REFUGE HOUSE, INC.

PURPOSE:

To establish Refuge House's comprehensive home study process that serves as both a collaborative, culturally responsive, in-depth assessment of families and homes to ensure safety and stability for those placed, and as the foundation for T3C Foster Family Home credentialing assessment. The process ensures that families are evaluated for both standard DFPS licensing requirements and specialized T3C service delivery capabilities while maintaining a trauma-informed, strength-based approach.

POLICY:

The Refuge House home study process is a collaborative, culturally responsive, in-depth assessment of a family and home to ensure safety and stability for those placed. The process of assessment begins at the moment of recruitment and is not completed until a family or individual is either verified or denied through our organization. This comprehensive assessment simultaneously evaluates families for DFPS licensing requirements and T3C Foster Family Home credentialing capabilities, ensuring seamless integration between standard licensing and specialized service delivery requirements.

In considering both new and prospective transfer caregivers, Refuge House does so without discrimination due to race, age, sex, national origin, or handicap(s). Refuge House is a Christian Agency that believes in traditional family values. Therefore, at this time, Refuge House does not verify same-sex couples.

INTEGRATED T3C CREDENTIALING:

Dual Purpose Assessment:

The home study process incorporates the Foster Family Home Credentialing Assessment required by T3C Blueprint page 33, which states that Child Placing Agencies must have "a process in place to assess individual foster homes and Foster Family Home Caregivers to provide the Child Placing Agency's Credentialed services." This integrated approach:

• Evaluates families for both DFPS licensing and T3C credentialing simultaneously
• Reduces duplication of assessments and streamlines the verification process
• Ensures all verified families are assessed for T3C Basic Foster Family Home capabilities
• Identifies potential for specialized service packages (Mental & Behavioral Health, IDD/Autism)

Credentialing Components Assessed During Home Study:

1. TBRI® Competency: Understanding and commitment to Trust-Based Relational Intervention®
2. Trauma-Informed Care Readiness: Ability to provide therapeutic parenting
3. Service Delivery Capacity: Resources, time, and commitment for T3C requirements
4. Package-Specific Capabilities: Assessment for specialized service packages as appropriate
5. Training Completion: Verification of all required pre-service training
6. Environmental Therapeutic Appropriateness: Home environment supports healing
7. Substance Use Support Readiness: For families seeking SU credential, assessment of understanding of addiction as disease, recovery-supportive approach, and ability to maintain substance-free home environment
8. Short-Term Assessment Capacity: For families seeking STASS credential, assessment of observation/documentation skills, ability to manage short-term placements and transitions, and capacity compliance (maximum 4 children)
9. Treatment Foster Care Intensive Capacity: For families seeking TFFC credential, assessment of availability for intensive services (multiple meetings per week, 24/7 crisis response), ability to implement intensive behavior support plans, and capacity compliance (maximum 2 children)

Initial Credentialing Determination:

Upon completion of the home study, the Program Director will:

• Review integrated assessment findings
• Determine T3C credentialing status
• Specify approved service packages
• Issue credentialing certificate
• Document credentialing in foster family home record

CORE REQUIREMENTS:

All home studies shall be completed per TAC §749.2445–§749.2451 (foster home screening) and include:

• Criminal background checks (all household members 14+)
• Child abuse and neglect history checks
• Medical evaluations for caregivers
• Financial stability assessment
• Environmental safety inspection
• Personal and professional references (minimum 3)
• Individual and family interviews
• Observation of family dynamics
• Assessment of parenting capacity
• T3C credentialing assessment components

FOSTER PARENT ELIGIBILITY AND CONFLICTS OF INTEREST (RCC §§2120–2121):

Citizenship/immigration eligibility (RCC §2120): Refuge House "approves and uses as Foster Parents only U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or other qualified aliens as defined in 8 U.S.C. §1641(b)." Eligibility is confirmed and documented during the home study before verification. (RCC §2120)

Conflicts of interest (RCC §2121): To avoid financial and other conflicts of interest, the following individuals are prohibited from being a Foster Parent verified by Refuge House:

• Any person authorized to sign a residential contract on behalf of Refuge House, or any board member, officer, or employee of the CPA;
• Any individual or person working in the day-to-day operations of Refuge House, either as an employee or contractor;
• An owner of the agency; and
• A member of the governing body.

