Jun 12, 2026 DFPS Council Meeting

WE'RE WORKING ON A CPS TRAINING COURSE AS PART OF AN IN-SERVICE THAT I'VE BEEN WORKING ON FOR A LITTLE BIT WITH MY MY POLICE DEPARTMENT.

[00:00:15]

I ACTUALLY CAN'T REMEMBER WHEN I STARTED AS A MEMBER CO-CHAIR AND MOST RECENTLY AS THE CHAIR.

SO I REALLY, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS JUST BEEN SO IMPRESSIVE IS HOW THE DEPARTMENT AND THE STAFF HAVE REALLY TAKEN TIME FROM THEIR VERY BUSY SCHEDULES TO PROVIDE US WITH INFORMATION THAT IS ACCURATE AND MEANINGFUL AND THAT WE CAN UNDERSTAND.

I MEAN, YOU'VE BEEN RESPONSIVE TO OUR QUESTIONS.

I TEND TO ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT DATA AND NUMBERS.

AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE IT, YOU GO BACK AND YOU DO THE RESEARCH AND YOU PROVIDE US THE INFORMATION.

IT HAS BEEN SO VALUABLE. YOUR COMMITMENT TO SERVING CHILDREN AND SERVING ADULTS AND THOSE THAT ARE THE MOST VULNERABLE IS UNQUESTIONABLE. BUT ALSO YOUR COMMITMENT TO SUPPORTING OUR WORK AND IN GETTING US THE INFORMATION THAT WE NEED TO MAYBE HELP GUIDE OR JUST BE MORE EDUCATED ABOUT WHAT YOU DO AND SUPPORT YOU HAS BEEN REMARKABLE AND VERY APPRECIATED.

I KNOW THAT SHERYL GOMEZ WAS A KEY PART OF THAT AND KEEPING US ORGANIZED AND UP TO DATE.

BUT I KNOW ALL THE STAFF AND EVERYBODY THAT HAS PUT SO MUCH TIME INTO THESE PRESENTATIONS AND JUST REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

WE'RE, YOU KNOW, I, I JUST ECHO WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE HAS SAID.

I MEAN, WE'RE ALWAYS GOING TO BE HERE TO SUPPORT YOU.

SO THANK YOU. NEXT. SO I'M TURNING IT OVER TO THE COMMISSIONER NOW TO DELIVER THE COMMISSIONER'S

[III. AGENCY UPDATE ]

TIMOTHY, YOU AND AND EVERYONE ELSE. I WANT TO ASSURE YOU, WE KNOW WHERE YOUR PHONE NUMBERS ARE, AND WE WILL NOT HESITATE TO BE CALLING AND ASKING YOU FOR HELP AND SUPPORT, WHICH THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT WE WILL NEED BECAUSE THE THE JOB ASSIGNMENT IS VERY, VERY, VERY LARGE. AND IT REALLY DOES TRULY TAKE ALL OF US ALL DAY, EVERY DAY.

AND I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR RECOGNITION OF THE INCREDIBLY FINE MEN AND WOMEN WHO SERVE HERE.

THERE ARE THERE ARE A THOUSAND JOBS THAT THEY COULD CHOOSE THAT ARE EASIER THAN THE JOB THAT THEY COME TO EVERY DAY.

THEY COME HERE BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE IN PROTECTING CHILDREN.

THEY BELIEVE IN PROTECTING VULNERABLE ADULTS. THEY BELIEVE IN SERVING FAMILIES.

SO IT IS, AS YOU ALL HAVE HEARD ME SAY BEFORE, THE GREATEST PRIVILEGE OF MY LIFETIME TO SERVE ALONGSIDE THEM.

AND I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR RECOGNITION OF THEIR DEDICATION TO WHAT THEY DO.

I WANT TO SHARE A COUPLE OF UPDATES WITH YOU, SOME SAD UPDATES, SOME HAPPY UPDATES, AND MAYBE IT'S ALL IN THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER. A LITTLE BIT OF A SAD UPDATE FOR DFS, BUT A VERY HAPPY UPDATE FOR HIM.

KEZ WALD HAS ANNOUNCED HIS RETIREMENT. HE WILL BE RETIRING FROM DSPS.

AFTER MORE THAN 30 YEARS, I KNOW BECAUSE I SIGNED HIS 30 YEAR CERTIFICATE EARLIER THIS WEEK AND HAS LED APPS FOR A VERY LONG TIME. I THINK HE BECAME THE COMMISSIONER ASSOCIATE COMMISSIONER APPS IN ABOUT 2017.

