SUMMARY AGENDA FOR THE 80TH TEXAS LEGISLATIVE SESSION ISSUE 1: MODIFY THE PRIVATIZATION OF CPS TO ENSURE CHILD SAFETY AND BEST-FIT PLACEMENT. Recommendation 1a: Modify the CPS privatization model: Provide TDFPS the flexibility to contract for foster/adopt home care as needed. Support HB363. Eliminate the following from SB6 79R: 1. The privatization of case management and Self-protection programs for children. 2. Outsourcing all substitute care to an Independent Administrator. Recommendation 1b: Enhance TDFPS’S ability to care for removed children and all children in the Conservatorship of the State. Transfer additional resources earmarked for privatization to TDFPS to ensure the agency is equipped to fulfill their mission to “Protect the Unprotected” . Improve the conservator’s ability to execute their responsibility of ensuring removed children are closely monitored for safety and goodness of fit in public and private foster/adopt homes. Recommendation 1c: Increase TDFPS accountability to achieve best outcomes for children by reducing quantitative performance measures and adding goal-oriented qualitative performance measures. Suggested content for performance measures in foster care may include: a. Child well being / Quality of Placement Fit; b. Quality of foster homes; c. Service quality levels (see addendum for specific performance measure suggestions). IMPROVE CPS CASEWORKER RETENTION AND QUALITY RECRUITMENT Recommendation 2a: Increase compensation of caseworkers and supervisors to parity with the average Texas Teacher /Law Enforcement/Fire Fighters’ salary to 200% of Federal Poverty Level: Approximately $10,000 more per CVS, FAD, FBSS, Investigative worker and Supervisor. Competitive compensation is essential to the attraction and retention of the most experienced and highly qualified CPS workers. Turnover costs the state an estimated $24,000 per lost worker. The pay increase will be cost neutral with the anticipated reduction in turnover. Recommendation 2b. Significantly reduce caseloads of CPS Conservatorship Caseworkers to the National Average of 24 cases per worker, or two times the accredited and professionally recommended levels. Reduce caseloads for all other Foster Adopt (FAD) and Family Preservation (FBSS) caseworkers by 20%. Additional caseworker FTE’s must be allocated to TDFPS commensurate with the addition of 848 new investigative caseworkers as allocated in SB6 79R to keep pace with children entering the system through increased investigations Recommendation 2c: Reinstate and maintain funding for the successful “hire-ahead” caseworker program which fills vacancies as workers resign in order to manage spiraling caseloads (SB 962 77/R). Recommendation 2d: Increase caseworker quality and retention with enhanced recruitment standards: Require a minimum Bachelor’s degree in human service or behavioral science such as social work, counseling, early childhood education, psychology, criminal justice, elementary or secondary education, or joint degrees in these disciplines to reflect nationwide standards, with allowable exceptions. ISSUE 3: INCREASE CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION FUNDS TO REDUCE ESCALATING NUMBERS OF CHILDREN ENTERING CPS Recommendation 3a: Support the expansion of the existing evidence-based Nurse Family Partnership pilot program (SB 156 and HB 424) and initiation of new sites in the highest need areas of Texas, a cost-savings program after 4th year implementation. Increase funding for evidence-based primary child abuse prevention programs proven to reduce child abuse and neglect. Recommendation 3b: Fulfill statute in SB6 79R to fund community based prevention programs for former “P3” priority cases where abuse cannot be substantiated but where families need resources to reduce risk.. Recommendation 3c: Increase allocations to and protect revenues of the Child Abuse Prevention Trust Fund from uses other than child abuse prevention programs. Appropriate interest and portion of new revenues generated to fund evidence-based prevention programs. ISSUE 4: INCREASE NUMBER OF FOSTER/KINSHIP HOMES AND IMPROVE QUALITY AND SAFETY OF FOSTER CARE Recommendation 4a: Develop a cross-reference data base system between CPS and private agencies to conduct background checks on disqualified foster/adopt families who manipulate the system and “agency hop” until they are licensed. Recommendation 4b: Carefully and properly screen, train, license, and monitor private foster care homes to ensure the most basic levels of safe