[I. ORGANIZATIONAL ITEMS]
[00:00:04]
AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME EVERYBODY HERE.
IT'S WE'RE REALLY CLOSE TO THE SUMMER SOLSTICE, SO WE WON'T HAVE THAT MUCH EXTRA DAYLIGHT COMING.
SO WE'LL APPRECIATE THESE LAST FEW DAYS OF THE LONG EXTENSION.
AND I'M GOING TO ASK NOW IF THE INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL MEMBERS WILL PLEASE INTRODUCE THEMSELVES.
THERE YOU GO. GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY.
MY NAME IS OMEDI CANTU ARISMENDEZ.
THEY CALL ME DEE DEE FOR SHORT.
MY NAME IS ENRIQUE MATA, AND I'M FROM EL PASO, TEXAS.
GOOD MORNING, JULIE KRAWCZYK FROM DALLAS, TEXAS.
AND I'M BONNIE HELMS AND I'M FROM HOUSTON.
WE ALSO HAVE WITH US HERE THE LOVELY AND FAMOUS COMMISSIONER MUTH AND THE FAST MOVING CHERYL GOMEZ.
WE'VE WE'VE GOT A LITTLE BIT OF A PROBLEM.
WE NEED FIVE MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL TO BE HERE TO HAVE QUORUM.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, TODAY WE ONLY HAVE FOUR, SO I CANNOT DECLARE QUORUM AT THIS TIME.
AT THIS TIME, I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME COMMISSIONER MUTH AND HER TEAM.
THE BIG MARKERS THAT WE WILL BE HEARING FROM TODAY.
OKAY, LET ME LET COMMISSIONER MUTH TAKE OVER AND TALK TO US.
[IV. AGENCY UPDATE (Part 1 of 2)]
THANK YOU, JUDGE HELLUMS. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.I AM PLEASED TO REPORT ON A NUMBER OF ACTIVITIES AT THE DEPARTMENT, AND ALSO WE'LL BE HEARING FROM SOME OF OUR SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS ON SOME TOPICS THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON.
THIS TIME OF YEAR IS A BUSY TIME OF YEAR FOR THE DEPARTMENT.
THE MANY OF THE SPRING AND SUMMER MONTHS ARE DEDICATED TO VARIOUS AWARENESS MONTHS.
SO FOR EXAMPLE, IN APRIL WE HAD CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH, LOTS OF ACTIVITIES AROUND THE STATE.
WE DID PARTICIPATE IN A KICKOFF EVENT AT THE CAPITOL STEPS THAT WAS SPONSORED BY ONE OF OUR ADVOCACY PARTNERS, TEXPROTECTS, AND I WAS HONORED TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK AT THAT.
I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE GOVERNOR'S PROCLAMATION REALLY TALKED ABOUT HOW CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION IS ABOUT PARTNERSHIPS, THAT IT INVOLVES ACTIVITIES AND PARTNERSHIPS ACROSS ALL LEVELS AT THE LOCAL COMMUNITY, FROM GOVERNMENT TO NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.
BUT IT'S REALLY GOING DOWN TO NEIGHBORS, SUPPORTING NEIGHBORS AND FAMILIES SUPPORTING FAMILIES AND SEEING WHAT'S HAPPENING WITHIN THE COMMUNITY AND STEPPING UP FOR THAT, AND RACHEL DORA IS HERE TODAY WITH OUR FAITH BASED AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TEAM, AND SHE'S GOING TO GIVE AN ADDITIONAL RECAP ON SOME OF THOSE EVENTS, AND THE MONTH OF MAY WAS ALSO AN IMPORTANT MONTH WITH MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE AS AN AGENCY HAVE REALLY BEEN FOCUSED ON IS THE FACT THAT THERE ARE SOME SIGNIFICANT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH NEEDS FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN THIS STATE.
AND SO PART WE PARTNERED WITH HHSC TO REALLY TALK ABOUT SOME OF THOSE NEEDS AND HOW TO SEEK SERVICES AND NAVIGATE THE SYSTEM. BUT IN ADDITION TO THAT, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M ACUTELY AWARE OF, AND WE HAVE SOME OF OUR STAFF HERE TODAY, THEY ARE ACUTELY AWARE OF, IS THAT OUR STAFF ARE FACED WITH SECONDARY TRAUMA ON A DAILY BASIS.
SOMETIMES IT'S PRIMARY TRAUMA FROM JUST DOING THE DIFFICULT JOBS THAT THEY DO.
AND COMPASSION FATIGUE IS REAL.
AND SO WE REALLY ARE WORKING TO BETTER SUPPORT OUR STAFF AS THEY ARE NAVIGATING SOME OF THAT.
[00:05:05]
SO REALLY TO FOCUS ON HOW DO WE BEST SUPPORT THE NEEDS OF OF OUR TEAM MEMBERS? THE MONTH OF MAY JUST ALLOWED US TO REALLY HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO RAISE AWARENESS AND SHARE RESOURCES FOR OUR, OUR TEAM MEMBERS.IN JUNE, WE HAVE SORT OF TWO IMPORTANT TOPICS ELDER ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH.
AND I WOULD SAY THAT THE MESSAGE FOR ELDER ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH IS SO SIMILAR TO WHAT WE SAW WITH CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH THAT IN ORDER TO DO THAT WORK, IT'S REALLY ABOUT PARTNERSHIPS, PARTNERSHIPS AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, AT THE STATE LEVEL, BUT ALSO JUST DOWN TO NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS TO PREVENT THAT ELDER ABUSE.
AND I SINCE WE ARE IN JUNE, I'D LIKE TO CHALLENGE EVERYONE TO TO REALLY HAVE A HAVE AN EYE OPEN AND LOOK FOR THOSE WARNING SIGNS OF ABUSE OR NEGLECT AND STEP UP WHERE NEEDED AND AND YOU INCLUDING CALLING STATEWIDE INTAKE IF WE BELIEVE THAT APS NEEDS TO ENGAGE TO HELP SOMEONE TODAY, MANY OF US ARE WEARING PURPLE TO SUPPORT THE AWARENESS OF THE NEEDS OF THOSE OLDER INDIVIDUALS THIS MONTH.
ALSO THIS MONTH IT IS WORKER SAFETY MONTH.
AND WE DO PROVIDE OUR EMPLOYEES WITH SOME TOOLS TO HELP KEEP THEM SAFE, SUCH AS ALERT SIGNALS THAT NOTIFY LAW ENFORCEMENT. BUT IT THERE WE HAVE A AN OFFICE THAT IS DEDICATED TO WORKER SAFETY WITH THE GOAL OF MAKING SURE EMPLOYEES ISSUES ARE HEARD AND ADDRESSED PROMPTLY.
ONE OTHER THING THAT I WANTED TO SHARE THAT'S HAPPENED SINCE OUR LAST MEETING IS, AND WE HAD TALKED ABOUT THIS PREVIOUSLY, IS WE REFORMULATED SOME OF OUR ADVISORY COMMITTEE STRUCTURES AND WE LAUNCHED A NEW PARTNERS FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES COMMITTEE.
I'M REALLY EXCITED, WE HAD OVER 100 INDIVIDUALS WHO APPLIED WITH AN INTEREST IN EVERYTHING FROM PEOPLE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE TO ADVOCATES TO PROVIDERS.
AND WE'RE FOCUSING THIS, THIS IS FOCUSED SPECIFICALLY ON OUR CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES, FROM INVESTIGATIONS TO CONSERVATORSHIP TO PERMANENCY, AND HOW WE CAN BETTER WORK TOGETHER ACROSS THE PROVIDER COMMUNITY, ACROSS THE ADVOCACY COMMUNITY TO TO LEARN FROM AND SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER IN THE DIFFICULT WORK THAT WE DO.
SO WE WE HAD OUR KICKOFF MEETING AND THAT WAS ON ON MAY 31ST.
THE THE MAIN COMMITTEE IS ESTABLISHING SOME SUBCOMMITTEES THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY TODAY IS THE LAST DAY FOR APPLICATIONS CLOSED FOR PARTICIPATION ON THOSE SUBCOMMITTEES.
WE ARE CONSIDERING PEOPLE WHO ORIGINALLY APPLIED IN THAT NEARLY 100 PEOPLE.
AND AT THE FIRST MEETING, THE THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS DID ELECT THE CHAIR.
OH, THEY DECIDED TO HAVE TWO CHAIRS.
SO JAMIE BERNSTEIN, SHE IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE SUPREME COURT'S CHILDREN'S COMMISSION, AND MICHAEL REDDEN, WHO IS THE CEO OF NEW HORIZON, WERE BOTH ELECTED AS CO-CHAIRS.
SO I REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING WITH THEM AND THE REST OF THE COMMITTEE, AND I THINK THERE'S A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO ALSO COME AND SHARE, AS THOSE SUBCOMMITTEES ARE WORKING AND DIGGING INTO THE VARIOUS TOPICS WITH THE COUNCIL ABOUT WHAT IT IS THAT THEY ARE RECOMMENDING TO THE AGENCY. SO EXPECT SOME MORE INFORMATION AROUND THAT.
THE THE OTHER THING THAT WE'VE DONE IS EVERY TWO YEARS ACROSS STATE GOVERNMENT, SOMETHING IS CONDUCTED CALLED THE SURVEY OF EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT, THE C SURVEY.
SOME OF YOU MAY BE FAMILIAR WITH THAT.
THERE'S ABOUT 250,000 PUBLIC EMPLOYEES THAT GET SURVEYED ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE IN THE WORKFORCE.
AND WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT EVERYTHING FROM THE IN THE SURVEY, FROM COMMUNICATIONS TO THEIR QUALITY OF THEIR SUPERVISOR TO TEAMWORK, PAY AND BENEFITS TRAINING.
IT COVERS A COMPREHENSIVE ARRAY OF TOPICS.
AND I AM A BIG BELIEVER THAT SURVEYS ARE ONLY AS GOOD AS WHAT ACTIONS YOU TAKE IN RESPONSE TO THE INFORMATION THAT YOU GET BACK FROM STAFF.
AND THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A LONG TIME.
SO THERE'S SOME REALLY GOOD BENCHMARKS IN TERMS OF WHERE YOU WANT TO SEE YOUR AGENCY'S PERFORMANCE.
[00:10:05]
SO ONE IS THEY THEY GIVE AN OVERALL AGENCY SCORE WHICH COMPARES DPS WITH OTHER STATE AGENCIES.SO OUR SURVEY RESPONDENTS GAVE THE AGENCY AN OVERALL SCORE OF 383.
THIS IS PRETTY CONSISTENT WITH WHAT WE SAW IN OUR LAST TWO SURVEYS.
AND IN THE C SURVEY, SCORES ABOVE 350 ARE DESIRABLE.
SO WE WERE OVER THAT 350 MARK AND SCORES AT 400 OR HIGHER REFLECT A HIGHLY ENGAGED WORKFORCE.
SO THERE'S STILL OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO LEARN FROM THE SURVEY AND IMPROVE.
WHEN AND I YOU KNOW, I THINK THE, THE THE THING ABOUT THE SURVEY RESPONSE THAT WAS NO SURPRISE TO ME IS ONE OF THE AREAS THAT WE SCORED VERY STRONGLY ON IS AROUND THE ISSUE OF TEAMWORK AND SUPPORT FROM THE SUPERVISORS AT THE LOCAL LEVEL.
THAT'S REALLY SO MUCH OF WHERE THE MAGIC HAPPENS FOR OUR WORKERS, AND PARTICULARLY AS SOMEONE WHO'S COMING ON NEW TO A TEAM THAT YOU HAVE MORE SEASONED AND EXPERIENCED PEERS WHO CAN HELP YOU NAVIGATE AND YOUR SUPERVISOR THAT YOU CAN TURN TO FOR GUIDANCE AND DIRECTION.
THAT'S REALLY OUR STRENGTH IS WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THOSE LOCAL OFFICES AND THE TEAMWORK THAT OCCURS BETWEEN TEAMS AND THE SUPPORT FROM THE SUPERVISORS.
WHEN WE WERE WHEN WE ASKED IN THE SURVEY ABOUT LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT OF THE EMPLOYEES, MORE THAN HALF OF THEM SAID THEY FELT ENGAGED OR HIGHLY ENGAGED WITH THEIR WORK, WHICH IS REALLY FANTASTIC NEWS.
SO THERE ARE SOME AREAS THAT CAME OUT OF THIS WHERE WE'RE REALLY GOING TO FOCUS OUR EFFORTS.
WE SELECTED THREE IMPROVEMENT AREAS BASED ON THE SURVEY SCORES FOR AN AGENCY WIDE FOCUS, INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS SUPPORTING THAT WORK LIFE BALANCE AND WELLNESS, WHICH I THINK DOVETAILS A LOT WITH SOME OF OUR ACTIVITIES AND CERTAINLY THE NEEDS OF OUR TEAM MEMBERS.