IS THAT RIGHT? OKAY, I GOT THAT RIGHT. AND YOU KNOW, DSPS HAS LONG HAD AN OUTSTANDING ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES PROGRAM. BUT KEZIA'S LEADERSHIP OF THAT ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES PROGRAM HAS REALLY AND TRULY PUT US AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE NATION.

IN FACT, BECAUSE SERVES AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES ASSOCIATION.

AND NOT TOO LONG AGO, I WAS AT A I WAS AT THE ANNUAL APS CONFERENCE, I GUESS THIS WAS NOW LAST NOVEMBER.

AND I WAS SITTING NEXT TO A LEGISLATOR WHO KEPT ASKING ME, WHO IS THE STANDARD SETTER FOR ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES.

AND I KEPT SAYING, WE ARE THE STANDARD SETTER FOR ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES.

AND I WAS SITTING NEXT TO, I THINK THE I THINK IT WAS AT THAT TIME THE PRESIDENT OF NAFSA,

[00:05:02]

THAT IS A THAT IS A CREDIT TO KEZIA'S LEADERSHIP OF THAT PROGRAM AND TO THE INCREDIBLE TEAM OF LEADERS HE HAS BUILT UP AT BOTH HERE IN AUSTIN AND ALL ACROSS OUR ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES DISTRICTS.

SO HE IS GOING TO BE VERY, VERY SINCERELY MISSED AT DFS, BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF CELEBRATING HIM TO COME IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS.

AND THEN I HEAR HE CAN BE FOUND SPINNING VINYL IN HIS NEW SECOND FLOOR VINYL SPINNING ROOM.

WHICH IS VERY, VERY HARD EARNED. SO WE'RE VERY HAPPY FOR HIM.

I ALSO WANT TO SHARE TWO VERY EXCITING UPDATES THAT WE ARE EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THAT WE HIRED A NEW ASSOCIATE, COMMISSIONERS, FOR BOTH CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES AND CHILD PROTECTIVE INVESTIGATIONS, BOTH OF WHOM STARTED THEIR NEW ROLES ON MONDAY.

AND THEY'RE BOTH HERE WITH US. I'M GOING TO ASK THEM TO JUST STAND OR WAVE.

MANY OF YOU, YOU WILL KNOW LINDSEY VAN BUSKIRK.

LINDSEY VAN BUSKIRK HAS BEEN AT DPS FOR MANY, MANY YEARS.

SHE HAS WORKED ON INVESTIGATIONS. SHE HAS MOST RECENTLY SERVED AS THE INTERIM ASSOCIATE COMMISSIONER FOR CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES, AND BEFORE THAT, THE DIRECTOR OF FIELD FOR CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES.

BUT SHE HAS MOVED INTO THE ROLE OF ASSOCIATE COMMISSIONER FOR CHILD PROTECTIVE INVESTIGATIONS, AND WE ARE VERY EXCITED TO HAVE HER IN THAT ROLE.

AND THEN RETURNING HOME TO DPS AFTER A STINT AWAY AT HHS.

LANA ESTEVA HAS MOVED INTO THE POSITION OF ASSOCIATE COMMISSIONER FOR CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES.

LANA HAS A BACKGROUND AT DPS THAT BEGAN IN STATEWIDE INTAKE MANY YEARS AGO.

SHE WORKED IN THE D, F AND LICENSING WHEN IT WAS AT D, F S, AND THEN SHE MOVED WITH LICENSING TO REGULATORY AT HHS, WHERE SHE SERVED FOR MANY YEARS BEFORE FINISHING THE LAST FEW YEARS IN COMMUNITY SUPPORT SERVICES AT HHS.

SO WE ARE VERY EXCITED TO WELCOME HER BACK TO DFS IN THE ROLE OF ASSOCIATE COMMISSIONER.

OBVIOUSLY, TODAY IS BITTERSWEET IN TERMS OF OF FINISHING OUT THE WORK OF THE DFS COUNCIL.

AND I WANT TO I JUST WANT TO FIRST AND FOREMOST RECOGNIZE THERE'S SO MUCH WORK AHEAD OF US TO DO.

AND SO WHILE THE DFS COUNCIL IS SUNSETTING, THERE ARE THERE ARE A RANGE OF OTHER COMMITTEES THAT HAVE LOTS OF IMPORTANT WORK TO DO.

