSS-01 Youth Transition Support Services Add-On (transition planning, PAL, Form 2500, Texas Youth Connection access — not duplicated here)
- FC-AF-01 Aftercare Services (post-discharge aftercare — not duplicated here)
- FC-WCM-01 / FC-WCM-01.1 Worker Contact and Monitoring (the contact cadence through which participation is observed)
DEFINITIONS:
Extended Foster Care (EFC): the program under which, with DFPS approval, a provider may care for youth 18 to 22 who meet eligibility criteria and voluntarily agree to participate (RCC §8500).
Voluntary Extended Foster Care Agreement (Form 2540): the signed agreement documenting the youth's voluntary EFC participation; kept in the child's record (RCC §§1431, 8300).
Trial Independence / Form 2532: the period addressed by Trial Independence: Ability to Return for Extended Foster Care (Form 2532), kept in the child's record; a youth under 21 seeking return during or after Trial Independence is directed to regional DFPS PAL staff (RCC §§8300, 8500).
NYTD: the National Youth in Transition Database, a system to study the independent living services offered to youth in and out of foster care (RCC §8400).
FFCC Program: the Former Foster Care Children Program, providing healthcare coverage through age 25 as described in RCC §8500.
Adopted requirements are those in force per the editions listed in the frontmatter review basis; when DFPS revises §§1431–1432 or §§8300–8500, the revised requirement applies pending policy review.