SO WE DISTRIBUTED ALL THE SURVEY.
THEY GIVE YOU THE SURVEY RESPONSES DOWN TO SUPERVISOR LEVEL.
WE HAVE WORKED ON DISTRIBUTING ALL THOSE.
AND I THINK THAT DEMONSTRATES AND FOR FOLKS THAT ARE AGENCY EMPLOYEES HERE, THAT REALLY DEMONSTRATES OUR COMMITMENT TO HEARING THEM AND SUPPORTING THEM IN RESPONDING TO THE AREAS THAT WERE RAISED AS OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT.
WE ALSO HAVE A REQUIREMENT AND COMPLETED A SIGNIFICANT EFFORT AROUND UPDATING OUR STRATEGIC PLAN.
SO WE RECENTLY PUBLISHED THAT UPDATED STRATEGIC PLAN, WHICH FOCUSES ON THE GOALS AND ACTIVITIES THAT WE ARE CARRYING OUT THAT LAYS THE FOUNDATION FOR DEVELOPING OUR LEGISLATIVE APPROPRIATIONS REQUEST.
AND SPEAKING OF THE LEGISLATIVE APPROPRIATIONS REQUEST, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF WE HAD SOLICITED STAKEHOLDER FEEDBACK ON IN TERMS OF WHAT SHOULD BE INCLUDED. WE ALSO WORKED ACROSS THE AGENCY TO IDENTIFY THE NEEDS, AND NOW WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF FINALIZING WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE.
SO I WILL BE BACK AT ONE OF THE NEXT COUNCIL MEETINGS TO TO SHARE WITH ALL OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS, AS WELL AS THE PUBLIC ON WHAT ITEMS THAT WE ARE PLANNING TO MOVE FORWARD WITH.
WE RECEIVED ABOUT 25 RESPONSES FROM STAKEHOLDERS WITH THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS OR IDEAS ABOUT WHAT WE SHOULD INCLUDE IN THAT LAR, AND HAVE BEEN HAVING A NUMBER OF INTERNAL MEETINGS AND DISCUSSIONS ABOUT WHAT IS WHAT, WHAT ARE THE ITEMS THAT WILL HAVE THE MOST IMPACT IN OUR LAR DEVELOPMENT.
AND ONE THING ABOUT IT WAS A LITTLE BIT OVER A YEAR AGO, I THINK IT WAS MARCH OF LAST YEAR BECAUSE I STARTED RIGHT WHEN THE LAR HAD ALREADY BEEN DEVELOPED AND SUBMITTED TO THE LEGISLATURE, SO I DIDN'T REALLY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY FROM A EMPLOYEE PERSPECTIVE, WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT
[00:15:06]
WE REALLY NEED TO ASK FOR TO BETTER SUPPORT OUR STAFF? AND WE FORMED A WORK GROUP THAT IS STAFF DRIVEN AND STAFF LED TO LOOK AT THE EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCE IN EVERY FROM APPLYING FOR A JOB TO TRAINING TO BEING ON THE JOB TO LOOK FOR THOSE OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPROVE.AND SOME OF THOSE OPPORTUNITIES ARE LEADING TO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE WILL SEE IN OUR LAR.
SO IT'S OUR LEGISLATIVE APPROPRIATIONS REQUEST IS DUE AT THE BEGINNING OF AUGUST.
JUST AS A REMINDER, I THINK, AND I FEEL LIKE I HAVE A LOT OF UPDATES.
AT ONE OF OUR PREVIOUS MEETINGS, WE HAD SASHA COME.
SO SEPTEMBER 1ST IS QUICKLY APPROACHING AND WE'RE CONTINUING TO WORK THROUGH SOME DETAILS.
MOSTLY IT IS ADMINISTRATIVE ATTACHMENTS THAT PEI HAS TO DFPS AND HOW DO YOU CHANGE THAT TO MOVE THEM TO HHSC FROM CONTRACTS TO FINANCE TO IT.
BUT I DID WANT TO JUST REMIND THE COUNCIL AND THE PUBLIC THAT FOR GRANTEES AND COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS, THERE IS GOING TO BE I MEAN, THE GOAL IS THAT THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO DISRUPTION DURING THAT TRANSITION.
PEI IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO FUND THE CURRENT ARRAY OF PROGRAMS AT THIS TIME.
THE PRIMARY FOCUS, BASED ON THE STATUTORY DIRECTION, WILL SHIFT FROM JUST BEING FOCUSED ON CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT PREVENTION TO STRENGTHENING FAMILIES.
AND I THINK THOSE TWO THINGS ARE REALLY ONE AND ONE AND THE SAME.
SO IT'S KIND OF A BROADER LOOK AT THAT.
HHSC, THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION, WHO'S RECEIVING THE PEI PROGRAMS ARE WILL BEGIN WORKING WITH STAKEHOLDERS TO DEVELOP AN INTEGRATED CONTINUUM OF CARE TO FURTHER THOSE EFFORTS.
THEY HAVE A STRATEGIC PLAN THAT IS DUE TO THE LEGISLATURE WITH THOSE PROGRAMS MOVING OVER TO THEM.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, I WAS SHARING WITH JUDGE HELLUMS BEFORE WE KICKED OFF.
I AM VERY PLEASED TO SHARE THAT DUE TO THE RELENTLESS EFFORTS OF OUR TEAM MEMBERS ACROSS THE STATE AND MANY OF THEM WHO ARE HERE TODAY TO BE RECOGNIZED, WE HAVE MADE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS IN REDUCING THE NUMBER OF YOUTH THAT WE HAVE THAT DON'T HAVE PLACEMENTS.
THIS TIME OF YEAR TENDS TO BE WHERE WE WILL SEE A SPIKE IN THOSE, THE NUMBER OF OF YOUTH THAT ARE COMING IN AND WE DON'T HAVE A PLACEMENT FOR THEM.
LAST YEAR AROUND THIS TIME, IT WAS ABOUT 100 YOUTH ON AVERAGE PER NIGHT.
BUT THE EFFORTS OF THE TEAM HAVE BEEN INTENSELY FOCUSED ON A INDIVIDUAL.
THERE'S NOT ONE SOLUTION TO THIS, AND WE'VE KNOWN THIS ALL ALONG, BUT THERE'S AN INTENSE FOCUS ON INDIVIDUAL YOUTH, AND WHAT IS IT THAT WILL WORK FOR THAT PARTICULAR YOUTH? IN MANY CASES, WE'RE REVISITING SITUATIONS TO SAY, HAS ANYTHING CHANGED? HAVE WE REALLY REACHED OUT TO ALL THE KIN? IS THERE FICTIVE KIN? AND I'M PLEASED TO SAY THAT WE HAVE REDUCED OUR IN THE LEGACY SYSTEM.
WE HAVE REDUCED THE NUMBER OF YOUTH WITHOUT PLACEMENT AND SUSTAIN THIS FOR ABOUT THE PAST MONTH.
I THINK THE LOW POINT WAS 14, BUT BETWEEN 14 AND 20 YOUTH PER NIGHT, AND WE'RE NOT STOPPING THERE.
WE HAVE STARTED DOING THESE INTERAGENCY STAFFING.
BUT ALSO THEN AT THE STATEWIDE LEVEL, WE'RE BRINGING THE LMHA SUPERIOR HEALTH PLAN THE, OUR PARTNERS AT HHSC TO THE TABLE TO PROBLEM SOLVE ABOUT NOT JUST A PLACEMENT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, AS WE'VE BEEN SHARING THIS IS A THESE ARE
[00:20:07]
COMPLEX ISSUES.AND THE ISSUE IS REALLY NOT JUST A PLACEMENT.
IT IS REALLY THAT EITHER THE FOSTER FAMILY OR THE PLACEMENT AND THAT YOUTH NEEDS SIGNIFICANT WRAPAROUND SERVICES TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
AND IT IS AN IMMENSE AMOUNT OF EFFORT.
WE'RE ALSO TRYING TO WORK MORE UPSTREAM SO THAT IF IF A FACILITY NOTIFIES US THAT THEY'RE PLANNING FOR A DISCHARGE, THAT WE CAN WORK WITH THEM TO SAY, ARE THERE THINGS THAT WE COULD PROVIDE? WHY? WHAT'S BREAKING DOWN? CAN WE FIX THIS BEFORE THE DISCHARGE AND EVEN ALLOWING FACILITIES? AND WE'VE HAD SOME REALLY GOOD CONVERSATIONS AND PARTNERSHIPS WHERE THEY WILL REACH OUT TO US BEFORE THEY'RE CONTEMPLATING THE DISCHARGE TO SAY THIS IS THE PROBLEM WE'RE HAVING.
SO TRYING TO REALLY MOVE UPSTREAM ON ADDRESSING THAT ISSUE.
BUT ONE OF THE REASONS WE REALLY WANTED TO HONOR THE TEAM MEMBERS THAT ARE HERE TODAY IS HOW MUCH EFFORT AND CONSTANT FOCUS THAT THIS TAKES, ESPECIALLY AT A TIME OF YEAR WHEN WE'RE TENDING TO SEE THE SPIKE IN THE NUMBERS. THEY'VE REALLY BEEN ABLE TO CONTINUE THE DECLINE OR HOLD IT STEADY, AND IT'S REALLY JUST AN INCREDIBLE ACCOMPLISHMENT.
SO WE'RE HAPPY TO TO SHARE MORE WITH YOU ABOUT THAT TODAY.
AND WITH THAT, I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
FIRST OF ALL, THAT YOU FOLLOWED UP WITH A SURVEY.
AND EACH ONE OF THESE THINGS YOU'VE TALKED ABOUT FEEL LIKE SUCH PROGRESS AND I.
GREAT. ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY? I HAVE A COMMENT.
COMMISSIONER, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT UPDATE.
AND THE SURVEY, EXACTLY WHAT JUDGE SAID.
BUT LISTENING TO THE SURVEY THAT THE UNITY OF THE LOCAL LEVELS AND THE SUPERVISORS WORKING TOGETHER, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT IT'S BOOTS ON THE GROUND AND IT'S THEM THAT ARE DOING THE WORK, STAYING UP LATE, FOLLOWING EVERYTHING THAT IS ASKED FROM THEIR SUPERVISORS, FROM US ALL THE WAY DOWN.
I WANT TO THANK YOU IF YOU'RE HERE AND IF YOU'RE NOT, IF YOU'RE LISTENING, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
BUT THAT UPDATE REPORT, YOU KNOW, THAT IS WHAT WE NEED TO HEAR.
AND THE EVENTS, THE MONTHLY EVENTS I MEAN, IT'S OUTRAGEOUS.
OUR REGENT ACROSS IS DOING SO MUCH OUT IN OUR LOCAL COMMUNITY FOR AWARENESS.
AND I WANT TO THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM AND EVERYBODY OUT THERE, AND THANK YOU SO MUCH.
[II. GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE ITEMS]
OKAY. MY BAD.[III. COUNCIL ACTIONS/INITIATIVES]
GROUP. AND IF YOU CAN JUST TAKE TURNS AND LET'S MAKE IT RELATIVELY SHORT, BUT KIND OF TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH SINCE THE LAST MEETING.MAKE IT SHORT. I GUESS IT'S A GOOD THING I'M GOING FIRST.
JUST KIDDING. OKAY, SO JULIE KRAWCZYK FROM DALLAS, I'LL JUST MENTION TWO THINGS.
SO LAST COUNCIL MEETING, I REPORTED ON A NEW INITIATIVE WITH DALLAS AND COLLIN COUNTIES.
THE DALLAS SENIOR, DALLAS COLLIN SENIOR SUPPORT NETWORK.
AND WE HAD OUR INAUGURAL MEETING.
WE HAD OVER 20 DIFFERENT AGENCIES.
IT REALLY WAS THE REGIONAL DIRECTOR, RAMONA BLACK, IN THAT AREA DRIVING THE NEED FOR THIS TYPE OF NETWORK, REESTABLISHING IT POST COVID. AND SO WE HAD A LOT OF ENTHUSIASM.
THE GOAL OF THE MEETING IS TO ENSURE THAT CASEWORKERS AND ORGANIZATIONS NOT ONLY COLLABORATE AROUND SOME COMPLEX ISSUES AND WITH DEALING WITH COMPLEX CASES, BUT ALSO THAT WE'RE ALWAYS UP TO DATE WITH THE RESOURCES AND THAT WE UNDERSTAND WHAT'S AVAILABLE IN IN BOTH COMMUNITIES THAT ARE SERVED IN THAT AREA.
THE SECOND THING I'LL MENTION IS THAT IN DALLAS, WE HAD THE FIRST AGING CAREGIVER CONFERENCE.
[00:25:04]
AND SO I WAS REALLY PLEASED TO SEE THE ATTENDANCE.MANY TIMES, CAREGIVERS, FAMILY CAREGIVERS HAVE EXHAUSTED ALL OF THEIR SAVINGS AND HAD TO QUIT THEIR JOBS TO CARE FOR A LOVED ONE OR A FAMILY MEMBER AND THEN HAVE A VERY DIFFICULT TIME INTEGRATING BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY AND THE WORKFORCE.
