One of the following closure reasons are applied to the case:

Valid - Based on the standard of preponderance of the evidence, it is more likely than not that the abuse, neglect or financial exploitation occurred.

Valid - Progressed to Services - A valid investigation may be progressed into a service delivery stage. Beginning in FY2015, a valid investigation may be progressed into Intensive Case Services or Maintenance Services, based on risk level.

Services Provided in Investigation - When an alleged victim is experiencing abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation, APS may provide protective services during the investigation stage. Beginning FY 2015, services provided during the investigation are documented in the investigation stage and not as a separate service stage. If the alleged victim is at low or moderate risk of recidivism and the problem was resolved with services provided during the investigation, Maintenance or Intensive Case Services may not be required.

Invalid - Based on the standard of preponderance of the evidence, it is more likely than not that the abuse, neglect or financial exploitation did not occur.

Unable to Determine - A preponderance of the available evidence is insufficient to support a finding of Valid or Invalid.

Other - Refers to those investigations that workers could not complete, e.g. clients died or cases were misclassified.

Visit dfps.state.tx.us for information on all DFPS programs

Tracks six month, one year, and five year outcomes for children who returned home from DFPS custody exiting CPS Conservatorship and subsequently alleged as a victim in an investigation within the noted time period.

Children in DFPS custody are those for whom a court has appointed DFPS legal responsibility through temporary or permanent managing conservatorship or other court ordered legal basis.

The six month period is calculated by following those children who exited DFPS Legal Responsibility within the first six months of the fiscal year (FY) and counting forward six months to see if the same child is a designated victim in an abuse/neglect child protective investigation.

For the one year outcome, those children who exited DFPS Legal Responsibility in the prior FY are tracked for one year and reported in the next fiscal year. The outcomes reported in FY 2018 had a beginning cohort from FY 2017.

The five year outcomes starts with the FY five years prior and follows each child for five years to track outcomes. FY 2018 would have a beginning cohort of those children who exited DFPS Legal Responsibility in FY 2013.

This does not track recidivism, which is defined by CPS as subsequent reason to believe finding in a new investigation or subsequent open case to FBSS or removal within a given timeframe.

This dashboard addresses the Texas Human Resources Code Section 40.0516 (a)(9)(A), (B), (C) and (a)(10).

More information at www.dfps.texas.gov