Foster Care and Child Welfare Week in Review – January 22, 2024
Here are some news items from last few weeks related to foster care, adoption, and child welfare that caught our eye:
Texas has spent over $180 million on a class-action lawsuit concerning its foster care system, with costs escalating due to increased payrolls and provider payments. This includes expenses for employees added by the Department of Family and Protective Services, heightened reimbursements to facilities, activities of the judge’s monitors, lawyers’ fees, computer-system upgrades, and other related costs. The lawsuit, highlighting the state’s failures to protect vulnerable children in foster care, has faced resistance from state officials, despite significant spending and efforts to comply with court orders.
Over the past three years, the Texas foster care system spent over $250 million housing foster kids in unregulated facilities like hotel rooms and leased homes, reflecting the challenges of the Children Without Placement (CWOP) program. This spending, criticized for being inefficient and insufficient, has not effectively addressed the needs of vulnerable foster children. Despite efforts to improve the situation, the system continues to struggle with providing adequate care and appropriate placements, raising concerns about the state’s strategy and commitment to fostering a safe, supportive environment for these children.
In Dallas, Jackie Juarez testified about her mistreatment in Texas’s foster care system, recounting years of neglect and abuse. Placed in state custody at 11, she endured inadequate care, overmedication, and violence. Her testimony occurred years after Judge Janis Jack condemned the system as broken, ordering reforms to protect children. Despite these efforts and increased funding, the system still fails many, with reports of abuse, trafficking, and inadequate care for children without placements. This ongoing legal battle highlights the state’s resistance to reform and the struggle to protect vulnerable children in the foster care system.
“The Lost Promise of Refuge Ranch,” details the challenges faced by Refuge Ranch, a Texas facility aimed at helping sex trafficking survivors. Despite its comprehensive care model, the ranch faced issues like staff exploitation allegations and over 50 violations, leading to the suspension of its permit by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. The story highlights difficulties in providing quality care for trafficking victims and the complexities of residential treatment in the Texas foster care system.
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