AND SO WE'RE COMING TOGETHER IN THE DALLAS AND COLLIN COUNTY AREAS TO ADDRESS THAT ISSUE AS WELL.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. I'M ENRIQUE FROM EL PASO AGAIN.
AND TWO BIG THINGS NOW IN EL PASO IS THAT ON MAY 29TH, WE HAD A VISIT FROM THE TEXAS CENTER FOR CHILD AND FAMILY STUDIES TO PREPARE OUR COMMUNITY FOR THE COMMUNITY BASED, EXCUSE ME COMMUNITY BASED CARE EFFORTS FOR REGION TEN.
AND THERE WAS A GOOD, SOLID PRESENCE FROM OUR COMMUNITY THERE.
WE HAD A LOT OF COLLABORATIVES AND A LOT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT THIS IMPORTANT WORK.
ANOTHER THING THAT'S BEEN GOING ON IN OUR COMMUNITY IS THAT WE HAVE A AN EFFORT THAT THE CENTER FOR CHILDREN IN EL PASO HAS BEEN PUSHING FORWARD CALLED STRONG FAMILIES.
AND SO WE'RE SEEING AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF PARENT CAFES.
AND THEY'RE THERE TO HELP PARENTS LEARN MORE ABOUT PROTECTIVE FACTORS TO HELP THEIR FAMILY.
SO IT'S BEEN A GOOD THING THIS SUMMER.
I HAVE BEEN VERY BUSY DOING SOME VOLUNTEER WORK AND LET ME TELL YOU, IT IS HOT OUT THERE.
AND SO YOU CAN IMAGINE SOME OF THESE HOMES ARE VERY, VERY HOT.
AND MY HEART ALWAYS, AND THIS IS WHAT I LIKE TO ADVOCATE, IS FOR ELDERLIES.
SO I PARTNERED WITH ONE OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT I BELONG TO.
I PARTNERED WITH THE THE CITY OF ALICE.
AND SO WE FOUND HOMES THAT NEEDED THEIR YARD CUT CUT AND MAINTAINED.
SO WE WENT OUT THERE EARLY IN THE MORNING AND WE WE DID SEVERAL HOMES OUT THERE AND THESE RESIDENTS WERE VERY, VERY HAPPY TO HEAR THAT.
AND SO THEY'RE COMING BACK AND REACHING OUT OF HOW WE CAN HELP THEM INDOORS.
AND SO WE'RE GOING TO PARTNER WITH OUR AGENCY HERE THAT DOES AN AMAZING JOB, TO SEE WHAT ELSE WE CAN DO IN JUNE, BEING ELDER ABUSE AWARENESS.
JUST A SHELTER TO GO OR JUST A CALL.
AND IT'S HARD BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, TO SEE SO MANY OUT THERE AND THEN WE FEEL HOPELESS.
BUT I KNOW OUR AGENCY IS DOING AN AMAZING JOB, AND I WANT TO THANK EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU.
WE JUST HAVE TO GO OUT THERE AND UTILIZE MANY OF THESE ORGANIZATIONS.
AND ALSO IN OUR HOME THEY HAVE DEVELOPED SOME SENIOR LIVING HOMES AND THEY ARE NEEDING OF SOMEONE TO ASSIST THEM HOW TO DO THE APPLICATION.
AND SINCE MY HUSBAND SAYS I DON'T SLEEP, THEY COME OVER AND I ASSIST THEM WITH THEIR APPLICATIONS.
AND THAT APPLICATION IS NOT JUST A 2 OR 3 PAGES.
SO IT'S BEEN VERY REWARDING HELPING OUR COMMUNITY.
AND AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR THESE EVENTS.
THANK YOU. WELL, THESE LAST THREE MONTHS I HAVE BEEN SITTING IN COURT A WHOLE LOT.
AND THAT'S AN ADVENTURE IN AND OF ITSELF.
[00:30:05]
BUT IT'S IT'S AMAZING BECAUSE OF THE THINGS THAT I'M HEARING, STUFF THAT HASN'T BEEN REPORTED TO YOU GUYS, THE THERE IT'S BEEN KEPT QUIET AND JUST LISTENING TO WHAT'S HAPPENED TO SOME OF THESE KIDS.IT MAKES ME HAVE SO MUCH MORE EMPATHY FOR YOUR CASEWORKERS, REALIZING HOW THEY FELT AFTER THEY HAD TO LISTEN TO WHAT HUMAN BEINGS CAN DO TO OTHER HUMAN BEINGS, AND ESPECIALLY KIDS.
IT MAKES IT EASIER FOR ME TO DO REPORTS IMMEDIATELY TO YOU GUYS AND KNOWING YOU ALL STEP IN AND HANDLE IT, BUT ALSO THE EMOTIONAL WEAR AND TEAR OF WHAT IT LEAVES WITH YOU BEFORE I STEP DOWN AND RETIRED.
THE LAST CASE I HEARD WAS OF A SIX MONTH BABY THAT HAD BEEN ANALLY RAPED.
HAD A SITUATION WITH A RETREAT THAT I WENT ON, AND THERE WAS A YOUNG WOMAN WHO WAS EYED, AND IT WAS PRETTY TRAUMATIC OF WHERE SHE HAD BEEN PLACED.
AND IT HAS WORKED BEAUTIFULLY, AND I AM SO INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL.
AND MY LAST POINT IS THAT HOW MUCH I APPRECIATE APPS.
SO FAR, MY HUSBAND JUST LAUGHS AT ME, BUT NONETHELESS IT'S I'M JUST EVER MORE GRATEFUL.
OKAY. AND NOW I THINK WE'RE READY TO MOVE ON.
AND SORRY ABOUT THE MIX UP ON THAT.
[IV. AGENCY UPDATE (Part 2 of 2)]
GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.YES, I'M JENNIFER SIMS AND I AM THE DEPUTY COMMISSIONER FOR OPERATIONS.
MY TEAM HELPED TO PUT PUT TOGETHER THE STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THE AGENCY.
SO IT'S A FIVE YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN.
HOWEVER, WE DO IT EVERY TWO YEARS.
WE DID HOLD 12 PLANNING SESSIONS WITH OVER 80 SENIOR LEADERS FROM ACROSS THE WHOLE AGENCY TO REALLY TRY TO MAKE SURE WE CAST A REALLY BROAD NET ABOUT WHAT ARE THE STRATEGIC THINGS THAT WE NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT, WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO BE DOING.
IN ADDITION TO THAT, WE YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED WE PRODUCE A LOT OF REPORTS IN THIS AGENCY, A LOT OF REPORTS IN THIS AGENCY, AND WE WANT TO TRY TO BE CONSISTENT ACROSS THOSE REPORTS AND THE WAY THAT WE APPROACH THINGS.
SO WE CROSS WALKED OUR STRATEGIC PLAN WITH THE DFPS ANNUAL PLAN, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE WAY FORWARD, THE CPS BUSINESS PLAN AND THE APS STRATEGIC PLAN, ALONG WITH SEVERAL OTHER PLANS THAT WE SUBMIT TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND OTHER ENTITIES, SO THAT WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO BE CONSISTENT IN OUR APPROACH, THAT WE'RE TELLING ONE STORY AND WE'RE TELLING IT WELL, AND WE'RE MOVING IN THE SAME DIRECTION AT THE SAME TIME.
NEXT SLIDE. WE HAVE FIVE GOALS IN OUR STRATEGIC PLAN.
GOAL NUMBER ONE IS TO BE CLIENT CENTERED.
OF COURSE, THE CLIENTS AND THE PEOPLE THAT WE SERVE ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT.
OUR SECOND GOAL, OF COURSE, IS WE CAN'T DO ANY OF THAT WITHOUT OUR WORKFORCE.
IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO DO OUR JOBS WITHOUT THE TALENT.
MANY TALENTED PEOPLE, SOME OF WHOM ARE SITTING BEHIND ME RIGHT NOW AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ATTRACTING AND RETAINING THOSE DEDICATED INDIVIDUALS AND THAT WE'RE INVESTING IN THEIR DEVELOPMENT AND THEN, OF COURSE, THEIR WELLNESS.
AND I'VE BEEN AROUND THIS AGENCY FOR A LONG TIME, AND WE DON'T ALWAYS THINK ABOUT THEIR WELLNESS.
AND SO, AS THE COMMISSIONER SAID, SOMETIMES THE THINGS THAT WE HEAR AND SEE AND KNOW ARE VERY HARD.
YOU WOULDN'T CHOOSE THIS PATH OTHERWISE.
SO IT CAN BE VERY DRAINING ON YOU.
AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE FOCUSED ON WELLNESS AND DOING THAT WELL.
OUR THIRD GOAL IS, TO HAVE TO BE EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT IN OUR
[00:35:02]
OPERATIONS, AND CONTINUALLY LOOK FOR WAYS TO IMPROVE OUR INTERNAL PROCESS AND IDENTIFY AREAS TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT.THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE CAN ALL DO BETTER AT.
AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CONTINUALLY BRINGING THOSE THINGS FORWARD.
OUR FOURTH GOAL IS COMMUNITY RELATIONS.
AS YOU MENTIONED, OUR COMMUNITY IS REALLY OUR STRENGTH AS WELL.
WE'RE A, WE'RE VERY COMMUNITY CONNECTED AND VERY COMMUNITY DRIVEN, AND WE WANT TO PARTNER AND SUPPORT CHILDREN, FAMILIES AND VULNERABLE ADULTS THROUGH THOSE CONNECTIONS WITH OUR COMMUNITY ACROSS THE STATE.
AND THEN OUR FIFTH GOAL IS AROUND OUR COMMUNITY BASED CARE TRANSITION.
AND AS WE'RE TRANSITIONING TEXAS CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN THE WAY THAT WE PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES IN THROUGH COMMUNITY CONTRACTORS, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE VERY FOCUSED ON THAT AND THAT WE'RE DOING THAT IN A REALLY POSITIVE AND STRENGTH BASED MANNER.
WE, FOR EACH OF THOSE GOALS, THERE ARE ACTIONS THAT HAVE TO BE IDENTIFIED.
SO THERE ARE AGENCY WIDE ACTIONS.
AND SO IT'S A MUCH LONGER REPORT.
AND I BELIEVE WE'VE SHARED THAT WITH YOU ALL.
SO YOU'LL YOU'LL HAVE A COPY OF IT.
IT'S LONGER THAN YOU'D WANT ME TO READ TO YOU TODAY.
WE ALSO HAVE STATEWIDE OBJECTIVES THAT ARE JUST SUPPORT THE STATE VISION, AND THAT IS TO PROMOTE ACCOUNTABILITY, EFFICIENCY, EFFECTIVENESS, EXCELLENCE AND CUSTOMER SERVICE AND TRANSPARENCY.
THERE ARE SOME SUPPLEMENTAL SCHEDULES THAT WE ARE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT EACH YEAR.
SO THERE'S THE HUB OR HISTORICALLY UNDERUTILIZED BUSINESS PLAN.
HOW ARE WE GOING TO ENSURE THAT THOSE HISTORICALLY UNDERUTILIZED BUSINESSES ARE INCORPORATED INTO OUR WORK? WE ALSO HAVE AN AGENCY WORKFORCE PLAN.
THAT PLAN REALLY REFLECTS THE WORK OF THAT GROUP, AND WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WAS INCORPORATED.
AND THEN EACH OF OUR MOST ALL OF OUR AREAS IN THE AGENCY HAVE SOME CUSTOMER SERVICE INTERACTION.
SO WE TRY TO BRING ALL OF THOSE THINGS TOGETHER IN THE STRATEGIC PLAN.
AND I THINK WITH THAT, I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE.
WELL. THANK YOU. RUN WHILE YOU CAN.
OKAY. THE NEXT PRESENTER IS CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER LISA CAN.
GOOD MORNING. CAN YOU HEAR ME? OKAY. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.
HAPPY FRIDAY. MY NAME IS LISA CARNEY.
I'M CURRENTLY SERVING AS THE CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER AT DFPS.
I'VE GOT TO GET THAT STRAIGHT.
IF I'VE GOT ALL THE RIGHT WORDS IN THAT TITLE, BECAUSE IT'S NEW, I'LL STILL BE WORKING FOR JENNIFER SIMS. JENNIFER HAS MADE SOME ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGES TO BETTER ALIGN SOME OF THE FUNCTIONS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT.
SO JUST AS A REMINDER, THE PROJECT IS RELATED TO OUR CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.
IT STARTS WITH STATEWIDE INTAKE.
THEY USE IMPACT TO RECEIVE INTAKES AND DOCUMENT THAT INFORMATION IN THE SYSTEM.
