Source: http://benchbook.texaschildrenscommission.gov/library_item/gov.texaschildrenscommission.benchbook/95?method=post&regex=%5Cb%28%3F%3A%28%3F%3Aextend%7CE%28%3F%3Axtend%7CXTEND%29%29%5Cw%2A%7C%28%3F%3Afoster%7CF%28%3F%3Aoster%7COSTER%29%29%5Cw%2A%7C%28%3F%3Acare%7CC%28%3F%3Aare%7CARE%29%29%5Cw%2A%7C%28%3F%3Atransit%7CT%28%3F%3Aransit%7CRANSIT%29%29%5Cw%2A%7C%28%3F%3Ayouth%7CY%28%3F%3Aouth%7COUTH%29%29%5Cw%2A%29%5Cb
Timestamp: 2019-04-26 04:17:08+00:00

Document:
“Young adult” is a person who was in the conservatorship of DFPS on the day before the person’s 18th birthday. Tex. Fam. Code § 263.601(4).
“Extended foster care” is foster care that extends beyond the young adult’s 18th birthday. It requires the young adult to reside in a residential facility that is licensed or approved and paid for by DFPS, including a foster home, foster group home, Residential Treatment Center (RTC), and Supervised Independent Living facility through a provider who has a contract with DFPS for extended foster care services. Tex. Fam. Code § 263.601(1).
• The date the young adult exits extended foster care. Tex. Fam. Code § 263.6015(b).
A court may order trial independence status extended for a period that exceeds the mandatory period under Tex. Fam. Code § 263.6015(b) but cannot exceed one year from the date the period under Tex. Fam. Code § 263.6015(b) commences. Tex. Fam. Code § 263.6015(c).
Each time a young adult exits foster care (originally at 18 or extended foster care), the youth adult will complete a new six-month period of trial independence. Tex. Fam. Code § 263.6015(d).
Any court with jurisdiction over a youth on the day before they turn 18 will automatically continue to have jurisdiction of the youth beyond their 18th birthday for at least six months. Youth age 18 or older are allowed to temporarily leave foster care, and as long as the court has jurisdiction, the state is eligible for federal funding to provide services for the young adult, including independent living supports such as housing. Tex. Fam. Code § 263.602.
While a youth is in extended foster care, the Family Code requires the court to conduct review hearings every six months, and make specific findings regarding the young adult’s living arrangement, the permanency plan, whether the young adult participated in developing the plan, and whether it reflects independent living skills and appropriate services in order for the young adult to achieve independence, and whether additional services are needed to meet the young adult’s needs. Tex. Fam. Code § 263.602(b).
• The young adult’s 21st birthday. Tex. Fam. Code § 263.602(f).
A court with extended jurisdiction is not required to conduct periodic hearings as described in Tex. Fam. Code § 263.602 for a young adult who is not in extended foster care and who is only on trial independence and may not compel a young adult who has elected to not enter or has exited extended foster care to attend a court hearing. However, a court may, at the request of the young adult who is on trial independence, conduct a hearing described by Tex. Fam. Code § 263.602(b) or Tex. Fam. Code § 263.6021 to review any transitional living services the young adult is receiving during trial independence. Tex. Fam. Code § 263.602(g).
For more information, see an Extended Court Jurisdiction Flowchart developed by DFPS.
• The date the young adult withdraws consent to the extension of the court’s jurisdiction in writing or in court. Tex. Fam. Code § 263.6021(b).
For more information, see a Brief Overview of Transitional Living Services developed by DFPS.
If a court believes that a young adult may be incapacitated as defined by Tex. Prob. Code§ 601(14)(B), the court may extend its jurisdiction on its own motion without the young adult’s consent to allow DFPS to refer the young adult to the Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) for guardianship services, as required by Tex. Hum. Res. Code § 48.209. Tex. Fam. Code § 263.603(a).
• A guardian is appointed and qualifies under the Texas Probate Code. Tex. Fam. Code § 263.603(b).
If DFPS or DADS determines a guardianship is not appropriate, or the court with probate jurisdiction denies the application to appoint a guardian, the court, under Tex. Fam. Code § 263.603(a), may continue to extend its jurisdiction over the young adult only as provided by Tex. Fam. Code § 263.602 or Tex. Fam. Code § 263.6021. Tex. Fam. Code § 263.603(c).
A young adult for whom a guardian is appointed and qualifies is not considered to be in extended foster care or trial independence and the court’s jurisdiction ends on the date the guardian for the young adult is appointed and qualifies, unless the guardian requests the extended jurisdiction of the court under Tex. Fam. Code § 263.604. Tex. Fam. Code § 263.603(d).
A guardian appointed for a young adult may request that the court extend the court’s jurisdiction over the young adult. A court that extends its jurisdiction over a young adult for whom a guardian is appointed may not issue an order that conflicts with an order entered by the probate court that has jurisdiction over the guardianship proceeding. Tex. Fam. Code § 263.604.
A court with extended jurisdiction may continue or renew the appointment of an attorney ad litem, guardian ad litem, or volunteer advocate for the young adult to assist in accessing services the young adult is entitled to receive. Tex. Fam. Code § 263.605.
An attorney ad litem or guardian ad litem appointed for a young adult who receives services in the young adult’s own home from a service provider or resides in an institution [as defined by Tex. Fam. Code § 263.601(3)] that is licensed, certified, or verified by a state agency other than DFPS shall assist the young adult as necessary to ensure that the young adult receives appropriate services. Tex. Fam. Code § 263.606.
• Is appropriated money to provide the services in an amount sufficient to comply with the court order and DFPS obligations to other young adults for whom DFPS is required to provide similar services. Tex. Fam. Code § 263.607(b).
A young adult who consents to the continued jurisdiction of the court has the same rights as any other adult of the same age. Tex. Fam. Code § 263.608.
For more information, see the Extended Jurisdiction Matrix created by DFPS.

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