care for abused children. Recommendation 4c: Mandate thorough background checks on all public and private foster parents and kinship caregivers. Create a shared data base with DPS to ensure that foster parents background includes history of domestic disturbance records. Recommendation 4d: Adopt uniform preparation training, such as PRIDE training, for all potential foster/adoptive parents involved in public or privatized foster care. Clarify standards of care and improve instruction on exact policies, procedures, services, rights, and responsibilities of foster families. Facilitate a closer working relationship between caseworkers and foster parents to develop mutual respect. Recommendation 4e: Intensify recruitment and retention of “mission-driven” foster parents so that more removed children may stay in their local communities/schools and avoid excessive moves that disrupt healthy cognitive, social, educational, and recreational development. Focus recruitment on minority/bilingual foster parents. Screen out foster parents solely motivated by financial recompense. Recommendation 4f: Increase reimbursement rates for foster care to increase capacity across the board, but particularly for “special need” children. Recommendation 4g: Limit number of foster children per home among foster homes. For foster parents caring for special needs children, reduce the cap further for children in care per home. Recommendation 4h: Maintain support for and expand Family Group Conferencing statewide and grandfather kinship assistance programs to current kin caregivers to assist safe, low-income relatives or other kin continue care for their relative’s children, reducing the need and expense of foster/adopt care. Recommendation 4i: Pilot the facilitation of adoption of foster children with an adoption subsidy commensurate with foster subsidy. Recommendation 4j: Continue the expansion of support systems for foster children aging out of state care. ISSUE 5: STRENGTHEN THE SEX OFFENDER PENAL CODE Recommendation 5a: Implement a "No Pretrial Release" mandate for charged sex offenders pending trial, particularly for those offenders with prior sex offense convictions, as set forth in the Federal PROTECT Act of 2003. Recommendation 5b: Support SB 78, HB 436 regarding the prosecution of child sex offenders when there is continuous abuse of a child Recommendation 5c: Mandate that DPS notify parents of Texas school children when a registered sex offender(s) moves into a school’s catchment area. Recommendation 5d: Extend the statue of limitations on civil child sex offense cases from ten years to twenty years beyond the victim's 18th birthday. Recommendation 5e: Fund best-practice juvenile and adult sex-offender treatment programs. ISSUE 6: INCREASE FUNDING AND ACCESS TO CRITICAL MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR ABUSED CHILDREN Recommendation 6a: Increase funding availability for counseling of child abuse victims. Increase funds for managed mental health care and supportive counseling for at-risk families. Recommendation 6b: Make psychiatric services more available to parents and children and address the unique abuse issues faced by children with physical and developmental disabilities. ISSUE 7: IMPLEMENT BEST PRACTICE PLACEMENTS AND VISITATION FOR REMOVED ABUSED CHILDREN Recommendation 7a: Ensure that when removed, infants and toddlers are placed with pre-assessed adults (kinship or foster) who are safe and can provide emotional availability to the child with no further disruptions in care-giving relationships until reunification or permanent placement. Recommendation 7b: Make visitation for infants and toddlers part of the therapy plan for reunification or resolution of problems. Recommendation 7c. For infants and toddlers, include relevant professionals when planning for and evaluating progress toward reunification, with graduated steps to include visits. ISSUE 8: ENSURE MANDATORY TRAINING FOR COLLATERAL CHILD PLACEMENT DECISION MAKERS. Recommendation 8a: Require child abuse, attachment and related training for Family Court Judges, in addition to currently mandated domestic violence training, in order to make informed and responsible placement decisions for the abused child’s well being. Recommendation 8b: Judges need to enforce duties and powers pertaining to Guardian ad Litem training as stated in the Texas Family Code, Chap. 107.014. ISSUE 9: SUPPORT LEGISLATION INSTITUTING MIMIMUN QUALIFICATIONS AND STANDARDS FOR CONDUCTING STUDIES IN CHILD CUSTODY AND ADOTPIONS