ALL OF OUR PRIMARY PROGRAMS USE IMPACT CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES, CHILD PROTECTIVE INVESTIGATIONS, ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES, AND ALSO OUR LICENSING PROGRAMS DOCUMENT THEIR INVESTIGATIONS IN THIS SYSTEM.
WE ALSO USE IT FOR PLACEMENT AND SERVICE PLANNING FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.
[00:40:03]
OF VALIDATED PERPETRATORS OF ABUSE AND NEGLECT FOR BACKGROUND CHECK PURPOSES.WE ALSO USE THE SYSTEM FOR PAYMENTS FOR FOSTER CARE PROVIDERS AND FOR SERVICES AND ADOPTION SUBSIDIES, AND ALSO FOR REQUESTING, MANAGING AND TRACKING OUT OF STATE PLACEMENTS AND INCOMING PLACEMENTS.
THE STATUTE REQUIRES US TO WORK ON A TRANSITION TO THE POTENTIAL OF A NEW CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.
ESSENTIALLY, THE LEGISLATURE GAVE US SOME PARAMETERS AROUND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THAT PLAN.
AND THERE'S SEVERAL ASPECTS TO THE PLANNING THAT WILL BE INVOLVED.
STRATEGIC PLANNING, THE A SOLICITATION IF WE NEED TO SOLICIT A VENDOR TO DO THE WORK, RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS, BUSINESS PROCESS EVALUATION AND READINESS.
AND WE'RE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT THE PLAN TO THE LEGISLATURE NO LATER THAN DECEMBER 1ST OF THIS YEAR.
AND THE PLAN WOULD NEED TO ALSO ADDRESS A HIGH LEVEL TIMELINE AND THE AMOUNT OF FUNDING THAT WOULD BE NEEDED IF THE LEGISLATURE DECIDES TO APPROPRIATE FUNDING FOR US TO MOVE TO THE NEW SYSTEM.
SO THIS SLIDE KIND OF GIVES YOU A SENSE OF THE AS IS CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE AND SOME OF THE OPPORTUNITIES, IF WE'RE ABLE TO SECURE FUNDING, TO MOVE TO MORE MODERN TECHNOLOGY THAN WE HAVE TODAY.
I DO WANT TO JUST POINT OUT THAT WE HAVE RECEIVED SOME FUNDING IN THE LAST COUPLE OF SESSIONS TO AT LEAST UPGRADE, UPGRADE THE FOUNDATION OF THE SYSTEM SO THAT IT DOESN'T CRASH AND BURN.
BUT IT'S IT IT ESSENTIALLY DID NOT REALLY CHANGE THE USER EXPERIENCE SIGNIFICANTLY.
FOR OUR IT TEAM, IT'S ALSO BECOME VERY EXPENSIVE TO MAINTAIN.
ESSENTIALLY YOU KNOW, IT'S A VERY CUSTOMIZED SYSTEM.
AND SO IF YOU, IF OUR IT TEAM HAS TO CHANGE ONE FEATURE ON ONE PAGE, THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT DOWNSTREAM OF EFFECTS TO CHANGES THAT THEY HAVE TO MAKE. SO AND AT A CERTAIN POINT THE SYSTEM WON'T BE SUPPORTABLE BY IT.
AND AGAIN, IT CAN BE DIFFICULT TO OBTAIN, UPDATE AND MAKE CHANGES QUICKLY FOR IT.
WHICH OBVIOUSLY GIVES US INFORMATION WE NEED TO IMPROVE SERVICE OUTCOMES.
AGAIN, MORE REAL TIME NEAR REAL TIME DATA.
AND ALSO ANOTHER EXAMPLE WOULD BE THE POSSIBILITY OF A FOSTER YOUTH PORTAL.
AND WHAT THAT WOULD DO WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUTH TO UTILIZE KIND OF A STREAMLINED WAY TO ACCESS SOME OF THE SERVICES AVAILABLE TO THEM. OUR YOUTH NEED ACCESS TO THEIR VITAL RECORDS, WHICH CAN GET LOST IN THE SHUFFLE OF VARIOUS PLACEMENTS.
SO THIS WOULD BE A PLACE WHERE THEY COULD ACCESS THAT KIND OF INFORMATION.
SO THAT WOULD BE ONE OTHER POSSIBLE OPPORTUNITY.
MAJOR TECHNOLOGY PROJECTS LIKE THIS NEED TO BE DRIVEN BY THE BUSINESS.
SO THE GOAL FOR OUR IT TEAM IS REALLY TO ENGAGE AS MANY OF THE INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL PARTNERS THAT WE HAVE AS POSSIBLE, SO THAT THEY CAN INFORM THE PLAN AND LET US KNOW WHAT THEY NEED TO WHAT THEY NEED THAT THEY'RE NOT GETTING TODAY WITH THE SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE.
SO WE'RE UP TO, I THINK AS OF JUNE 5TH, WE'RE UP TO OVER 400.
I THINK IT'S LIKE 420 SOMETHING STAKEHOLDERS THAT OUR IT TEAM HAS ENGAGED WITH.
SO AT THE TOP OF THE SLIDE YOU'LL SEE THE UPPER HALF OF THE PAGE.
YOU'LL SEE SOME OUR KEY PROGRAMS AS WELL AS OUR SUCCESS AND PROVIDERS.
THEY ARE SOME OF OUR KEY PARTNERS WHO NEED TO HELP INFORM WHAT THEY NEED OUT OF THE SYSTEM.
[00:45:04]
AND I JUST WANT TO POINT OUT WITH OUR DFPS PROGRAMS, WE DON'T JUST WORK WITH UPPER MANAGEMENT, WE GO ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE CASEWORKER LEVEL.IT'S SO IMPORTANT FOR CASEWORKERS TO TELL US WHAT THEY NEED, WHAT WOULD MAKE THEIR JOBS EASIER.
AND SO WE ABSOLUTELY ENGAGE OUR CASEWORKERS IN THAT DISCUSSION ALL THE WAY UP AND DOWN THE CHAIN.
AND I'LL JUST POINT OUT, IN PARTICULAR, CHILDREN'S ADVOCACY CENTER OF TEXAS AND TEXAS CASA.
THEY CERTAINLY WORK WITH US ON OUR CASES AND PUT INFORMATION IN AND MAY NEED DATA OUT OF THE SYSTEM.
SO WE REALLY WANT INPUT FROM THEM IN OUR PLANNING.
AND THEN ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE YOU'LL SEE SOME OF THE NEXT STEPS.
AND THIS GIVES YOU A SENSE OF SOME OF THE FEEDBACK WE'VE ALREADY RECEIVED.
SO MOBILITY THROUGH ACCESS THROUGH THEIR MOBILE DEVICE IS REALLY IMPORTANT.
SO THIS WOULD ALLOW THEM TO DO MORE OF THAT THROUGH A MOBILE DEVICE, ALSO SHARE DOCUMENTS AND CAPTURE ELECTRONIC TYPE SIGNATURES, CONTENT MANAGEMENT.
OUR STAFF HAVE TO DO DOCUMENTATION OF INTERVIEWS FOLKS THEY TALK TO.
SO IF YOU DON'T HAVE AN INTERNET CONNECTION, YOU CAN STILL WORK ON ASPECTS OF THE SYSTEM.
I MENTIONED WITH THE PORTALS, THE FOSTER YOUTH PORTAL, BUT ALSO OTHER OPPORTUNITIES LIKE A DIGITAL EDUCATION PORTFOLIO SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE EDUCATIONAL INFORMATION FOR YOUTH IN PAPER FORM.
AND THEN ONE POINT OF ENTRY, OUR STAFF HAVE A LOT OF SYSTEMS THAT THEY USE, AND WE'D LIKE TO STREAMLINE THEIR ABILITY TO KIND OF ENTER THROUGH ONE POINT TO GET TO THE SYSTEMS THEY NEED. NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
SO THE NEXT STEPS WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO EVALUATE THE TIMELINE AND APPROACH FOR THIS SYSTEM.
I MENTIONED EARLIER THAT THE PLAN IS DUE IN DECEMBER.
WE ALSO NEED TO THINK THROUGH THE TECHNOLOGY APPROACH.
YOU CAN DO A WHAT WE WOULD CALL LIKE A BIG BANG KIND OF APPROACH, WHERE YOU ROLL OUT ALL OF THE ALL OF THE IMPROVEMENTS AT ONE TIME, OR YOU DO MORE OF A MODULAR APPROACH WHERE YOU ROLL IT OUT DIFFERENT PIECES AND PARTS.
SO WE NEED TO THINK THROUGH WHICH PROGRAMS SHOULD GO FIRST.
IF WE DO THAT APPROACH, YOU KNOW, WHICH WHAT'S THE TIMING OF THAT? WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON OUR COST ESTIMATE.
WE HAVE BEEN TALKING WITH MANY STATES, CHILD WELFARE AGENCIES AND OTHER STATES ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO FIND OUT WHAT THEY HAVE DONE WITH THEIR TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS FOR THEIR STAFF, WHAT HAS WORKED, WHAT HASN'T WORKED, WHICH PROVIDERS OR VENDORS HAVE THEY USED? WE'VE CERTAINLY BEEN DOING LOTS AND LOTS OF DEMOS WITH DIFFERENT VENDORS OUT IN THE COMMUNITY, AND THEN WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON OUR REPORT FOR THE LEGISLATURE AND ALONG THE WAY, OF COURSE, CONTINUE TO KEEP THE COUNCIL AND OUR STAKEHOLDERS AND OUR STAFF INFORMED.
I JUST HAVE A QUICK COMMENT TO APPLAUD YOU ON DOING THIS.
AND I WOULDN'T EMPHASIZE IT ENOUGH THAT YOU'VE GOT TO STAY UP TO DATE WITH TECHNOLOGY.
AND TOO OFTEN THAT STREAMLINING OF HAVING THAT INFORMATION TIMELY AND AVAILABLE SO THAT YOU CAN MAKE DECISIONS AND SO THAT PEOPLE CAN GET THE INAPPROPRIATE DUPLICATION OF EFFORTS IS PREVENTED, THOSE KIND OF THINGS IS VERY VALUABLE.
SO I APPLAUD YOU FOR CONTINUING TO TRY AND STRIVE FOR THIS.
THE NEXT PRESENTER IS KEZ WOLD, APS ASSOCIATE COMMISSIONER.
I WANTED TO START BY SAYING COUNCIL MEMBER KRAWCZYK WAS VERY HUMBLE.
SHE FAILED TO MENTION THAT IN ADDITION TO THE WORK THAT SHE'S BEEN DOING, SHE ALSO HOSTED OUR DISTRICT DIRECTOR AND PROGRAM ADMINISTRATOR MEETING AT THE SENIOR SOURCE IN DALLAS THIS WEEK AND GAVE A PRESENTATION ON LEADERSHIP TO OUR TEAM, AND IT WAS WELL RECEIVED.
[00:50:01]
I ALSO WANT TO TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO INTRODUCE OUR NEW DIRECTOR OF FIELD MR. CODY MINTS. CODY, YOU WANT TO STAND UP? CODY COMES TO US FROM THE NORTHWEST DISTRICT, WHERE HE'S BEEN THE DISTRICT DIRECTOR.HE HAS A LONG HISTORY WITH ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES.
WE'RE SO EXCITED TO HAVE HIM ON BOARD.
I DID WANT TO JUST GIVE YOU SOME UPDATES ON A COUPLE OF ITEMS. THE FIRST IS THE PARTNERING TO PROTECT INITIATIVE THAT WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON.
I DON'T WANT TO STEAL RACHEL DUA'S THUNDER WHEN SHE COMES UP AND TALKS TO YOU ABOUT ALL THE COMMUNITY EVENTS THAT ARE GOING ON DURING WORLD ELDER ABUSE DAY AND ELDER ABUSE AWARENESS MONTH, SO I WILL LET HER GIVE THAT.
BUT LET'S SAY THIS IT GOES ALL THE WAY FROM EDINBURGH AND CAR PARADES TO EL PASO WITH A MULTI HUNDRED PERSON CONFERENCE TO LIGHTING UP BRIDGES AND BUILDINGS AND PURPLE ACROSS THE STATE.
AND WE'RE JUST THRILLED TO SEE ALL THE ATTENTION AND ALL THE AWARENESS WORK THAT'S BEEN GOING ON.
THE WORK THAT WE DO IS YEAR ROUND, AND WE DO HAVE OUR PARTNERSHIP PLAN THAT WE ARE IMPLEMENTING.
OUR DISTRICTS HAVE DEVELOPED PLANS TO HOW THEY ARE GOING TO, AT THE LOCAL LEVEL IN THEIR COMMUNITIES, HOW THEY'RE GOING TO WORK WITH PARTNERS AND IMPROVE PARTNERSHIPS. WE HAVE OUR PRELIMINARY PLANS TOGETHER.