AND OF COURSE, THE DEPARTMENT ITSELF CONTINUES TO HAVE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF STRATEGIC WORK AHEAD OF US.

I THOUGHT I WOULD SHARE JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW SOME OF THOSE OTHER COMMITTEES ARE WORKING.

AS YOU ALL KNOW THE NEW CPI INVESTIGATIONS ADVISORY COMMITTEE FORMED BY HOUSE BILL 140 OF LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION HAS OFFICIALLY STARTED. THEY HAD THEIR FIRST MEETING IN MARCH.

THAT WAS A VERY, VERY HELPFUL AND EFFECTIVE, I THINK, KICKOFF DISCUSSION TO A LOT OF VERY, VERY SUBSTANTIVE WORK THAT THAT COMMITTEE WILL BE DOING.

THEY HAVE ALREADY STARTED READING CASES, CHILD PROTECTIVE INVESTIGATIONS CASES.

THEY ARE WORKING ON QUITE A RANGE OF DATA ANALYSIS.

THEY WILL BE PUTTING OUT A REPORT, THE FIRST REPORT AT THE END OF THIS FISCAL YEAR, BEGINNING OF NEXT FISCAL YEAR, THAT WILL INCLUDE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT WHAT THEY'VE OBSERVED SO FAR.

AND THEN, OF COURSE, THEY HAVE A LOT MORE WORK AHEAD OF THEM. THIS IS JUST REALLY THE FIRST CHUNK.

WE ARE REALLY ENJOYING THE WORK WITH THAT VERY ACTIVE GROUP.

THAT COMMITTEE IS COMPOSED OF STATE LEADERSHIP APPOINTEES FROM STATE LEADERSHIP AND APPOINTEES BY ME.

IT HAS JUDICIAL REPRESENTATION ON IT. IT HAS FRONTLINE INVESTIGATIVE WORKERS AND INVESTIGATIONS LEADERS ON IT.

IT HAS INDIVIDUALS WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE. IT HAS FOSTER PARENTS.

IT HAS PARENTS WHO HAD AN INVESTIGATION OF THEIR OWN FAMILY.

SO IT REALLY IS GOT ATTORNEYS ON IT. IT'S A REALLY DIVERSE GROUP OF PERSPECTIVES THAT CAN REALLY REPRESENT WHAT IT IS TO EXPERIENCE AN INVESTIGATION IN YOUR FAMILY THROUGH CHILD PROTECTIVE INVESTIGATIONS.

SO WE'RE VERY EAGER TO SEE THEIR FIRST GROUP OF RECOMMENDATIONS.

THE WORK OF THE PARTNERS FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES COMMITTEE ALSO CONTINUES.

IN FACT, THERE ARE. WE HAVE JUST FINISHED A PUBLICATION OF OR THE PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD FOR RULES FOR THAT NEW COMMITTEE FOR THE PCFC COMMITTEE.

AND ONE CHANGE THAT WE'VE MADE TO THAT COMMITTEE IS THAT ALL RULES THAT DFP PROPOSES FROM NOW ON WILL BE ROUTED THROUGH THE PCFC COMMITTEE, AND THE PUBLIC WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY THROUGH THAT COMMITTEE TO TO PROVIDE TESTIMONY AND TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT ON THOSE RULES.

[00:10:08]

THERE'S THERE'S A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT ABBREVIATIONS, BUT IT'S A LONG TITLE. AND I REALLY WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE WORK OF THAT COMMITTEE.

THAT COMMITTEE HAS EXISTED FOR MORE THAN 30 OR FOR, I THINK, ABOUT 30 YEARS, AND WAS REALLY FOCUSED ON ENRICHING THE LIVES OF YOUTH AND FAMILIES WHO HAVE TO EXPERIENCE THE D. F S U.S.

FOSTER CARE SYSTEM THROUGH RECRUITMENT OF POTENTIAL ADOPTIVE FAMILIES, THROUGH SUPPORTING FAMILIES, THROUGH THE ADOPTION PROCESS, AND THROUGH IMPROVING POST-ADOPTION SERVICES.

WHILE THAT COMMITTEE IS SUNSETTING THE MEMBERSHIP OF THAT COMMITTEE, AND THE PURPOSE OF THAT COMMITTEE WILL CONTINUE ON THROUGH THE NEW SSCC ADVISORY COMMITTEES. AND THAT IS ANOTHER PIECE OF LEGISLATION THAT WAS PASSED LAST SESSION, AND ALL SSCC EITHER HAVE ALREADY HAD THEIR FIRST MEETING.

