When the child or youth’s permanency goal is reunification, the DFPS caseworker or Single Source Continuum Contractor (SSCC) equivalent must make every effort to place the child or youth in close proximity to the parent’s home.

Social Security Act, Title IV-E, §675(5)(A)

45 Code of Federal Regulations §1356.21(g)

To meet this requirement, the placement must be within the same county (or within 50 miles of the parent’s home if the home is near the county boundary line), unless an exception is justified. For a list of exceptions, see the Texas Child-Centered Care (T3C) System and Placement Resource Guide.

The DFPS caseworker or Single Source Continuum Contractor (SSCC) equivalent must document exceptions in the narrative under Issues in the Placement Detail page in IMPACT.

If a child or youth cannot be placed in the same county or within a 50-mile radius of the parent’s home, if the home is near the county boundary line, the child or youth must be placed within the region, unless an appropriate exception exists.