AND JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF THE SCOPE, THEY HAVE IDENTIFIED 144 PARTNERS IN 101 COUNTIES THAT THAT'S JUST FOR THIS NEXT YEAR THAT WE ARE GOING TO FOCUS ON. HOW DO WE EITHER IT COULD BE AS SIMPLE AS LET'S MAKE SOME CONTACTS AND SHARE SOME SOME NAMES ALL THE WAY UP TO LET'S HAVE MUTUAL TRAINING AGREEMENTS. LET'S PARTICIPATE IN YOUR LAW ENFORCEMENT ACADEMIES TRAINING TO LET'S START A MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM IN THIS COUNTY.
AND I THINK IT'S VERY FLEXIBLE AND IT'S VERY TARGETED AT WHAT ARE THE NEEDS OF THE LOCAL COMMUNITY.
LAST YEAR, WE BROUGHT IN ABOUT 150 PARTNERS TO THE CONFERENCE.
AND THIS YEAR, COMING UP IN OCTOBER, WE WILL BE BRINGING IN ABOUT 100 TO 130 PARTNERS AND HAVING THEM PARTICIPATE IN OUR CONFERENCE AND BE ABLE TO INTERACT WITH OUR STAFF, GET GREAT INFORMATION AND TRAINING.
SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.
SOME WILL BE DOING STANDALONE SESSIONS, OTHERS WILL BE EXPERT MEMBERS OF PANELS.
SO WE'RE REALLY THRILLED ABOUT THAT.
MOVING TO SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.
THEY CAME OUT ON THE 7TH OF MAY.
WE ARE STILL IN THE PROCESS OF MAKING SURE THAT WE UNDERSTAND WHAT THOSE RULES MEAN FOR APS, BECAUSE WE'VE NEVER HAD THE PLEASURE OF BEING TOLD BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HOW WE SHOULD DO THINGS.
BUT THE GOOD NEWS IS, DURING THE COMMENT PERIOD, WE WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK.
THEY APPEAR TO HAVE LISTENED VERY CAREFULLY TO FEEDBACK FROM TEXAS AND FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY.
AND SO THE NEW RULES SEEM TO BE MANAGEABLE.
WE ACTUALLY THINK WE'RE MOSTLY IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE RULES, BUT WE HAVE ASKED FOR CLARIFICATION FROM THE ADMINISTRATION ON COMMUNITY LIVING, AND THEY HAVE TOLD US THEY WILL GET BACK TO US SHORTLY.
AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOUR TEAM IS DOING FOR OUR ELDERLIES.
AND GIVING THEM FANS AND WHAT THEY NEED.
[00:55:07]
OKAY. THE NEXT PRESENTER IS STEPHEN BLACK.THE STATEWIDE INTAKE ASSOCIATE COMMISSIONER.
AND SO OUR LLB BENCHMARK ON THE [INAUDIBLE] IS 7.4 MINUTES.
AND THE SUMMER MONTHS ARE OUR SLOWER PERIODS.
HOWEVER, THIS YEAR, HEADING INTO JUNE, WE'RE ALREADY AT 7.2, SO WE'RE ALREADY UNDERNEATH IT.
AND THOSE THAT NUMBER WILL IMPROVE AFTER JUNE WILL GET EVEN LOWER AFTER JULY.
ONE OTHER THING I WANTED TO NOTE.
AS THE FISCAL YEAR COMES TO A CLOSE, YOU MAY SEE SOME REDUCTIONS IN THE OVERALL VOLUME THIS YEAR.
AFTER MAY, WE WERE ABOUT JUST UNDER 29,000 LESS TOTAL CALLS THEN WE SAW LAST YEAR.
AND I'M NEXT ON THE AGENDA TO TALK ABOUT THE RULES AROUND HB 63.
AND SO SOME PEOPLE MAY LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, THE ANONYMOUS REPORTING PIECE, WHICH I CAN'T SAY THAT CAN'T BE WON IN MANY CONTRIBUTING FACTORS, BUT JUST BASED ON THE OVERALL NUMBERS, THAT'S NOT THE FACTOR FOR THE DECREASE.
THEY TOOK OWNERSHIP OF THOSE REPORTS.
ALSO, I THINK OUR PERFORMANCE MAKES A DIFFERENCE.
AND SO WHENEVER WE'RE GETTING TO THE CALLS MORE QUICKLY LESS PEOPLE ARE HANGING UP WHILE THEY WAIT.
AND THAT'S GOING TO REDUCE THE OVERALL NUMBERS AS WELL.
AND THEN JUST THE LAST THING I WANTED TO POINT OUT TO YOU IS THAT LOOKING AT THE MONTH TO MONTH BREAKDOWN, WE ARE SEEING SOME REDUCED CALLS COMING FROM SCHOOL PROFESSIONALS ON THE MONTH TO MONTH BASIS.
AND, YOU KNOW, RIGHT AROUND THE SUMMER IS WHENEVER WE RELEASED A NEW MANDATORY REPORTER TRAINING AND FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OUR REPORTING TRAINING, WE INCLUDED A PREVENTION PIECE THERE BECAUSE WE DO GET SOME PHONE CALLS THAT WE SEE THAT SOMEBODY MAY THINK NEEDS TO BE A PROTECTIVE SERVICE RESPONSE, BUT MAY JUST BE A FAMILY THAT NEEDS SOME ASSISTANCE AND TO KIND OF COUPLE WITH THAT.
AND THE PAST FEW MONTHS WE'RE SEEING 1000 PLUS CALLS COME IN TO THAT PARENT HELPLINE.
AND THOSE ARE NEW CALLS IN ADDITION TO THE YOUTH CALLS.
I MEAN, THESE ARE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT SUBSET OF CALLERS COMING TO US.
BUT OVERALL IT IS THE TREND THAT WE WANT TO SEE WHEN WE LAUNCH THAT HELPLINE THAT HOPEFULLY OVER TIME WE SEE LESS PEOPLE CALLING FOR A NEED OF PROTECTIVE SERVICES AND MORE PEOPLE CALLING TO TRY TO GET THOSE PREVENTION SERVICES.
SO THAT'S MY UPDATE ON THE STATS OR ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT.
YOU MENTIONED CUTTING A MINUTE OFF OF THE TIME.
WHAT ARE THE OTHER PERFORMANCE MEASURES YOU USE AT INTAKE? THE ONE THAT THE LBB GIVES US IS OUR ABANDONMENT RATE, AND ALSO THE WHOLE TIME OF THE ENGLISH QUEUE.
THERE WE GO. WE'RE JUST UNDER WHAT WE NEED TO BE RIGHT.
ABOUT 25% ON THE ABANDONMENT RATE.
INTERNALLY WE KIND OF PAY ATTENTION TO OUR E REPORT HOLD TIME AS WELL.
WE'D LIKE TO KEEP THAT UNDERNEATH 24 HOURS.
OKAY. THANK YOU. CAN I ADD ONE THING ON THAT TOO? I DO THINK THAT THAT'S ONE OF THE, THE COMPLEXITIES OF LOOKING AT SOMETHING LIKE ABANDONMENT RATE AS A PERFORMANCE MEASURE.
WHEN PEOPLE ARE ON HOLD, THEY'RE TOLD THAT THEY CAN SUBMIT THE REPORTS.
AND SO SOME OF THAT IN, IN MANY CIRCUMSTANCES.
BUT I DID JUST WANT TO REALLY COMMEND STEPHEN AND HIS TEAM.
[01:00:04]
WE'RE GIVEN TO MAKE THAT EXPERIENCE WORK.AND THEY'RE OFTEN THE UNSUNG HEROES.
[V. PUBLISHED RULES]
REPORTING, IF YOU DON'T MIND, SIR.SURE. THERE WERE TWO RULES IMPLEMENTED, EFFECTIVE MAY 22ND AROUND HB 63.
DID NOT RECEIVE ANY COMMENTS ON EITHER ONE AT 702.223 AND 707.489, ONE OF WHICH IS A FAIRLY SIMPLE CHANGE IN THAT CPI INVESTIGATIONS WAS ABLE TO CONDUCT ABBREVIATED INVESTIGATIONS FOR ANONYMOUS REPORTS, AND THE CHANGES TO THAT INVESTIGATION CAN ONLY OCCUR WHEN WE RECEIVE THAT ANONYMOUS REPORT FROM LAW ENFORCEMENT.
AND THEN THE SECOND RULE IS JUST MEANT TO STRENGTHEN OUR CONFIDENTIALITY OF OUR REPORTERS.
THANK YOU. NOW RUN WHILE YOU CAN.
[VI. EMPLOYEE and COMMUNITY PARTNER RECOGNITION]
OKAY, THERE WE GO.SO I AM REALLY PLEASED TODAY TO PRESENT THE COMMISSIONER'S AWARD OF EXCELLENCE.
I'LL GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ON THE AWARD OF EXCELLENCE.
SO ANY EMPLOYEE CAN NOMINATE A COWORKER OR AN EXTERNAL PARTNER.
AND THAT NOMINATION THEN GOES TO AN AWARDS BOARD REVIEW BOARD WHO REVIEWS ALL OF THE NOMINATIONS AND MAKES SOME RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE COMMISSIONER FOR FINAL SELECTION OF THE WINNERS.
I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE CREDIT FOR CREATING THIS AWARD.
HOWEVER, THE AWARD WAS FIRST PRESENTED IN FEBRUARY OF 2017.
AND IT'S REALLY DESIGNED TO RECOGNIZE STAFF MEMBERS OR EXTERNAL PARTNERS WHO HAVE GONE TO EXTRAORDINARY LENGTHS TO PROTECT THE UNPROTECTED AND TO SERVE OUR STAKEHOLDERS.
AND WE'VE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS THIS MORNING ABOUT HOW WHETHER IT'S CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION OR ELDER ABUSE PREVENTION, THAT THIS IS NOT WORK THAT THE DEPARTMENT DOES IN ISOLATION.
THIS IS ACTIVITIES THAT HAPPEN IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, IN YOUR CHURCHES, IN YOUR COMMUNITIES.
AND IT IS REALLY ABOUT WORKING ACROSS DIFFERENT SECTORS.
AND TODAY'S AWARDEE REALLY EMBODIES THAT PARTNERSHIP.
AND I AM VERY PLEASED TO TO PRESENT THE AWARD TODAY TO A PARTNER ORGANIZATION, THE ISAIAH 117 HOUSE.
I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ABOUT THE ISAIAH HOUSE AND JUDGE HELLUMS, YOU MAY REMEMBER I WAS TELLING YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THEM A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, AND I DID NOT SUBMIT THIS NOMINATION.
SO CLEARLY I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO'S IMPRESSED.
BUT IN 2014, CORY AND RHONDA PAULSON, WHO WE HAVE THE PLEASURE OF HAVING HERE TODAY, THEY ATTENDED A FOSTER PARENT TRAINING IN JOHNSON CITY, TENNESSEE. AND THERE THEY SAW AND LEARNED THAT WHEN CHILDREN ARE REMOVED FROM THEIR HOMES, THEY MUST OFTEN FIRST COME TO THE CHILD WELFARE OFFICE AND WAIT FOR PLACEMENT.
LOOKING AROUND THE CUBICLE FILLED SPACE WHERE THEY WERE TRAINING, THEY COULDN'T IMAGINE A SCARED CHILD ON WHAT IS ONE OF THE MOST TRAUMATIC DAYS OF THEIR LIFE. HAVING TO GO THROUGH THAT EXPERIENCE IN SUCH A STERILE AND COLD ENVIRONMENT, WAITING, FRIGHTENED TO LEARN THEIR FATE.
AND THEY ASKED THEMSELVES, WHAT IF THERE WAS A HOME WHERE CHILDREN COULD GO WHEN THEY ARE REMOVED? AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THEY BUILT? ISAIAH 117 PROVIDES A COMFORTING HOME WHERE CHILDREN INSTEAD CAN BE BROUGHT TO WAIT A PLACE THAT IS SAFE WITH FRIENDLY AND LOVING VOLUNTEERS WHO PROVIDE CLEAN NEW CLOTHES, SMILES, TOYS, SNUGGLY BLANKETS AND ALLOWS THEM TO RECEIVE THE COMFORT AND CARE THAT THEY NEED. WHILE OUR TEAM, THE CHILD WELFARE STAFF, CAN DO THE NECESSARY PAPERWORK AND FIND A PLACEMENT NATIONALLY.
[01:05:07]
ISAIAH 117 HAS 22 HOMES OPEN IN FOUR STATES, ANOTHER 13 HOMES UNDER CONSTRUCTION, AND IS RAISING AWARENESS TO OPEN A FURTHER 20 HOMES IN A TOTAL OF 12 STATES.THE MISSION OF ISAIAH 117 IS THREEFOLD TO REDUCE TRAUMA FOR CHILDREN AWAITING PLACEMENT, TO LIGHTEN THE LOAD FOR CHILD WELFARE SERVICES, AND TO EASE THAT TRANSITION FOR FOSTER FAMILIES.
