Dec 13, 2024 DFPS Council Meeting

[00:00:01]

IT'S OKAY.

[I. ORGANIZATIONAL ITEMS]

IT IS NOW 9:03.

I'M HERE BY CALLING THE DECEMBER 13TH MEETING OF THE FAMILY AND PROTECTIVE SERVICES COUNCIL MEETING TO ORDER AT 9:03 AND WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME EVERYONE HERE IN PERSON AND ANYONE WHO IS WATCHING ONLINE.

IF YOU WOULD EACH GO DOWN THE LINE AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF AND WITH YOUR NAME AND THE CITY YOU'RE FROM, PLEASE.

I THINK THIS IS ON. YES.

OKAY, GREAT. I AM MICHELLE TREVINO, AND I LIVE IN LEANDER, TEXAS.

GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.

MY NAME IS OMEDI CANTU ARISMENDEZ.

I GO BY DEEDEE. I AM FROM JIM WELLS COUNTY AREA.

THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING.

I'M DR. CONNIE ALMEIDA, AND I'M FROM RICHMOND, TEXAS, IN FORT BEND COUNTY.

THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING.

I'M ENRIQUE MATA, AND I'M FROM EL PASO, TEXAS.

GOOD MORNING. JULIE KRAWCZYK FROM DALLAS, TEXAS.

THANK YOU ALL. AND WE HAVE WITH US TODAY HER LOVELINESS.

COMMISSIONER MUTH AND VICKI WHO IS [INAUDIBLE].

AND VICKI, IF YOU'RE LISTENING, I WANT YOU TO HEAR THAT FOR THE LAST TIME THAT I'M GOING TO BE HERE, I HAVE FINALLY LEARNED TO SAY YOUR NAME CORRECTLY.

AND I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE NOT FEELING VERY WELL.

BLESS YOUR HEART. I HOPE THAT YOU HEAL UP FAST, AND THAT YOU TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF AND KNOW THAT YOU ARE MISSED BEING HERE TODAY.

OKAY. NEXT PAGE.

WE DO.

WE HAVE FIVE PEOPLE HERE, SO WE DO HAVE A QUORUM.

AND I'M SORRY, BUT I'VE GOT TO USE MY THING HERE.

I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A RECOGNITION OF THE GUESTS THAT ARE HERE.

ANYBODY WHO'S A GUEST COME UP.

OKAY, THAT SLOWS THINGS DOWN A LOT.

IF WE HAVE GUESTS. BUT WE'RE GLAD THAT YOU ALL ARE HERE NOW.

AT THIS TIME.

WELL, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK COMMISSIONER MUTH AND HER TEAM THAT WE WILL BE HEARING FROM TO GET READY TO COME LATER ON THIS MORNING.

WE ARE GOING TO REVIEW ACTION REVIEW AND ACT ON ACCEPTANCE OF THE MINUTES.

SO DOES SOMEONE IS SOMEONE GOING TO MAKE A MOTION? I MAKE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE MEETINGS FROM THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING.

OKAY. HEREBY CALLING FOR A VOTE ON THAT.

I'LL SECOND. OKAY.

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

OKAY. WE DON'T HAVE ANYBODY TO DISAGREE.

THAT'S GOOD.

OKAY. WE'VE GOT NOW THE COUNCIL MEETING MINUTE DATES THAT ARE COMING UP MARCH 14TH, JUNE 13TH,

[II. GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE ITEMS]

SO THOSE OF YOU WHO PLAN AHEAD, PUT THAT ON YOUR CALENDAR NOW.

OKAY. WE'RE GOING TO NOW GO TO THE INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL MEMBERS TO KIND OF TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY'VE BEEN DOING FOR THE LAST THREE MONTHS SINCE WE MET.

[III. COUNCIL ACTIONS/INITIATIVES]

GOOD MORNING. JULIE KRAWCZYK FROM DALLAS, TEXAS.

I JUST WANT TO REPORT ON SOME ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICE ACTIVITIES.

SO RIGHT NOW, THE CASES ARE VERY STEADY, AND WE ARE STILL SHORT STAFFED A BIT, BUT IT'S STILL GOING VERY WELL, AND THE CASES ARE MANAGEABLE. THERE'S BEEN A GREAT AMOUNT OF SUCCESS WITH THE TRAINING WHILE WORKING PROGRAM, AND SO WE'VE SEEN A HIGHER RATE OF RETENTION FOR ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES EMPLOYEES THAN WE'VE SEEN IN A LONG TIME.

SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

AND THEN, AS YOU'VE HEARD OVER TIME THIS YEAR, THAT THE PARTNERING TO PROTECT INITIATIVE WAS KICKED OFF THIS YEAR IN FULL FORCE.

IT WAS ALSO THE FOCUS OF THE ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES CONFERENCE THIS YEAR, AND GOING INTO 2025, THE FOCUS OF ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES WILL BE TO PARTNERING WITH PROTECT, WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT.

AND SO WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT INITIATIVE AND MORE ENGAGEMENT WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT ACROSS THE STATE.

THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING OUT IN EL PASO.

WE'VE BEEN HAVING THAT SIDE OF THIS LAST FEW WEEKS.

IN EARLY DECEMBER, WE CONVENED A MEETING OF OUR EL PASO BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CONSORTIUM.

[00:05:04]

AT THE MEETING, WE HAD SOME CELEBRATIONS OF JUSTICE THINGS THAT JUSTICE PROGRAMS THAT HAVE GONE ON.

WE HAVE A NEW YOUTH CRISIS OUTREACH TEAM COMING INTO OUR COMMUNITY.

THE HART GALLERY IS DOING VERY WELL.

AS MATTER OF FACT, COREY GOFF WAS THERE FROM THE HART GALLERIES OF TEXAS AND PRESENTED ON HOW EL PASO IS DOING WITH THAT AND A FEW OTHER.

WE DO HAVE A FIRST OFFENDER PROGRAM, A MODEL THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DEVELOP UNDER ONE OF OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT WE HOPE WILL SCALE TO OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS WE'RE TRYING TO WORK WITH TEXAS JUVENILE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT AND THE JUVENILE PROBATION DEPARTMENT ON THAT.

SO A FEW A FEW THINGS GOING ON.

GOOD. WELL.

GOOD MORNING. LET'S SEE.

I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO SHARE IS OUR ALWAYS PARENTING PROJECT.

AND SO THIS IS A GRANT THAT WE HAVE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, THE OFFICE OF JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION.

AND IT'S TIED TO REDUCING RECIDIVISM.

BUT OUR FOCUS IS ACTUALLY WORKING WITH PARENTS WHILE THEY'RE INCARCERATED THAT HAVE A MINOR CHILD.

AND IN ADDITION TO WORKING WITH THEM IN THE JAIL.

SO, WE JUST TAKE US, TAKES US A WHILE TO GET THESE THINGS GOING.

AS YOU CAN IMAGINE.

BUT WE'VE STARTED IMPLEMENTING TWO CURRICULUMS. ONE IS THE CIRCLES OF SECURITY, WHICH IS AN EVIDENCE BASED PROGRAM FOCUSING ON PARENTS AND YOUNG CHILDREN, USUALLY UP TO THE AGE OF SIX.

AND THE OTHER, THE OTHER ONE IS PARENTING INSIDE OUT, WHICH IS ACTUALLY A CURRICULUM THAT'S DESIGNED FOR PARENTS THAT ARE INCARCERATED.

BUT WE GO BEYOND THIS BECAUSE WE REACH OUT TO THE CAREGIVERS THAT ARE TAKING CARE OF THE CHILDREN WHILE A PARENT IS INCARCERATED AND REALLY TRYING TO FOSTER, HEAL THAT RELATIONSHIP AND SUPPORT THE STABILITY OF THAT FAMILY.

AS YOU ALL KNOW, HAVING A PARENT THAT'S INCARCERATED IS A MAJOR RISK FACTOR.

I MEAN, YOU KNOW, I DON'T HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THE RESEARCH, BUT WE KNOW NOT ONLY THE IMPACT ON THE FAMILY, BUT THE LONG TERM IMPACT.

AND SO WE'RE REALLY LOOKING AT HOW DO WE CAN MITIGATE THAT VERY CHALLENGING PROJECT.

BECAUSE THE NEEDS ARE JUST OVERWHELMING.

BUT SO, AND I USUALLY TALK ABOUT DATA, BUT I'M GOING TO JUST START JUDGE.

I JUST WANT TO TALK ABOUT A CASE.

THE DAD'S IN JAIL, AND MOM'S TAKING CARE OF THE FIVE CHILDREN.

AND DOESN'T HAVE A STOVE, SO COOKING FOR FIVE CHILDREN ON ONE BURNER.

AND SHE WILL HAVE A STOVE BY CHRISTMAS.

BUT THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF CASES THAT WE'RE DEALING WITH.

SO ALWAYS PARENTING.

THANK YOU. THAT'S ALL RIGHT.

GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.

IT SEEMS THIS IS THE TIME WHERE MANY PEOPLE GO OUT AND SUPPORT OUR DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY PROTECTIVE SERVICES, ESPECIALLY AROUND CHRISTMAS AND THE HOLIDAYS, AND SEEING IT IN OUR AREA, THERE'S MORE NONPROFIT UNDERSTANDING THE IMPORTANCE OF HELPING FAMILIES AND CHILDREN.

YESTERDAY, ENRIQUE AND I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY, ALONG WITH CHERYL, TOO.

HERE IN AUSTIN.

AND WE WENT OUT TO THE PARTNERSHIPS FOR CHILDREN, AND WE GOT TO.

SEE EXACTLY HOW THIS ORGANIZATION WORKS AND WHAT THEY'RE DOING FOR OUR CHILDREN AND OUR SYSTEM.

THEY HAVE PARTNERED WITH OUR STAFF, AND WHILE WE WERE THERE, WE HEARD SOME STORIES, AND WE WRAPPED SOME PRESENTS AND WE LOOKED AT SOME CHRISTMAS LIST.

THIS PARTNERSHIP TOGETHER WITH EVERYONE, THEY ARE SERVING AT LEAST 7000 OF OUR CHILDREN IN OUR SYSTEM.

AND SO THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A NICE CHRISTMAS AS WELL.

THANKS TO OUR CASEWORKERS, THESE ARE BEING DISTRIBUTED AROUND THIS AREA, DALLAS AREA, SAN ANTONIO.

THERE WAS A STORY THAT TOOK MY HEART, AND THEY HAD A WISH LIST, YOU KNOW, CASEWORKERS WORK WITH THESE CHILDREN, AND THEY ASK, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY WANT.

AND THERE WAS A LITTLE BOY, EIGHT YEARS OLD.

HE DID NOT WANT TOYS.

HE WANTED A SUIT AND A TIE.

[00:10:02]

AND I'M SORRY, BUT I'M NOT SORRY BECAUSE OUR STAFF WORKS REALLY, REALLY HARD TO ASSIST THESE STUDENTS.

EXCUSE ME. CHILDREN IN OUR SYSTEM.

THERE'S ANOTHER STORY.

A TEEN THAT'S PREGNANT, AND SHE WANTED THINGS FOR HER BABY.

AND THEN SHE WANTED THINGS FOR HER FUTURE.

SHE PLANS ON GOING TO COLLEGE TO BETTER HERSELF.

SO I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU FOR EVERYONE THAT CONTRIBUTED TO OUR CHILDREN IN TEXAS AS WE GO OUT FOR CHRISTMAS.

AND IF YOU HAVE TIME TO AT LEAST PICK UP ONE TOY OR ONE ITEM TO BE DONATED TO ONE OF OUR CHILDREN, PLEASE DO.

THANK YOU.

WELL, I AM A PARENT, FIRST OF ALL, AND I DON'T HAVE ALL OF THE CREDENTIALS AND THE EXPERIENCE AND THE WORK HISTORY, BUT I AM A PARENT OF TWO CHILDREN THAT WE ADOPTED, AND MY SEASON HAS BEEN FULL OF DEALING WITH THE TRAUMA THAT COMES WITH THAT.

AND I RECENTLY HAD TO REMOVE MY OLDEST FROM PUBLIC SCHOOL AND HOMESCHOOL HIM.

AND I AM REDOUBLING MY EFFORTS NOW TO REACH OUT TO THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEMS AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE TRAUMA INFORMED.

I HAVE BEEN REACHING OUT TO OTHER PARENTS THAT I KNOW ARE IN THE SAME SITUATIONS WHERE THEIR CHILDREN ARE NOT UNDERSTOOD.

THEY'RE FALLING THROUGH THE CRACKS.

THEY'RE LABELED AS DISOBEDIENT, DEFIANT, ALL KINDS OF WORDS THAT I REALLY HATE TO HEAR.

THESE ARE KIDS THAT ARE COMMUNICATING AND THEY'RE TELLING YOU THAT THEY NEED HELP.

AND THAT'S PART OF WHAT I'M WORKING ON AS BEING A VISIBLE MEMBER OF THIS COUNCIL TO MY COMMUNITY AND ALL OF THE OTHER PEOPLE IN THE AREA, THEY KNOW THEY CAN COME TO ME AND TALK TO ME, AND I WILL GET INFORMATION.

AND JUST WORKING THROUGH THAT SEASON PERSONALLY AND ALSO TRYING TO GIVE MY LIVED EXPERIENCE TO OTHERS.

AND I'VE ALSO BEEN TAKING A LOT OF TIME TO LISTEN TO ADULTS WHO HAVE BEEN THROUGH THE FOSTER SYSTEM.

I NEED THAT LIVED EXPERIENCE.

I NEED TO KNOW WHAT THEY FELT WORKED, WHAT THEY FELT DID, NOT HOW TEACHERS WERE TREATING THEM, HOW FOSTER FAMILIES ARE TREATING THEM AND HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT THEIR BIRTH PARENTS.

ADOPTION IS NOT THE ONLY SOLUTION.

IT SHOULD NOT BE THE THE GO TO.

WE NEED TO REALLY WORK ON GOING UPSTREAM AND FIGURING OUT WHAT THOSE PROBLEMS ARE UP AHEAD.

AND I FIRMLY BELIEVE IN REUNIFICATION ABOVE ALL.

AND THAT'S WHAT I'M WORKING TOWARDS FOR MY PERSONAL GOALS AS A COUNCIL MEMBER AND ALSO JUST MOVING FORWARD.

MY NAME IS BONNIE HELMS AND I'M FROM HOUSTON, AND I AM A JUDGE THAT RETIRED IN 2014. THAT LASTED ABOUT 35 MINUTES.

AND THEN I STARTED SERVING AS A VISITING JUDGE AND HAVE BEEN HEAVILY INVOLVED WITH THE LOCAL CPS COURT AND WHAT USED TO BE CALLED THE HARRIS COUNTY CPS, AND THEY'VE NOW CHANGED THE NAME OF IT.

BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I'VE BEEN DOING IS WITH OUR SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS, I HAVE STOOD UP SEVERAL TIMES AND SAID THAT ONE OF THE STORIES THAT IMPACTED ME WHEN I WAS ON THE BENCH WAS OF A YOUNG WOMAN WHO SAID, WELL, I KNEW I WAS GOING TO BE GETTING MOVED BECAUSE I CAME DOWN THE STAIRS TO GO TO SCHOOL AND THERE WAS A BLACK TRASH BAG.

AND I KNEW THAT MEANT THAT I WAS PROBABLY GOING TO BE MOVED TO ANOTHER PLACE.

AND THAT'S WHAT I CARRY MY CLOTHES IN.

SO A BUNCH OF PEOPLE IN OUR SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS HAVE DONATED LOTS OF SUITCASES FOR US TO TAKE OVER TO THE CPS OFFICE IN HOUSTON, AND I'VE GOT ANOTHER LOAD OF THEM COMING FROM TWO DIFFERENT PEOPLE WHO HAVE GRATEFULLY SAID THAT THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE THEM THEMSELVES.

I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE JCM MH AND JUST I WAS ON 13 DIFFERENT BOARDS, AND THIS IS MY LAST BOARD TO GET OFF OF, BECAUSE MY HUSBAND AND I ARE MOVING TO TENNESSEE AT THE END OF JANUARY, AND SO THIS WILL BE MY LAST OPPORTUNITY TO SEE AND THANK ALL OF YOU THAT DO ALL THE HARD WORK.

IT'S FUNNY, WE DON'T REALIZE SOMETIMES WHY GOD PUTS THINGS IN OUR LIVES.

WHEN I WAS 12 YEARS OLD, I WAS CRAWLING AROUND IN MY LIVING ROOM LOOKING FOR A BOOK ON SEX BECAUSE MY PARENTS HAD FIVE CHILDREN, AND I FIGURED THERE HAD TO BE

[00:15:09]

AND INSTEAD, I FOUND MY BABY BOOK, AND I OPENED UP MY BABY BOOK, AND MY NAME WAS BONNIE LYNN CRANE.

AND THE NAME IN THE BABY BOOK WAS BONNIE LYNN BLACKFORD.

AND I WENT TO MY MOTHER, AND I SAID, THIS IS YOUR HANDWRITING.

I SAID, WHAT IS THIS ALL ABOUT? AND SHE SAID, OH WELL, YOUR DAD, YOUR BIOLOGICAL FATHER, WAS KILLED IN WORLD WAR II WHEN YOU WERE A MONTH OLD.

HIS PLANE CRASHED IN NORTH AFRICA FIGHTING IN WORLD WAR TWO.

HE WAS A PILOT OF A B-17.

AND I SAID I HAD A DIFFERENT FATHER.

AND HERE, AT THE AGE OF 12, I'M NOW FINDING OUT ABOUT THAT.

AND HONESTLY, I DIDN'T TRUST EITHER OF THEM FOR THE REST OF MY CHILDHOOD BECAUSE THEY HAD LIED TO ME ABOUT THIS.

AND SHE SAID, WELL, YOUR DAD DIDN'T WANT SHERWOOD, DIDN'T WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT YOU HAD A DIFFERENT FATHER.

AND SO, THEY HADN'T TOLD ME THE TRUTH.

FUNNY, BECAUSE THEN I GOT TO DO ADOPTIONS FROM THE BENCH, AND I'D HAVE SOMEBODY HAD THEIR BABIES WITH THEM OR, AND I SAY, WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO TELL THEM THAT YOU'VE ADOPTED THEM? OH, WELL, WE'RE NOT WE'RE JUST GOING TO.

AND I SAID, DON'T DO THAT.

AT SOME POINT THEY'LL DO A DNA TESTING OR SOMETHING AND FIND OUT THAT THEY WEREN'T YOUR BIOLOGICAL TYPICAL CHILD.

ONE OF THE THINGS YOU CAN SAY IS SOME PEOPLE END UP WITH A BUNCH OF KIDS THAT THEY'VE GOT TO KEEP BECAUSE THEY'RE THEIRS, AND THEY'RE A PAIN IN THE.

WELL, ANYWAY SO BUT YOU CAN TELL THIS CHILD I CHOSE YOU.

YOU WERE SOMEONE THAT I WANTED AND CHOSE.

YOU WERE ALREADY HERE.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WAS LISTENING TO YOU ABOUT, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WAS YELLING FROM THE BENCH CONSTANTLY.

THE KIDS THAT ARE ACTING UP, IT'S BECAUSE OF TRAUMA.

AND WE LOOK AT THEM AND GO, OH, I'M SO SORRY THE PLACEMENT DIDN'T WORK.

WE'LL FIND ANOTHER PLACEMENT FOR YOU.

WELL, THAT'S BOOYAH.

BECAUSE IF WE'RE NOT DOING ANYTHING ABOUT THE TRAUMA, THEIR BEHAVIOR WILL REPEAT.

AND WE'VE GOT TO HAVE PEOPLE WHO ADOPT PEOPLE WHO ARE CARING FOR ANYONE WHOSE LIVES TOUCH.

THESE KIDS NEED TO UNDERSTAND TRAUMA WHEN THEY SEE IT AND DEAL WITH THE TRAUMA, NOT JUST WRITING THE KID OFF. SO THAT IT'S FUNNY THAT I.

WHAT I WENT THROUGH ENDED UP GIVING ME KNOWLEDGE TO SAY THE RIGHT THINGS, I THINK TO THE PARENTS, AND ALSO TO UNDERSTAND, HAVING BEEN THROUGH SOME TRAUMA MYSELF, UNDERSTANDING WHAT IT DOES TO KIDS AND HOW IT TRIGGERS THEM.

SO ANYWAY, I DIDN'T MEAN TO GET OFF ON ALL OF THAT, BUT THOSE ARE BASICALLY WHAT I THAT AND OH MY GOD, I'VE BEEN PACKING. 25 YEARS IN THE SAME HOUSE.

GET RID OF STUFF NOW IF YOU CAN.

ANYWAY, THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.

ALL RIGHT. OH, GOOD.

THANK YOU. APPRECIATE IT.

OKAY, NOW I NEED TO INTRODUCE HER LOVELINESS, COMMISSIONER MUTH, WHO IS SUCH A BLESSING TO THIS ORGANIZATION, AND SHE'S GOING

[IV. AGENCY UPDATE (Part 1 of 2)]

GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE, AND THANK YOU FOR THE GRACIOUS INTRODUCTION.

IT'S ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO HEAR ALL OF THE ACTIVITIES THAT YOU ALL ARE PARTICIPATING IN, AND I COULDN'T AGREE MORE, MICHELLE, WITH YOUR COMMENTS AND JUDGE HELMS TO JUST AROUND THE IMPACT THAT TRAUMA HAS AND HOW THAT SHOWS UP AS BEHAVIORAL ISSUES AND HOW THE SYSTEM REALLY NEEDS TO ADDRESS THAT FROM A TRAUMA PERSPECTIVE.

ALSO, THE FOCUS ON REUNIFICATION WHENEVER POSSIBLE, AS YOU KNOW, THAT'S A PRIORITY OF THE DEPARTMENT.

BUT I WILL SAY ON A HAPPY NOTE, LAST MONTH WAS NATIONAL ADOPTION MONTH, AND 211 CHILDREN WERE OFFICIALLY ADOPTED ACROSS THE STATE IN THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER.

