HHS - FSS Contractor Resources

Contractor Resources

Overview of Changes to Background Checks

Notice: Starting Sept. 1, 2024, the Automated Background Check System at the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services will no longer be available for use by grantees. For more information, download the Checks Overview of Changes and FAQ.

Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention Grantees

Through the Family Support Services program, the Health and Human Services Commission serves as the lead agency to administer the Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention (CBCAP) federal award authorized under Title II of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act, the primary federal legislation addressing child abuse and neglect prevention.

Family Support Services contracts with local community-based service grantees throughout the state of Texas to provide a variety of prevention services. All grantees funded with Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention federal funding are required to adhere to the program's funding requirements.

For more information, download the CBCAP Q&A for FSS Grantees.

Contract Monitoring

Contract monitoring is a year-round review and analysis of programs that receive funding through the Family Support Services program.

Contract monitoring consists of:

Conducting a monthly review of contract bills and comparing them to the contract and contract budget.
Analyzing plan changes and amendments received by the program.
Assessing overall spending patterns.
Ensuring contracts are in compliance through the review of database reports, information from technical assistance providers, and any program issues and needs identified by contractors.

In addition to these ongoing activities, Family Support Services conducts on-site contract monitoring.

For more information, download the Family Support Services Contract Monitoring Overview.

Billing Overview

Family Support Services grantees must submit monthly billing invoices for the program to review against the grant budget and ensure expenses are appropriate and allowable.

Monthly billing also helps Family Support Services and grantees effectively track monthly expenditures and projected costs, which may identify the need for adjusting budget line items or categories.

For more information, download the Family Support Services Grantee Billing Overview.

Cybersecurity Training

All Prevention and Early Intervention Reporting System (PEIRS) users are required to complete IT cybersecurity training every year. To meet this requirement, Family Support Services offers a training created and hosted by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission and approved by the Department of Information Resources.

To learn more, visit the Cybersecurity Training page.

PEIRS Training

All Prevention and Early Intervention Reporting System (PEIRS) users are required to complete PEIRS training prior to gaining access to the PEIRS system. To meet this requirement, Family Support Services offers a training created and hosted by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission.

To access the training, visit the HHS Leaning Portal, log in, and search for "PEIRS".

Kinship Navigator Program Manual

The Texas Kinship Navigation Program supports children and youth living with caregivers who are not their biological parents. The program supports building relationships in communities to strengthen families, reduce the number of children who experience abuse or neglect, and reduce the need for more intensive intervention, such as foster care. The Kinship Navigator Program Manual serves as a guide for sites to implement and maintain high quality kinship programming that results in positive outcomes for children and families.