SO HERE IN TEXAS, THEY ARE OPERATING.
SO IMMEDIATELY AFTER BEING REMOVED FROM THEIR HOME, CHILDREN CAN BE BROUGHT TO THE ISAIAH 117 HOUSE, WHERE THEY'RE PROVIDED A NURTURING ENVIRONMENT RATHER THAN AN OFFICE OR A CUBICLE WHERE THEY CAN ACCESS ESSENTIAL AMENITIES LIKE BATHING, DINING AND RESTING WHILE WAITING FOR A SECURE PLACEMENT.
ADDITIONAL HOUSES ARE UNDER CONSTRUCTION IN BRAZORIA, MONTGOMERY, WALKER, AND MCLENNAN COUNTIES, AND PLANNED EXPANSIONS IN FORT BEND, HENDERSON, AND WILLIAMSON COUNTIES. THEY WILL ALSO PLAY THAT PIVOTAL ROLE IN HELPING CHILDREN WITHOUT AN IMMEDIATE PLACEMENT.
AND I ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S VERY IMPRESSIVE IS THAT THIS IS ALL COMMUNITY DRIVEN, AND IT IS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THAT IS STEPPING FORWARD. AND I DID WANT TO SHARE THAT WHEN I WAS IN DALLAS, BEFORE I WENT AND VISITED THE HOME, I WAS MEETING WITH SOME OF OUR INVESTIGATION STAFF WHO WHO WERE THE ONES WHO WERE TELLING ME HOW GREAT THIS IS, WHAT A GREAT EXPERIENCE IT WAS FOR CHILDREN.
DROVE UP TO THE HOME THAT THEY HAVE OPERATING IN DALLAS.
EVERYTHING ABOUT THE HOME IS DESIGNED TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THAT CHILD, AND TO TAKE AWAY THE TRAUMA OF WHAT IS ONE OF THE WORST DAYS OF THEIR LIFE, IF NOT THE WORST DAY OF THEIR LIFE.
FROM EVERYTHING FROM HAVING THAT VOLUNTEER, MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER, WHATEVER MEAL THEY WANT THAT THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE, THAT THEY'RE SPECIAL, THAT THEY'RE LOVED AND THAT THEY'RE SUPPORTED EVEN IN THIS TIME OF OF TRAUMA AND EVERYTHING ABOUT THE THE HOUSE JUST EXUDED THAT. IT WAS IT'S WELCOMING.
IT IS IT IS AN ENVIRONMENT, BUT IT'S ALSO DESIGNED AND SET UP FOR OUR CASEWORKER STAFF SO THAT THEY CAN WATCH AND SUPERVISE THE CHILD WITH THE SUPPORT OF VOLUNTEERS WHILE THEY'RE WORKING TO SECURE THAT PLACEMENT.
AND I'M PROUD TO TO OFFER TO PRESENT YOU WITH THIS AWARD TODAY.
AND I'D LIKE TO CALL UP SO RHONDA PAULSON, THE FOUNDER, SARAH MILLER, THE TEXAS STATE DIRECTOR, AND PEYTON VAUGHT, THE REGIONAL DIRECTOR TO RECEIVE THE AWARD.
BUT I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE AWARD IS.
I JUST DON'T KNOW WHERE THE AWARD IS.
DO YOU KNOW WHERE THE AWARD IS FOR THEM? OH, THAT'S WHY I WAS LOOKING FOR IT HERE.
AND IF THE COUNCIL WILL JOIN US, AND MAYBE WE CAN GIVE THEM A LITTLE.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE BEST WAY TO GET EVERYONE IN THE ROOM.
YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED THIS WEEKEND? I SAW THAT I SHOULD'VE MENTIONED THAT EVERYONE.
PERFECT. ALTHOUGH I'M ALL RIGHT.
SO FOR THE NEXT SERIES OF AWARDS, I'M GOING TO CALL ERIKA BANUELOS UP.
BUT ALSO, WHILE I DO, I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU ALL A LITTLE BIT OF A STORY, BECAUSE TODAY WE'RE HONORING A NUMBER OF OUR TEAM MEMBERS WHO, AS I SAID, HAVE WORKED TIRELESSLY TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF YOUTH THAT WE HAVE WITHOUT PLACEMENT.
[01:10:08]
JOY AND JOY IN MY HEART AND TEARS TO MY EYES.BUT I DID WANT TO SAY I WAS AT A NATIONAL CONVENING AT THIS THIS ISSUE OF YOUTH WITHOUT PLACEMENT AND AND SOME OF THE YOUTH THAT HAVE REALLY HIGH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH NEEDS IS NOT A TEXAS PROBLEM.
THIS IS A NATIONAL ISSUE THAT EVERY STATE IS SEEKING SOLUTIONS AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT TOOLS IN THEIR TOOLBOX THEY NEED TO HELP ADDRESS THE PROBLEMS. AND SO WE'RE SHARING WHAT WE'RE DOING IN TEXAS, BUT ALSO LEARNING FROM OTHER STATES ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
AND WHEN I WAS AT THIS CONVENING, WE WERE SHARING SOME OF OUR EFFORTS BECAUSE SINCE I STARTED LAST JANUARY, WE'VE HAD MULTIPLE MEETINGS A WEEK WHERE WE LOOK AT WHAT ARE THE SYSTEMIC ISSUES THAT ARE DRIVING THIS, HOW CAN WE DEVELOP SOLUTIONS? AND WE'VE BEEN CHIPPING AWAY AT THE PROBLEM AND OUR NUMBERS HAVE BEEN DECLINING.
BUT I AM I HEARD FROM OUR I WAS TALKING TO OUR COLLEAGUES, OUR STATE PARTNERS.
AND THAT THEY WERE HAVING SIMILAR RESULTS.
BUT THE DIRECTOR IN GEORGIA SAID SOMETHING THAT JUST REALLY IMPACTED ME BECAUSE SHE SAID SHE, THEY HAD ABOUT I THINK THEIR NUMBER WAS AROUND 100 YOUTH THE NIGHT THAT THEY WERE PUTTING UP IN HOTEL ROOMS BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T HAVE PLACEMENT AND THEY WERE WORKING REALLY HARD TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM.
BUT SHE HEARD SOMEONE SAY ARE YOU REALLY CHALLENGE YOURSELF TO ARE YOU REALLY DOING EVERYTHING THAT YOU CAN DO? AND SHE SAID, I REALIZED THAT TO SOME EXTENT, WE HAD ACCEPTED THAT THIS IS A VERY HARD PROBLEM, AND WE WERE WORKING HARD ON IT, BUT THIS WAS THE BEST WE COULD DO.
WE HAD ADDRESSED ALL THESE SYSTEMIC FACTORS.
WE WERE TRYING TO BRING RESOURCES TO THE TABLE, BUT MAYBE IT WAS REALLY ABOUT EACH INDIVIDUAL YOUTH AND REALLY MAKING SURE WE HAD EXHAUSTED EVERY POSSIBLE OPPORTUNITY.
BUT MAYBE CIRCUMSTANCES HAVE CHANGED AND MAYBE THAT FAMILY IS IN A DIFFERENT PLACE.
SO I CAME BACK FROM THAT MEETING.
I SAT DOWN WITH ERICA AND I CHALLENGED HER, AND I SAID, ERICA, YOU KNOW, I FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO GIVE YOU AND YOUR TEAM THE RELIEF TO TO BE ABLE TO REALLY FOCUS ON THIS TO AN EXTENT THAT THIS ON A CHILD BY CHILD BASIS IS HOW WE CAN SOLVE THIS ISSUE. AND I AT THAT TIME, I THINK WE HAD 50, UPPER 50S AND THE NUMBER OF YOUTH.
THIS WAS IN MARCH, BY THE WAY.
I SAID, I'D REALLY LIKE TO SEE US GET DOWN TO 40 BY THE END OF MARCH.
WELL, I'LL BE DARNED IF WE WERE NOT AT RIGHT AROUND 20 BY THE END OF MARCH.
AND I KNOW THAT WHILE ERICA WAS SPEARHEADING THE PATHWAYS TO PLACEMENT THAT IT WAS, IT'S REALLY THE WORK THAT'S HAPPENING EVERY DAY ACROSS THE STATE BY OUR STAFF, THAT HAS LED TO THE PROGRESS THAT WE'VE MADE ON THIS ISSUE.
AND I ALSO KNOW THAT WE DON'T GET TO A POINT OF THIS IS PROBLEM SOLVED.
THIS IS AN EFFORT THAT HAS TO CONTINUE EVERY DAY.
AND THAT THAT LEVEL OF EFFORT IS VERY DIFFICULT AND VERY HARD.
BUT BECAUSE OF THAT, WE REALLY WANTED TO TAKE SOME TIME TODAY TO RECOGNIZE.
BUT WE ARE HONORING YOUR EFFORTS TODAY THAT FOR THE PROGRESS THAT YOU'VE MADE.
BECAUSE REALLY, THIS IS CHANGING LIVES.
SO, ERICA, I'LL CALL YOU UP AND.
I FEEL LIKE THEY SHOULD HAVE PULLED THE PODIUM AND I COULD HAVE STOOD ON THE STAIR.
IT IS AN HONOR TO BE UP HERE TO DO RECOGNITIONS FOR EVERYONE THAT HAS REALLY WORKED ON THE DAY TO DAY ISSUE OF OUR KIDS NOT HAVING PLACEMENT.
AND IF YOU KNOW ME, I DON'T LIKE TO READ OFF OF A PAPER.
[01:15:05]
DOING. SO PLEASE BEAR WITH ME, AND I FEEL LIKE, COMMISSIONER, YOU MUST HAVE BEEN WITH ME WHEN I WAS WRITING WHAT I WAS GOING TO SAY, BECAUSE I AM GOING TO REPEAT A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT THE COMMISSIONER HAS EARLIER SAID ABOUT OUR EFFORTS.AND I SEE IT EVERY DAY WHEN I AM ON THOSE CALLS WITH ALL OF YOU ALL.
SO TODAY I STAND BEFORE YOU TO EXPRESS YOU KNOW, OUR DEEPEST GRATITUDE AND ADMIRATION FOR EACH ONE OF YOU WHO HAS PLAYED A VITAL ROLE IN WORKING TOWARDS FINDING A PLACEMENT FOR CHILDREN WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED BEING UNDER DFPS SUPERVISION OR THAT ARE AT RISK FOR COMING INTO BEING UNDER DFPS SUPERVISION.
SO, AS COMMISSIONER MENTIONED, IN MARCH OF 2024 MARCH THE 9TH TO BE EXACT, I SAT DOWN WITH HER AND, AND WITH AUDREY AND WE REALLY TALKED ABOUT REALLY CHANGING SOME OF THE METHODS THAT WE WERE ALREADY DOING.
AND SO I THINK I LOOKED AT HER WITH VERY BIG WIDE EYES AND I WAS LIKE, YES, WE CAN DO IT AND PROBABLY IN MY HEAD I WAS LIKE, I DON'T KNOW HOW WE'RE GOING TO ACCOMPLISH THIS, BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT I HAVE VERY, VERY DEDICATED STAFF.
SO AS WE STARTED THIS EXTRAORDINARY EFFORT ONE THAT HAS SEEN US REALLY DEDICATE COUNTLESS HOURS, DAYS, NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS, I HAVE SEEN MANY OF YOU WORK THROUGH THE NIGHT.
SO ALL THOSE EFFORTS HAVE JUST BEEN EXTRAORDINARY, AND IT REALLY SPEAKS TO THE MISSION OF THAT WE DEVELOPED AS WE WERE IMPLEMENTING THESE NEW EFFORTS.
SO IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT YOU ALL FINDING A PLACEMENT OR GETTING A CHILD OUT OF DFPS SUPERVISION.
WHAT HAS BEEN REALLY IMPRESSIVE IS THAT WE HAVE GONE WAY BEYOND THAT TO INCLUDE THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT WE CAN DO, AND THAT IS STABILIZING THE PLACEMENT, WHICH HAS REALLY, AGAIN, HAS TAKEN NOT ONE, NOT TWO PEOPLE.
AND NOT ONLY ARE WE WORKING WITH KINSHIP CAREGIVERS SO CLOSELY, YOU ALL ARE WORKING WITH PROVIDERS AS WELL, VISITING SOMETIMES DAILY TO MAKE SURE THAT THAT TRANSITION OF THIS CHILD IS SUCCESSFUL AND THAT IT DOESN'T BREAK DOWN.
SO FROM THE TIRELESS EFFORTS OF OUR FRONT LINE STAFF WHO PROVIDE ONE ON ONE SUPPORT TO OUR YOUTH, I CANNOT EXPRESS TO YOU THE AMAZING WORK THAT OUR FRONT LINE STAFF ARE DOING.
TO GET CHILDREN TO PLACEMENT, TO TALK TO CHILDREN.
THEY HAVE AMAZING RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE YOUTH THAT WE SERVE AND THEY TRUST OUR CASEWORKERS.