If these individuals want to become Foster Parents, "they must be verified by other CPAs." (RCC §2121)

KINSHIP FOSTER/ADOPT SCREENINGS AND APPLICATION NOTICES (RCC §§1130, 1140):

Kinship screening specifics (RCC §1130): When a Foster Home Screening is completed on a kinship caregiver, Refuge House ensures the screening: addresses information only if it relates to caring for the kinship child(ren) (general instructions); uses new or updated references — "If there was a kinship assessment, the provider may not use the references completed at that time for the Foster/Adopt Home Screening"; addresses motivation as it relates to the kin of the child (how long the children have been in the home and why they are in care); addresses the information in any existing kinship assessment, including concerns noted and their resolution; explores and describes the prospective parent's feelings regarding both the children's maternal and paternal Relatives, including the child's parents; and, if the kinship assessment was denied, documents the reason for denial and how the issues were addressed to mitigate the concerns. Refuge House may optionally use the DFPS kinship home-study template Form 2191 (with instructions on Form 2191ins) to develop the screening. (RCC §1130)

Kin/fictive-kin application notices (RCC §1140): When a person who is a Relative or Fictive Kin of a child applies to Refuge House to be verified as a foster home, Refuge House: notifies DFPS within two business days of accepting the application (at the Child-Care Provider Login page of the DFPS website); if the person is verified, notifies the child's CPS Caseworker in writing within two business days of the verification and provides a copy of the Foster Home Screening; and if the person is not verified, notifies the child's CPS Caseworker in writing, explaining why, at the Child-Care Provider Login page of the DFPS website within two business days of determining the home will not be verified. (RCC §1140)

CAREGIVER SUBSTANCE USE SCREENING (REASONABLE SUSPICION):

Refuge House assesses each prospective and verified caregiver's use of alcohol, tobacco, and drugs as part of the foster home screening and ongoing verification (TAC §749.2447), and requires that caregivers be physically and mentally able to care for children and never be under the influence of alcohol or drugs while responsible for a child in care (TAC Chapter 749, Subchapter O).

While Minimum Standards do not require drug testing of caregivers, Refuge House reserves the right to require a caregiver (or other adult household member) to submit to a substance screening (drug and/or alcohol test) when there is reasonable suspicion — based on specific, articulable observations (e.g., appearance, behavior, speech, odor), a credible report, or an incident — that the person is using or impaired by alcohol or drugs in a manner that could affect the safety or care of a child in the home. Routine or random testing of caregivers is not performed absent reasonable suspicion or a specific contractual or court requirement.

Where reasonable suspicion exists, Refuge House:

1. Ensures the immediate safety of any child in the home, arranging alternative care if needed;
2. Documents the specific observations giving rise to the suspicion;
3. Requests the screening and explains the basis; and
4. Acts on the result and the overall fitness of the home — up to and including corrective action, a placement hold, or closing the home — consistent with its verification and child-safety obligations.

A caregiver's refusal to cooperate, or a confirmed positive result, is addressed through the home's fitness/verification review. Screening information is maintained confidentially in the home's record.

This is an agency policy that exceeds Minimum Standards. It will be revised if the RCC/SSCC contract or a court imposes specific caregiver substance-screening requirements.

SERVICE PACKAGE SPECIFIC ASSESSMENTS:

Mental & Behavioral Health Support Services:

When families express interest in this package, additional assessment includes:

• Crisis management capabilities
• Understanding of mental health needs
• Commitment to therapeutic parenting
• Ability to maintain emotional boundaries
• Secondary trauma management strategies

IDD/Autism Spectrum Disorder Support Services:

When families express interest in this package, additional assessment includes:

• Understanding of developmental disabilities
• Communication adaptation skills
• Patience with repetitive behaviors
• Physical home accommodations
• Medical care coordination capacity

Substance Use Support Services:

Foster homes seeking Substance Use Support Services credential must meet Mental & Behavioral Health credential requirements plus:

• Complete 4-hour substance abuse awareness training covering addiction as disease, signs of use, relapse response, and recovery-supportive approach
• Demonstrate substance-free home environment (all medications and potentially abusable substances secured)
• Demonstrate understanding of non-punitive, recovery-focused response to relapse
• If applicable, demonstrate understanding of Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) support

Short-Term Assessment Support Services:

Foster homes seeking Short-Term Assessment credential must meet T3C Basic credential requirements plus:

• Complete 4-hour Short-Term Assessment training covering observation, documentation, and transition management
• Demonstrate competency in behavioral observation and documentation
• Demonstrate ability to support children through assessment processes and frequent transitions
• Meet capacity requirement: maximum 4 children in foster care (unless sibling group placement)

T3C Treatment Foster Family Care:

Foster homes seeking Treatment Foster Family Care credential must meet Mental & Behavioral Health credential requirements plus:

• Complete 20 hours specialized training per TAC §749.863(c) covering high-acuity behavior management, crisis intervention, psychiatric emergency response, and intensive behavior support plan implementation
• DUAL CREDENTIALING REQUIRED: Must maintain BOTH Treatment Foster Care AND Basic Foster Family Home credentials (allows step-down within same home)
• Demonstrate availability for intensive service demands (multiple meetings per week, 24/7 crisis availability, participation in therapy)
• Meet capacity requirement: maximum 2 children in foster care due to service intensity
• Clinical team review required for credentialing approval

ANNUAL RE-CREDENTIALING:

During annual home study updates, the T3C credentialing status will be reviewed including:

• Continued competency in approved packages
• Training compliance
• Service delivery effectiveness
• Interest in additional packages
• Quality indicators from quarterly reviews

DENIAL, REVOCATION, OR WITHDRAWAL:

If a home study results in denial, or if a verified home must have their verification revoked or chooses to withdraw, Refuge House will:

• Follow all TAC requirements for notification
• Provide written explanation of decision
• Document all factors considered
• Offer appeal process as required
• Update credentialing status accordingly

DEFINITIONS:

Home Study – The comprehensive assessment process including background checks, interviews, home inspection, reference checks, and T3C credentialing evaluation.

Transfer Family Home Study – A home study completed for a family previously verified by another agency transferring to Refuge House.

T3C Credentialing – Process to assess and approve individual foster homes to provide specific T3C Service Package services beyond basic DFPS licensing.

TBRI® – Trust-Based Relational Intervention®, the evidence-informed treatment model used for T3C services.

Mental & Behavioral Health Support Services – Specialized T3C service package for children with significant mental health needs requiring therapeutic parenting, crisis intervention, and intensive behavioral support.

IDD/Autism Spectrum Disorder Support Services – Specialized T3C service package for children with intellectual or developmental disabilities and/or autism requiring specialized communication strategies, behavioral supports, and developmental interventions.

Dual Credentialing – Requirement that foster home maintain credentials for both Treatment Foster Family Care and Basic Foster Family Home packages, enabling step-down to less-intensive services within the same home when clinically appropriate.

Recovery-Supportive Approach – Non-punitive response to substance use that treats relapse as a treatment issue requiring service adjustment rather than a failure requiring consequences.

Substance-Free Home Environment – Home in which all medications, alcohol, tobacco/nicotine products, and potentially abusable substances are secured and not accessible to youth in care.

REFERENCES:

• T3C Blueprint Standards: Pages 33 (Credentialing Process), 47-55 (T3C Basic Foster Family Home), 78-93 (Mental & Behavioral Health), 123-135 (IDD/Autism)
• T3C Blueprint Standards: Pages 67-75 (Short-Term Assessment Support Services)
• T3C Blueprint Standards: Pages 136-147 (T3C Treatment Foster Family Care Support Services)
• TAC Chapter 749: Foster Family Home Minimum Standards
• TAC §749.2445–§749.2453 (foster home screening: content, interviews, documentation, updates)
• TAC §749.2445, §749.2447 (Foster Home Screening — health and substance-use assessment)
• TAC Chapter 749, Subchapter O (Foster Home Health and Safety)
• TAC §749.863(c): Treatment Foster Care Training Requirements (20 hours)
• Texas Family Code Section 264.1073 (Treatment Foster Care)
• DFPS 24-Hour RCC Requirements (FY26) — §1130 (kinship foster/adopt screenings), §1140 (kin/fictive-kin application notices), §2120 (who may become foster parents), §2121 (conflicts of interest); 8 U.S.C. §1641(b)
• FC-T3C-01 T3C Basic Foster Family Home Support Services Policy
• FC-SU-01 Substance Use Support Services Policy
• FC-STASS-01 Short-Term Assessment Support Services Policy
• FC-TFFC-01 T3C Treatment Foster Family Care Support Services Policy
• Enhancement Requests for Credentialing Application (II.G.1.e)

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.

RELATED PROCEDURES:

• FC-17.1 Home Studies and T3C Credentialing Procedure
• FC-RR-01.1 Recruitment and Retention of Foster Families Procedure
• FC-T3C-01 T3C Basic Foster Family Home Support Services (Comprehensive Snapshot — canonical; standalone procedure consolidated)

FORMS/ATTACHMENTS:

• Home Study Application and Initial Paperwork Package
• Interview Documentation Forms
• Environmental Assessment Checklist
• Foster Home Initial Credentialing Assessment (available at previewforms.refugehouse.org)
• Foster Home Quarterly Review & Credentialing Assessment (available at previewforms.refugehouse.org)

This policy document establishes the governing principles for Home Studies integrated with T3C Credentialing. The corresponding procedure document (FC-17.1) 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.