SO FOR THOSE CHILDREN, FINDING PERMANENCY IS SO IMPORTANT.

AS, AS THEY MOVE FORWARD IN THEIR LIVES.

THERE IS SOMETHING THAT AS YOU ALL KNOW, THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION, WHICH IS TAKING UP A GOOD DEAL OF FOCUS, IS OFFICIALLY GOING TO BEGIN ON JANUARY 14TH, WHICH IS 32 DAYS, TWO HOURS AND 36 MINUTES FROM NOW.

WE PRE-FILING STARTED IN THE BEGINNING OF NOVEMBER.

THERE'S ALREADY BEEN 2000 BILLS FILED TO DATE.

OF THAT, WE'RE TRACKING ABOUT 168 OF THOSE.

[00:20:05]

FROM CHANGING SOME ASPECTS AROUND OUR MANDATORY REPORTING TO HOW TO OPERATE COMMUNITY BASED CARE IN REGIONS. SO SUCH AS THE EL PASO REGION WHERE WE HAVE NOT CURRENTLY HAD BIDS FOR A COMMUNITY BASED CARE CONTRACTOR.

ONE OF THE OTHER LEGISLATIVE RELATED ITEMS IS IN DECEMBER.

DECEMBER 1ST. A REPORT WAS DUE TO THE LEGISLATURE FROM A RIDER THAT THE LEGISLATURE PUT IN LAST SESSION FOR US TO LOOK AT REPLACEMENT OF OUR CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM IMPACT, WHICH IS THE SYSTEM THAT BOTH OUR APS AND CPS CASEWORKERS USE.

AND SO THERE WAS A VERY EXTENSIVE EFFORT BY OUR LED BY OUR FOLKS IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY.

BUT I HAVE TO SAY THIS WAS A VERY INCLUSIVE PROCESS.

SO THEY DID FOCUS GROUPS WITH STAKEHOLDERS, INCLUDING THE CAC OR THE CASA'S.

THEY DID FOCUS GROUPS WITH OUR COMMUNITY BASED CARE PROVIDERS, WITH OUR STAFF, ALL TO GAIN INFORMATION AND INSIGHT ABOUT WHAT WOULD YOU WANT TO SEE IN A NEW CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM? ONE OF THE LIMITATIONS, AMONG OTHERS, OF OUR CURRENT CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM IS JUST BECAUSE IT'S OLDER TECHNOLOGY.

IT'S NOT MOBILE ENABLED.

WE CAN'T UTILIZE THINGS LIKE AI TO HELP CASEWORKERS, AS CASEWORKER SUPPORT.

SO WE REALLY THINK THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES IN LOOKING AT REPLACEMENT OF OUR CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.

AND ALSO, WE SPOKE EXTENSIVELY TO A NUMBER OF STATES WHO HAVE REPLACED THEIR SYSTEMS. SO SOMETIMES IT'S GOOD TO NOT BE AN EARLY ADOPTER, PARTICULARLY WHEN IT COMES TO TECHNOLOGY.

WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO GET SOME VERY VALUABLE INFORMATION ABOUT THINGS THAT WENT WELL, THINGS THAT DIDN'T GO WELL.

AND I THINK ONE OF THE GOOD NEWS ASPECTS OF THIS IS THAT THERE IS TECHNOLOGY THAT'S OUT THERE THAT WE BELIEVE THAT WE CAN BUILD OFF OF, AND THAT IT WOULD BRING US A LOT OF ADDITIONAL FUNCTIONALITY AND ENHANCEMENTS TO THE SYSTEM.

SO OUR ESTIMATE IN THE REPORT WAS THAT IT WOULD COST 215 MILLION OVER SEVEN YEARS, WHICH FOR A MAJOR IT PROJECT, THAT'S ACTUALLY A PRETTY REASONABLE COST.

AND 50% OF THAT MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR FEDERAL MATCHING FUNDS.

SO THIS IS ONE OF THE ITEMS WE HAD A PLACEHOLDER THAT WE PRESENTED TO YOU ALL PREVIOUSLY IN OUR LAR, THAT WE WILL BE UPDATING AND TAKING TO THE LEGISLATURE FOR CONSIDERATION IN THIS UPCOMING SESSION.

I ALSO JUST WANTED TO SHARE A FEW UPDATES RELATED TO COMMUNITY BASED CARE.

SO, AS YOU ALL KNOW, WE ISSUED OUR RFA THAT INCLUDED THE SAN ANTONIO AREA, AITA, AND THEN THE HOUSTON AND SURROUNDING AREAS, WHICH IS SIX A AND SIX B IN OUR IN OUR REGIONAL NUMBERING SYSTEM.

AND WE ALSO HAD RELEASED THE RFA FOR REGION TEN, WHICH IS THE EL PASO AREA.

AS WE TALKED ABOUT, WE DIDN'T GET A BIDDER FOR EL PASO, BUT WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF FINALIZING CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS, AND WE DO EXPECT AN IMMINENT ANNOUNCEMENT AROUND THE NEW CONTRACTORS IN THOSE AREAS.

BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT'S STILL A PROCESS BEFORE ROLLOUT OCCURS.

AND I DID ALSO WANT TO MENTION WE'VE LEARNED SOME LESSONS AROUND THE ROLLOUT IN THE DALLAS AREA.

SO WE WENT INTO STAGE TWO, WHICH IS THEY TAKE OVER THE CASE MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITY IN DALLAS IN MARCH, AND THEY HAD A VERY LARGE TURNOVER IN STAFF IN A WAY THAT WE HADN'T SEEN IN OTHER AREAS OF THE STATE.

SO WE'RE ALSO GOING TO BE LOOKING AT OUR LEGISLATIVE APPROPRIATIONS REQUEST TO MAKE SOME TWEAKS AS WE ROLL OUT INTO NEW AREAS, AND WE'RE LOOKING AT THINGS LIKE THE WAY IT WORKS RIGHT NOW.

THE COMMUNITY BASED CARE CONTRACTOR DOESN'T RECEIVE FUNDING FOR STAGE TWO UNTIL THEY ACTUALLY START STAGE TWO OPERATIONS ON DAY ONE.

WELL, IF THEY HAVE STAFF LEAVE, THEY DON'T HAVE ANYONE IN THE PIPELINE.

AND AS YOU KNOW, IT TAKES A WHILE FOR A CASEWORKER TO BECOME FULLY PROFICIENT AND GO THROUGH THE TRAINING.

IT'S AT LEAST A THREE MONTH GAP BEFORE THEY CAN CARRY ANY CASES.

SO WE'D LIKE TO START FLOWING SOME OF THE FUNDING THREE MONTHS EARLIER SO THEY CAN BEGIN TO HIRE.

SO IF THE THE DPS STAFF CHOOSE NOT TO TRANSITION, THERE WILL BE A WORKFORCE THAT'S THERE INSTEAD OF HAVING TO THEN START THE HIRING AND

[00:25:10]

SO THAT WILL BE AN ADDITIONAL EXCEPTIONAL ITEM THAT WE LOOK AT FROM THOSE LESSONS LEARNED.

BUT THERE'S STILL GOING TO BE STEPS AROUND READINESS BEFORE WE EVEN MOVE INTO STAGE ONE.

SO IN ADDITION TO RELEASING THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF AWARDS, WE WILL BE RELEASING A SCHEDULE.

AND OBVIOUSLY IT'S GOING TO BE A STAGGERED IMPLEMENTATION.

WE WON'T DO EVERYTHING ALL AT ONCE.

SO THOSE ARE ALL THINGS TO LOOK FORWARD TO IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

I WILL SHARE ALSO THE OTHER THING THAT WE DID, SINCE WE HAVE DONE A REQUEST FOR APPLICATIONS FOR BOTH EL PASO AND THE MIDLAND-ODESSA AREAS AND DID NOT RECEIVE BIDDERS, WE RELEASED A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ASKING THOSE COMMUNITIES TO GIVE US FEEDBACK ABOUT WHAT ARE THE BARRIERS THAT YOU SEE FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE ABOUT BRINGING COMMUNITY BASED CARE INTO YOUR COMMUNITY? SO I'LL SUMMARIZE SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT WE RECEIVED, AND I THINK THERE WERE SORT OF THREE MAIN THEMES THAT CAME OUT. ONE WAS A CONCERN ABOUT THE LACK OF, I WOULD SAY, ANCILLARY RESOURCES.

SO THINGS LIKE MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES, SPECIALIZED PEDIATRIC RESOURCES.

THOSE WERE CONCERNS FOR SOMEONE WHO WOULD COME IN, BECAUSE THOSE ARE NEEDED SERVICES AND SUPPORTS FOR ANY CHILDREN THAT ARE IN CONSERVATORSHIP.

AND THEY ALSO TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE FINANCIAL STRUGGLES IN THOSE AREAS.

SO FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE IN POVERTY, AND THAT IS ALSO IT'S DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO TAKE ON KINSHIP OR EVEN POTENTIALLY ADOPTIVE PLACEMENTS FOR THOSE.

AND THEN THE CONCERN FROM THE SFC ABOUT THE FINANCIAL RISK THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO TAKE ON.

THE OTHER PIECE THAT I THINK IS REALLY UNIQUE TO OUR MORE RURAL AREAS IS THERE IS A LOT OF KIDS THAT ARE PLACED OUTSIDE OF THE CATCHMENT AREA, AND THEN THERE'S POPULATION CENTERS, BUT A VAST GEOGRAPHIC AREA, AND THAT INCREASES THE COST OF OPERATING THE MODEL AS WELL.

SO THOSE ARE ALL THINGS THAT WE'RE TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION AND LOOKING AT TO SEE WHAT WE MIGHT CHANGE WITH THE MODEL OR WHAT THE LEGISLATURE MIGHT CHANGE IN THE MODEL AS WE MOVE INTO THE AS WE APPROACH ROLLOUT IN THOSE AREAS.

AND IN FACT, THERE HAS BEEN SOME LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS THAT HAVE BEEN FILED THAT WOULD ADDRESS SOME OF THOSE ISSUES ALSO RELATED TO COMMUNITY BASED CARE. I WILL JUST MENTION THAT WE I THINK AT THE LAST MEETING, I HAD SAID WE HAD RECEIVED AN UNSOLICITED BID FOR THE CENTRAL TEXAS AREA, AND WE RECEIVED TWO MORE UNSOLICITED BIDS FOR THE SAME AREA OF THE STATE, WHICH MEANS THAT THAT GOES INTO A COMPETITIVE PROCUREMENT PROCESS.

SO I THINK THAT'S GOOD.

IT'S A SIGN THAT THERE'S BECAUSE IN MANY TIMES WE'VE HAD ONE BIDDER, BUT THAT IS A GOOD SIGN THAT THERE IS INTEREST AND THERE WILL BE SOME COMPETITION IN THE MARKETPLACE AS WELL, WHICH IS ALWAYS GOOD.

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE'RE ON THE VERGE OF IMPLEMENTATION OF TEXAS CHILD CENTERED CARE.

THE NEW RATE STRUCTURE.

SO JANUARY 1ST IS THE DAY THAT WE CAN OFFICIALLY BEGIN PAYMENT.

UNDER THAT RATE STRUCTURE, WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH A FEW ENTITIES TO GET THROUGH THE CREDENTIALING SYSTEM AND PROCESS THAT WE STOOD UP.

AND SO THAT'S THAT'S BEEN WE'RE MAKING SOME ADJUSTMENTS.

WE WE DID SOME PILOTS WITH PROVIDERS WHO ARE GIVING US FEEDBACK ON THE PROCESS.

SO WE WE'VE GOT A FEW FOLKS THAT ARE WORKING THEIR WAY THROUGH THAT CREDENTIALING PROCESS NOW, BUT WE'RE ALL SYSTEMS ARE GO TO BEGIN THAT PAYMENT UNDER THE NEW MODEL.

AND I KNOW CASEY TO SET US HERE.

AND WE HAVE SOME RULES RELATED TO T3C TODAY.

SO SHE MIGHT HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAT SHE'LL SHARE.

I THINK THAT'S GOOD FOR NOW.

I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? THANK YOU, COMMISSIONER FOR THE UPDATE.

WE REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR INFORMATION.

THANK YOU. OKAY.

OUR NEXT PRESENTER IS THE CPS ASSOCIATE COMMISSIONER, ERIKA BANUELOS.

[00:30:09]

GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.

MY NAME IS ERIKA BANUELOS AND I'M THE CPS ASSOCIATE COMMISSIONER.

THIS MORNING, I WILL BE PRESENTING ON OUR DUAL STATUS YOUTH.

AND THOSE ARE YOUTH THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THE CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM, BUT THEY ALSO HAVE SOME CONNECTION TO THE JUVENILE SYSTEM.

SO WE HAD SENATE BILL 1727 LAST SESSION THAT PASSED, WHICH ALLOWED DPS TO ACCESS BOTH IDENTIFIABLE, IDENTIFIABLE AND NON-IDENTIFIABLE TEXAS JUVENILE JUSTICE INFORMATION FOR RESEARCH AND STATISTICAL PURPOSES.

THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF THIS BILL ALSO WAS THAT IT ADDED THAT THE COMMISSIONER COULD ASSIGN SOMEBODY TO THEIR ADVISORY COUNCIL, AND AS A RESULT, WHAT WE HAD TO DO IS WE AMENDED OUR OR WE AMENDED OUR CURRENT MOU THAT WE ALREADY HAVE WITH TJJD TO INCLUDE THE NAMES OF THE LIAISONS THAT WERE APPOINTED.

AND SO THAT PROCESS HAS ALREADY STARTED, AND WE HAVE THE LIAISONS THERE ATTENDING THE ADVISORY COUNCIL, AND THEY'VE BEEN WORKING ON DIFFERENT THINGS.

DPS ALSO AS WE'VE STARTED TO WORK WITH THEM A LITTLE BIT CLOSER AND BEING PART OF THIS COUNCIL, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE WORKING ON IS RELOOKING AT THE MOU, AND WE ARE LOOKING TO DO SOME UPDATES TO THAT MOU TO JUST BE VERY CLEAR ABOUT THE COMMUNICATION AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, ON THE INFORMATION THAT WE CAN SHARE WITH THEM AND THAT THEY CAN SHARE WITH US.

ONE OF OUR GOALS IS TO BE ABLE TO HAVE SOME GOOD DATA ON WHAT ARE THE OUTCOMES.

WHAT DOES OUR SYSTEM REALLY LOOK LIKE WHEN YOUTH ARE INVOLVED WITH BOTH? SO TO IMPROVE OUR INTERAGENCY COORDINATION, COORDINATION TO CLOSE SOME OF THOSE SYSTEMATIC GAPS, WE AGAIN HAVE THE LIAISONS.

AND WHAT HAPPENS IS WHEN A YOUTH IS GETTING READY TO BE RELEASED FROM TJJD AND THERE'S NO FAMILY, THEY HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO IDENTIFY ANY KINSHIP CAREGIVER THAT THE CHILD CAN GO BACK TO.

THEN WE REVIEW TJJD HAS A NUMBER THAT AN INTAKE CAN BE CALLED.

AND SO WE REVIEW THE INTAKE ON THE DPS SIDE BECAUSE WE ALSO GET A REFERRAL AND IF APPROPRIATE, THEN WE ROUTE IT OUT TO INVESTIGATIONS SO THAT THEY CAN INVESTIGATE IT AND SEE IF THEY CAN HAVE ANY SUCCESS IDENTIFYING A KINSHIP CAREGIVER OR A COMMUNITY PARTNER THAT CAN WORK WITH THIS YOUTH.

SO WE ALSO HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE THAT ALSO IS PART OF THEIR CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

AND THAT REALLY OUR ROLE IN THAT IS TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH THEM TO ENHANCE THE OUTCOMES FOR ANY VOCATIONAL TRAINING THAT MIGHT BE AVAILABLE TO OUR YOUTH WHO ARE INVOLVED WITH TJJD OR THE JUVENILE SYSTEM.

AND THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT A LOT OF OUR YOUTH SOMETIMES ARE BEHIND, SOMETIMES THEY'RE CLOSER TO 18 AND AGING OUT.

AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE ALL THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT THEY CAN TO ADVANCE THEIR EDUCATION.

THE WAY WE CURRENTLY ARE SUPPORTING DUAL STATUS YOUTH.

AND REALLY, IT'S A LOT OF THE EDUCATIONAL PIECES FOR US, AS WELL AS FOR OUR OTHER PARTNERS THAT WORK WITH TJJD. SO SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING IS AT THE REGIONAL LEVEL, WE ARE BEING VERY INTENTIONAL IN SCHEDULING REGULAR MEETINGS WITH OUR JUVENILE DEPARTMENT, AND THAT HAS REALLY HELPED US TO INCREASE THE COMMUNICATION ON SOME OF THESE VERY COMPLEX CASES THAT WE ARE BOTH WORKING ON.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MAXIMIZING THE RESOURCES THAT WE ARE IN LINE WITH WHAT WE WANT TO ACHIEVE WITH WHAT THE YOUTH WANTS TO ACHIEVE.

SO THOSE MEETINGS AT THE REGIONAL LEVEL ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO THE OUTCOME THAT THE YOUTH MIGHT HAVE AFTER OR EVEN DURING THE JUVENILE PROCESS.

ALSO, DURING WE DID RELEASE SOME INFORMATION OUT TO STAFF IN OUR MEETING.

OF MEETING IN A BOX.

[00:35:01]

TJJD HAS THEIR OWN VERSION OF A PARENT'S GUIDE, AND WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT STAFF WERE AWARE OF WHAT THAT WAS BECAUSE WE HAVE ONE TOO, BUT IT'S VERY DIFFERENT.

THIS ONE IS FOR JUVENILE INVOLVEMENT.

AND THEN WE ALSO PARTNERED WITH TEXAS CASA, WHERE WE DID A WEBINAR WHERE WE REALLY DISCUSSED AGAIN THE IMPORTANCE OF THE COLLABORATION.

AND ALSO, WE DO HAVE SOME GUARDIAN AD LITEM THAT ARE DULY APPOINTED.

SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE COMMUNICATING WITH THEM WHAT THE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES ARE OF EVERYONE, SO THAT AGAIN, WE CAN COORDINATE. SO, AS YOU CAN SEE, THE DUAL STATUS YOUTH THAT WE HAVE INVOLVED IN BOTH SYSTEMS. WE DID LOOK AT SOME STATISTICS NATIONALLY, BECAUSE WE ARE STILL IN THE MIDDLE OF REALLY TRYING TO DIG DOWN INTO OUR STATISTICS HERE IN TEXAS. AND AS YOU CAN SEE, YOUTH WHO EXPERIENCE ABUSE AND NEGLECT ARE AT 40% GREATER RISK OF BEING INVOLVED WITH JUVENILE JUSTICE COMPARED TO JUST THE GENERAL POPULATION.

WE HAVE 92% OF DUAL STATUS YOUTH.

THEIR FIRST EXPERIENCE IS WITH CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM.

THEN THEY BECOME INVOLVED IN THE JUVENILE SYSTEM.

AND WE BASED ON THIS RESEARCH, WHAT WE ALSO SEE IS THAT THEY ARE AT HIGHER RISK FOR MENTAL HEALTH EDUCATION AND VOCATIONAL CHALLENGES AND THAT THERE IS A HIGHER RATE OF RECIDIVISM.

SO THIS IS NATIONWIDE, BUT WE ARE WE ARE HOPEFUL THAT WITH THE CURRENT MOU THAT WE'RE WORKING ON THAT WILL BE ABLE TO SHARE SOME MORE SOME MORE IDENTIFIABLE DATA SO THAT WE CAN CROSSMATCH AND REALLY DIG INTO, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT YOUTH WHO ARE INVOLVED WITH THE JUVENILE SYSTEM, WHAT EXACTLY IS THAT? IS THAT THEY HAD A CITATION.

WERE THEY IN THE TJJD SYSTEM? DID THEY HAVE A WERE THEY JUST PART OF THE DIVERSION PROGRAM? SO WE'RE REALLY WORKING CLOSELY WITH THEM BECAUSE THAT DATA, THAT DATA IS GOING TO BE REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO LOOK AT AND TO REALLY PARTNER WITH, WITH THEM TO SEE HOW CAN WE BEST SERVE THE NEEDS OF THIS YOUTH.

AND THEN THE LAST THING THAT I WANTED TO JUST KIND OF TALK ABOUT IS WE DO HAVE CROSS, WHAT WE CALL CROSSOVER DOCKETS IN VARIOUS COUNTIES THROUGHOUT THE STATE.

AND WHAT THIS IS DUE TO YOUTH THAT ARE CURRENTLY INVOLVED WITH THE JUVENILE SYSTEM, AND THEY ALSO HAVE AN OPEN CVS CASE. AND SO.

INSTEAD OF THAT CHILD AND FAMILY HAVING TWO DIFFERENT JUDGES, TWO DIFFERENT SERVICE.

PLANS. WHAT HAPPENS WITH THESE YOUTH IS THAT WE HAVE ONE JUDGE, AND THEY ARE LISTENING.

TO ALL OF IT, THE JUVENILE SIDE, THE CPS SIDE, TO COME UP WITH ONE PLAN AND ONE PERSON THAT'S OVERLOOKING THE CASE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE COLLABORATING, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ADDRESSING BOTH AT THE SAME TIME WITH BETTER OUTCOMES.

SO WE CURRENTLY HAVE SEVERAL CROSSOVER COURTS, AS YOU CAN SEE THE NUMBERS.

BUT I KIND OF WANT TO JUST TELL YOU WHAT THOSE COUNTIES ARE.

SO IN REGION TWO WE HAVE TAYLOR REGION THREE EAST, WE HAVE DALLAS AND COLLIN COUNTY REGION THREE WEST.

WE THAT WAS FORMERLY WE HAD TARRANT.

BUT THAT ENDED.

WE HAD SOME JUDGE CHANGES AND ALSO SOME FINANCIAL SORT OF, YOU KNOW I'M NOT USING THE RIGHT WORD. WE HAD THEY HAD FUNDING.