AND I'VE SEEN CASEWORKERS WORK WITH THE CHILD.
THEY JUST KEEP GOING AND KEEP GOING.
WE HAVE STAFF THAT WORK AFTER HOURS.
WE HAVE STAFF THAT WORK ON THE WEEKENDS.
ANY TIME A CHILD COMES IN, DOESN'T MATTER IF IT'S EIGHT IN THE MORNING OR 3:00 IN THE MORNING, THEY ARE UP LOOKING FOR PLACEMENT AND TRYING TO GET A CHILD TO THE BEST POSSIBLE PLACEMENT.
TO OUR SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS.
WE HAVE SO MANY SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS IN OUR AGENCY.
NOT EVERYTHING HAS TO FALL ON OUR CASEWORKERS.
THEY ALREADY HAVE A LOT TO DO.
SO HAVING THE DISABILITY SPECIALIST, THE EDUCATION SPECIALIST, THE TRAUMA INFORMED CARE SPECIALIST, THE CLINICAL COORDINATORS, THE FGDM THERE'S SO MANY POSITIONS THAT ARE SUPPORTING THANK YOU THAT ARE SUPPORTING THIS EFFORT.
AND THEN OF COURSE, WE ALSO HAVE OUR STATE OFFICE.
[01:20:04]
MY TEAM AND STATE OFFICE HAS BEEN JUST AMAZING.OUR JOB HERE IS ALREADY FILLED WITH MORE THAN 40 HOURS.
AND MANY OF THEM ARE PROBABLY HALF THEIR DAY.
THEY SPEND IT STAFFING CHILDREN WHO ARE EITHER AT RISK OR ARE COMING IN TO TRY TO HELP FIND A PLACEMENT, AND TO REALLY TRY TO DIVE INTO WHAT DOES THIS CHILD NEED IN ORDER FOR THEM TO BE STABILIZED.
AND THEN OF COURSE, WE I ALSO WANT TO EXTEND OUR PROVIDER NETWORK HAS JUST REALLY, REALLY HELPED US.
THEY'VE BEEN OPEN TO THE CHANGES THAT WE'RE MAKING.
THEY ARE OPEN TO US GOING TO THEIR PLACEMENT TO HELP SUPPORT OUR KIDS.
WE DEVELOPED A PLACEMENT SUPPORT STAFFING, WHICH COMMISSIONER TALKED ABOUT.
AND THOSE CAN BE VERY TIME CONSUMING.
HOWEVER, IF OUR PROVIDERS ARE HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME WITH ONE OF OUR CHILDREN, WE WANT TO HELP.
WE WANT TO SUPPORT WHAT ELSE CAN WE DO TO PREVENT THAT DISRUPTION? WHICH IS REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT.
TAKING A CHILD INTO YOUR HOME, ESPECIALLY CHILDREN THAT ARE OLDER, THAT HAVE VERY HIGH COMPLEX ACUITY NEEDS FOR OUR RELATIVE IS A BIG CHALLENGE, AND WE HAVE SOME AMAZING STAFF THAT ARE REALLY, REALLY PROVIDING THAT ADDED SUPPORT.
AND THEN ALSO I'D LIKE TO ALSO MENTION THAT ONE OF OUR BIGGEST PARTNERS IN THIS ENDEAVOR HAS REALLY BEEN HHC AND ALL THE SUPPORT THAT THEY ARE LENDING AND GIVING TO US WITH OUR CHILDREN AND TRYING TO MEET THEIR NEEDS THAT THEY HAVE.
LEGACY HAD AN AVERAGE OF 99.8 CHILDREN FOR THE MONTH OF THE 2020 3RD MAY.
FOR THE MONTH OF MAY OF 2024, LEGACY HAD AN AVERAGE OF 18.1.
I WANT TO TAKE SOME TIME TO REALLY READ SOME, SOME STATISTICS THAT ARE VERY SIGNIFICANT TO ALL OF YOUR EFFORTS THAT YOU ARE CURRENTLY DOING SO IN MAY OF 2023. LEGACY.
WE HAD A TOTAL OF 289 EVENTS IN MAY OF 2023.
WE HAD TOTAL UNIQUE CHILDREN 241.
THAT IS A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION.
SO IF YOU LOOK AT THOSE NUMBERS AND YOU LOOK AT WHERE WE ARE TODAY IT REALLY SPEAKS VOLUMES TO THE WORK THAT EVERYONE IS DOING ACROSS THIS AGENCY. SO IN THE FACE OF CHALLENGES AND ADVERSITY, YOU HAVE RISEN TO THE OCCASION, DEMONSTRATING RESILIENCE, EMPATHY AND UNWAVERING DEDICATION TO THE CHILDREN AND YOUTH THAT YOU SERVE.
YOUR EFFORTS HAVE NOT GONE, HAVE NOT GONE UNNOTICED.
THROUGH THESE EFFORTS, THERE HAVE BEEN OVER 550 DAILY STAFF MEETINGS, AND EVERY DAY I PROBABLY ATTEND WITH MY STAFF ABOUT 40 STAFF MEETINGS, IF NOT MORE.
STABILIZATION. STAFFING MGDM STAFFING.
[01:25:07]
YOUR COMPASSION AND DEDICATION HAS PROVIDED HOPE, STABILITY AND LOVE TO THOSE WHO NEED IT MOST.THE DATA HIGHLIGHTS THE INTENSIVE WORK THAT IS BEING DONE BY EACH ONE OF YOU.
I AM HAPPY TO REPORT THAT AS OF YESTERDAY, JUNE 12TH, 2024, LEGACY ONLY HAD 15 CHILDREN IDENTIFIED AS BEING WITHOUT PLACEMENT IN COMPARISON TO JUNE 12TH OF 2023, WHERE WE HAD A TOTAL OF 104 LEGACY CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE.
SO WITH THAT SAID, TODAY, ON BEHALF OF THE ENTIRE AGENCY AND THE COUNTLESS CHILDREN'S WHOSE LIVES YOU HAVE TOUCHED, I WANT TO EXTEND A HEARTFELT THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SELFLESSNESS, YOUR DEDICATION, AND YOUR UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO SERVING OTHERS.
YOU ARE TRULY MAKING THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE, ONE CHILD AT A TIME.
LET US CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER, SHOULDER TO SHOULDER, AS WE STRIVE TO PROVIDE EVERY CHILD WITH LOVE, SUPPORT AND STABILITY THAT THEY DESERVE.
TOGETHER, WE CAN CONTINUE TO BE THE BEACON OF HOPE FOR THOSE THAT NEED US THE MOST.
TODAY WE WILL RECOGNIZE VARIOUS STAFF AS COMMISSIONER MENTIONED, THAT ARE HERE WITH US TODAY, AND SOME ARE ONLINE AND OTHERS THAT HAVE DEFINITELY PLAYED A SIGNIFICANT ROLE IN THE WORK THAT WE ARE DOING.
AND IF YOU CAN STAND IN BETWEEN THESE TWO PODIUMS FACING THAT WAY, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
YEAH. GO AHEAD AS ERICA THAT WAS THANK YOU, AND I THERE'S ONE OTHER THING THAT I WANTED TO ADD.
BECAUSE I THINK IT'S REALLY ANOTHER PIECE OF THIS STORY, WHICH IS WE HAVE BEEN TRACKING FROM THE DATA ABOUT THE PLACEMENTS OF WHERE WE ARE PLACING SOME OF THOSE YOUTH ON FIRST PLACEMENT WHEN THEY ARE LEAVING CWOP.
AND I THINK IT'S JUST OVER A THIRD OF THEM ARE GOING TO A FAMILY BASED SETTING, WHETHER A FOSTER HOME OR A KINSHIP HOME. AND AND WE'RE TRACKING THAT OVER TIME AND WE'RE SEEING THAT THAT IS WORKING.
SO I THINK THAT IS ALSO A REALLY PHENOMENAL TESTAMENT TO THE WORK THAT THAT YOU'RE DOING.
IT IS THE BEST PLACEMENT THAT WE CAN FIND FOR THESE KIDS.
OKAY, I HAVE TO READ THE NAME.
YES. SO I APOLOGIZE AHEAD OF TIME.
MCKAY. JULIANA PAULINA. KRISTI WOOTEN. STIRLING DESHAY LETT.
[01:30:06]
SYLVIA MORIN.LAURIE SUTTON WHITE. ELISHA FISHER.
NO. I'M LIKE, NO, I DIDN'T GET.
SO I DO WANT TO CALL OUT THEIR NAME.
CASEY HOOTEN, KELSEY BANDY, JOHN SCHUCHARD.
YEAH. WHERE? OH, WE DOUBLED YOURS.
YEAH, AND I MESSED UP YOUR NAME TWICE.
YOU SHOULD HAVE STOPPED ME WHEN I SAID JOHN.
[01:35:02]
ADAM BENZER.MIRANDA WILLIAMS. SHAYNA AUSTIN.
REBECCA WHITMAN, AND BLAIR BRADLEY.
LET'S GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE.
YOU SURE? LET'S JUST TELL. WE'RE GOING TO DO JUST A SHORT BREAK FOR THE MEMBERS THAT ARE IN THE AUDIENCE BEFORE WE FINISH THE THE AGENDA, GO THROUGH THE AGENDA JUST TO TAKE SOME PHOTOS.
SO WE'LL TAKE ABOUT A TEN MINUTE BREAK TO CAPTURE SOME PHOTOS.
FEEL FREE TO STAY WHERE YOU ARE OR GET UP AND MOVE AROUND.
HOW DO YOU WANT US ON THE TOP?
[VII. FAITH-BASED AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EVENT AND ACTVITIES OPPORTUNITIES UPDATE]
OKAY. THE NEXT PRESENTER IS RACHEL DUER FROM THE FAITH BASED AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND ACTIVITIES OPPORTUNITY UPDATE, PLEASE, MA'AM.THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
THIS WAS FROM OUR WALK IN HOUSTON.
I WILL SAY AS WE START WITH THIS, THIS IS A RECAP OF OUR CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH ACTIVITIES.
AND TO THE COMMISSIONER'S POINT, WE CANNOT DO THESE ACTIVITIES WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF OUR PARTNERS.
THIS IS A VERY HIGH LEVEL RECAP.
SO THIS IS JUST A VERY HIGH LEVEL RECAP OF SOME OF THE EVENTS THAT WE HAD AROUND THE STATE.
SO WE HAD OVER 150 EVENTS AND OUR EVENTS, YOU KNOW, WE EVERY YEAR WE THINK ABOUT AND TALK TO OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS, LIKE, WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO IN YOUR COMMUNITY? WHAT IS HOW DO YOU WANT TO PROMOTE AWARENESS ABOUT CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION? SO WE HAVE EVERYTHING FROM THE READINGS OF PROCLAMATIONS AT THE CITY AND COUNTY LEVEL TO WALKS AND VIGILS.
WE HAVE OUR PINWHEEL DISPLAYS, CONFERENCES, PRESENTATIONS, AND MANY OF OUR BOARDS WILL TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY IN APRIL TO DO DONATION AND FUNDRAISER DRIVES TO HELP SUPPORT THE RAINBOW ROOMS. SO ALL OF THAT MONEY THEN CAN COME RIGHT BACK IN TO SUPPORT OUR CHILDREN THROUGH OUR RAINBOW ROOMS. AND THEN WE ALSO PARTNER WITH OUR COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT.
WE DO MULTIPLE TV INTERVIEWS AND RADIO INTERVIEWS, AND OUR COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT IS WONDERFUL ABOUT PROMOTING ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS. SO IT'S JUST A REAL COLLABORATIVE EFFORT, BOTH INTERNALLY WITH DFPS PROGRAMS AND EXTERNALLY WITH OUR PARTNERS.
SO AS COMMISSIONER TALKED ABOUT, THIS WAS THE EVENT AT THE CAPITOL.
TEXPROTECTS CASA AND OTHER PARTNERS COME TOGETHER, AND YOU CAN SEE THERE'S A PHOTO THERE.
THAT TOP LEFT PHOTO COUNCIL MEMBER JONES WAS ALSO IN ATTENDANCE.
AND THEN REPRESENTATIVE LUJAN TALKED ABOUT COMMUNITY, I'M SORRY, CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION.
AND THEN WE HAD THE PLANTING OF PINWHEELS AS WELL.
SO WE INVITE EVERYONE TO COME UP AND PLANT PINWHEELS AT THE PINWHEEL DISPLAY.
AND IT WAS JUST A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR PARTNERS TO COME TOGETHER.
WE HAVE DONE A LOT OF WORK RECENTLY WITH WORKING WITH SPORTS PARTNERS.
SO WE HAVE THE HOCKEY ORGANIZATION THAT SPONSORED SEVERAL FAMILIES TO ATTEND THE HOCKEY EVENT.
AGAIN, WE HAVE SEVERAL FAMILIES THAT CAN GO FREE OF CHARGE.
