Introduction

The Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC) is a model contract that was drafted in 1960 and is legally binding on all states that adopt it. Texas adopted the ICPC in 1995 and it is codified in Tex. Fam. Code § 162.102. The purpose of the ICPC is to ensure that children placed out of their home state receive the same protections and services that would be provided if they remained in their home state.

To see any specific ICPC regulations mentioned throughout this chapter, see the ICPC Regulations.[87] See further, CPS ICPC policy in the CPS Policy Handbook § 9000.[88]

Some recent efforts to improve the Texas ICPC process include:

•   The overall processing of expedited home study requests;

•   Regional ICPC coordinators have been tasked to assist Texas caseworkers with the ICPC process;

•   Texas ICPC/State office and Regional ICPC coordinators are promoting on-line, easily accessible ICPC training;

•   Texas ICPC/State Office created a spreadsheet to use jointly with the ICPC regional coordinators to routinely track and check for the status of outgoing home study requests and DFPS is tracking the timeliness of outgoing requests; and

•   Implementation of a National Electronic Interstate Compact Enterprise (NEICE) system for quickly and securely exchanging ICPC data and documents electronically between states to expedite completion of ICPC and placement of the child.

DFPS is tracking the timeliness of outgoing requests.