SO WE HAD TO THAT ONE ENDED AND THEN REGION SIX, WE HAD HARRIS, WHICH IS A LARGE COUNTY.

THERE'S A CROSSOVER COURT THERE, AND IN REGION SEVEN, WE HAVE TRAVIS AND MCLENNAN COUNTIES IN REGION TEN AND EL PASO.

WE ALSO HAVE ONE THERE.

AND THEN IN REGION 11, WHICH IS REALLY THE VALLES CORPUS AREA.

WE HAVE ONE IN HIDALGO, AND THEN WE HAVE ONE IN NUECES COUNTY.

AND CURRENTLY WE HAVE APPROXIMATELY ABOUT 113 YOUTH THAT ARE PARTICIPATING IN THESE MULTIPLE COURTS.

ANY QUESTIONS? OH, I DO HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU. SO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT WHEN THEY'RE RELEASED FROM TJJD, I'M ASSUMING THAT INCLUDES THE LOCAL PROBATION DEPARTMENTS.

[00:40:01]

SO, AND I THINK I UNDERSTAND SOME OF THOSE CHALLENGES.

DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG THIS WOULD BE A DATA QUESTION? SO. BUT DO YOU WHAT'S YOUR IMPRESSION OF HOW LONG THOSE CHILDREN HAVE TO STAY IN THAT PROBATION SYSTEM? EVEN, YOU KNOW, WHEN MAYBE CHARGES HAVE BEEN DROPPED OR THEY'RE NO LONGER.

THEY SHOULDN'T BE THERE ANYMORE WAITING FOR A PLACEMENT.

WHAT WE TYPICALLY SEE IS, OF COURSE, IT'S ALL DEPENDENT UPON THE CHARGE THAT THEY HAVE.

RIGHT. AND THE CONDITIONS THAT THE JUDGE PUTS FORWARD.

I WILL SAY THAT WHAT WE DO SEE IS THAT YOU KNOW, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT WE STAY INVOLVED JUST TO STAY INVOLVED WITH BOTH SYSTEMS. I THINK WHENEVER POSSIBLE THEY ARE RELEASED FROM THE JUVENILE SIDE, ESPECIALLY KNOWING THAT WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE YOUTH.

BUT I COULDN'T SAY, YOU KNOW, SPECIFICALLY A DATA NUMBER, BUT I BELIEVE THAT THEY ARE DISMISSED AS SOON AS THEY CAN BE DISMISSED. JUST ANOTHER COMMENT.

I MEAN, CLEARLY, I THINK SEVERAL OF US HAVE WORKED WITH THIS POPULATION.

AND, I MEAN, IT'S GREAT THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ENHANCE THESE SERVICES AND THE COORDINATION AND, YOU KNOW, THAT CONTINUITY OF CARE.

I WAS WONDERING, IS THERE A POSSIBILITY BECAUSE IN THE ADULT SYSTEM, THERE'S, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE BOOKED INTO JAIL, WE CAN RUN SORT OF A CONTINUOUS A CONTINUOUS CONTINUITY OF CARE QUERY THAT LETS US KNOW IF THE INDIVIDUAL HAS BEEN IN THE MENTAL HEALTH PUBLIC SYSTEM.

IS THERE SOMETHING LIKE THAT THAT HAPPENS WITHIN THE JUVENILE POPULATION, LIKE IF THEY ARE, IF THEY GO INTO TJJD, IS THERE SOME WAY TO DO A QUERY THAT WOULD LET THEM KNOW THAT THEY ARE INVOLVED IN CPS? I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION SPECIFICALLY.

WHAT I DO KNOW IS THAT, AGAIN, IF THEY'RE IDENTIFIED TO BE IN BOTH SYSTEMS YOU KNOW, THERE IS A HIGH PROBABILITY THAT THEY'RE UNDER OUR DUAL STATUS COURT.

IT JUST DEPENDS.

BUT WE HAVE SOME PRETTY CONSTANT COMMUNICATION, EVEN IF THEY'RE CURRENTLY IN TJJD WE ARE COMMUNICATING WITH THEM PRETTY FREQUENTLY SO THAT WE BOTH UNDERSTAND WHAT THE ISSUES ARE.

BUT I DON'T KNOW SPECIFICALLY IF THEY HAVE A TYPE OF SYSTEM.

I'M NOT AWARE. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

I TRULY APPRECIATE IT.

I DID ASK FOR A PRESENTATION ON DUAL STATUS YOUTH.

I HAVE A NONPROFIT CALLED CHANGE ONE, AND WE FOCUS ON YOUTH TRANSITIONING OUT OF FOSTER CARE.

WHAT PROMPTED ME TO ASK FOR THIS IS BECAUSE I HAVE SEVERAL YOUTH THAT HAVE BEEN DULY DUAL STATUS YOUTH THAT ARE NOW YOUNG ADULTS, AND I HAD A YOUNG MAN TELL ME THAT HE WAS RESTRAINED UNDER THE CUSTODY OF THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM, BUT HE WAS A PART OF CPS, AND NOW HE'S HAVING TO DEAL WITH BACK ISSUES, AND HE DOESN'T HAVE THE MONEY TO DEAL WITH THE MEDICAL NOW THAT HE DOESN'T QUALIFY FOR MEDICAID ANYMORE.

AND SO HE WANTS JUSTICE FOR THE DEPARTMENT BEING HIS PARENT AND NOT PROTECTING HIM IN THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM.

AND SO THAT'S WHAT PROMPTED IT.

AND THEN ALSO, YOU KNOW, FOR ME.

I'VE BEEN OUT OF FOSTER CARE FOR A VERY LONG TIME, AND I HAD THE PLEASURE OF BECOMING A FOSTER AND ADOPTIVE PARENT.

BUT IT WASN'T UNTIL MY HOME STUDY THAT I WAS TOLD THAT I HAD FAMILY VIOLENCE ON MY RECORD, AND WHEN THEY GAVE ME THE DATE, I VIVIDLY REMEMBER IT WAS WHEN I WAS IN A FOSTER HOME.

AND I VIVIDLY REMEMBER BEING IN A RURAL HOME, BEING THE ONLY BLACK CHILD IN THAT HOME.

I REMEMBER THAT THAT FOSTER PARENT, THEY WOULD GIVE US FIVE MINUTES ON THE PHONE AND I SAID, THERE'S NO WAY WITH BEING FIVE MINUTES ON THE PHONE THAT I CAN HAVE ANY TYPE OF CONVERSATION.

SO AT THAT POINT I SAID, CAN I SAVE UP MY FIVE MINUTES? AND AT THE END OF THE WEEK, CAN I CALL MY MOM AND MY GRANDMOTHER AND HAVE A BETTER CONVERSATION WITH THEM? AT THE TIME, I PAID FOR MY OWN CELL PHONE, I WAS WORKING.

HE DID NOT UPHOLD HIS END OF THE, MY FOSTER DAD DID NOT UPHOLD THE AGREEMENT THAT WE HAD.

HE TRIED TO TAKE THE CELL PHONE AWAY FROM ME.

I WOULD NOT LET HIM TAKE THE CELL PHONE.

HE RESTRAINED ME.

HE SAT ON MY CHEST, I COULDN'T BREATHE.

I KICKED, YELL, SCREAM, BIT HIM.

HE SLAPPED ME. WHEN I TELL YOU WHAT I WENT THROUGH WAS HORRIFIC.

GUESS WHERE I ENDED UP? IN THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM WHEN I WAS THE ONE THAT WAS ABUSED IN THAT FOSTER HOME.

[00:45:03]

AND THERE ARE MANY MORE YOUTH THAT HAVE AGED OUT OF FOSTER CARE WHEN THEY ARE BEING BOUNCED AROUND AND BOUNCED AROUND AND BOUNCED AROUND, AND THEY HAVE NO CLUE WHEN THEY'RE BEING MOVED FROM THAT FOSTER HOME OR THAT GROUP HOME OR THAT SHELTER THAT CHARGES ARE BEING BROUGHT AGAINST THEM.

THEY DON'T HAVE DUE PROCESS.

THEY DON'T HAVE SOMEONE THAT CAN SAY WHAT ACTUALLY REALLY HAPPENED.

AND I REALLY, REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE KIDS ARE NOT LOST IN BOTH OF THESE SYSTEMS AND THAT THEY GET DUE PROCESS AND THAT THEY UNDERSTAND WHEN THEY LEAVE FOSTER CARE, THAT THEIR RECORDS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE STILL ON THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SIDE, AND THAT THE ATTORNEY AD LITEM ARE ENSURING THAT BECAUSE A LOT OF YOUNG PEOPLE THAT I WORK WITH AS THEY AGE OUT, I HAVE TO CALL THE TEXAS JUSTICE YOUTH PROJECT AND SAY, WHAT DO WE DO NOW THAT THEY HAVE AGED OUT AND THEY'RE HAVING TO DEAL WITH THE AFTERMATH OF PEOPLE NOT DOING THEIR JOB? IT IS NOT THE KID'S JOB TO TRY TO GET THEIR STUFF EXPUNGED.

IT'S NOT THE KID'S JOB TO DO ANY OF THAT.

NOW. THEY NEED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY.

BUT WHAT YOU SAID EARLIER ABOUT THE PIPELINE, EVERYBODY TALKS ABOUT THE EDUCATION TO PRISON PIPELINE, THOSE 113 KIDS.

I BELIEVE IT THAT THEY WILL END UP IN THE JAIL, IN THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM AND IN THE JAIL SYSTEM IF WE AS THEIR GUARDIAN, DON'T DO OUR PART. I WILL GO TO THE MOON AND BACK FOR MY CHILDREN, AND THAT'S WHAT I REALLY WANT FOR THE DEPARTMENT.

AND THE JUVENILE JUSTICE SYSTEM TO DO IS TO REALLY WHEN I HEARD YOU SAY, Y'ALL HAVE ONGOING COMMUNICATION, I'M LIKE, WHAT DOES THAT COMMUNICATION LOOK LIKE? WHAT ARE THE ADVISORS? WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? THAT RELATIONSHIP, THAT MOU.

BECAUSE WHEN I TRY TO CALL, IT'S A LOT OF RUNAROUND.

AND WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE'S LIVES, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT KIDS, WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OUR NEXT GENERATION, WE HAVE TO DO BETTER.

BECAUSE I ALWAYS SAY THEY DIDN'T ASK TO BE BORN.

THEY DIDN'T ASK TO BE ABUSED AND NEGLECTED, AND THEY DID NOT ASK TO BE SHUFFLED IN SYSTEMS. BUT WE DO HAVE TO DO OUR PART TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN THRIVE AND NOT JUST SURVIVE IN OUR WORLD.

SO, I HOPE THAT WE CAN WORK TOGETHER IN THE DETAILS, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENTATION.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

ABSOLUTELY. IT DOESN'T APPEAR THERE ARE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.

RUN WHILE YOU CAN.

THANK YOU.

YOU BET. THE NEXT PRESENTER IS LIZ CROMER, WHO IS CPS DIRECTOR OF SERVICES.

GREAT. JUDGE HELMS, I JUST WANT TO SAY GODSPEED TO THE STATE OF TENNESSEE.

AS A PERSON WHO HAS MATERNAL AND PATERNAL FAMILIES, ONE ON THE WEST SIDE OF TENNESSEE, ONE ON THE EAST SIDE OF TENNESSEE, MY MOTHER WOULD SAY, ENJOY IT WHILE YOU GET TO GO TO THE PLACE OF REAL TREES.

SO I APPRECIATE THE MANY YEARS THAT WE'VE HAD TO BENEFIT AND THEY'RE GOING TO BENEFIT FROM YOU NOW.

I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE CHILD AND FAMILY SERVICES REVIEW.

THERE HAS BEEN A CHILD AND FAMILY SERVICES REVIEW FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS NOW.

THIS IS OUR FOURTH ONE AND I WANT TO CATCH YOU UP TO DATE ON IT.

SO JUST A RECAP OF WHAT IN THE WORLD THAT IS.

A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY LIZ KROMREY AND CFSR LIKE THEY GO TOGETHER BECAUSE WE'VE WORKED ON THAT FOR A LONG TIME.

BUT THE CHILD AND FAMILY SERVICE REVIEW OR CFSR IS A FEDERAL PROCESS.

SO THE CHILDREN'S BUREAU LOOKS AT DIFFERENT AREAS OF ALL OF THE STATE CHILD WELFARE PROGRAMS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE DOING WHAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING, THAT WE HAVE THE ELEMENTS THAT ARE REQUIRED BY THE FEDERAL TITLE, FOUR B AND FOUR E CHAPTERS OF THE SOCIAL SECURITY ACT. IT IS SOMETHING THAT OUR AGENCY EXPERIENCES, BUT IT IS A REVIEW OF THE STATE'S CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM.

I WOULD SAY YOU ARE ALL PART OF THE CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM.

THAT'S NOT LIMITED TO OUR AGENCY.

THAT'S ALL OF THE PIECES, ALL OF THE ELEMENTS OF FOLKS THAT WORK TOGETHER TO ADDRESS CHILD WELFARE ISSUES. AS I SAID, THIS IS OUR FOURTH ONE.

IT HAPPENS EVERY 7 OR 8 YEARS.

TO DATE, THERE IS NOT A SINGLE STATE OR PUERTO RICO OR DC WHO HAS PASSED ANY ONE OF THE REVIEWS.

[00:50:07]

IT'S COMPLICATED.

IT HAS A LOT OF BELLS AND WHISTLES AND REQUIRED COMPONENTS AND A SPECIFIC TIMELINE.

IT SEEMS LIKE EACH ROUND HAS A THEME OR A SPECIAL PIECE, AND I WANT TO CALL OUT THAT THIS ROUND THE CHILDREN'S BUREAU IS REALLY FOCUSING ON ALSO THE COURT SYSTEM.

SO THIS TIME WE HAD JAMIE BERNSTEIN, WHO IS DIRECTOR OF THE CHILDREN'S COMMISSION AND PERSON THAT YOU ALL KNOW, PARTNER WITH US.

SHE ACTUALLY REVIEWED CASES WITH US.

SHE SAT IN ON EVERY MEETING SHE REVIEWED AND CONTRIBUTED TO EACH DOCUMENT THAT WE HAD TO SUBMIT AND IS A PART OF THE WHOLE PROCESS. WE REALLY TOOK IT SERIOUSLY AND PARTNERED IN A VERY STRONG WAY.

AND I JUST HAVE TO SAY THAT NOW, HOW TEXAS APPROACHED THIS FOCUS ON INVOLVING THE COURT SYSTEM IS DESCRIBED BY THE CHILDREN'S BUREAU AS BEST PRACTICE.

AND THEY'RE TELLING OTHER STATES, IF YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO ENGAGE THE COURT SYSTEM IN THE CHILD AND FAMILY SERVICE REVIEW, TALK TO TEXAS.

SO WHAT ARE THE COMPONENTS? CHERYL, CAN YOU DO YOU CAN YOU.

THANK YOU. SO, IT'S LONG AND YOU MIGHT SAY IS THAT IS THAT A TYPO? IS IT REALLY JANUARY 2024? YES. WE START WITH PROVIDING A SELF-ASSESSMENT, A STATEWIDE ASSESSMENT, AND WE TURN THAT IN IN JANUARY OF 2024.

WE TAKE EVERYTHING THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS LOOKING AT.

WE LOOK AT OURSELVES AND WE SAY THIS IS HOW WE THINK WE'RE DOING.

THE SECOND PART IS WHAT THEY CALL STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS.

A KEY ELEMENT OF THE CHILD AND FAMILY SERVICES REVIEW IS IT'S NOT A PAPER REVIEW.

THEY'RE NOT LOOKING AT JUST WHAT'S DOCUMENTED.

THEY ARE TALKING TO PEOPLE.

SO IN ONE WEEK IN APRIL, WE HAD MORE THAN 250 INTERVIEWS, ONE RIGHT AFTER THE OTHER.

WE INTERVIEWED STAFF LEGACY AND SSCC.

WE INTERVIEWED PEOPLE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE, RESIDENTIAL AND TREATMENT PROVIDERS, LEGAL STAKEHOLDERS, JUDGES, OTHERS.

LOTS OF PEOPLE.

AND THEY WERE ALL ASKED FOR THEIR OPINIONS ON HOW THE CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM IS FUNCTIONING.

THE THIRD COMPONENT IS A DATA PROFILE.

THERE ARE SEVEN THINGS THAT EVERY STATE IS MEASURED ON SEVEN DATA ELEMENTS, AND THEY SET A NATIONAL STANDARD THAT WE HAVE TO PASS AS PART OF THIS.

AND THEY DO THAT FROM THE ADOPTION FOSTER CARE AUTOMATED CASE SYSTEM.

IT'S DATA THAT THAT THEY'VE WORKED WITH EACH STATE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE REPORTING IT IN THE SAME WAY, SO THAT THEY CAN COMPARE APPLES TO APPLES AND ORANGES TO ORANGES.

AND THAT'S BEEN A REAL CHALLENGE FOR US IN ROUND FOUR, BECAUSE THEY PUBLISHED A WHOLE NEW SET OF THE AFCARS ELEMENTS THAT WERE SUPPOSED TO REPORT, AND IT'S VERY CHALLENGING TO IDENTIFY THE PRECISION THAT THEY NEED WITH THAT.

AND WE'RE WORKING ON THOSE TECHNICAL ISSUES.

THE DATA PROFILE COMES OUT TWO TIMES A YEAR.

SO, WE'RE WORKING WITH A DATA PROFILE THAT CAME OUT IN AUGUST.

AND THEN THE LAST COMPONENT IS THEY DO A CASE REVIEW SYSTEM.

THEY RANDOMLY PULL FOSTER CARE CASES IN HOMES OR FBSS CASES.

AND IT INCLUDES SOME ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE CASES.

AND THEY'RE NOT JUST LOOKING AT PAPER FOR THOSE EITHER OR WHAT'S IN THE COMPUTER.

THEY'RE TALKING TO THE STAFF INVOLVED, THE CHILDREN INVOLVED, THE PARENTS INVOLVED, CAREGIVERS, TREATMENT PROVIDERS AND OTHERS TO ANSWER THE REVIEW COMPONENTS.

SO WE HAD A CHOICE.

THEY COULD PULL 65 CASES FROM THREE COUNTIES.

OR WE COULD USE OUR TEAM.

AND OUR TEAM REVIEWS 100 CASES, SOME FROM EVERY SINGLE REGION, LEGACY AND SSCC EVERY QUARTER.

AND THEY REVIEWED OUR PROCESSES AND CERTIFIED OUR TEAM AS ABLE TO DO THAT.

SO WE DID OUR NORMAL QUARTERLY PROCESS.

WE DIDN'T DO 65 AS THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENT.

WE DID 100.

AND THEY CAME FROM EVERY REGION.

[00:55:02]

SO WE HEARD THEIR PRESENTATION AND THEN WE HAD ABOUT 200 PEOPLE, A FEW IN PERSON, BUT A LOT VIRTUALLY ONLINE, HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR THEM.

AND THEN WE HAD FOUR BREAKOUT GROUPS WHERE WE TALKED ABOUT THE PIECES IN MORE DETAIL AND THINGS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO ITEMS THEY SAID WAS A STRENGTH IN ITEMS THEY SAID NEEDED TO IMPROVE.

SO, LIKE THE CFSR ITSELF, EVERYTHING THAT WE WILL DO AND EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE DONE LOOKS AT INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL PIECES. AS PART OF THE TEXAS CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM, THERE WEREN'T ANY SURPRISES.

I MEAN, WE KNOW WHAT AREAS WE NEED TO IMPROVE ON.

WE KNOW THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING REALLY WELL, AND THAT WAS CONSISTENT.

ON THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE THE SEVEN OUTCOMES THAT THEY'RE LOOKING ON.

LOOKING AT THE BLUE ONES ARE THE SAFETY ONES.

THEY'RE LOOKING AT THINGS LIKE REPEAT MALTREATMENT OF CASES COMING BACK AFTER THEY'VE BEEN CLOSED.

THEY'RE LOOKING AT US MAKING OUR FIRST CONTACTS AND DOING THINGS TO ASSESS RISK INITIALLY AND AN ONGOING BASIS.

THAT'S THEIR TOP PRIORITY.

THEY WANT THAT TO BE THE AREA WE CONCENTRATE ON FIRST.

THEY ALSO LOOK AT PERMANENCY OUTCOMES AND THE WELLBEING OUTCOMES THIS TIME ROUND.

FOR THEY'RE ASKING US TO JUST REALLY THINK OF THOSE THINGS NOT AS INDIVIDUAL PIECES, BUT TO FOCUS ON AREAS THAT WILL CROSS A LOT OF THOSE OUTCOMES.

I'M NOT GOING TO READ THEM TO YOU.

THESE ARE THESE ARE ELEMENTS THAT ARE, IN OUR CASE, REVIEWS AND ELEMENTS THAT THEY ASKED ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS ABOUT.

ON THE NEXT SLIDE, I JUST WANT TO SHOW YOU WHAT WE DO WITH THE DATA.

IN TERMS OF THE BETWEEN THE FINAL REPORT AND WHAT WE DO WITH OUR PROGRAM IMPROVEMENT PLAN, WE LOOK AT WHY.

I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE MALTREATMENT IN CARE PIECE.

THIS IS ONE OF THE THE SEVEN DATA ELEMENTS.

AND YOU SEE A DOTTED LINE ACROSS THAT FIRST BOX.

THEY WANT STATES TO BE BELOW THAT.

AND OUR DOTS WITH THE WITH THE SOLID LINE ARE ABOVE THAT.

SO WE TOOK TIME.

OUR TEAM TOOK TIME AND REVIEWED THAT.

WE FOUND THAT MANY OF THE CASES ARE ONES WHERE WE HAVE INVESTIGATED THINGS CHILDREN IDENTIFY AFTER THEY'VE COME INTO CARE.

YOU COULD CALL THEM DELAYED OUTCRIES.

