Foster Care and Child Welfare Week in Review – January 29, 2024
Here are some news items from last few weeks related to foster care, adoption, and child welfare that caught our eye:
Foster children in Texas continue to sleep in hotels and unlicensed placements, requiring continuous scrutiny from two Child Protective Services (CPS) workers, according to a federal judge. These children often have severe emotional and psychological issues. In the past three years, there have been over 2,100 serious incidents involving these placements, including abuse, injury, death, arrests, suicide attempts, and runaways. The judge criticized the state and its lawyers for not producing documents about how they addressed expert recommendations for solving the issue. The state faces potential contempt charges for not obeying court orders regarding its child-welfare system.
Texas child welfare officials are reassigning staff to focus on monitoring unlicensed motels and rental homes housing foster children without placements, a move aimed at complying with court orders. These children often have complex trauma and behavioral needs. The staffing changes are designed to relieve regular caseworkers from working overtime to supervise these children, which has contributed to high staff turnover and low morale. The state has been criticized for failing to address the unsafe conditions in unlicensed facilities. A federal judge has urged the closure of such facilities, preferring licensed placements for these children. Reports highlight various issues in these facilities, including overmedication, abuse, neglect, and trafficking.
A federal judge is keeping a close eye on the Texas Department of Family Protective Services and Child Protective Services (CPS) due to concerns about the welfare of foster children in the state. Forty-nine children have died in the last four years while under state care. Attorneys representing the children in state custody argue that state officials have ignored federal fines and threats to address these issues. The latest court monitor report reveals challenges faced by these children, including allegations of abuse, neglect, and exploitation in licensed placements. The attorneys express frustration with the state’s response, highlighting a system where kids are not getting the help they need.
A federal lawsuit spanning 13 years is examining the living conditions of children in long-term foster care in Texas, focusing on those without placements. Judge Aurora Martinez Jones, overseeing foster care cases in Travis County, revealed that mainly teenagers and children with extensive health needs end up without a place to live. Currently, some of these children reside in hotels or state-leased houses, with caseworkers taking shifts to watch over them. Efforts are underway to find more suitable placements for these vulnerable children.
Deric Cahill, a North Texas parent, addressed the Texas Medical Board (TMB) regarding his encounter with an emergency medicine physician at Children’s PM Urgent Care, which led to Child Protective Services (CPS) investigating him. Cahill described how Dr. Diana Huston’s referral to CPS was based on fabricated information about his child’s condition. Cahill initially filed a complaint with the TMB, which denied it, but after submitting evidence, the TMB reconsidered and granted the appeal. Cahill urged the board to reevaluate the case in light of the CPS report and the corroborating evidence he provided.
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