I THINK THEY'VE ALL HAD THEIR FIRST MEETING, BUT EACH SCC WILL HAVE A COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE THAT IS AN ONGOING COMMITTEE TO PROVIDE GUIDANCE TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON THE PERFORMANCE OF SCCS, BUT ALSO JUST A WIDE RANGE OF ISSUES FACING THOSE COMMUNITIES.

AND THOSE ARE FORMED IN EACH AREA OF THE STATE THAT IS ALREADY IN COMMUNITY BASED CARE.

AND OF COURSE, WE'LL ALSO BE FORMED IN STATES IN OTHER AREAS OF THE STATE AS THEY ROLL INTO COMMUNITY BASED CARE.

SPEAKING OF COMMUNITY BASED CARE, WE HAVE A HANDFUL OF UPDATES ON COMMUNITY BASED CARE.

ON MAY 1ST, WE MOVED INTO WHAT'S WHAT WE REFER TO AS STAGE ONE OF COMMUNITY BASED CARE IN HARRIS COUNTY AND ALL OF THE SURROUNDING COUNTIES IN MONTGOMERY AND THE BAY AREA. THAT IS A TREMENDOUS, TREMENDOUS MOVE INTO COMMUNITY BASED CARE FOR TEXAS.

AS YOU ALL MAY BE AWARE, ROUGHLY 70% OF THE STATE'S RESIDENTIAL CAPACITY IS IN HARRIS COUNTY.

AND THIS MAKES THAT MOVE A REALLY KEY MOVE INTO COMMUNITY BASED CARE, BUT ALSO A COMPLICATED MOVE INTO COMMUNITY BASED CARE.

SO WE HAVE A LOT OF VERY MEANINGFUL WORK GOING ON AROUND HOW THAT SHOULD, HOW, HOW CAPACITY IS IMPACTED BY THAT MOVE OR HOW CAPACITY SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AS A PART OF COMMUNITY BASED CARE.

ALSO RECOGNIZING THAT ONE OF THE PRIMARY REASONS THAT THE LEGISLATURE INITIATED THE MOVE INTO COMMUNITY BASED CARE IS TO ENSURE THAT CHILDREN ARE STAYING IN THEIR HOME COMMUNITIES, AND WE KNOW THAT THAT IS AN AREA THAT WE STILL HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF WORK TO DO.

WE ALSO KNOW THAT OUR SYSTEM HAS CHANGED A WHOLE LOT SINCE WE BEGAN MOVING INTO COMMUNITY BASED CARE, IN WAYS THAT HAVE SOMETIMES MADE BUILDING THAT CAPACITY MORE CHALLENGING.

AND I'M GOING TO SHARE AN EXCITING UPDATE ABOUT SOME WORK THAT DFES HAS GOING ON RELATED TO THAT.

I BELIEVE THAT WE HAD HAD OUR COUNCIL MEETING WHEN WE MOVED INTO STAGE TWO FOR BEXAR COUNTY, BUT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY, VERY EARLY. SO I WILL JUST SHARE THAT BELONG MOVED INTO STAGE TWO AND THAT'S WHERE WE ACTUALLY PROVIDE WE TRANSITION PROVIDING CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES TO THE SSCC FOR BELONG COUNTY ON FOR BEXAR COUNTY ON MARCH 1ST.

THAT HAS BEEN AN INCREDIBLY SMOOTH TRANSITION OVERALL FOR A VERY IMPORTANT COUNTY IN THE STATE WITH A HIGH.

THERE IS A HIGH POPULATION OF CHILDREN IN CONSERVATORSHIP IN BEXAR COUNTY.

SO THAT MOVE AND ENSURING THAT THOSE CHILDREN HAVE STABLE AND SEAMLESS EXPERIENCES IS REALLY CRITICALLY IMPORTANT.

AND WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE PARTNERSHIP OF BELONG THAT REALLY HELPED THAT MOVE GO VERY SMOOTHLY.

ALSO VERY IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT BELONG HAS PREVIOUSLY EXPERIENCED A TRANSITION INTO COMMUNITY BASED CARE THAT DID NOT GO VERY SMOOTHLY, AND IT REALLY IS A REFLECTION OF THE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE STAFF AT DPS AND THE STAFF AT BELONG, THAT THIS NEXT TRANSITION HAS GONE REALLY SEAMLESSLY, AND WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO SEE OUTCOMES IMPROVE FOR CHILDREN IN IN REGION EIGHT A IN BEXAR COUNTY. WE ANTICIPATE POSTING AN RFA FOR REGION SEVEN THIS SUMMER.