AND SO WE ARE WORKING ON AN IT CHANGE TO OUR SYSTEM TO SORT THOSE BECAUSE THAT IS REALLY NOT IDENTIFYING.

MALTREATMENT IN CARE.

IT'S REALLY IDENTIFYING MALTREATMENT.

A CHILD EXPERIENCED PRIOR TO COMING IN CARE BUT INVESTIGATED AFTER THEY CAME INTO CARE.

SO WE WANT TO SEPARATE THAT OUT.

AND IT WAS SUCH A LARGE COMPONENT.

WE THINK THAT THAT WILL BRING US UNDERNEATH THE LINE.

BUT WE CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR STRATEGIES TO MAKE SURE THAT CHILDREN WHO ARE IN CARE ARE SAFE AND PROTECTED.

ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE THE SECOND SAFETY DATA PROFILE ELEMENT THAT THEY LOOK AT.

THEY WANT US TO BE BELOW THE LINE.

THIS IS RECURRENCE OF MALTREATMENT.

SO IF WE HAVE FOUND THAT A CHILD HAS BEEN ABUSED OR NEGLECTED, AND OUR INVESTIGATION HAS SUBSTANTIATED THAT THEY DON'T WANT ANOTHER INCIDENT OF ABUSE OR NEGLECT TO HAPPEN QUICKLY AFTER THAT, THEY WANT US TO HELP RESOLVE THOSE ISSUES, AND WE ARE IN EXCELLENT SHAPE IN TERMS OF COMPARING US TO THE NATIONAL STANDARD, THAT CHILDREN WHERE WE'VE IDENTIFIED ABUSE AND NEGLECT ARE NOT QUICKLY ABUSED AND NEGLECTED AGAIN. SO WE TAKE EACH PIECE AND WE LOOK AT HOW ARE WE DOING, WHAT DO WE NEED TO WORK ON, WHAT STRATEGIES CAN WE HAVE ON THE NEXT SLIDE? I JUST I DON'T HAVE THE DATA TO SHOW YOU BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE WE'RE WORKING ON THOSE TECHNICAL ISSUES.

COULD WE HAVE THE NEXT SLIDE PLEASE.

THE PERMANENCY OUTCOMES.

THIS REFLECTS THINGS THAT THE CHILDREN'S BUREAU IDENTIFIED AS THEMES FOR US TO FOCUS ON.

FOR EXAMPLE, THEY THEY SHOWED THAT OUR STABILITY RATE WAS STATISTICALLY WORSE THAN THE NATIONAL PERFORMANCE.

[01:00:06]

AND WE WE ARE WORKING ON THAT.

THE CURRENT PLACEMENTS THAT THEY LOOKED AT IN THE REVIEWS AND IN TALKING TO PEOPLE WERE MOSTLY STABLE.

SO THAT WAS A STRENGTH.

BUT THEY FOUND WHEN CHILDREN WERE MOVING, IT WASN'T ALWAYS TO MAKE THEIR TO TO FURTHER THE GOAL.

FOR EXAMPLE, A CHILD MOVING FROM A HOME TO AN ADOPTIVE PLACEMENT, OR A CHILD MOVING FROM A PLACE TO BE TOGETHER WITH THEIR SIBLINGS, THAT'S A BENEFIT TO THE YOUTH.

THEY FOUND THAT CHILDREN'S MOVES WERE SOMETIMES BECAUSE OF OTHER THINGS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THAT ISSUE PERMANENCY, GOAL.

ACHIEVEMENT. THEY ASKED US TO LOOK AT OUR PERMANENCY GOALS BEING UPDATED TIMELY.

THIS WAS A PAPERWORK ISSUE.

OFTEN, THEY FOUND THAT THAT THE SYSTEM, THE FAMILIES, THE STAFF, THE TREATMENT PROVIDERS, WE'RE WORKING ON A GOAL THAT WAS DIFFERENT THAN THE ONE THAT WAS ON PAPER IN OUR SYSTEM, AND WE NEED TO HAVE THAT BE IN SYNC.

WE HAVE A HIGH PERCENTAGE OF THE OUTCOMES FOR PERMANENCY BEING SOMETHING OTHER THAN GOING HOME TO THE FAMILY FROM WHOM THEY WERE REMOVED, AND THEY ASKED US TO LOOK AT STRATEGIES FOR THAT.

OUR, OUR CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES TEAM IS FOCUSING ON WHAT CAN WE DO TO STRENGTHEN FAMILY REUNIFICATION.

AND THERE ARE PERMANENCY, ACHIEVEMENT DELAYS.

THEY TALKED ABOUT HEARING AND SEEING THINGS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THAT, SUCH AS TURNOVER IN WORKERS OR DOCUMENTS TAKING A LONG TIME, LIKE A BIRTH CERTIFICATE, TAKING A LONG TIME TO GET WHEN WE'RE MOVING TOWARDS ADOPTION.

THEY FOCUSED ON KINSHIP AND MAINTAINING RELATIONSHIPS.

THEY APPLAUDED THAT CURRENTLY SIBLINGS ARE OFTEN PLACED TOGETHER, AND THAT THE KINSHIP PLACEMENTS WE ARE DOING ARE APPROPRIATE.

AND THEY GAVE US A LOT OF POSITIVE KUDOS FOR THAT.

THEY ASKED US TO LOOK AT EFFORTS TO MOVE THAT UP FRONT, MOVE THAT EARLIER IN THE SYSTEM.

AND I KNOW THAT THE CHILD PROTECTIVE INVESTIGATIVE TEAM IS REALLY WORKING ON INTEGRATING SOME OF THE WORK ON FINDING KINSHIP CAREGIVERS AND HAVING THAT FIRST PLACEMENT WHENEVER POSSIBLE, BE WITH A KINSHIP CAREGIVER.

THEY ASKED US TO LOOK AT RELATIONSHIP BUILDING CONTACTS.

SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT REGULAR VISITS, WE'RE NOT TALKING ABOUT CASEWORKER CONTACTS WITH CHILDREN.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THEM HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT WITH THEIR SIBLINGS, VISIT WITH THEIR PARENTS, DO THINGS THAT MAINTAIN AND NURTURE THOSE RELATIONSHIPS, LIKE BEING INVOLVED IN EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES, HAVING PARENTS BE INVOLVED IN THAT, OR HAVING OPPORTUNITIES TO DO THINGS WITH OTHER RELATIVES.

BASICALLY, THINGS THAT WE AS PARENTS DO WITH OUR CHILDREN.

HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT, AND WE'RE WORKING ON THOSE PIECES ON THE NEXT SLIDE.

THEY TALK ABOUT WELLBEING OUTCOMES, AND THEY TALKED IN A WAY THAT ASKED US TO FOCUS ON, ESPECIALLY HOW WE'RE ASSESSING NEEDS AND THEN PROVIDING SERVICES TO THOSE IDENTIFIED NEEDS FOR OUR FAMILIES THAT SOMETIMES THEY SAW THAT OUR ASSESSMENTS WERE SPOT ON.

BUT SERVICES TO ADDRESS THOSE THINGS THAT WE IDENTIFIED WERE NEEDED WEREN'T ALWAYS INITIATED OR USED.

THEY ASKED US TO REALLY INVOLVE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES MORE, IN OUR CASE PLANNING TO STRENGTHEN ENGAGEMENT TO PARTNER WITH PARENTS.

AND I HAVE TO SAY, AS PART OF THIS, IN EVERY REGION, WE MET WITH PARENT COLLABORATION GROUP AND TALKED TO THEM ABOUT THESE IDEAS AND SAID, WHAT IDEAS DO YOU HAVE? WHAT THINGS WOULD YOU SUGGEST THAT WE DO THAT WOULD HELP YOU FEEL MORE ENGAGED? AND WE HAVE SOME FABULOUS IDEAS.

THEY FOUND THE THEME OF OUR NEED TO IMPROVE MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES.

THIS IS THE PART WHERE I SAY, THERE'S NOT A SURPRISE HERE THAT THAT ACCESS TO SERVICES GENERALLY NEEDS IMPROVEMENT.

AND THEY WENT DOWN THE GEOGRAPHIC CHALLENGES THAT WE HAVE.

RURAL AREAS HAVE LESS SERVICES.

WE HAVE MANY OF OUR AREAS WHERE WE NEED BILINGUAL STAFF BILINGUAL SERVICE PROVIDERS AS WELL.

WE HAVE A LOT OF WORKING FAMILIES.

CHILDREN ARE IN SCHOOL.

WE NEED SERVICES AFTER THOSE HOURS.

SO, WE ARE CONTINUING TO LOOK ON THAT AREA.

[01:05:06]

THE REVIEW LOOKS AT SYSTEMS IN PLACE.

AND BASICALLY, THE SYSTEMIC FACTORS LISTED ON THE LEFT ARE THINGS THAT THEY SAY EVERY STATE HAS TO HAVE IN ORDER TO HAVE A STRONG CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM, STATEWIDE INFORMATION SYSTEM.

THAT'S IMPACT. WE GO ABOVE AND BEYOND CAPTURING DATA THAT'S NEEDED.

THE CASE REVIEW SYSTEM IS OUR COURT SYSTEM AND NOT LIKE A QA CASE REVIEW, BUT THE JUDGES, THEIR ROLE IN REVIEWING THE CASE.

AND THEY IDENTIFIED THAT AS AN AREA NEEDING IMPROVEMENT AND FOCUSED ON THEY HAVE FOR MANY YEARS NOT BEEN HAPPY WITH HOW WE PLEAD.

IN THE ALTERNATIVE, WITH TERMINATION OF PARENTAL RIGHTS, THIS TIME THEY'VE ADDED NOTIFICATION TO THE CAREGIVER OF HEARINGS TO AN AREA NEEDING IMPROVEMENT. IT WAS VERY INTERESTING OF THE 200 SOME ODD PEOPLE THAT THEY INTERVIEWED IN APRIL.

EVERY ONE OF THE CAREGIVERS INVOLVED SAID THEY HAD NOTIFICATION OF HEARINGS.

THEY ALMOST ALL HAD A DIFFERENT WAY.

THEY WERE NOTIFIED.

SOME GOT AN EMAIL, SOME WERE TOLD BY THE ATTORNEY, SOME HAD A WEBSITE THEY CHECKED, SOME WERE TOLD IN OPEN COURT.

THEY HAD A LONG LITANY OF DIFFERENT WAYS, BUT ALL WERE NOTIFIED EQUALLY.

ALL SAID SO.

IN OTHER WORDS, THEY, NONE OF THEM SAID THEY WERE INFORMED THAT WHEN THEY DO GO TO COURT, THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE HEARD.

AND SO, WE HAVE WORK TO DO IN THAT AREA.

AND JAMIE AND THE CHILDREN'S COMMISSION ARE PARTNERING WITH US TO FIND SOME AREAS, PILOT SOME EFFORTS, DO A ROUNDTABLE TO ADDRESS THE NOTIFICATION ISSUE.

OUR QA SYSTEM, THE ONE THEY CERTIFIED AS BEING STRONG ENOUGH TO DO THE CASE REVIEWS.

THEY SAY THAT'S A REAL STRENGTH.

STAFF AND PROVIDER TRAINING WAS SEEN AS A STRENGTH SERVICE ARRAY.

WE'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT THE SERVICE ISSUE AND RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT.

WE NEED MORE SERVICES TO MEET OUR CHILD AND FAMILY NEEDS.

WE WE HAVE PLACEMENT ISSUES NEEDED FOR PLACEMENT STABILITY.

WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE IMPACT THAT T3 WILL HAVE ON THAT.

THEY SAW OUR OUR PARTNERSHIPS WITH COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS AS REALLY STRONG, VERY STRONG, AND THEY HEARD THAT BACK FROM THE STAKEHOLDERS THAT THEY HAD.

AND WE NEED MORE FOSTER HOME PLACEMENTS.

SO MORE MORE PLACEMENTS FOR ADOPTIVE PARENTS IN THE RIGHT AREAS.

SO THAT'S THE THOSE ARE THE ISSUES IN SYSTEMS THEY WANT US TO WORK ON.

LASTLY, I'LL SAY WHAT'S NEXT? THE WAY THAT THIS WORKS, SINCE NO STATE PASSES IT, THEY HAVE SET THIS UP TO WHEN YOU DON'T PASS.

THEY I DON'T LIKE THE WORD THREATEN.

THEY THEY PLAN BY REGULATIONS TO WITHHOLD FEDERAL DOLLARS FOR EACH OF THOSE PIECES UNLESS THE STATE OPTS TO COMPLETE A PROGRAM IMPROVEMENT PLAN THREE ROUNDS BEFORE WE HAVE HAD THAT BILL COME WITH.

THIS IS HOW MUCH YOU WOULD OF FEDERAL DOLLARS YOU WOULD LOSE THREE ROUNDS BEFORE WE'VE NEGOTIATED A PROGRAM IMPROVEMENT PLAN, SUCCESSFULLY DONE IT, AND THEN THEY SET THE FINE ASIDE.

THEIR PLAN IS TO DO THIS IN EVERY SINGLE STATE AND THUS RAISE IN SMALL INCREMENTAL AMOUNTS THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE NATIONAL CHILD WELFARE SYSTEMS. SO WE ARE WORKING ON OUR PROGRAM IMPROVEMENT PLAN.

AND I TELL YOU, IT WAS A REAL GIFT KNOWN AS A LUMP OF COAL IN OUR STOCKING, THAT THAT WE HAVE A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME AND IT IS DUE RIGHT AFTER THE HOLIDAYS.

SO WE ARE WORKING THROUGH CHRISTMAS TIME TO GET THAT DONE.

OUR FIRST DRAFT IS DUE TO THEM WITHIN 90 DAYS OF THE FINAL REPORT.

SO THAT IS FEBRUARY THE 3RD, 2025.

IT'S NOT NEGOTIABLE.

NOW. IT WILL BE OUR FIRST PROGRAM IMPROVEMENT PLAN SUBMISSION.

WE ARE IN THE SECOND YEAR, I BELIEVE, OF ROUND FOUR STATES GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS.

WE'RE A SECOND YEAR STATE, HAVING EXPERIENCED THIS EARLIER THIS YEAR.

THAT MEANS THEY'VE HAD A FOURTH OF THE STATES ALREADY.

ONLY TWO STATES HAVE GOTTEN TO ASSIGNED PROGRAM IMPROVEMENT PLAN.

IT TAKES ALMOST A YEAR OF BACK AND FORTH.

SO WHILE WE TURN IN A PROGRAM IMPROVEMENT PLAN DRAFT, THAT'S A GENUINE SUBMISSION ON FEBRUARY 3RD, WE EXPECT FOR THEM TO COME BACK AND SAY WE THINK THAT IT NEEDS THIS, THAT AND THE OTHER AND WE WILL WORK AND GO BACK AND FORTH UNTIL WE HAVE A COMPLETED AND

[01:10:07]

ONCE IT IS SIGNED, WE HAVE TWO YEARS TO DO EVERY SINGLE THING WE SAID WE WOULD DO, AND WE GET AN ADDITIONAL 18 MONTHS TO MONITOR DATA MEASURES.

AS I SAID EARLIER, THEY WANT THE SAFETY STUFF TO BE DONE FIRST AND DONE QUICKLY, AND WE HAVE TO IDENTIFY WAYS TO BENCHMARK OUR ACTIVITIES, AND WE HAVE TO SHOW HOW WE CAN MEASURE CHANGE OVER TIME.

SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME BACK AFTER WE HAVE IT ALL SQUARED AWAY TO SAY THIS IS WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? WHO ARE WE TURNING THIS STUFF INTO? WHO? WHO DO WE TURN THE PROGRAM IMPROVEMENT PLAN TO? WHAT ARE WE? IT'S THE CHILDREN'S BUREAU.

BUREAU? YES.

AND THEY ARE AN ARM OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.

THEIR ORGANIZATION CHART IS QUITE A CHALLENGE, BUT I BELIEVE IT'S HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES.

AND THEN THERE'S THE ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.

AND THEN THE CHILDREN'S BUREAU HAS THE CHILD WELFARE PIECES.

OKAY. SO THESE ARE FOLKS THAT WILL KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

YES. GOOD.

YES. I JUST HAVE A QUICK QUESTION.

I THINK I UNDERSTAND IT, BUT IF YOU COULD JUST GO OVER THAT MALTREATMENT AND CARE DATA.

YES. THAT SLIDE.

THAT RIGHT? YES.

THAT'S IN PART DUE TO THE DATA COLLECTION OR HOW WE'RE GATHERING THAT DATA.

CORRECT. YES.

IT'S GATHERED FROM OUR IMPACT SYSTEM, AND I, I DON'T HAVE MY SLIDES NUMBERED.

YES, THAT'S THE RIGHT ONE. THANK YOU.

SO THAT'S YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE ONE THAT'S ON THE LEFT.

RIGHT. THEY HAVE A VERY PRECISE WAY OF MEASURING IT, BUT BASICALLY, THEY'RE LOOKING FOR ANY SUBSTANTIATED INCIDENT OF ABUSE OR NEGLECT THAT HAPPENED WHILE THE CHILD WAS IN OUR CONSERVATORSHIP.

WE CAN HAVE A VERY THOROUGH AND COMPLETE INVESTIGATION THAT TALKS ABOUT A CHILD COMING INTO CARE.

AND NOW THAT THEY'RE IN CARE, THEY TALK ABOUT SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED A YEAR AGO, FIVE YEARS AGO, BEFORE THEY CAME INTO CARE.

AND WE NEED TO INVESTIGATE THAT.

AND AND THEY WILL NOT ACCEPT THAT BEING SEPARATED, EVEN THOUGH WE WE READ ALL OF THE CASES, AND IT MIGHT SAY A FAMILY MEMBER IS THE PERSON DETERMINED TO BE THE PERPETRATOR.

THEY ONLY WILL ACCEPT SORTING IT IF WE HAVE IN OUR SYSTEM A DATE OF INCIDENT.

SO WE ARE PUTTING IN OUR IT SYSTEM.

FOR THAT, WE WILL GIVE THE INVESTIGATION TEAM AN OPPORTUNITY TO PUT THE DATE OF INCIDENT.

AND IF THEY SAY THE DATE OF INCIDENT WAS BEFORE THEY CAME INTO CARE, THEN THEY WILL ALLOW US TO SORT THAT OUT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TRANSPARENCY AND YOUR PRESENTATION AND JUST TALKING ABOUT THE ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT.

I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.

SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I WANTED TO KIND OF TALK ABOUT IS KINSHIP.

I WAS GOING TO BE A KINSHIP CARE PROVIDER, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, I DID NOT RECEIVE THE SUPPORT I NEEDED.

SO I BECAME A FOSTER TO ADOPT PROVIDER.

THERE WAS A DELAY IN A HOME STUDY, AND I GOT A FOSTER PARENT HOME STUDY BEFORE I GOT A KINSHIP HOME STUDY.

AND SO THROUGH MY LIVED EXPERIENCE RECENTLY, I WANT TO SUPPORT THAT WORK IN REGARD TO KINSHIP, ALSO BECAUSE OF JUDGE MARTINEZ JONES AND THE WORK THAT SHE'S DOING TO REIMAGINE TRAVIS COUNTY.

THERE WAS A FAMILY PRESERVATION LEADERSHIP COUNCIL THAT WAS DEVELOPED OF PEOPLE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE GRANDPARENTS, ADOPTIVE PARENTS, PEOPLE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE, BIO PARENTS THAT GOT THEIR KIDS TAKEN AWAY AND REINSTATED.

AND SO, I WOULD LOVE FOR THE FAMILY PRESERVATION COUNCIL TO, YOU KNOW, HELP WITH ANYTHING REGARDING KINSHIP, REGARDING STABILITY. BECAUSE I HAVE A GRANDPARENT, MISS BEVERLEY, SHE TALKS ABOUT ALL THE TIME HOW IF THEY WOULD HAVE LOOKED AT THE SCHOOL ON THE EMERGENCY CONTACT, THEY WOULD HAVE FOUND HER.

THE KID HAD BEEN IN THE SYSTEM FOR NINE MONTHS, AND ALL THEY HAD TO DO WAS CONTACT THE SCHOOL AND SHE, LIKE THERE WASN'T A LONG WAY TO TRY TO FIND HER, YOU KNOW. AND SO, IT'S JUST LIKE THOSE LITTLE THINGS.

HOW CAN WE WORK TOGETHER TO ENSURE THAT KINSHIP GETS WHAT THEY NEED? BECAUSE MY GRANDMOTHER PUT ME BACK IN FOSTER CARE BECAUSE SHE DIDN'T GET WHAT SHE NEEDED AS A KINSHIP PROVIDER.

[01:15:05]

SO I REALLY WANT TO HELP TO ENSURE WE HAVE THAT.

ALSO, I HEARD YOU TALK ABOUT THE PARENT COLLABORATION GROUP.

I'M GOING TO BE HONEST, PEOPLE THAT ARE ON THE YOUTH LEADERSHIP COUNCIL GROUP OR THE PARENT COLLABORATION GROUP, THOSE ARE THE CREAM OF THE CROP.

THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT THEY'RE POLISHED.

THEY CAN TALK THE WAY IN, WHICH IS PALATABLE.

AND THE PEOPLE THAT WE REALLY NEED TO LISTEN TO ARE THE ONES THAT MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ARTICULATE OR SAY IT IN A WAY THAT THAT IS PALATABLE.

BUT WHEN I CAN'T SPEAK FOR EVERY BLACK PERSON BECAUSE I'M BLACK, YOU KNOW, AND THAT'S THE SAME THING.

THE PARENT COLLABORATION GROUP CANNOT SPEAK FOR EVERY PARENT OR EVERY, YOU KNOW.

SO I THINK THEY CAN BE AMBASSADORS, AND THEY CAN COLLECT THE VOICES OF OTHER PARENTS.

BUT WE CAN'T CHANGE A WHOLE SYSTEM OFF OF A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE THAT WE CHERRY PICK.

SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL VOICES ARE HEARD AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE IN AN EQUITABLE WAY.

