When DFPS seeks to place a child in DFPS custody outside Texas, or another state requests to place a child in Texas, the child’s placement is subject to the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC). The ICPC is enacted as part of the Texas Family Code §162.101.External Lin

ICPC regulations are published online by the Association of Administrators of the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (AAICPC [sic, broken link]External Link).

The Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children applies primarily to::

  •   placements of children who have been removed from their homes because of abuse or neglect, in which the state has taken legal custody; and

  •   private placements for adoption and specialized residential care.

The ICPC does not apply when a mentally ill or developmentally disabled child is placed in a facility for acute short-term treatment for stabilization in an emergency.

Caseworkers who have questions about whether the ICPC applies to a case must consult as soon as possible with:

  •   the ICPC regional coordinator [sic, intranet link]External Link; or

  •   the attorney representing DFPS.

For an overview of the ICPC process, see the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children (ICPC) Resource GuidePDF Document.

For information on private placements for adoption and specialized residential care, see the Private Interstate Adoption Resource GuidePDF Document.