SO THAT WAS TRAVIS COUNTY AND THE SURROUNDING COUNTIES.

SO THAT WILL BE THE NEXT MOVE THAT WE ANTICIPATE MAKING INTO COMMUNITY BASED CARE IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS.

AND THEN FINALLY, WE RECENTLY ANNOUNCED MAYBE, MAYBE ABOUT FOUR WEEKS AGO NOW, THE CONTRACT FOR A CBC RURAL PILOT LEAD ENTITY.

AND THIS IS A RESULT OF STATUTE FROM LAST LEGISLATIVE SESSION SPONSORED BY SENATOR SPARKS OUT OF THE MIDLAND-ODESSA AREA, TO REALLY LOOK AT WHAT NEEDS TO BE DIFFERENT ABOUT THE COMMUNITY BASED CARE MODEL, TO MAKE COMMUNITY BASED CARE SUCCESSFUL IN THE RURAL AREAS.

[00:15:01]

SO THIS IS A COMMUNITY LED COALITION WITH A LEAD ENTITY THAT WILL ACTUALLY DEVELOP A PLAN FOR HOW IT SHOULD WORK IN MIDLAND, ODESSA, AND THEN THEY WILL PRESENT THAT PLAN.

AND OF COURSE, THE DEPARTMENT WILL BE SUPPORTING THAT EFFORT, BUT THEY'RE LEADING THE EFFORT. AND THEN THEY WILL, THEY WILL PRESENT THAT PLAN TO THE LEGISLATURE NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION ALONG WITH A COST ESTIMATE FOR WHAT THEY ANTICIPATE THAT WILL COST.

AND THEN THE LEGISLATURE WILL MAKE A DECISION ABOUT WHETHER THEY ARE ABLE TO FUND THAT.

AND THEN HOPEFULLY THAT NEXT REGION NINE WILL MOVE INTO COMMUNITY BASED CARE BASED ON THE RESULTS OF THAT.

I ALSO DO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE SHORTLY AFTER THE LAST COUNCIL MEETING, DFPS TOOK THE STEP OF FILING FOR RECEIVERSHIP FOR ONE AREA OF THE STATE THAT IS IN COMMUNITY BASED CARE, AND THAT IS REGION THREE, WHICH IS DALLAS AND THE SURROUNDING COUNTIES.

THAT IS A STEP THAT DFPS TAKES VERY, VERY SERIOUSLY.

SO IT'S NOT A DECISION THAT WE MADE LIGHTLY, BUT WE FELT THAT IT WAS NECESSARY TO ENSURE THE HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELFARE OF CHILDREN IN THE THREE AREA WE'VE BEEN WORKING COLLABORATIVELY WITH WITH EMPOWER.

BUT WE DID PETITION A JUDGE. I'M SORRY, WE PETITIONED A COURT IN THE, IN THE DISTRICT COURT IN DALLAS WHO DID GRANT RECEIVERSHIP OF EMPOWER AND THEY APPOINTED THE COURT APPOINTED GEORGE CANNATA A VERY SEASONED DFPS REGIONAL DIRECTOR AND FORMER HEAD OF THE OFFICE OF COMMUNITY BASED CARE AS THE RECEIVER FOR EMPOWER. SO GEORGE HAS BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR LEADING IMPROVEMENT EFFORTS IN THREE E AS PART OF THAT, THE DEPARTMENT DOES HAVE TO PERFORM AN ASSESSMENT AND PUBLISH.

WE HAVE TO SUBMIT TO THE COURT AN ASSESSMENT EVERY 60 DAYS.

WE DID FILE THAT ASSESSMENT. WE FILED THAT ASSESSMENT UNDER SEAL BECAUSE IT HAS CONFIDENTIAL CHILD INFORMATION IN IT.

AND WE ANTICIPATE THAT WE WILL WE ALSO PETITIONED FOR AN EXTENSION TO THE RECEIVERSHIP.

THIS TEXAS STATUTE SAYS THAT THE INITIAL PERIOD OF RECEIVERSHIP IS 90 DAYS.

AND THEN YOU CAN FILE FOR AN EXTENSION FOR AN UNLIMITED NUMBER OF 60 DAY PERIODS.