SO THE FAMILY PRESERVATION LEADERSHIP COUNCIL, THEY'RE THERE TO SUPPORT YOU.

THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE YOU, SIR.

THAT'S GOOD INPUT.

I JUST HAVE TO SAY THAT DURING THE APRIL STAKEHOLDER APPOINTMENT, WE HAD MULTIPLE YOUTH.

THAT AND I THINK THEY WERE YOUNG ADULTS.

THEY HAD JUST AGED OUT OF CARE.

MOST OF THEM WERE ON A VIRTUAL CALL AND IT WAS A DELIGHT.

WE HAD SOME YOUTH IN PERSON, BUT THE ONES ON THE VIRTUAL CALL HAD OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS JUST SITTING BACK AND WATCHING.

THEY TOOK OVER THE CALL AND BEGAN TALKING WITH EACH OTHER, SHARING RESOURCES.

HOW DID YOU GET THAT? WHERE DO YOU? OKAY, HERE, WRITE THIS DOWN.

CALL THIS. I MEAN, THE NETWORKING WAS VERY SPECIAL, AND I BELIEVE MISS BEVERLY PARTICIPATED IN THE STAKEHOLDER CALLS THAT WE HAD WITH THE.

I BELIEVE SHE PARTICIPATED IN EACH ONE AND SPOKE IN EACH ONE.

SO WE DO HAVE PEOPLE THAT FEEL EMPOWERED AND COMFORTABLE TALKING.

AND I AGREE WITH YOU.

IT'S NOT A REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE EITHER THE YOUTH LEADERSHIP COUNCIL OR THE PARENT COLLABORATION GROUP, BUT IT IS FULL OF PEOPLE WHO CAN SHOW THAT YOU CAN TALK.

AND THAT'S A THAT'S A REAL BENEFIT.

AND THAT AND THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT THEY'VE COME UP WITH, SOME OF THEM ARE QUITE SMALL AND EASY TO DO.

AND WE'LL LOOK AT THAT VERY SERIOUSLY.

SO THANK YOU FOR THE TIP TO GO TO THAT COUNCIL.

THAT APPEARS TO BE ALL OUR QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU. THAT WAS AN EXCELLENT PRESENTATION.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND IT'S REALLY NEAT TO HEAR THE HONESTY OF THIS IS WHERE WE FALL SHORT AND THIS IS WHAT WE'RE WORKING ON.

AND I REALLY LIKE THE IDEA OF THE FACT THAT IF YOU CAN PROVIDE A DATE SHOWING THAT IT WAS BEFORE, THAT WILL HELP FILTER OUT SOME OF THE MIXTURE THAT HAS GIVEN US A LITTLE BIT OF A WORSE REPORT.

I THINK IT'S GOING TO HELP A LOT.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

GOOD WORK. SAFE TRAVELS TO TENNESSEE.

THANK YOU, MA'AM, AND MERRY CHRISTMAS.

OKAY. THE NEXT PRESENTER IS LISA CARNEY.

DID I SAY THAT RIGHT? KATIE CAMIE.

I'M SORRY. SHE IS THE DEPUTY ASSISTANT DEPUTY COMMISSIONER FOR OPERATIONS.

GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING.

THANK YOU.

AS IF I HAVEN'T WATCHED 50 OTHER PEOPLE DO THAT RIGHT BEFORE ME.

SO. GOOD MORNING. I'M HERE TO PRESENT TO YOU ON SENATE BILL 1849, WHICH IS A BILL THAT WAS FILED BY SENATOR KOLKHORST DURING THE 88TH LEGISLATIVE SESSION AND PASSED.

AND IF WE CAN MOVE ON TO SLIDE 25.

SO JUST GIVING YOU A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND ABOUT THE LEGISLATION, THE LEGISLATION REQUIRES PARTICIPATING AGENCIES FOR KEY PARTICIPATING AGENCIES HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION, DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY AND PROTECTIVE SERVICES TO THE TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY, AND TJJD TO WORK TOGETHER TO BUILD ESSENTIALLY A SYSTEM THAT CONTRIBUTES INVESTIGATIVE DATA FROM EACH OF THESE AGENCIES TO CREATE A SEARCH ENGINE, AND IT WILL INCLUDE PERSONS WHO HAVE DEFINED REPORTABLE CONDUCT INTO THE SEARCH ENGINE AND JUST WANT TO MAKE A POINT ABOUT REPORTABLE CONDUCT AS DEFINED BY THE LEGISLATION, ESSENTIALLY MEANS THAT THE PERSON HAS EXHAUSTED THEIR DUE PROCESS.

THE PARTICIPATING AGENCIES NEED TO WORK TOGETHER AND ESSENTIALLY UTILIZE THE INFORMATION THAT'S IN THE SEARCH ENGINE TO CONDUCT BACKGROUND CHECKS

[01:20:08]

AND IT ALSO ENABLES AGENCIES TO SHARE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IN ORDER TO MAKE DECISIONS.

SO, IF WE DO FIND A NAME IN THE SEARCH ENGINE AND WE WANT TO CONTACT THAT OTHER AGENCY AND GET SOME ADDITIONAL INVESTIGATIVE HISTORY, IT AUTHORIZES THAT SHARING OF INFORMATION. YOU'LL NOTICE THAT DIR IS LISTED AS A PARTICIPATING AGENCY, THE DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION RESOURCES.

AND ESSENTIALLY, THEY'RE THERE TO WORK WITH US AS A PARTNER TO HELP DEVELOP THE TECHNOLOGY, TO DEVELOP THE SYSTEM THAT THE FOUR AGENCIES WILL USE IN ORDER TO ACCESS THAT INVESTIGATIVE HISTORY.

WE LOVE OUR ACRONYMS. IN STATE GOVERNMENT, THE SYSTEM IS NAMED SEMARC.

YOU CAN GO AHEAD. THANKS, CHERYL.

THIS SYSTEM HAS AN ACRONYM.

WE'RE CALLING IT SEMARC, WHICH STANDS FOR SEARCH ENGINE FOR MULTI-AGENCY REPORTABLE CONDUCT.

SO YOU'LL HEAR ME REFER TO SEMATC DURING THE PRESENTATION.

NO WORRIES.

AND THEN ON SLIDE 26, YOU'LL SEE A GRAPHIC THAT SHOWS YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE DATA THAT WILL BE INCLUDED IN THE SYSTEM BY EACH OF THE PARTICIPATING AGENCIES. SO FOR DPS, WE'LL BE INCLUDING SUSTAINED PERPETRATORS OF CHILD ABUSE, NEGLECT OR EXPLOITATION, BUT SPECIFICALLY IN A REGULATED OR EMPLOYMENT BASED SETTING.

AND I'M GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT LATER ABOUT THE DPS PIECE.

HHC WILL BE INCLUDING PERSONNEL THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THEIR EMPLOYEE MISCONDUCT REGISTRY.

SO THESE ARE PERSONS WHO HAVE COMMITTED ACTS OF ABUSE, NEGLECT OR EXPLOITATION AGAINST INDIVIDUALS IN LONG TERM CARE SETTINGS REGULATED BY HHC.

AND THEN TEA IS GOING TO UTILIZE THEIR DO NOT HIRE REGISTRY, WHICH ARE INDIVIDUALS WHO AREN'T ELIGIBLE TO BE HIRED IN TEXAS PUBLIC SCHOOLS BASED ON FINDINGS OF CHILD ABUSE AND SOLICITATION OF AN IMPROPER RELATIONSHIP WITH A STUDENT AND CERTAIN OTHER CONVICTION CONVICTIONS OF OTHER CERTAIN CRIMES INVOLVING MINORS. AND THEN TJJD DOESN'T CURRENTLY HAVE A REGISTRY, BUT THROUGH THIS PROJECT, THEY'LL BE DEVELOPING ONE.

AND THESE ARE PERSONS WHO HAVE HAD CERTIFICATIONS REVOKED OR WHO HAVE BEEN FOUND TO HAVE BEEN INELIGIBLE FOR CERTIFICATION BASED ON FINDINGS OF ABUSE, NEGLECT OR EXPLOITATION.

I DID WANT TO MENTION A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE TERM SUSTAINED PERPETRATORS FOR DPS.

SO ESSENTIALLY WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT THE INDIVIDUAL HAS EXHAUSTED THEIR DUE PROCESS.

THEY'VE BEEN OFFERED AN OPPORTUNITY FOR DUE PROCESS THROUGH THE STATE OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATIVE HEARINGS, AND THEY'VE EITHER HAD THEIR HEARING AND HAVE BEEN VALIDATED OR UPHELD FOR THAT FINDING, OR THEY'VE WAIVED THEIR RIGHT TO HAVE THAT HEARING.

AND THEN MOVING ON TO SLIDE 27.

THIS GIVES YOU A LITTLE BIT OF MORE INFORMATION ABOUT EACH OF THE FOUR AGENCIES WHO THEY'RE GOING TO SCREEN USING THIS SYSTEM.

SO FOR DPS WE'RE GOING TO USE IT TO SCREEN OUR EMPLOYEES CONTRACTORS OR VOLUNTEERS.

HHS HAS TWO GROUPS.

THEY'RE GOING TO THE REGULATED LONG TERM CARE PROVIDERS ARE GOING TO SCREEN PERSONNEL SEEKING EMPLOYMENT OR CURRENTLY EMPLOYED, AND THEN THEIR BACKGROUND CHECK UNIT IS GOING TO USE IT FOR CHILDCARE POPULATIONS.

THEY DO BACKGROUND CHECKS FOR DAYCARES AND RESIDENTIAL FACILITIES, AND THEY'LL USE THE DATA TO PRESCREEN THOSE INDIVIDUALS, AND THEN THEY WILL USE IT FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES OR CONTRACTED SERVICES IN A SCHOOL DISTRICT, CHARTER SCHOOL, AND IN THOSE VARIOUS POPULATIONS ON THE SLIDE.

AND THEN TJJD WILL USE IT FOR ANY PERSON WHO WILL BE EMPLOYED BY CONTRACT WITH OR VOLUNTEER WITH TJJD, THEIR JUVENILE PROBATION DEPARTMENTS, AND LOCAL JUVENILE AND JUVENILE JUSTICE FACILITIES.

AND THEN MOVING ON TO SLIDE 29.

THE LEGISLATION REQUIRES THE CREATION OF AN OFFICE OF INTERAGENCY COORDINATION FOR REPORTABLE CONDUCT.

AND WE HAVE YET ANOTHER ACRONYM.

WE HAVE BEGUN THE WORK OF STANDING UP THIS OFFICE, AND IT'S WELL UNDERWAY.

WE ARE NAMED AS THE LEAD AGENCY IN THE LEGISLATION.

SO WE WILL BE PARTNERING THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT WITH ALL THE AGENCIES ON ALL OF OUR EFFORTS.

BUT WE WILL BE ASSISTING WITH COORDINATING THE DEVELOPMENT OF ALL THE PROCESSES.

OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS A BRAND NEW PROGRAM, SO WE NEED POLICIES AND PROCEDURES.

WE'RE WORKING WITH THE AGENCIES TO DEVELOP THOSE DATA SHARING AGREEMENTS, HOW WE'RE GOING TO EXCHANGE RECORDS, HOW WE'RE GOING TO SECURE THE INFORMATION AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO MAINTAIN THE SYSTEM ON AN ONGOING BASIS.

WE'RE NOT ONLY NAMED AS THE LEAD AGENCY TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL THOSE PROCEDURES AND POLICIES, BUT ALSO FOR THE TECHNOLOGY AFTER IT'S DEVELOPED AND STOOD UP BY DIR. WE'LL BE SERVING AS THE CENTRAL POINT OF CONTACT.

WE WOULD EXPECT WE COULD HAVE MEDIA INQUIRIES, OPEN RECORDS, REQUESTS, OF COURSE, DATA AND REPORTING THAT MAY NEED BE NEEDED BY THE LEGISLATURE.

[01:25:04]

THE OFFICE HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED.

WE'VE HIRED A COUPLE OF STAFF, INCLUDING A DIRECTOR, TO LEAD THAT WORK.

AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE AN EXECUTIVE STEERING COMMITTEE THAT'S COMPRISED OF KEY LEADERSHIP AT EACH OF THE FOUR AGENCIES, INCLUDING DER, ESSENTIALLY TO SET THE STRATEGY AND DIRECTION FOR THE PROJECT AND THEN MOVING ON TO SLIDE 30.

THIS JUST GIVES YOU A LITTLE BIT OF INFORMATION ABOUT AN MOU THAT WE'RE IN PROCESS FOR DEVELOPING.

THIS IS ALSO REQUIRED BY THE LEGISLATION, AND IT HAS SOME KEY AREAS DATA EXCHANGE GOVERNANCE, THE ROLE OF THE COORDINATION OFFICE AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO HANDLE THE ONGOING SYSTEM MANAGEMENT.

AND THEN SLIDE MY DOCUMENTS GOT OUT OF ORDER.

SLIDE 31.

THIS IS A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WHERE WE'RE AT ESSENTIALLY WITH THE PROJECT.

DURING THE ADA SESSION, THERE WAS A CONTINGENCY RIDER THAT APPROPRIATED $8 MILLION DIRECTLY TO THE DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION RESOURCES, REQUIRED US TO WORK ON DEVELOPING AN ASSESSMENT, INITIALLY TO DETERMINE THE FRAMEWORK FOR THE PROJECT AND THE TIMELINE.

AND ONCE THE ASSESSMENT WAS COMPLETED IN JUNE, THEN DIR HIRED DELOITTE TO BEGIN WORK ON DEVELOPING THE TECHNOLOGY AND TO BE ABLE TO PASS THE FUNDING DOWN TO THE RESPECTIVE AGENCIES TO DO ANY TECHNOLOGY WORK, BOTH AT THE AGENCY AND THROUGH TO DELOITTE, TO DEVELOP THE SYSTEM.

WE DID RECEIVE A SMALL PORTION OF THAT 8 MILLION, APPROXIMATELY $624,000.

ESSENTIALLY, THAT ALLOWS US TO COMPLETE SOME OF OUR INITIAL PHASES OF THE TECHNOLOGY WORK THAT WE NEED TO DO ON OUR SIDE TO FULLY GET THIS ROLLED OUT. AND SO, JUST TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE IDEA OF THE TIMELINE DELOITTE WILL BE RELEASING IN ABOUT MAY OF 25 THE INITIAL PHASE OF THE SYSTEM THAT WILL INCLUDE THE DATA FROM A COUPLE OF THE AGENCIES.

AND THEN DEPENDING ON FUNDING, I'M GOING TO TALK IN A MOMENT, A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT OUR EXCEPTIONAL ITEM.

WE WILL ESSENTIALLY NEED SOME ADDITIONAL RESOURCES, BOTH STAFF AND SOME TECHNOLOGY FUNDING, TO FINISH THE PROJECT AND FULLY IMPLEMENT AND THEN MOVING ON TO SLIDE 32.

THIS JUST GIVES YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE INFORMATION.

AGAIN, AS THE LEAD AGENCY, WE WILL BE RESPONSIBLE NOT JUST FOR REQUESTING FUNDING FOR OUR STAFF THAT WE WILL NEED TO IMPLEMENT THE PROJECT, BUT ALSO ANY FUNDING THAT'S NEEDED FOR TECHNOLOGY TO MAINTAIN THE SYSTEM ONCE IT'S STOOD UP.

SO THAT'S THE CONCLUSION OF MY PRESENTATION.

DID YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I DON'T BELIEVE THERE ARE ANY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU.

I'M GOING TO TRY AND LEARN WHAT THOSE VARIOUS ACRONYMS WERE FOR.

WE'RE GOING TO CHANGE THE PROGRAM JUST A LITTLE BIT.

[VI. EMPLOYEE & COMMUNITY RECOGNITION]

SHE'LL BE PRESENTING THE COMMISSIONER'S AWARD OF EXCELLENCE.

SO WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT, AND THEN WE'LL COMPLETE THE OTHER TWO AFTER THAT.

THANK YOU. JUDGE HELMS, I AM GOING TO PRESENT THE AWARDS.

I THINK WE'RE GOING TO DO PHOTOS.

ROBERT, WOULD IT BE EASIER FOR ME TO COME DOWN THERE? DO WE? IS THERE? WE GOT A MIC DOWN THERE.

OKAY.

THANK YOU.

NO, I NEED THAT.

OKAY. THANK YOU EVERYBODY.

I WANT TO INTRODUCE SOME RECIPIENTS OF THE COMMISSIONER'S AWARD OF EXCELLENCE.

SO FIRST I WANTED TO SHARE WHAT THAT IS, THE AWARD OF EXCELLENCE RECOGNIZES STAFF MEMBERS AND OUR EXTERNAL PARTNERS WHO HAVE GONE TO EXTRAORDINARY LENGTHS TO PROTECT THE UNPROTECTED AND SERVE OUR STAKEHOLDERS.

THEY'VE SHOWN A STRONG DEDICATION TO THE AGENCY AND OUR MISSION, AND ANY EMPLOYEE CAN NOMINATE A COWORKER OR EXTERNAL PARTNER.

THE DPS AWARDS REVIEW BOARD REVIEWS THE NOMINATIONS, AND THEN THEY MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO ME TO SELECT THE WINNERS.

AND THIS AWARD WAS FIRST PRESENTED IN 2017.

SO TODAY I HAVE THREE AWARDS TO PRESENT.

THE FIRST ONE IS TO THE FELLOWSHIP OF PARKS HOPE WORKS BED BUILD MINISTRY.

[01:30:03]

AND THIS IS FOR ROGER GIBSON, MARRIAGE AND FAMILY PASTOR.

SO THE HOPE WORKS.

BED BUILD. MINISTRY OF FELLOWSHIP OF THE PARKS CHURCH SUPPORTS CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN NEED BY PROVIDING ESSENTIAL ITEMS LIKE PACK AND PLAYS, SPACE HEATERS, BEDS, TODDLER BEDS, CRIBS, BEDDING, CLOTHING, PERSONAL CARE ITEMS, TOYS AND STORAGE SPACE FOR DONATIONS TO THE CHURCH.

THE CHURCH'S ANNUAL BED BUILDING DAYS INVITE OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO LEARN HOW TO BUILD BEDS IN THEIR COMMUNITIES.

THE ORPHAN CARE MINISTRY OFFERS PROGRAMING FOR ADOPTION, FOSTER CARE, AND RESOURCE ASSISTANCE FOR FAMILIES.

THE CHURCH HAS PROVIDED DPS CASEWORKER APPRECIATION GIFTS, HAS DONATED SPACE FOR THE AGENCY STAFF TO MEET OR TRAIN, AND HAS SET UP RESOURCE ROOMS FOR CASEWORKERS TO MEET THE IMMEDIATE PHYSICAL NEEDS OF CHILDREN.

YOUR DEDICATION TO PROTECT OUR MOST VULNERABLE POPULATION IS A BEACON OF EXCELLENCE ACROSS THE DEPARTMENT AND THE STATE OF TEXAS, AND THIS IS NOT WORK THAT WE CAN DO ALONE, NONE OF US.

SO WE APPRECIATE VALUE AND HONOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP AND ARE PROUD TO PRESENT YOU WITH THIS AWARD.

TODAY, WE'RE GOING TO DO ANOTHER PICTURE FIRST.

OUR NEXT AWARD GOES TO FOSTER VILLAGE IN WACO, AND MANDY VASQUEZ IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.

SO IN THE FIRST FIVE YEARS AFTER THE FOSTER VILLAGE OF WACO OPENED, THE ORGANIZATION HAD ASSEMBLED OVER 560 WELCOME PACKS FOR FOSTER CHILD PLACEMENTS.

THESE KIDS ARE SPECIFIC TO THE NEEDS OF THE FAMILY AND INCLUDE ITEMS LIKE CLOTHING, HYGIENE KITS, BOOKS, TOYS, BLANKETS, AND STUFFED ANIMALS, ALLOWING THE PLACEMENT TO FOCUS ON CHILDREN RATHER THAN A SHOPPING LIST.

THE ORGANIZATION ALSO OFFERS SUPPORT GROUPS FOR FAMILIES AND REGULARLY HOST EVENTS LIKE THE LIKE, CAREGIVER GATHERINGS, PARENTS' NIGHTS OUT, PLAYDATES, AND FAMILY GATHERINGS.

FOSTER VILLAGE OF WACO HAS TWO BRANCH FOUNDERS ARE GUIDED AND MOTIVATED BY THEIR OWN EXPERIENCE AS KINSHIP FOSTER AND ADOPTIVE PARENTS.

PARENTS, YOUR DEDICATION TO PROTECT OUR MOST VULNERABLE POPULATION IS A BEACON OF EXCELLENCE ACROSS THE DEPARTMENT AND THE STATE OF TEXAS, AND WE TRULY APPRECIATE YOUR PARTNERSHIP.

[01:35:51]

BONNIE HELLAMS HAS DEDICATED OVER 40 YEARS TO WORKING WITH INDIVIDUALS, CHILDREN AND FAMILIES AS A MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPIST, ADDICTION COUNSELOR AND A JUDGE.

WHAT A GREAT COMBINATION.

SHE STARTED HER CAREER IN HIGHER EDUCATION, WENT TO LAW SCHOOL AT NIGHT, AND PRACTICED LAW FOR TEN YEARS.

SHE THEN SERVED FOR 20 YEARS AS A JUDGE FOR THE 247TH FAMILY DISTRICT COURT IN HARRIS COUNTY.

ONE OF HER MOST NOTABLE ACCOMPLISHMENTS WAS STARTING A FAMILY DRUG COURT IN 2004.

IN ADDITION, SHE BEGAN THE INFANTS AND TODDLER COURT IN 2009, WHICH HEARS CASES INVOLVING ALLEGATIONS OF ABUSE AND NEGLECT DUE TO SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER AND WORKS WITH CPS TO REUNITE FAMILIES WHENEVER POSSIBLE AFTER TREATMENT IS COMPLETE.

JUDGE HELMS WAS APPOINTED TO THE FAMILY AND PROTECTIVE SERVICES COUNCIL IN 2018, AND NAMED THE CHAIR IN 2019.

