Foster Care and Child Welfare Week in Review – March 4, 2024
Here are some news items from last few weeks related to foster care, adoption, and child welfare that caught our eye:
Beginning Friday, Texas transitions its foster care system from the Department of Family and Protective Services to a private contractor, Texas Family Initiative LLC, under the program named Empower. This change aims to enhance efficiency, flexibility, and local support for children in protective care. However, concerns arise as not all state caseworkers transfer, potentially leading to a loss of expertise. Despite drawbacks, hopes are high for improved outcomes, including keeping children in their home communities and reducing the number of placements outside their counties. Success will be measured through various performance indicators.
On Friday, nine North Texas counties transitioned to a fully privatized foster care system, managed by EMPOWER, raising concerns among Child Protective Services (CPS) workers. EMPOWER will handle case management and placement for children removed from their homes due to abuse and neglect. The move follows the first phase initiated in September 2023. Despite concerns, EMPOWER asserts progress and has recruited new staff. However, some CPS workers express apprehension about compensation, caseloads, and out-of-region placements, questioning the effectiveness of the privatized model.
Whistleblowers from Child Protective Services in Texas alert federal court monitors of unreported incidents and documents, raising concerns about child neglect and abuse. Serious issues include medical negligence, falsifying data on children without placement, and omitting reports of sexual assault and trafficking. One case involved a child allegedly assaulted by a facility employee, where crucial records went missing. Despite ongoing scrutiny and court oversight for 12 years, the state is accused of failing to address systemic problems. The judge may hold the state in contempt, with the state seeking relief from remedial orders.
Thousands of serious incidents at unregulated Texas foster placements are revealed in court records, including violence and medical negligence. Incidents peaked in 2021 with hundreds of children nightly in need of shelter. Turnover at the Department of Family and Protective Services is high due to low pay and heavy caseloads. Attorneys describe the situation as systematic and harmful to children, urging the end of unsafe placements. Despite recommendations to reduce the need for such placements, progress remains unclear, with leaders facing potential contempt for failing to produce related documents in federal court.
A “Mass Adoption Day” was held at the Ector County Courthouse in Odessa, Texas. This event saw 13 children adopted out of the foster system to 8 families. The article highlights the efforts of various organizations and agencies, including the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, to streamline the adoption process and find permanent homes for children. The event featured festivities and celebrations, with families sharing their adoption stories. The story emphasizes the importance of adoption and the positive impact it has on the lives of both children and adoptive families.
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