TFFC placements are intended to last no longer than nine months. There is an option for a one-time extension for up to three additional months. No TFFC placement may exceed 12 months.

Before requesting an extension, the caseworker consults with the child’s treatment team. The caseworker and treatment team work together to determine whether the child requires additional time to stabilize.

If the caseworker and treatment team determine that the child is not ready for discharge, the TFFC provider does the following:

• Completes a request to extend the placement up to three months.
• Submits the request to the Regional Placement Team mailbox for the child’s legal region and copies the caseworker and supervisor. The mailboxes for each region are as follows:  
  • Region 1: see the Region 1 Joint Operations ManualPDF Document
  • Region 2: see the Region 2 Case Management ManualPDF Document
  • Region 3a: Region 03 placement requests mailbox [sic, email link]
  • Region 3b: see the Region 3b Case Management ManualPDF DocumentExternal Link
  • Region 04 placement requests mailbox [sic, email link]
  • Region 05 placement requests mailbox [sic, email link]
  • Region 06 placement requests mailbox [sic, email link]
  • Region 07 placement requests mailbox [sic, email link]
  • Region 8a: Region 08 placement requests mailbox [sic, email link]
  • Region 8b: see the Region 8b Joint Operations ManualPDF Document
  • Region 09 placement requests mailbox [sic, email link]
  • Region 10 placement requests mailbox [sic, email link]
  • Region 11 placement requests mailbox [sic, email link]

After the TFFC provider submits an extension request, the process for considering the request is as follows:

• Within seven days, the caseworker submits the extension request to the regional director through the regional chain of command.
• The regional director reviews the request and determines whether it should be forwarded to State Office. 
  • If the regional director does not approve the extension, the caseworker follows 4264 Discharge from TFFC.
  • If the regional director approves the extension, the caseworker submits the approved request to the DFPS Treatment Foster Care mailbox [sic, email link] (State Office).
• The TFFC State Office program specialist reviews the extension request, considering whether the child has made progress but would benefit from more time in the treatment foster family for further services.
  • If approved, the TFFC State Office program specialist forwards it within one working day to the associate director of placement for approval.
  • If denied, the TFFC State Office program specialist notifies the caseworker and the TFFC provider within one working day.
• The associate director of placement approves or denies the extension request within one working day.
• The TFFC State Office program specialist notifies the caseworker, supervisor, program director, and CPU of the decision.

If the extension request is not approved, see 4264 Discharge from TFFC.

The caseworker and other staff members contact the DFPS Treatment Foster Care mailbox [sic, email link] for assistance with TFFC issues.