WE ARE SO GRATEFUL FOR THE PERSPECTIVE THAT SHE BROUGHT TO DPS FOR THE LAST SIX YEARS, AND YOUR DEDICATION TO PROTECT THE MOST VULNERABLE POPULATION AS A BEACON OF EXCELLENCE ACROSS THE DEPARTMENT AND THE STATE OF TEXAS.

AND I ALSO JUST WANT TO THANK YOU PERSONALLY FOR BEING SUCH A GREAT COUNCIL CHAIR, ADVISOR AND MENTOR FOR MYSELF.

AND I SEE THE REST OF THE COUNCIL IS ALSO NODDING THEIR HEAD.

WE REALLY APPRECIATE THAT YOU WALK THE WALK AND EVERYTHING THAT YOU HAVE DONE FOR THE STATE OF TEXAS, AND OUR I'M HONORED TO HAVE GOTTEN TO WORK WITH YOU AND TO KNOW YOU.

SO, I'D LIKE TO PRESENT YOU WITH THE COMMISSIONER'S AWARD OF EXCELLENCE.

SO I'M GOING TO TRY NOT TO CRY.

ALSO, MINE IS NOT AS FORMAL JUDGE.

BUT WHO? AND THIS WILL BE HARD. BUT.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO THIS WELL, ARE WE? OKAY. OOH.

SO I'VE ACTUALLY HAVE HAD THE HONOR OF WORKING WITH JUDGE HELMS IN HELPING START THE INFANT TODDLER COURT BACK IN.

WHO KNOWS WHEN 2007.

I THINK WE STARTED THE WORK.

AND I HAVE TO SAY, THE FIRST TIME I WAS IN HER COURT, I'M LIKE, THERE'S NO WAY I'M WORKING WITH HER.

SHE'S REALLY SCARY.

AND SHE SENDS PEOPLE TO JAIL WHEN THEY LIE TO HER.

AND THEN AND THEN I SAW HER COME DOWN FROM THE BENCH AND CRY WITH MOMS AND DADS WITH CPS WORKERS AND HUG THEM.

SO, OOH, A COUPLE OF THINGS IS THAT I GUESS I'VE ALWAYS DESCRIBED HER WITH FOCUSING ON ACCOUNTABILITY WITH

[01:40:08]

OKAY, SO MAYBE ON A LIGHTER NOTE AND I'LL TRY.

SO, I DON'T KNOW, SOME OF YOU.

SO WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS WORK IN THIS JOURNEY FOR SEVERAL YEARS.

WE HAD THIS OPPORTUNITY FOR MANY YEARS.

WE HAD IT WAS CALLED THE KIDS CONFERENCE.

AND ACTUALLY, PROVIDED TRAINING.

WE DID IT FOR TEN YEARS.

IT WAS CALLED KEEPING INFANTS AND TODDLERS SAFE, HEALING THE YOUNGEST VICTIMS. AND WE WOULD PROVIDE TRAINING TO CPS PROVIDERS' CAUSE.

AND IT WAS FASCINATING.

WE DID IT AT NO COST.

AND WE CONTINUED THAT JOURNEY AND IT WAS REALLY A REMARKABLE JOURNEY THAT ONE OF THE ONE OF OUR THEMES, WHICH WAS ACTUALLY VERY FUN, WAS HOW DO YOU GET CHILDREN BACK HOME? SO WE THOUGHT THE WIZARD OF OZ, YOU KNOW, FOLLOW THE YELLOW BRICK ROAD AND YOU WERE THE WITCH, BY THE WAY.

YEAH. AND I THINK THE PREVIOUS COMMISSIONER ACTUALLY GAVE YOU A BROOM.

RIGHT. I BELIEVE, OR HER HUSBAND, WHO HAS ALWAYS STOOD BY HER SIDE, WAS.

WERE YOU THE LION OR THE SCARECROW? SCARECROW. RIGHT.

AND TOMMY AUSTIN, WHO ACTUALLY STARTED MAKE-A-WISH FOUNDATION AND WORKS WITH SANTA MARIA, WAS THE TIN MAN AND ONE OF THE ATTORNEYS THAT WAS ACTUALLY ON THE BOARD OF THE FAMILY DRUG COURT WAS ACTUALLY THE LION THAT OUR THEME WAS THAT IT ACTUALLY TAKES THE KNOWLEDGE TO DO THIS WORK, THE COURAGE AND THE HEART.

OKAY. WHICH OBVIOUSLY YOU HAVE ALL OF THEM.

SO I GAVE YOU ONE OF THESE A LONG TIME AGO, BUT YOU MIGHT HAVE LOST THEM IN YOUR PACKING.

BUT YOU HAVE ANOTHER PAIR, AND I THINK YOUR SIZE OF RUBY RED SLIPPERS, IN CASE YOU EVER WANT TO COME BACK HOME.

WE DO THAT VERY WELL.

SORRY. YES.

HERE THEY ARE. SO, YOU CAN JUST CLICK THEM AND COME BACK HOME.

THANK YOU. YES.

AND WE HAVE A CARD.

SORRY. THAT WAS.

LET ME GIVE YOU THE MIC.

I'M SO GRATEFUL THAT I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH YOU GUYS, AND TO WATCH AS YOU FOUGHT CRUD IN THE NEWSPAPER, BLAMING YOU FOR STUFF THAT SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN DONE, SO HELPING YOU TO GROW, AND WATCHING THE SECONDARY TRAUMA THAT MANY OF YOU HAVE BEEN THROUGH IN WORKING THROUGH THESE CASES, BECAUSE YOU SEE SOME OF THE HARDEST STUFF I. I SAW IT TOO, AND IT WAS INCREDIBLY PAINFUL.

BUT I'M ALMOST 82 AND I'M, I STILL HAVE GAS IN THE TANK.

AND I FIGURE AS LONG AS GOD'S GOING TO LOAD THE GAS TANK, I NEED TO DRIVE THIS PUPPY.

SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT GOD HAS INTENDED FOR ME WHEN I GET TO TENNESSEE, BUT I WILL NEVER FORGET WORKING WITH YOU ALL AND THE REALLY GOOD, INCREDIBLE WORK THAT YOU DO.

I'M JUST SO PROUD OF ALL OF YOU FOR STANDING UP AND DEFENDING THESE KIDS AND HELPING FAMILIES GET BACK TOGETHER AGAIN.

GOD BLESS ALL OF YOU AND MERRY CHRISTMAS.

THANK YOU. IT'S A GOOD GROUP.

THANK YOU.

[01:45:49]

ONE MORE THING TO PRESENT TO YOU.

AND THAT IS A PROCLAMATION FROM THE GOVERNOR.

SO I AM GOING TO LET ROBERT READ THIS, THE PROCLAMATION FROM GOVERNOR ABBOTT.

TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE.

THIS OFFICIAL RECOGNITION IS PRESENTED TO THE HONORABLE BONNIE HELMS OF THE TEXAS FAMILY AND PROTECTIVE SERVICES COUNCIL.

AS GOVERNOR, I OFFER EARNEST GRATITUDE FOR YOUR SERVICE TO THE STATE OF TEXAS.

AT THE VERY HEART OF THE TEXAS SPIRIT LIES A DESIRE TO SERVE OUR FELLOW MAN.

AND YOU HAVE EMBODIED THIS ETHOS PERSONALLY AND PROFESSIONALLY, WITH COMPETENCE AND COMMITMENT IN EQUAL MEASURE.

YOU HAVE IMPROVED THE LIVES OF TEXAS FAMILIES BY PROMOTING SAFETY AND SECURITY OF CHILDREN AND VULNERABLE ADULTS.

AND YOUR EXPERTISE WAS OF GREAT VALUE TO THE TEXAS FAMILY AND PROTECTIVE SERVICES COUNCIL.

TIME AND AGAIN YOU PROVED YOURSELF WORTHY OF THE CONSIDERABLE TRUST OF THE PEOPLE THAT THE PEOPLE OF TEXAS PLACED IN YOU.

I WAS PROUD TO APPOINT YOU AS CHAIR OF THIS COUNCIL, AND I REMAIN PROUD TO CALL YOU A FELLOW TEXAN.

AS YOUR TIME ON THE TEXAS FAMILY AND PROTECTIVE SERVICES COUNCIL DRAWS TO A CLOSE, I HOPE YOU FEEL DEEP SATISFACTION IN YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS.

THEY WILL ECHO THROUGHOUT THE AGES LONG.

FIRST LADY CECILIA ABBOTT JOINS ME IN EXTENDING WARMEST WISHES FOR A FRUITFUL FUTURE.

SIGNED THIS 29TH DAY OF OCTOBER 2024.

GREG ABBOTT, GOVERNOR OF TEXAS.

OKAY. MARTA.

MARTA. HI.

[IV. AGENCY UPDATE (Part 2 of 2)]

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

THANK YOU. YEAH.

I'M MARTA TALBOT, I'M THE CPI ASSOCIATE COMMISSIONER.

AND TODAY I'M HERE TO TALK TO YOU ALL A LITTLE BIT ABOUT KINSHIP EFFORTS.

AND I'LL SPECIFICALLY KIND OF FOCUS ON KINSHIP AT FIRST PLACEMENT.

SO WE KNOW ABOUT 40% OF OUR CHILDREN, ONCE THEY ENTER FOSTER CARE ARE PLACED WITH KINSHIP.

BUT OUR GOAL IN THE INVESTIGATION STAGE IS HOW CAN WE IMPROVE AND INCREASE AT THE BEGINNING OF A REMOVAL OR AT THE TIME OF REMOVAL AND FIRST PLACEMENT? SO A FEW THINGS IS THAT DEFINITELY OUR GOALS ARE TO INCREASE CHILDREN PLACED WITH KINSHIP AT THE TIME OF REMOVAL.

WE WANT TO INCREASE CHILDREN IF WE CAN, AT THE TIME OF REMOVAL, AS THEIR FIRST PLACEMENT WITHIN THE FIRST 14 DAYS, AND THEN ABSOLUTELY KIND OF PROVIDING THAT SUPPORT AND THAT HELP AT THE VERY BEGINNING TO KINSHIP WHEN WE PLACE.

THE NATIONAL AVERAGE YOU CAN SEE FOR KINSHIP AS FIRST PLACEMENT.

WE'RE RIGHT THERE AT 34%.

WE KNOW THAT BECAUSE THE, THE, THE AVERAGE OF STATE OF TEXAS IS ABOUT 40% OF THE LIFE OF THE CASE FOR THE CHILD TO BE PLACED WITH THE RELATIVE.

WE LOOKED AT THIS AND WE'RE LIKE, WE NEED TO SET OUR OWN GOALS TO IMPROVE THAT FIRST PLACEMENT.

AND MAYBE WE CAN GET UP TO 40% OR SOMEWHERE AROUND THERE AT THE VERY BEGINNING VERSUS THE LIFE OF THAT CHILD IN CPS.

AND SO THIS IS WHAT WE'VE LOOKED LIKE OVER TIME FROM 2019.

YOU CAN SEE WE STAY RIGHT IN THAT 3635.

AND WE'RE ABOUT 34% FOR THE LAST TWO FISCAL YEARS OF PLACING WITH KINSHIP AS THE FIRST PLACEMENT.

[01:50:08]

WE MOVED THEM TO STATE OFFICE.

WE THOUGHT THIS WOULD HELP US WITH PROVIDING SUPPORT TO REGIONS.

BASICALLY, BEING ABLE TO GIVE REGIONS FEEDBACK, LOOK AT THE BARRIERS WITHIN EACH REGION TRAIN, DEVELOP, DEVELOP POLICY, LOOK AT DATA, REALLY JUST KIND OF THAT COHESION TO BRING EVERYTHING INTO STATE OFFICE SO WE CAN KIND OF HELP THE REGIONS AS THEY MOVE THROUGH SOME OF THESE STRATEGIES.

WE'VE ALSO DID WE ALSO DO KINSHIP FOCUSED MEETINGS.

WE HAVE STARTED THOSE WHERE BASICALLY WE PULL IN PARENTS ANY RELATIVES.

WE START ASKING A LOT OF QUESTIONS AT THESE KINSHIP FOCUSED MEETINGS SUCH AS LIKE GRANDMOTHERS, AUNTS, UNCLES, LIKE JUST TRY TO BUILD A FAMILY TREE BASICALLY.

SO OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE WE CAN TALK TO AND GET TO KNOW AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE INVESTIGATION OR AT MAYBE, POSSIBLY AT THE END IF WE'RE DETERMINING REMOVAL, WE AT THAT TIME, WE KIND OF START HELPING WITH BARRIERS WITH THE FAMILY START ACTION PLANNING WITH THE FAMILY.

JUST KIND OF WORKING THROUGH SOME OF THE CONCERNS OR MAYBE NEEDS THAT THE FAMILY MAY HAVE.

WE'VE ALSO BEGAN UTILIZING OUR TEAM AND OUR SPECIAL INVESTIGATORS TO ACTUALLY GO OUT AND LOCATE POTENTIAL CAREGIVERS.

MAYBE WE DON'T HAVE PHONE NUMBERS.

MAYBE WE HAVE AN ADDRESS.

AND SO WE AT THE TIME WE HAVE THAT KINSHIP FOCUS MEETING AND MAYBE WE HAVE NAMES, WE HAVE FGDC AND OUR SPECIAL INVESTIGATORS THAT ACTUALLY START MAKING PHONE CALLS, GOING TO ADDRESSES TO SEE IF WE CANNOT LOCATE FAMILY RELATIVES, FICTIVE KINSHIP, DIFFERENT PEOPLE.

THE FAMILY IS NAMED WHO MAY HAVE A SIGNIFICANT INTEREST OR WANT TO BE INVOLVED IN THIS CHILD'S LIFE.

AND THEN WE'RE ALSO REALLY LOOKING AT CURRENTLY PAIRING OUR KINSHIP DIVISION LIKE THE DEVELOPMENT WORKERS AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE PLACEMENT.

SO, YOU KNOW, THEY ARE ASSIGNED THROUGHOUT THE CASE, BUT WE ARE WANTING TO PULL THEM IN AT THE VERY BEGINNING.

WE ACTUALLY INVITE THEM INTO OUR KINSHIP FOCUS MEETINGS SO THEY CAN START COLLABORATING WITH THAT FAMILY AT THAT TIME.

AND IT BE THAT DAY, THE SAME DAY AS PLACEMENT AND REALLY HAVING THAT FOCUS FOR OUR KINSHIP.

AND I DON'T KNOW.

OKAY. AND THEN FOR OUR HIGH ACUITY CASES, WE ALSO ARE PREPARING OUR MENTAL HEALTH SPECIALIST TO HELP PAIR WITH NOT ONLY THE PROVIDERS, BUT ALSO WITH THE FAMILY THAT MAYBE HAS TAKEN ON THESE CHILDREN SO THEY CAN REALLY HELP KIND OF PAIR THEM, MAKE SURE THERE'S A GOOD TREATMENT PLAN, MAKE SURE THEIR NEEDS ARE MET.

AND IT'S REALLY KIND OF THAT SURROUND SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR THE KINSHIP PROVIDER.

WE'RE ALSO INCREASING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN STATE OFFICE AND OUR REGIONAL LEADERSHIP, REALLY TO KIND OF HELP STABILIZE THOSE KINSHIP CARE PLACEMENTS. WE'RE ALSO DOING TRAININGS.

OF COURSE, WE'VE WORKED WITH CPS AND WE'RE DOING CO-TRAININGS TO ALL OUR FRONTLINE STAFF REGARDING KINSHIP CARE.

AND THEN WE ARE DEVELOPING AN ALL INCLUSIVE KINSHIP WEBPAGE WHERE THEY CAN GO FOR RESOURCES, SOURCES, PLACEMENTS, DOCUMENTS.

AND SO WE'RE HOPING THAT IS UP LIVE IN JANUARY OF 2025 FOR KIND OF A ONE STOP SHOP THAT SOMEONE CAN GO TO AND SAY, WHAT ARE THE RESOURCES FOR KINSHIP? WHAT ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE CAN PROVIDE OUR KINSHIP FAMILIES THAT WILL HELP OUR WORKERS AS WELL AS KINSHIP? THE OTHER THING I DIDN'T MENTION, I THINK IS IMPORTANT WHEN WE DO OUR KINSHIP FINDERS AND WE HAVE THAT FAMILY TEAM MEETING, ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS WE ARE STARTING TO DO IS REALLY FOCUSING ON FOR THAT KINSHIP, FOR THE FICTIVE KIN, FOR THAT PERSON, REALLY FOCUS ON WHAT ARE THEIR NEEDS, RIGHT? LIKE WHAT ARE THE NEEDS RIGHT THEN.

SO IF THAT'S DIAPERS, IF THAT'S A BED, IF WHAT IF WHAT DID THEY WHAT ARE THEIR WORRIES FOR TAKING ON THESE CHILDREN.

WHAT ARE YOU KNOW, WHAT CAN WE DO TO HELP THEM.

SO REALLY KIND OF RIGHT OUT THE FRONT GATE OF HELPING THEM, PROVIDING THAT SUPPORT.

SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN STABILIZE THAT PLACEMENT AND IT'LL BE A GOOD, SAFE PLACE UNTIL THOSE CHILDREN ARE ABLE TO REUNITE WITH THEIR PARENTS.

OKAY. ANY QUESTIONS? ALL RIGHT.

DOESN'T WANT ME TO TALK HERE.

OKAY. THANK YOU.

I JUST WANTED TO ADD, IN ADDITION TO MARTY'S EFFORTS ON KINSHIP, WE HAVE A COUPLE OF BIG CHANGES THAT ARE ABOUT TO OCCUR.

[01:55:05]

THAT RATE NEARLY DOUBLES STARTING ON JANUARY 1ST.

SO THAT'S ALSO A HELPFUL RESOURCE TO OUR KINSHIP FAMILIES.

AND THEN RELATED TO THAT, WE'VE BEEN WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION AND THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ALWAYS HAD THE REQUIREMENT THAT YOU COULD NOT HAVE SEPARATE STANDARDS FOR YOUR KINSHIP LICENSURE.

AND THEY RECENTLY CHANGED THAT TO ALLOW STATES THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADOPT SEPARATE KINSHIP STANDARDS.

THOSE DRAFT RULES ARE IF THEY HAVEN'T BEEN RELEASED, THEY'RE ABOUT TO BE RELEASED BY THE HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION WITH THE EXPECTATION THAT THEY WOULD GO LIVE SOMETIME EARLY FALL NEXT YEAR.

AND I THINK WHEN THOSE RULES ARE RELEASED, WHAT YOU WILL SEE IS IT WAS IT WAS NOT ABOUT LOOKING AT THE CURRENT LICENSING STANDARDS AND SEEING WHAT COULD BE REMOVED.

IT WAS REALLY A FRESH START TO SAY, WHAT DO WE ABSOLUTELY NEED TO HAVE TO ENSURE HEALTH AND SAFETY AND MEET THE FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS THAT EXIST.

SO THEY LOOK VERY DIFFERENT THAN OUR CURRENT LICENSURE ENSURE REQUIREMENTS, WHICH I THINK IS GOING TO BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY AND REMOVE BARRIERS.

AND THEN THAT THAT PROVIDES MORE PEOPLE A PATHWAY TO RECEIVE THAT FULL KINSHIP RATE.

SO I THINK THERE'S THERE IS A LOT OF ACTIVITY AND FOCUS AROUND KINSHIP, IN ADDITION TO THE WORK THAT THAT THE INVESTIGATIONS TEAM IS DOING TO INCREASE THAT KINSHIP AT FIRST PLACEMENT.

AND ARE WE DOING TRAUMA TRAINING FOR THE PEOPLE, THE KINSHIP FOLKS THAT ARE TAKING OVER THESE KIDS? PLEASE DO. BECAUSE THE LAST THING THESE KIDS NEED AFTER HAVING BEEN TAKEN AWAY FROM THEIR PARENTS, WHICH IS TRAUMA, AND I DON'T CARE HOW HORRIBLE THE PARENT WAS, THEY WANT TO BE WITH THEIR PARENTS.

WE ALL WANTED TO BE WITH OUR PARENTS.

WE WANTED THEM TO BE GOOD PARENTS.

BUT EVEN IF THEY WEREN'T, WE WANTED TO BE WITH OUR PARENTS.

AND SO CONSEQUENTLY, IF WE HAVE A KINSHIP PLACEMENT, THAT'S ABOUT MAYBE THE CLOSEST WE'LL GET TO HAVING OUR PARENTS.

BUT IF THEY ACT UP AND THEY GO I AIN'T MESSING WITH THIS, I TAKE THEM BACK.

THAT'S ANOTHER TRAUMA THAT JUST ADDS SO IT LET THEM GET SOME HELP ON IDENTIFYING THAT IN ADVANCE.

YES, ABSOLUTELY.

I PUT THAT DOWN. AND I ALSO I HAD HEARD YOU EARLIER TO KIND OF TALK ABOUT THE FAMILY PRESERVATION COUNCIL, SO I PUT THAT ON MY TO DO LIST AS WELL TO CHECK THAT OUT AND SEE IF THERE'S SOME OTHER THINGS THAT WE MIGHT NOT NEED TO KIND OF ADD TO OUR PLAN TO IMPROVE OUR KINSHIP PLACEMENTS.

I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WORKING ON THIS.

AS I SAID EARLIER, I WAS PLACED BACK INTO THE SYSTEM BY MY GRANDMOTHER BECAUSE SHE DID NOT HAVE THE SUPPORT, AND I AGED OUT OF FOSTER CARE.

AND SO TO KNOW IN 2020, FOR ALL THE WORK THAT Y'ALL HAVE DONE TO ENSURE THAT FAMILIES HAVE THE SUPPORT THEY NEED, I'M SO THANKFUL FOR THAT BECAUSE IT WAS NON-EXISTENT. A COUPLE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANT TO KIND OF BRING TO THE FOREFRONT FOR YOU TO KIND OF THINK ABOUT IN THE GROUP, TO THINK ABOUT, IS THAT THERE WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT, LIKE, COMMUNITIES AND HOW THEY RESPOND TO THE POLICE AND THE THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED WITH THE POLICE, WE HAVE TO REALLY PEEL THAT LAYER BACK OF BUILDING TRUST.

