Residential Treatment Center Project

The Residential Treatment Center (RTC) Project is a partnership between the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) and the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to provide children with intensive mental health care in an RTC setting while their guardian keeps legal responsibility for their child.

The RTC Project supports families with a child at risk of entering DFPS custody due to their mental health care needs and after exhausting community mental health resources by:

  • Connecting families to mental health services available in their community through their local mental health authority or local behavioral health authority; and
  • Paying for the cost of an RTC to meet their child’s mental health needs when families do not have the resources to pay for residential treatment.

Eligibility Requirements:

  • The child is a resident of Texas.
  • The child is younger than 18 years old.
  • The child has a qualifying serious emotional disturbance.
  • There is no current abuse or neglect in the household.
  • The family may be placing their child into DFPS custody because of the seriousness of their child’s mental health needs.
  • The family will support the mental health needs of their child throughout the RTC Project treatment process.

RTC services include:

  • Weekly individual and group therapy with a licensed clinician
  • Weekly family therapy with a licensed clinician
  • Medication management
  • Ongoing medical care on a routine and as needed basis
  • Educational services
  • Social, recreational, and habilitative services, which support or improve a person’s daily living

How to Become an RTC Provider

Residential treatment centers contract directly with HHSC and agree to provide comprehensive residential treatment services as outlined in the statement of work. RTCs must apply through the Open Enrollment  webpage.

Provider Forms

Application Forms for RTC Placement

Resources

Statutes/Rules

  • Texas Family Code, Chapter 262.351

Email RTC Project for more information.