Recidivism is a measure of the APS clients with investigations closed in a particular fiscal year, who had a separate investigation opened in the same fiscal year. To protect the identities of clients in counties with very small populations, data from counties with between 1 and 5 cases of Recidivism are displayed as "1-5", and no Recidivism % is provided. Additionally, these counties will be unavailable on the Ranking, Trends, and Gender Balance charts for fiscal years in which they have 5 or fewer cases of Recidivism. Visit dfps.state.tx.us for information on all DFPS programs.

When interviewing the alleged victim, the APS worker: • addresses all important factors regarding the allegations and the alleged victim’s overall situation; • interviews the alleged victim alone in cases involving an alleged perpetrator, but allows the alleged victim to have another person present, if requested by the alleged victim; and • interviews the alleged victim again at a later time as necessary to resolve discrepancies. When another person is present during the interview, the APS worker documents whether the alleged victim requested that the person be present and the person’s relationship to the alleged victim. The APS specialist monitors the alleged victim during the interview to see if the alleged victim appears to be hesitant, withdrawn, or nervous while participating in the interview. Such cues may be indications that the alleged victim is not comfortable speaking openly in the presence of the other person. FOOTNOTES 1. Includes victims who were also perpetrators (findings of self-neglect.) 2. Victims have been unduplicated by investigation stage. 3. Some investigations were completed without region or county location information being recorded. These investigations are included in the relevant annual total, with "None Specified" as their Region and County values.

DFPS sets priorities for the delivery of protective services. In establishing priorities, DFPS defines timeframes for conducting initial face-to-face interviews with alleged victims. The priorities are based on severity and immediacy of alleged threat to the life or physical safety of the alleged victim. (40 Texas Administrative Code §705.2101) The initial face-to-face contact with the alleged victim is conducted according to the following priorities: Priority 1: Allegations that the victim is in a state of serious harm or is in danger of death from abuse or neglect. APS makes face-to-face contact within 24 hours of SWI’s receipt of Priority I allegations. Priority 2: Allegations that the victim is abused, neglected, or financially exploited and, as a result, is at risk of serious harm. APS makes face-to-face contact within three calendar days of SWI’s receipt of Priority II allegations. Priority 3: All other allegations that the victim is in a state of abuse or neglect. APS makes face-to-face contact within seven calendar days of SWI’s receipt of Priority III allegations. Priority 4: Allegations of financial exploitation when there is no danger of imminent impoverishment or deprivation of basic needs. APS makes face-to-face contact within 14 calendar days of SWI’s receipt of Priority IV allegations. Inclusion is based on the Intake Closure Date.

Priority 1 investigations must have initial contact within 24 hours and Priority 2 within 72 hours. Completed investigations only include those cases conducted as a traditional investigation that were not administratively closed or merged into another stage. An investigation can only be administratively closed if all allegations have a disposition of administrative closure. A completed investigation can include more than one alleged victim. Completed investigations do not include any Alternative Response cases. A description of Alternative Response and how it differs from a traditional investigation and priority response times are in the CPS glossary. Visit dfps.texas.gov for information on all DFPS programs

Adults age 65 or older are automatically eligible for APS services based on their age. An adult age 18 to 64 old must be substantially impaired to be eligible for APS services. Substantial impairment is defined as: "When a disability grossly and chronically diminishes an adult’s physical or mental ability to live independently or provide self-care as determined through observation, diagnosis, evaluation, or assessment." (Texas Human Resources Code §48.002(a)(8); 40 Texas Administrative Code §705.1001) Assessment of a mental, physical, or developmental disability as indicated by one of the following: • A medical condition • Professional diagnosis • Reported or observed behavior that is consistent with such a diagnosis. The disability must cause a long-lasting and considerable inability to live independently or provide self-care. The population totals do not match prior DFPS Data Books, printed or online. Past population estimates are adjusted based on the U.S. Census data as it becomes available. This is important to keep the data in line with current best practices, but will cause some past counts, such as Abuse/Neglect Victims per 1,000 Texas Children, to be recalculated. Population Data Source - Population Estimates and Projections Program, Texas State Data Center, Office of the State Demographer and the Institute for Demographic and Socioeconomic Research, The University of Texas at San Antonio. Current population estimates and projections for all years from 2014 to 2023 as of December 2023.

TSA Civil Enforcement Final Agency Decisions for 2002 to 2014 found in the DHS Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) library.