AND TO REALLY UNDERSTAND THE HURT AND THE HARM THAT HAS BEEN DONE TO THE COMMUNITY.

AND I THINK THAT WE CAN COME AND TRY TO DO FAMILY FINDING AND WE COULD TRY AND SAY, HEY, WE HAVE THIS PERSON HERE, CAN YOU TAKE THEM IN? BUT THE COMMUNITY DOESN'T TRUST CPS.

THE COMMUNITY DOES NOT WANT CPS IN THEIR HOMES, IN THEIR LIFE.

THEY DON'T WANT TO BE EXPOSED BECAUSE THEY'RE LIKE, OKAY, IF I ALLOW THESE PEOPLE IN, WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO MY FAMILY? WHAT AM I GOING TO OPEN MY FAMILY UP TO? SO I THINK THAT THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME TYPE OF LIKE COMMUNITY FORUMS ON, LIKE, HOW CAN WE BUILD TRUST SO THAT FAMILY FINDING PROCESS WOULD WORK BECAUSE AS A PERSON THAT WAS A KINSHIP PROVIDER, I CLOSED MY HOME AND I SAID, I WILL NOT ACCEPT ANYBODY IN MY HOME EVER AGAIN BECAUSE OF THE SYSTEM, NOT BECAUSE I DON'T CARE ABOUT THE KIDS, NOT BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO DO THE WORK.

[02:00:01]

AND I SAID, I'M HERE TRYING TO HELP.

BUT THEY LIKE I REMEMBER THE CASEWORKER TELLING ME IF I COULD SLEEP AT NIGHT KNOWING THAT THE JUDGE WOULD RETURN THE KIDS.

AND I SAID, HOW DARE YOU? MY JOB IS NOT TO TAKE MY COUSIN'S KIDS AND HER RIGHTS AWAY.

SO JUST THE LANGUAGE WE USE WITH RELATIVES I THINK IS IMPORTANT.

WHAT WE'VE USED HISTORICALLY, WHAT WE THE LANGUAGE WE WANT TO USE IN THE FUTURE WITH RELATIVES, I THINK IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.

THE OTHER THING IS IT'S ONE THING TO KNOW TRAUMA EXISTS.

AND SO I'M SO HAPPY THAT JUDGE HELMS BROUGHT IT TO YOUR ATTENTION ABOUT TRAUMA TRAINING.

BUT IT'S LIKE ONCE I KNOW THE TRAUMA EXISTS, HOW AM I GOING TO SUSTAIN? BECAUSE IT'S GOOD TO KNOW THAT THEY HAVE A BEHAVIOR ISSUE AND WHY.

BUT WHAT AM I GOING TO DO TO SUSTAIN? BECAUSE WITH CHILD WELFARE, RESTORATIVE WORK THAT I DO, THAT IS SOME OF THE STUFF THAT WE DO ABOUT HOW DO WE HOW DO WE PRESERVE THAT FAMILY SPACE? BECAUSE THEY ARE GOING TO SAY, I DON'T WANT TO DEAL WITH THIS.

IT'S PLENTY OF TIMES THAT I WAS GOING TO SAY, I DON'T WANT TO DEAL WITH THIS, BUT BECAUSE I WENT THROUGH FOSTER CARE AND I KNOW THE HELL THAT I WENT THROUGH IN FOSTER CARE, I COULDN'T FATHOM LETTING MY COUSINS GO THROUGH WHAT I WENT THROUGH.

BUT IF IT WASN'T FOR ME HAVING LIVED EXPERIENCE, I WOULD HAVE RETURNED THEM IN A QUICK HEARTBEAT BECAUSE OF THE SYSTEM.

ANOTHER THING WITH KINSHIP FAMILIES.

I SAT THERE AND I HAD NO VOICE.

I HAD NO ATTORNEY, I HAD, I WAS POWERLESS, BUT I WAS ASKED TO MAKE DECISIONS, COURT DECISIONS.

I WAS IN MEDIATION.

I HAD NOBODY THERE TO HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHAT MEDIATION IS, WHAT AM I SIGNING UP FOR? AND SO I LOVE THE FACT THAT YOU ALL TALKED ABOUT HAVING A WEBSITE, BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES WHEN I TALK TO KINSHIP FAMILIES, IT DEPENDS ON WHO THEY'RE TALKING TO, WHAT INFORMATION THEY GET. AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT EVERYBODY GETS THE SAME INFORMATION.

EVERYBODY IS AFFORDED THE SAME OPPORTUNITY TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON AND WHAT THEY'RE WALKING INTO.

BECAUSE IF THEY DON'T HAVE A GOOD RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CAREGIVER THAT'S BEING REMOVED, THEY ARE BLINDSIDED.

I NEVER KNEW WHY THE KIDS CAME INTO CARE.

I NEVER KNEW HOW MANY PLACEMENTS THEY WERE IN.

I NEVER KNEW ANYTHING UNTIL MY COUSIN TOLD ME.

BUT WHAT IF I DIDN'T HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH HER? SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE THE CAREGIVER TO KNOW LEGALLY WHAT IS HAPPENING.

LIKE CAREGIVERS DON'T EVEN UNDERSTAND.

12 MONTHS, 18 MONTHS, THE LEGAL CASE.

AND SO JUST REALLY MAKING SURE THEY UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON AND JUST MAKING SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID EARLIER, THE KIDS WERE NOT PLACED WITH ME BECAUSE THE HOME STUDY, THERE WAS A SHORTAGE IN KINSHIP HOME STUDY COORDINATORS.

SO JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE ALL THESE THINGS IN PLACE.

AND THEN ONE LAST THING THAT I'VE BEEN TOLD BY KINSHIP CAREGIVERS IS THAT ALL OF THIS, LIKE SUPPORT, IS GIVEN IN THE RIGHT IN THE BEGINNING, BUT THEN ONCE THEY'RE PLACED IN CPS IS NO LONGER INVOLVED AND THINGS HAPPEN, THEY DON'T HAVE ANYONE TO TURN TO.

AND SO THAT'S REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT.

AND FOR MIDDLE CLASS PEOPLE, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TOO, BECAUSE WHEN I FIRST TOOK MY COUSINS IN, I WAS MAKING LESS THAN $30,000 AS A SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKER.

I COULD NOT.

THEY TOLD ME I MADE $5 TWO MONTHS TO GET TOO MUCH TO GET FOOD STAMPS, BUT I WENT FROM ZERO KIDS TO TWO INFANTS AND I HAD TO GET TWO CAR SEATS, TWO BEDS, TWO OF EVERYTHING.

AND YES, I HEARD ABOUT THE RAINBOW ROOM BECAUSE I USED TO WORK FOR CPS, BUT NOBODY HELPED ME.

CONNECT ME TO ANY OF THAT.

SO JUST LIKE MAKING SURE THAT, LIKE THE POLICY ACTUALLY TRANSLATE TO WHAT HAPPENS TO THE FAMILIES, IT'S LIKE TELEPHONE, LIKE YOU HAVE THE MESSAGE, HOW IT'S SUPPOSED TO GO, BUT BY THE TIME IT GETS TO THAT LAST PERSON, SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T PLAY OUT THAT WAY.

AND SO A LOT OF TIMES WHEN I TALK ABOUT THE THINGS THAT I TALK ABOUT, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT TEN, 20 YEARS AGO.

IT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW IN REAL TIME.

SO I WOULD LOVE AGAIN THE FAMILY PRESERVATION LEADERSHIP COUNCIL TO WORK WITH YOU.

SO THANK YOU FOR WRITING THAT DOWN.

I DID SOME TRAINING WITH THE CPS PEOPLE IN HARRIS COUNTY, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I TAUGHT THEM OR TALKED TO THEM ABOUT WAS, DON'T THESE KIDS GET TRIGGERED? AND DON'T SAY, YOU'LL BE THERE AT 4:00 TO PICK THEM UP AND GET THERE AT 430, YOU KNOW, IF ANYTHING, GET THERE EARLY BECAUSE IT'S LIKE, OH GOSH, HERE IT GOES AGAIN.

I CAN'T TRUST THESE PEOPLE.

AND SO TRUST IS A HUGE THING TO HAVE TO BUILD AFTER TRAUMA.

AND THAT I JUST THOUGHT OF THAT A MINUTE AGO I'M SORRY I DIDN'T.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE.

WE APPRECIATE IT. LOOKS LIKE WE'RE MAKING A DIFFERENCE AGAIN.

THANK YOU.

THE NEXT PRESENTER IS CASEY TESTA.

[V. PUBLISHED RULES]

SHE IS THE TEXAS CHILDCARE.

CHILD CENTERED CARE T3C PROJECT MANAGER.

[02:05:06]

IT'S AN HONOR TO BE HERE IN FRONT OF YOU AGAIN.

I WAS HERE LAST COUNCIL MEETING TO TALK AND GIVE AN IN-DEPTH OVERVIEW OF T3C.

I'M HERE TODAY TO GIVE AN UPDATE ON OUR RULES.

I MENTIONED I THINK WE WERE OVER 100 DAYS AWAY FROM IMPLEMENTATION THE LAST TIME I WAS HERE.

WE'RE 18 DAYS AWAY.

AS THE COMMISSIONER MENTIONED IN HER UPDATES FROM BEING READY TO GO LIVE WITH THE NEW T3C SYSTEM.

LOTS OF WORK THAT HAS BEEN DONE TO GET THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE FOR JANUARY THE 1ST, AND THE RULE PROCESS HAS BEEN PART OF THAT.

WE HAVE IDENTIFIED 36 RULES THAT EITHER NEEDED TO BE CREATED OR AMENDED AS A PART OF T3C.

I WON'T GO THROUGH RULE BY RULE.

I'M JUST GOING TO KIND OF CATEGORIZE SO THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO SIT THROUGH 36 DIFFERENT RULES, BUT THEY FALL INTO LIKE REALLY THREE DISTINCT CATEGORIES.

THE VERY FIRST RULE IS A NEW RULE, SECTION 701 15.

AND THIS ONE I WILL GO INTO A LITTLE BIT OF DETAIL ON IN LAST COUNCIL MEETING, I TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT STARTING IN JANUARY, WE'LL START THE TRANSITION FOR T3C BUT IT IS NOT A FLIP OF THE SWITCH TYPE CHANGE WHERE ALL CHILDREN WILL TRANSITION ON JANUARY THE 1ST.

WE ANTICIPATE IT'S GOING TO TAKE ABOUT TWO AND A HALF YEARS FOR THE SYSTEM TO TRANSITION FULLY.

SO WE HAVE TO HAVE A RULE IN PLACE THAT ALLOWS FOR CHILDREN TO BE SERVED IN THE SYSTEM UNDER BOTH THE EXISTING SERVICE LEVEL MODEL AND THE FUTURE TIER THREE.

SO 700.115 ALLOWS THE COMMISSIONER THE AUTHORITY TO WAIVE CERTAIN RULES THAT APPLY FOR THE EXISTING SYSTEM OR TIER THREE, WHEREVER THE CHILD IS BEING SERVED.

BEYOND THAT, BEGINNING ON TAX, SECTION 700.501 THROUGH 700.509, WHICH IS THE NEXT ONE AND A HALF SLIDES THAT OUTLINES THE DEFINITIONS FOR THE DIFFERENT T3C FOSTER FAMILY HOME SERVICE PACKAGES, IF YOU'LL RECALL FROM LAST MEETING'S PRESENTATION.

IT'S THE T3C SYSTEM IS DIVIDED INTO THREE DIFFERENT TYPES OF PLACEMENT.

FOSTER FAMILY HOME INCLUDES NINE DIFFERENT TYPES OF SPECIALTY SERVICE PACKAGES.

SO THESE RULES HAVE DEFINED OUT EACH ONE OF THOSE NINE SERVICE PACKAGES.

AND THEN BEGINNING ON SLIDE 43 WE GO INTO THE NEXT TIER OF SERVICE PACKAGE.

AND SO ON.

SLIDE 43.

THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE THAT BEGINNING IN SECTION 705.13 TO 705.22. IT'S A SIMILAR APPROACH FOR THOSE GENERAL RESIDENTIAL OPERATION TIER ONE FACILITIES.

THERE'S NINE DIFFERENT SERVICE PACKAGES.

AND SO IT'S DEFINING EACH ONE OF THOSE NINE SERVICE PACKAGES HAT AS A REFRESHER, THE TIER ONE SERVICE PACKAGES ARE FACILITY BASED CONGREGATE CARE SETTINGS PRIMARILY FOCUSED ON TREATMENT SERVICES.

TIME LIMITED TREATMENT SERVICES FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN CARE, SO PROVIDERS WILL SPECIALIZE AND BECOME CREDENTIALED IN PROVIDING THESE DISTINCT SERVICES.

AND SO THE DEFINITION FOR THOSE SERVICES ARE INCLUDED IN THOSE RULES.

AND THEN ON SLIDE 45, WE BEGIN THE GENERAL RESIDENTIAL OPERATION TIER TWO SERVICE PACKAGES.

SO SECTION 705 23 THROUGH 700.528.

DEFINE OUT THE SERVICE PACKAGES FOR THE GENERAL RESIDENTIAL OPERATION.

TIER TWO SETTINGS.

YOU'LL RECALL FROM THE LAST SESSION FROM YOUR LAST COUNCIL MEETING, THAT THE GENERAL RESIDENTIAL TIER TWO OPERATIONS ARE REALLY FOCUSED ON INTENSIVE STABILITY STABILIZATION SERVICES FOR OUR HIGHEST, OUR CHILDREN WITH HIGHEST ACUITY NEEDS.

AND SO THIS DEFINES OUT THE SIX SERVICE PACKAGES THAT ARE AVAILABLE FOR PROVIDERS TO SPECIALIZE IN, AND FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN THE SYSTEM TO BE CARED THROUGH IN THOSE ON SLIDE 4047, WE MOVE INTO THE AMENDED SECTIONS OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE CODE.

THIS SPEAKS TO BEING OPERATING IN TWO SYSTEMS. SO THESE ARE RULES PRIMARILY THAT ARE CENTERED AROUND THE USE OF OUR EXISTING SERVICE LEVEL SYSTEM TODAY.

AND SO WHAT WE'VE DONE IS AMEND THOSE RULES TO ADD IN T3C SO THAT IT'S RELEVANT FOR BOTH SYSTEMS. SO 700.11 ALLOWS CASA ADVOCATES TO RECEIVE INFORMATION ON THE CHILD SERVICE PACKAGE.

IF PLACED UNDER T3C THE AMENDMENT IS TODAY.

IT ALLOWS CASA ADVOCATES TO RECEIVE INFORMATION ON THE CHILD SERVICE LEVEL AND NEEDS.

SO WE AMENDED IT TO ENSURE THAT THEY RECEIVE THE SAME INFORMATION UNDER THE T3C SYSTEM.

BUT FOR THE SERVICE PACKAGE, SECTION 703.28 ALLOWS US TO MAKE FOSTER CARE PAYMENTS.

[02:10:01]

IT ALLOWS US TO MAKE FOSTER CARE PAYMENTS UNDER THE CHILD SERVICE PACKAGE, BECAUSE IT'S TIED CURRENTLY TO THIS CHILD SERVICE LEVEL SYSTEM.

SO, IT DRAWS A DISTINCTION BETWEEN THOSE PIECES.

SECTION 703.332 AND 334 ARE AROUND THE ABILITY TO ACCESS DAYCARE SERVICES IF THE CHILD IS BEING SERVED UNDER A SERVICE PACKAGE.

SO THIS AMENDS OUR CURRENT RULE TO ADD T3C TO THE RULE THAT SPEAKS TO SERVICE LEVELS TODAY.

AND THEN SECTION 708.44 ALSO INCORPORATES T3 SERVICE PACKAGES INTO THE ADOPTION ASSISTANCE, DEPENDING ON THE CHILD'S ELIGIBILITY.

RIGHT NOW, UNDER THE EXISTING RULE TODAY, THE CHILD SERVICE LEVEL IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS CONSIDERED IN THE ELIGIBILITY OF HOW ADOPTION ASSISTANCE IS DETERMINED, AND SO WE HAD TO MAKE THAT APPLICABLE UNDER THE T3C SYSTEM AS WELL.

AND THEN ON SLIDE 48, THE NEXT SLIDE, WE GO INTO TWO MORE AMENDED RULES.

ONE TO THAT SPEAKS TO SOMETHING SIMILAR FOR ADOPTION ASSISTANCE, BUT TO PERMANENCY CARE ASSISTANCE.

AND THEN THE LAST AMENDMENT IS ALLOWING A DISTINCTION FOR THE SERVICE PACKAGES THAT COULD BE OFFERED UNDER RESIDENT FOR RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT CENTERS.

WE HAVE PUBLISHED ALL OF THESE RULES IN THE TEXAS REGISTRY.

WE PUBLISHED THEM FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON OCTOBER THE 11TH.

THEY WERE PUBLISHED FOR A 30 DAY PERIOD AND CLOSED.

THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD CLOSED ON NOVEMBER THE 11TH.

DURING THE COMMENT PERIOD, WE ONLY RECEIVED FOR 36 RULES.

WE ONLY RECEIVED ONE COMMENT, AND THAT WAS FROM THE TEXAS ALLIANCE OF CHILD AND FAMILY SERVICES.

THERE WAS A NON-SUBSTANTIAL WORDING ERROR.

WE HAD INCLUDED THAT THE CAREGIVER HAD TO BE CREDENTIALED.

IT'S REALLY NOT THE CAREGIVER THAT HAS TO MAINTAIN THE CREDENTIALS, THE CHILD PLACING AGENCY AND THEN THE CHILD PLACING AGENCY CREDENTIALS, THE CAREGIVER.

SO WE'VE MADE THAT MODIFICATION.

THAT WAS A REALLY GOOD COMMENT THAT CORRECTED THAT.

AND THEN THE RULES HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED TO THE TEXAS REGISTER ON DECEMBER 2ND, AND THEY'LL BE ADOPTED AND IN PLACE ON DECEMBER THE 22ND.

SO THAT IS THE STATUS.

WE HAVE TWO MORE TO FOLLOW THAT WILL COME AT A LATER DATE THAT WE'RE CURRENTLY WORKING ON.

ONE IS ON COST REPORTING AND THE OTHER IS ON ENHANCED ADOPTION ASSISTANCE AND ENHANCED PERMANENCY CARE ASSISTANCE.

BUT THOSE WILL COME IN THE NEXT FEW MONTHS.

SO THAT IS THE UPDATE ON RULES.

ANY QUESTIONS OR ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT T3? SEE I HAVE A COUPLE QUESTIONS.

I MEAN DEFINITELY VERY IMPRESSIVE WORK.

SO I HAVE SORT OF A GENERAL QUESTION WHAT'S THE OVERALL IMPACT ON THE RATE STRUCTURE.

SO HOW DOES THIS SHOW UP FOR PROVIDERS.

AND WE KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, THE RATES HAVE BEEN A PROBLEM IN THE PAST.

YES, MA'AM. SO WHAT T3C DID WAS NOT ONLY CREATE CLEARLY DEFINED PROGRAM MODELS, BUT THE LEGISLATURE ALSO DIRECTED.

AND THE BIG EMPHASIS WAS ON COMING UP WITH A MODERN RATE STRUCTURE.

THE CHALLENGES THAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED WITH FOSTER CARE RATES IN THE PAST IS IT'S BUILT OFF OF A 40 YEAR OLD INFRASTRUCTURE.

WE'VE PLUGGED HOLES IN THE LAST 40 YEARS, BUT NOT REALLY IN A IN A WAY THAT THERE'S A METHODOLOGICALLY SOUND WAY OF DETERMINING RATES.

UNDER THE T3C SYSTEM.

WE HAVE IDENTIFIED EVERY COMPONENT PART OF EACH OF THESE 24 SERVICE PACKAGES AND THREE ADD ON SERVICES.

AND THERE IS A RATE METHODOLOGY THAT CAN TELL YOU HOW MUCH EACH OF THOSE COMPONENTS COST.

AND AS PROVIDERS DELIVER THESE SERVICES, THEY'LL BE FILLING OUT COST REPORTS THAT WILL BE USED BY THE AGENCY AND INFORM THE LEGISLATURE ON HOW MUCH EACH OF THOSE COMPONENT PARTS COST TO MAKE THE FULL RATE.

THE RATE DIFFERENCE IS SUBSTANTIAL IN A LOT OF PLACES.

IT WAS FULLY FUNDED OUT OF THE LAST SESSION.

AND SO, THE DIFFERENCE, I'LL GIVE AN EXAMPLE.

I THINK TODAY UNDER THE SERVICE LEVEL SYSTEM; THE BASIC SERVICE LEVEL IS THE PASS THROUGH TO THE FOSTER PARENT IS $27.07. IT GOES UP TO, I BELIEVE, $46 A DAY UNDER THE T3C SYSTEM.

THERE ARE DIFFERENCES IN THE MODEL.

THE MODEL IS MORE MODERN.

YOU'VE TALKED A LOT IN THIS COUNCIL MEETING ABOUT TRAUMA INFORMED CARE.

EVERY CHILD PLACING AGENCY, EVERY GENERAL RESIDENTIAL OPERATION HAS TO HAVE A TRAUMA INFORMED, EVIDENCE INFORMED TREATMENT MODEL.

WE'RE NOT DICTATING TO THEM WHAT THAT TREATMENT MODEL HAS TO BE.

IT HAS TO MEET COMPONENTS.

BUT IT IS REALLY ABOUT THE INDUSTRY FINDING WHAT THOSE TREATMENT MODELS ARE THAT BEST SERVE CHILDREN THAT HAVE THESE UNIQUE NEEDS BY SERVICE PACKAGE. SO WE'RE REALLY MOVING FROM A VERY GENERAL APPROACH TO FOSTER CARE WHERE WE'VE BEEN ABLE FOR THE LAST 40 YEARS TO KIND OF GET AWAY WITH THAT APPROACH TO A MUCH

[02:15:01]

THAT WAS VERY INFORMATIVE.

