Foster Care and Child Welfare Week in Review – August 7, 2023
Here are some news items from last week related to foster care, adoption, and child welfare that caught our eye:
A Child Protective Services disability specialist in Texas reveals that the foster care system fails teens with cognitive disabilities and mental health challenges when they turn 18. Many are left homeless and unsupported, as the system inadequately prepares them for adult life. The agency’s management is accused of hindering proper care, leaving vulnerable youth facing life-and-death decisions on the streets. Advocates call for improved coordination with state agencies and better access to mental health resources, highlighting the urgent need for reforms and funding to support those aging out of foster care.
Texas introduces legislation to protect parents from wrongful child abuse accusations. The state is implementing measures to ensure transparency and fairness in Child Protective Services (CPS) investigations. The new laws require CPS to inform parents of their rights, strengthen the burden of proof for removing children, and allow parents to challenge allegations before being placed on a child abuse registry. These changes aim to safeguard families’ rights and prevent unjust separations, while still prioritizing child welfare. Critics argue that more comprehensive reforms are needed to address systemic issues in the CPS system.
New Texas laws impacting the CPS program aim to make children safer. HB 63 allows confidential reporting of child abuse to CPS, while HB 730 requires a Miranda-style readout of rights before CPS enters homes. SB 2120 establishes a “Contract Defender Program” for low-income parents, and HB 1087 mandates judges document reasonable attempts to prevent child removal from homes. Advocates also seek a more community-based child protection system. They argue that children removed from homes due to neglect may fare better in such a system, reducing the risks of drug abuse, depression, and juvenile detention faced by foster children.
In a tragic car accident on July 17th, a girl named Mia Morales died after running away from the hotel where Child Protective Services (CPS) had placed her. Mia is just one of several children who have suffered harm or death while in the custody of the state of Texas as “Children Without Placement or CWOP.” This practice is currently being examined by federal court monitors in a 12-year-old federal court case against CPS and the State, representing children in the state system.
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