[01:40:01]
AND SO WE'VE SEEN A BIG INCREASE.THEY ALSO WILL DO DURING THE NIGHT THEY WILL ANNOUNCE STATISTICS ABOUT CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION AND THEN WAYS THAT THAT PARTICIPANTS CAN SUPPORT CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION ACTIVITIES IN THE REGION.
ANOTHER EXAMPLE WAS IN EAST TEXAS.
THEY ACTUALLY HELD A BAKE SALE THAT RAISED OVER $9,000.
SO THEY GET VERY CREATIVE IN HOW THEY CAN GO OUT AND GET COMMUNITY SUPPORT AND RAISE FUNDS.
AGAIN, TO SUPPORT OUR RAINBOW ROOMS AND OUR FAMILIES.
THIS WAS THE THIRD ANNUAL WALK IN HOUSTON.
THIS WAS THIS HAPPENED AT IN ROSENBERG.
AND WHEN WE HAD THE VIDEO NEXT THAT WE CAN PLAY.
OKAY. SO ONE OF OUR FBC SPECIALISTS IN HOUSTON, HER HUSBAND IS THE BAND DIRECTOR AT THE HIGH SCHOOL WHERE THAT BAND CAME OUT AND PROVIDED THE ENTERTAINMENT AND HELPED US KICK OFF THE WALK THAT DAY.
SO THAT WAS GREAT THAT THEY PARTICIPATED AS WELL.
IN REGION TEN, OF COURSE, WE HAD PROCLAMATIONS.
AND THEN CHERYL, THE NEXT SLIDE.
AND AGAIN HAD STAFF SUPPORT IN THE REGION FOR GO BLUE DAY.
AND WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF JUNE, WHICH AS WE KNOW IS THE ELDER ABUSE AWARENESS MONTH.
THIS IS THE BANK OF AMERICA BUILDING IN DOWNTOWN DALLAS THAT HAS BEEN LIT UP PURPLE.
AND THEN WE ALSO HAD THE PROCLAMATION FOR HARRIS COUNTY, WHICH IS THE BOTTOM RIGHT PHOTO.
AND THEN THE PHOTO ON THE LEFT ACTUALLY JUST HAPPENED YESTERDAY.
WORLD ELDER ABUSE AWARENESS DAY AS A DAY IS SCHEDULED FOR TOMORROW, SATURDAY, JUNE 15TH.
AND SO THEY HAD THEY ACTUALLY HAVE A CAR PARADE THAT THEY DO BECAUSE WE KNOW IT'S HOT RIGHT NOW AND WE DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO COME OUT NECESSARILY TO SEE A PARADE. SO WE WORK WITH LOCAL PARTNERS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT, AND THEY ACTUALLY DRIVE AROUND TO DIFFERENT SENIOR CENTERS SO THAT THEY CAN PARTICIPATE, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE TO GET OUTSIDE. SO THAT IS ONE THING THEY DO THERE.
THIS WAS THE PARTNERING TO PROTECT CONFERENCE IN HOUSTON THAT THE LOCAL HOUSTON BOARD SPONSORED.
THERE WERE OVER 140 PARTICIPANTS THERE.
THIS WAS THE FIRST CONFERENCE THEY'VE HELD SINCE 2019, SINCE COVID.
AND SO WE ARE REINVIGORATING SOME OF THESE CONFERENCES THAT WE WERE UNABLE TO HAVE IN PRIOR MONTHS.
AND ARE YOU GOING TO THE AIR CONFERENCE THE END OF THE MONTH IN DALLAS? YES. WELL, YES.
SO WE HAD IN EL PASO, WE HAD A BIG CONFERENCE YESTERDAY.
TODAY THERE IS A WALK HAPPENING IN THE VALLEY AGAIN.
SO WE ARE IN THE THROES OF ELDER ABUSE AWARENESS MONTH WITH ALL THE ACTIVITIES.
SO WHEN YOU CAN WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE YOU AT THOSE EVENTS.
AND THEN LOOKING AHEAD, WE ARE IN BACK TO SCHOOL MODE ALREADY.
[01:45:04]
WE ARE DOING BACKPACK DRIVES AND SCHOOL SUPPLIES DRIVES FOR OUR YOUTH THAT ARE GOING BACK TO SCHOOL.AND THEN, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, WE ARE ALREADY IN THE PLANNING STAGES FOR THE HOLIDAYS.
SO THIS IS THE CYCLE OF FAITH BASED AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WITH EVENTS THAT ARE UPCOMING.
AND THAT'S THE END OF MY PRESENTATION.
YOU KNOW, FOLKS I WENT TO HIGH SCHOOL WITH BUT SOME OF THEM ARE LOSING SOME OF THEIR MENTAL ACUITY AND THEIR CHILDREN.
SOME OF THEM HAVE STEPPED IN AND PUT THEIR NAMES, YOU KNOW, THE PUT THEIR NAMES ON THE CREDIT CARDS AND ON THE CHECKING ACCOUNTS AND THAT SORT OF THING. AND SOMETIMES IT THEY'RE NOT REAL HEALTHY, THE KIDS, AND THEY MAY END UP REMOVING MONEY AND STABILITY FOR THEIR PARENTS. AND YOU ALL ARE VERY BADLY NEEDED FOR OLD FOLKS LIKE ME.
AND SO I'M JUST VERY APPRECIATIVE OF WHAT YOU DO TO KIND OF PROTECT THOSE OF US THAT, WELL, WE'RE ALL GETTING OLDER, BUT THOSE OF US WHO HAVE ARRIVED AT BEING OLDER AND I JUST APPRECIATE VERY MUCH THIS PARTICULAR BRANCH OF DFPS AS WELL AS THE CPS STUFF TO LOOK AT BOTH.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YOU'RE DOING A GOOD JOB.
ANYBODY ELSE HAVE ANY COMMENTS? OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
[VIII. PUBLIC COMMENT]
OKAY. NEXT ON THE AGENDA IS PUBLIC TESTIMONY, WHERE WE WELCOME INPUT FROM THE PUBLIC AND FOR STAKEHOLDERS ON TOPICS THAT HAVE BEEN ON THE AGENDA.WE ALWAYS APPRECIATE HEARING FROM THE PUBLIC AND WE VALUE VERY MUCH YOUR INPUT.
PLEASE KNOW THAT THE COUNCIL OR COMMISSIONER MUTH ARE UNABLE TO COMMENT OR RESPOND TO STATEMENTS OR QUESTIONS DURING THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY.
THIS IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THE INFORMATION THAT YOU HAVE WITH US.
WE OBSERVE A THREE MINUTE TIME LIMIT FOR ALL SPEAKERS.
WHEN YOUR TIME IS UP, THE RED LIGHT WILL COME ON AND THE TIMER WILL BEEP.
PLEASE STOP SPEAKING AT THAT TIME.
PLEASE CLEARLY STATE YOUR FIRST AND LAST NAME AND THE AGENDA ITEM THAT YOU WILL BE PRESENTING ON.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER WILL BE CHLOE GOODMAN.
I'M AN LMSW AND CONSTITUENT SERVICES MANAGER FOR EQUALITY TEXAS.
AND PROGRESSIVE LGBTQ AFFIRMING PLACES OF WORSHIP.
AND THIS IS PLACES LIKE THE CATHEDRAL OF HOPE IN DALLAS OR FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH IN KATY, WHERE THEY SERVE AS A COMMUNITY HUB AND OFFER RESOURCES.
AND BOTH OF THESE PLACES HAVE HAD ARMED NAZIS SHOW UP TO PROTEST THEM.
AND FCC HAS SUFFERED VANDALISM.
AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE GET THESE PARTNERSHIPS GOING BECAUSE QUEER YOUTH ARE UNIQUELY VULNERABLE TO ABUSE AND REJECTION BY THEIR FAMILIES.
THAT'S WHY 40% OF THE HOMELESS YOUTH POPULATION IS QUEER YOUTH.
AND IT LEADS TO NEGATIVE LONG TERM MENTAL HEALTH OUTCOMES.
OR THEY'RE JUST BEING FILLED BY THE SYSTEM.
AND I HAVE A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES FROM CASES THAT I HAVE WORKED.
[01:50:10]
HE USED A HAIR CLIP.AND BOTH OF THE CHILDREN HAVE COME HOME FROM DADS WITH BRUISES.
CPS HAS MADE IT VERY CLEAR THAT THEY ARE NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING IN THIS SITUATION.
ANOTHER CASE? I'VE HAD MULTIPLE CLIENTS THAT HAVE HAD TO PULL THEIR CHILDREN OUT OF PUBLIC SCHOOL DUE TO THE INCESSANT BULLYING BY BOTH PEERS AND ADULTS, UNFORTUNATELY. AND THEY HAVE TO SWITCH TO ONLINE LEARNING OR HOMESCHOOL.
SO. I WOULD LOVE TO OFFER A QUALITY TEXAS AS A RESOURCE FOR DFPS.
THE ANIMUS IS RATCHETING UP, BUT ALSO DPS HAS A LOT TO ACCOUNT FOR FOR OPENING AT LEAST 15 INVESTIGATIONS INTO THE FAMILIES OF TRANS YOUTH JUST BECAUSE THEY SUPPORT THEIR TRANS KIDS.
THERE'S A HUGE GAP IN PUBLIC TRUST, SPECIFICALLY FROM THE LGBTQ PLUS COMMUNITY.
AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS PEOPLE ARE NOT GOING TO ACCESS RESOURCES THAT THEY DESPERATELY NEED.
SO TO HELP START BUILDING UP THAT PUBLIC TRUST, I WOULD PLEASE ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO CONSIDER THESE COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS. THANK YOU.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS SOPHIE SEPULVEDA.
SO MY NAME IS SOFIA SEPULVEDA, FIELD DIRECTOR WITH EQUALITY TEXAS.
AND I AM TALKING ABOUT THE AGENDA ITEM FOR STATEWIDE INTAKE OR COMMISSIONER'S REPORT.
I'M TIRED OF REPEATING THIS, BUT THIS.
I AM A PROUD FIRST GENERATION TRANSGENDER LATINA WOMAN.
I ALSO AM WAS VERY AWARE OF WHO I WAS SINCE I WAS FOUR YEARS OLD, SINCE MY VERY FIRST MEMORY MY MOM AND DAD AND ALL THEIR SISTERS USED TO BEAT ME UP ALL OF THE TIME, EVERY DAY, TO TRY TO GET THE TRANS OUT OF ME.
YOU SEE, BEING TRANS IS INNATELY WHO WE ARE.
IT ISN'T A TREND THAT GOES AWAY.
IT IS SOMETHING WE KNOW WE ARE AND WE ARE FULLY AWARE OF THIS MORE SO THAN THE CIS POPULATION DUE TO THE SOCIETAL BINARY NORMS THAT ARE IMPOSED ON US WHEN WE ARE CHILDREN, INVESTIGATING FAMILIES OF TRANS KIDS WHO LOVE THEM AND CARE FOR THEM ENOUGH TO AFFIRM THEM.
IT'S JUST BECOMING LIKE MY ABUSIVE PARENTS, THEIR FIRST BULLIES.
IF YOU HAVE NOT WATCHED THE TRIALS OF GABRIEL FERNANDEZ IN NETFLIX, I URGE YOU TO WATCH THAT AS HE NARRATES THE ABUSE AND DEATH OF A SEVEN YEAR OLD BOY DUE TO THE NEGLECT FROM THE STATE AND ABUSE FROM HIS PARENTS, JUST FOR THE MERE THOUGHT OF HIM BEING GAY.
ARE WE DOING OUR DUE DILIGENCE TO STOP THIS AS A STATE, AS A PEOPLE, TAKING TRANS KIDS AWAY FROM LOVING PARENTS WILL MAKE THEM MORE SUSCEPTIBLE, SUSCEPTIBLE TO TRAFFICKING OR ABUSE.
SO I ASK YOU AGAIN, PLEASE STOP INVESTIGATING FAMILIES OF TRANSGENDER YOUTH.
JUST REMINDING YOU, SEPTEMBER THE 13TH AND DECEMBER THE 13TH ARE OUR NEXT MEETINGS.
AND I HOPE THAT WE WILL SEE YOU THEN.
AND PLEASE KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK THAT.
I DIDN'T REALIZE WE HAD ONE MORE.
AM I SAYING THAT CORRECTLY? OKAY. OKAY.
[01:55:02]
WAS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT HAD PUBLIC COMMENT? MAYBE WE HAD. OKAY.ALL RIGHT, I REPEAT, 13TH OF SEPTEMBER AND THE 13TH OF DECEMBER.
PLEASE TAKE CARE OF YOURSELVES.
GET SOME RELIEF FROM YOUR COMPASSION FATIGUE.
AND THANK YOU FOR THE SERVICE THAT YOU DO.
AND I'M NOW CALLING THE MEETING TO ADJOURNMENT.
THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.