THANK YOU. JUST ANOTHER FOLLOW UP QUESTION.

AS WE KNOW, CHILDREN'S NEEDS CHANGE.

SO HOW OFTEN ARE THE NEEDS REEVALUATED? IS IT THE STANDARD 90 DAYS OR WHAT'S THE PROCESS? SO, WE COVERED IN THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING AND WE HAVE A MODIFIED VERSION OF THE CHILD AND ADOLESCENT NEEDS AND STRENGTHS ASSESSMENT.

WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

UNDER T3C WE HAVE NOT HAD A UNIVERSAL ASSESSMENT THAT WAS TIED TO SERVICE DELIVERY AND PLACEMENT BEFORE.

WE'VE BEEN USING THE CANS FOR A PERIOD OF TIME.

BUT WE HAVE A NEW VERSION OF THE CANS.

3.0 IS WHAT WE'RE CALLING IT, THAT IT IMPROVES UPON OUR EXISTING CANS AND HELPS TO MAP CHILDREN.

INFORM WHERE CHILDREN END UP IN THESE IN THESE SERVICE PACKAGES, IT DEPENDS ON THE SERVICE PACKAGE AT THE.

AT THE VERY LEAST, CHILDREN THAT ARE AGED THREE AND OLDER RECEIVE A CANS ASSESSMENT INITIALLY UPON ENTRY INTO CARE AND THEN ANNUALLY AT THE BASE IF THEY ARE RECEIVING THERAPEUTIC SERVICES TREATMENT SERVICE PACKAGES UNDER T3C OR THERAPEUTIC SERVICES UNDER COMMUNITY BASED CARE. IN TODAY'S SYSTEM, THEY RECEIVE A REVIEW OF THEIR CANS EVERY 90 DAYS.

AND SO WE HAVE HELD TO THAT UNDER T3C THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES IF THE CHILD'S NEEDS CHANGE.

ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE DOING UNDER T3C, THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES TO ASK FOR A REVIEW OF THE CANS, BUT WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO USE THE CANS TO HELP INFORM SERVICE PACKAGES, CHANGING THE WAY WE LOOK AT HOW WE'VE LOOKED AT PLACEMENT HISTORICALLY AND REALLY IDENTIFYING FIRST AND FOREFRONT THE CUSTOMIZED NEEDS OF THE CHILD AS INFORMED BY THE CHILD, AND THEN IDENTIFYING THE SERVICES THAT ALIGN TO THAT, AND THAT ALIGNS TO THE PLACEMENT, RATHER THAN JUST KIND OF COMING AT IT FROM A LET'S FIND A PLACEMENT PERSPECTIVE. LET'S DETERMINE THE NEEDS FIRST AND THEN DETERMINE THE SERVICES AND PICK A PROVIDER THAT SPECIALIZES IN THOSE SERVICES.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS WITH THE SSCC AND THE THINGS BEING PRIVATIZED WITH THE OVERSIGHT OF T3C WITH THE DEPARTMENT OR WITH THAT GO TO THE SSC.

IT'S ACTUALLY A JOINT RESPONSIBILITY.

SO, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE I'LL JUST START WITH THE DEPARTMENT SIDE OF IT.

ONE OF THE NEW PIECES TO T3C IS A CREDENTIALING PROCESS.

AND IT'S A VERY NEW PROCESS FOR THE DEPARTMENT.

WE'RE GOING TO LEARN A LOT. IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE A LITTLE MESSY IN THE BEGINNING, BUT PROVIDERS HAVE TO APPLY TO PROVIDE AND SPECIALIZE IN ONE OF THESE SERVICES.

THAT RESPONSIBILITY WILL REMAIN AT THIS POINT WITH THE DEPARTMENT.

SO WE'RE STANDING UP THAT STRUCTURE RIGHT NOW.

PROVIDERS. WE OPENED UP THE APPLICATIONS THIS WEEK FOR THE INTERIM CREDENTIAL.

PROVIDERS ARE STARTING TO APPLY AND SAY, I'M A CHILD PLACING AGENCY.

I WANT TO OFFER THESE THREE, THREE SERVICE PACKAGES.

AND WE'RE GOING THROUGH AND REVIEWING.

DO THEY HAVE THE ELEMENTS IN PLACE TO OFFER THAT? IF THEY DO, THEN WE CREDENTIAL THEM AS WHAT WE'RE CALLING IT AND BASICALLY DETERMINE THAT THEY'RE ELIGIBLE TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICES.

THEY WILL THEN BE ELIGIBLE TO CONTRACT WITH ANY SSCC OR DPS FOR THE LEGACY SYSTEM TO PROVIDE THOSE SERVICE PACKAGES.

SO THE INITIAL REVIEW AS WE ROLL THIS OUT IS DONE BY THE DEPARTMENT.

AND THEN THE ACTUAL MONITORING FOR THE FIDELITY OF THE SERVICE AND THE CONTRACT CONTRACTUAL PIECE WOULD BE WITH THE SSCCS IF THEY'RE THE SINGLE SOURCE CONTINUUM CONTRACTORS, IF THEY'RE CONTRACTED AND PROVIDING SERVICES TO A CHILD THAT IS FROM THEIR CATCHMENT AREA.

OKAY, SO WHAT I'M UNDERSTANDING, I UNDERSTAND THAT PIECE.

I GUESS THE OTHER PIECE THAT I WANT TO KNOW ABOUT IS IT'S ONLY CHILD PLACEMENT AGENCIES THAT CAN PROVIDE THE SERVICE, THE FOUR DIFFERENT TYPES OF SERVICES OR ADD ONS.

AND IF IT'S A COMMUNITY PARTNER THAT CAN SUPPORT IN THAT AREA, THEY WOULD NEED TO SUBCONTRACT WITH THE SSCC PROVIDERS.

SO THE CHILD PLACING AGENCY BECOMES CREDENTIALED TO PROVIDE THE SERVICE.

BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THEY'RE THE ONLY ONES PROVIDING ALL THE SERVICES THE CHILD NEEDS.

WE STILL IT TRIES TO MARRY IN A IN A MORE SOPHISTICATED WAY, THE STAR HEALTH SYSTEM COMMUNITY RESOURCES THAT THE CHILD PLACING AGENCY WOULD BE COORDINATING IF THE CHILD IS PLACED WITH THEM.

SO IF YOU SPECIALIZE IN IF A CHILD PLACING AGENCY SPECIALIZES IN THE MENTAL AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICE PACKAGE, WHAT THEY WILL DO IS, THEY'LL DETERMINE FOSTER PARENTS AND PROVIDE ENHANCED SUPPORT AND ENHANCED TRAINING TO FOSTER PARENTS THAT ARE GOING TO BE ALSO CREDENTIALED TO PROVIDE THAT SERVICE, THE CHILD GETS

[02:20:03]

SO THE CAREGIVER HAS ENHANCED SKILL AND ENHANCED TRAINING.

AND THE CHILD PLACING AGENCY THEN WORKS WITH THE COMMUNITY AND OTHER PROVIDERS TO OUR HEALTH PROVIDERS TO ENSURE THAT THEY GET THE SERVICES THAT THEY NEED.

SO IF IT'S THOSE TYPE OF SUPPORTS AND SERVICES, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES, USING THIS AS THE EXAMPLE, THOSE WOULD BE PROVIDED NOT NECESSARILY BY THE CHILD PLACING AGENCY, BUT THE CHILD PLACING AGENCY WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR COORDINATING THAT AND ENSURING THE CHILD RECEIVES THAT.

IF THEY'RE SPECIALIZING IN THE SERVICE PACKAGE.

LAST QUESTION. SO LIKE IF A JUDGE COURT ORDERS SERVICES FOR THE YOUNG PERSON OR THE FAMILY, THEN IT WOULD BE THE CHILD, PLACING AGENCY RESPONSIBILITY TO COORDINATE THOSE SERVICES, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT SOMETIMES THEY HAVE A LIST OF PROVIDERS THAT IS ALREADY BEING USED THROUGH THE COURTS.

AND SO, I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO THAT TRANSLATE WITH THIS NEW MODEL.

IT TRANSLATES THE SAME WAY THAT IT TRANSLATES IN THE SYSTEM TODAY.

I THINK IN WHAT IN THE EXAMPLE THAT THAT YOU'RE GIVING, CAN A COURT STILL ORDER SERVICES.

AND THE ANSWER IS YES.

THE COURT DEPENDING ON THE SERVICE, DEPENDS ON WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING THE SERVICE IN THE SYSTEM TODAY.

IT IS.

IT WILL REMAIN THE SAME UNDER T3C.

AS AN EXAMPLE, IF THERE'S A PROVIDER THAT A COURT BELIEVES THAT THE PARENT COULD BENEFIT FROM OR THE FAMILY COULD BENEFIT FROM, AND THEY ORDER THAT, THERE'S USUALLY AN ASSESSMENT THAT'S DONE. AND USUALLY, THE AGENCY DPS OR THE SSCC IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ENSURING THAT THAT OCCURS.

THAT'S NOT A T3C.

WON'T CHANGE THAT IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS UNDER THE SCOPE OF WHAT THE CHILD PLACING AGENCY SHOULD BE PROVIDING, THEY'RE NOT PARTIES TO THE SUIT, OF COURSE, BUT WE WOULD BE WORKING WITH THEM TO ENSURE THAT THE COURT ORDER IS FULFILLED.

BUT IT WOULD BE THE ORDER WOULD BE ON THE DEPARTMENT PRIMARILY OR THE SSCC, GENERALLY.

I THINK THOSE ARE ALL THE QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE EXPLANATION AND THE UPDATE ON THIS.

WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

ARE YOU COMING UP WITH A SPECIAL NOTE?

[VII. FAITH-BASED AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EVENT AND ACTVITIES OPPORTUNITIES UPDATE]

I'M SORRY RACHEL, I DIDN'T.

THANK YOU.

YOU WANT TO TELL ME WHAT YOU DO? BECAUSE I'M NOT SURE I HAD IT ON THERE.

OKAY. I'M THE DIRECTOR OF FAITH BASED AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

OH, WONDERFUL. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

SO, AS YOU ALL ARE AWARE, WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF BUSY HOLIDAY SEASON.

SO OUR FBCE TEAM IS WORKING WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND PROGRAM STAFF TO ENSURE THAT ALL OF OUR CLIENTS ARE RECEIVING GIFTS AND NECESSITIES THAT THEY NEED.

AND TO PUT SOME PERSPECTIVE TO THIS.

IN DECEMBER LAST YEAR ALONE, JUST IN THE MONTH OF DECEMBER, WE PARTICIPATED IN JUST UNDER 200 EVENTS THAT RAISED ALMOST $810,000 AND THEN PROVIDED SERVICES AND GIFTS TO OVER 15,000 OF OUR CLIENTS.

SO THIS IS A VERY BUSY MONTH FOR US AT DPS.

SO THE PICTURES YOU'RE LOOKING AT NOW, THIS IS ACTUALLY AN APS EVENT TO SUPPORT OUR ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES.

THIS IS IN MIDLAND AND THEIR BOARD.

THIS IS THE SECOND YEAR THEY'VE DONE THIS.

THEY ACTUALLY GO OUT AND FIND VOLUNTEERS, BUSINESSES AND ORGANIZATIONS TO DECORATE A TREE.

AND THEN PEOPLE COME IN AND RAFFLE AND CAN BUY RAFFLE TICKETS AND YOU CAN WIN A TREE.

AND THEN THEY SHRINK WRAP IT AND DELIVER IT TO YOU TO WHEREVER YOU ARE.

SO THIS YEAR THEY HAD 48 TREES DONATED.

AND IN ADDITION TO THE TREE, THEY ALSO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL TOYS AND GIFT CERTIFICATES.

LAST YEAR AND THEIR FIRST YEAR, THEY RAISED $23,000 THIS YEAR AND THEIR SECOND, THEY ALMOST DOUBLED THAT AND RAISED $41,000.

SO THAT MONEY WILL, OF COURSE, HELP SUPPORT THE BOARD, PROVIDE ITEMS FOR CLIENTS NOT ONLY FOR THIS MONTH, BUT THEN WE'LL SUSTAIN THEM THROUGH THE YEAR AS THEY CONTINUE THROUGH TO SUPPORT CLIENTS THROUGH THE YEAR.

THE NEXT SLIDE.

SO AS YOU TALKED ABOUT EARLIER PARTNERSHIPS FOR CHILDREN AND THEIR HOLIDAY WISHES DPS AS A STATE OFFICE WILL SPONSOR CHILDREN AS WELL. WE SPONSOR 250 YOUTH THIS YEAR.

AS A STATE OFFICE TEAM.

AND THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF COMPETITION HAPPENING BETWEEN DIVISIONS.

CHILD PROTECTIVE INVESTIGATIONS.

SHEILA MARTIN IS GONE, BUT THEY LEFT.

THEY WERE THE BIG WINNER THIS YEAR.

AND BUT OUR IT DIVISION CAME A CLOSE SECOND BEHIND WITH JUST ONE OTHER ONE UNDER.

SO BUT AS YOU SAW GOING OUT THERE.

IT'S A HUGE IT'S A HUGE OPERATION THEY PROVIDE.

GIFTS AND OTHER ITEMS TO APPROXIMATELY 8000 CHILDREN JUST IN THE TRAVIS COUNTY.

AREA. AND SO AGAIN, IT'S A WONDERFUL ORGANIZATION.

AND IT'S RIGHT NOW IT'S SEVEN DAYS A WEEK.

THEY ARE PROCESSING THOSE GIFTS AND THEN HELPING THE CASEWORKERS.

THEY ACTUALLY HAVE VOLUNTEERS THAT WILL COME IN AND DO SHOPPING FOR CASEWORKERS AS WELL.

[02:25:03]

SO IT'S A WONDERFUL OPERATION HERE.

AND THEN IN GRAND PRAIRIE AND HOUSTON, THIS IS HOLIDAY WITH HEROES, AND THIS PHOTO IS FROM THE EVENT IN GRAND PRAIRIE.

THIS IS IN COLLABORATION WITH BISHOP AARON BLAKE AND THE HARVEST FAMILY LIFE MINISTRIES IN GRAND PRAIRIE.

SO WHAT THEY DO IS THEY WORK.

THIS USED TO BE CALLED SHOP WITH A COP, BUT THEY'VE NOW INCLUDED EMERGENCY PERSONNEL SERVICES AND FIREFIGHTERS.

SO ALL OF THE FAMILIES COME TO A CHURCH.

THEY ARE GIVEN BREAKFAST AND THEN ALL OF THE EMERGENCY VEHICLES ARE OUTSIDE.

AND SO THE KIDS GET TO GO AND EXPERIENCE THAT.

AND THEN MANY OF THEM ACTUALLY RIDE ON THE EMERGENCY SERVICES VEHICLES TO THE STORE, AND THEN THEY'RE ALLOWED TO BUY WHATEVER THEY WANT.

FAITH PARTNERS WILL SPONSOR ALL OF THE GIFTS.

AND SO AND THEN A LOT OF TIMES WHAT WILL HAPPEN IS THEY MAY HAVE SOMETHING THAT IS OVER THAT PRICE.

AND THE EMERGENCY SERVICES WORKERS WILL JUST COVER IT.

SO IT'S A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE FOR OUR FAMILIES TO REALLY INTERACT WITH OUR FIRST RESPONDERS IN A FESTIVE AND NON-TRAUMA WAY.

SO, IT'S A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED.

AND IN GRAND PRAIRIE, THIS OR IN THE DALLAS AREA THIS YEAR THEY ARE SERVING APPROXIMATELY 200 YOUTH.

AND THEN THE NEXT SLIDE IS ACTUALLY A VIDEO.

THEY STARTED THIS IN HOUSTON THIS YEAR.

AND THIS WAS THE FIRST YEAR.

SO THEY SPONSORED 31 YOUTH.

BUT THE VIDEO IS A COMPILATION AND THEY'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO HEAR FROM BISHOP AARON BLAKE.

FAITH BASED.

FAITH BASED STAFF LITERALLY FROM A PHONE CALL WAS ABLE.

TO PUT THE PHILOSOPHY AND THE STRATEGY ON HOW WE DO HOLIDAYS WITH HERO INTO ACTION OVER THE PHONE THROUGH ZOOM.

AND TODAY WE SERVE 30.

131 CHILDREN.

THAT WAS ABLE TO SHOP FOR.

THAT'S OKAY. JUST KEEP GOING.

IT'S OKAY.

THE VIDEO IS ON, ON YOUTUBE AND YOU CAN SEE IT AND IT'S A MEDIA RELEASE.

OR WE CAN SEND IT TO YOU. HAPPY TO SEND IT TO YOU.

SO LOOKING AHEAD TO 2025.

JANUARY IS OUR HUMAN TRAFFICKING AWARENESS MONTH, AND WE ARE PARTNERING WITH THE GOVERNOR'S RESPONSE AGAINST CHILD EXPLOITATION.

WHICH IS ALSO KNOWN AS GRACE.

AND GRACE SPONSORS A WEEK OF PRAYER.

TO TALK, TO EDUCATE OUR FAITH PARTNERS AND OTHERS ABOUT HUMAN TRAFFICKING.

AND THIS YEAR, THAT WEEK IS GOING TO BE MONDAY, JANUARY 6TH THROUGH SUNDAY, JANUARY 12TH.

SO WE'LL BE SURE TO SEND INFORMATION TO YOU MANY TIMES.

THERE IS A VIRTUAL EVENT THAT KICKS OFF THE WEEK, SO WE'LL MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THAT INFORMATION AND THEN ANY SPECIFIC EVENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN YOUR REGIONS FOR HUMAN TRAFFICKING.

MARCH IS SOCIAL WORKER APPRECIATION MONTH.

AND WE WORK WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO ENSURE THAT OUR, OUR SOCIAL WORK STAFF AND, AND WE WILL EXTEND THAT, OF COURSE, BECAUSE WE HAVE MANY STAFF IN OUR AGENCY THAT ARE NOT SOCIAL WORKERS. BUT MAKING SURE THAT OUR SOCIAL WORKERS ARE APPRECIATED FOR THE HARD WORK THAT THEY DO DAY IN AND DAY OUT.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, APRIL IS COMING UP TO CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH, WHERE WE WILL HAVE A SLEW OF ACTIVITIES THAT WE WILL BE SURE TO INVITE YOU TO WITH PROCLAMATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS. AND THEN HOUSTON ACTUALLY HAS THEIR WALK ALREADY SCHEDULED FOR FOR APRIL OF NEXT YEAR.

SO THAT'S A LOOK AHEAD.

AND THAT'S THE END OF WHAT I'M GOING TO SHARE.

SO ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT I COVERED.

I THINK IT'S WONDERFUL THAT WE DO THE CELEBRATIONS TOO, BECAUSE THE HARD WORK FREQUENTLY DOESN'T HAVE THE POSITIVITY TO IT THAT OPPORTUNITIES LIKE THIS DO.

AND IT ALLOWS US TO BRING OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY IN THAT AREN'T DOING THE DAYTIME WORK, AND THAT'S A BLESSING.

AND PEOPLE CAN HEAR.

THANK YOU.

ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE.

[02:30:13]

APPRECIATE IT. OH, SOMEBODY ELSE HAD SOMETHING.

GO FOR IT. AGAIN, I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU.

I ENJOYED MYSELF YESTERDAY AND I LOVE TO SEE THESE PHOTOS.

AND MAYBE IN THE FUTURE WE CAN GET ONE FROM EVERY REGENT ON THERE.

I KNOW THEY WORK, AND SOMETIMES THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE TIME TO SUBMIT THESE PHOTOS.

BUT, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO RECOGNIZE EVERYONE SINCE WE'RE HERE, YOU KNOW, RECOGNIZING TEXAS.

SO THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING AND KEEPING US INFORMED OF WHAT'S GOING OUT THERE WHERE WE CAN PARTICIPATE AS A COUNCIL MEMBER.

AND AT THIS TIME, SINCE I STILL HAVE THE MIC, I WANT TO SAY MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYBODY AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR.

TAKE TIME TO SPEND TIME WITH YOUR PERSONAL FAMILY.

I KNOW YOU SPEND SO MUCH TIME WITH SOMEONE ELSE'S FAMILY, AND WE APPRECIATE EVERYTHING, BUT AT THIS TIME, AT THE END OF THE YEAR, WE'RE KIND OF ALL EXHAUSTED, BUT WE KEEP SMILING. SO PLEASE TAKE TIME FOR YOURSELF, EVERYONE OUT THERE AND I REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYTHING THAT EVERYONE IS DOING.

THANK YOU. GOODBYE.

OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MA'AM.

OKAY. IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT WE DO NOT HAVE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT FOR TODAY AND THE NEXT MEETING WILL BE THE 14TH OF MARCH, SO PLEASE PLAN ON COMING BACK.

WE SHOULD THINK ABOUT THE FACT THAT I WISH I COULD BE HERE.

I VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THE AWARDS AND ALL THE POSITIVE COMMENTS AND EVERYTHING, AND APPRECIATE YOU GUYS BEING HERE, AND I HOPE YOU HAVE A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND BE THANKFUL.

WE'RE THANKFUL FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO.

AND THIS COUNCIL PUTS IN A FAIR AMOUNT OF TIME.

AND IT'S NOT LIKE IT'S AN EMPLOYMENT THING.

SO PLEASE BE AWARE IT'S BECAUSE WE CARE FOR YOU AS WELL AS FOR THE PEOPLE YOU'RE WORKING WITH.

OKAY. TAKE CARE.

AND I'M NOW GOING TO, ANYONE HAVE A MOTION TO ADJOURN.

I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO ADJOURN THIS MEETING.

OKAY. ANYBODY GOING TO ARGUE WITH ME? ALL RIGHT.

WE'RE ADJOURNED.

BE CAREFUL AND SAFE.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.