WE DID DECIDE THAT WE NEEDED AN ADDITIONAL 60 DAY PERIOD, SO WE FILED FOR THAT EXTENSION.

THE JUDGE GRANTED THAT EXTENSION, THAT EXTENSION IS ACTUALLY EFFECTIVE JUNE 16TH AND WILL TAKE US THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF AUGUST.

WE WILL HAVE A SECOND REPORT DUE TO THE COURT IN JULY, AND WE CONTINUE TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH GEORGE AS THE RECEIVER AND WITH THEM POWER TO DRIVE IMPROVEMENT IN THAT AREA TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE EFFECTIVELY SERVING CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN THE THREE E REGION.

I WANTED TO SHARE A BRIEF UPDATE ON TEXAS CHILD CENTERED CARE.

I THOUGHT I WOULD JUST TAKE THIS MOMENT TO HIGHLIGHT THE MOMENTUM THAT WE'VE HAD ON TEXAS CHILD CENTERED CARE.

WE ACTUALLY HAVE SO MUCH MOMENTUM ON TEXAS CHILD CENTERED CARE THAT WE'RE HAVING TROUBLE KEEPING UP WITH CREDENTIALING PROVIDERS RIGHT NOW, AND WE ANTICIPATED THAT THAT WOULD HAPPEN AS A MOVE TO TEXAS CHILD CENTERED CARE CREDENTIALING IS A CRITICAL PART BECAUSE THAT IS WHERE A PROVIDER DOES WORK THEMSELVES TO DEVELOP AN EVIDENCE BASED MODEL FOR HOW THEY ARE GOING TO DELIVER SERVICES THAT MEET CHILDREN'S VERY SPECIFIC NEEDS. AS YOU GUYS KNOW, THERE'S 26 DIFFERENT PACKAGES IN T, THREE C, SO THEY DO A LOT OF WORK.

THE PROVIDERS DO A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK, AND I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IT IS IN FACT, A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK THEY HAVE TO DO, AND THEN THEY PROVIDE INFORMATION TO US, TO DFS, AND WE HAVE A CREDENTIALING TEAM.

SO WE ARE WORKING THROUGH CREDENTIALING FOR A SIGNIFICANT UPTICK IN IN CREDENTIALING APPLICATIONS THAT WE RECEIVED AT THE END OF DECEMBER 2025. AND THEN WE ARE NOW MOVING INTO ISSUING BOTH FULL CREDENTIALS AND FINISHING OUT SOME INTERIM CREDENTIALS.

BUT AS OF TODAY, WE HAVE 54% OF CHILDREN THAT ARE IN LICENSED PLACEMENT SETTINGS.

SO THAT IS NOT INCLUDING CHILDREN IN KINSHIP SETTINGS WHO ARE BEING SERVED IN TEXAS CHILD CENTERED CARE PLACEMENT SETTINGS.

THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. AND I'LL JUST TELL YOU THAT IF YOU TAKE THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN IN KINSHIP SETTINGS, WHICH IS ALWAYS OUR FIRST PRIORITY, WHEN WE CAN HAVE A CHILD SAFELY IN A KINSHIP SETTING, WE WANT THEM TO BE SAFELY IN A KINSHIP SETTING.

WELL, OUR FIRST PRIORITY IS TO KEEP THEM WITH THEIR PARENTS IF THEY HAVE TO BE IN FOSTER CARE, WE WANT THEM IN A KINSHIP SETTING. IF YOU TAKE THE THE PERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN IN KINSHIP SETTINGS AND THE PERCENTAGE OF CHILDREN IN TEXAS IN T THREE SETTINGS, ABOUT OVER 73% OF CHILDREN ARE CURRENTLY SERVED IN ONE OF THOSE TWO SETTING TYPES.

SO WE ARE EAGER TO CONTINUE MOVING THAT NEEDLE FORWARD.

AS YOU ALL MIGHT REMEMBER, TEXAS CHILD CENTERED CARE MUST BE FULLY IMPLEMENTED BY AUGUST 31ST,

[00:20:03]

AND THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT STILL HAS TO GO IN TO ENSURING THAT PROVIDERS ARE ALL READY TO MAKE THAT TRANSITION.

I SAID EARLIER THAT I WANTED TO SHARE AN EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENT AROUND CAPACITY.

AND THAT IS THAT TEXAS HAS OPTED TO JOIN THE HOME FOR EVERY CHILD FEDERAL INITIATIVE.

THIS IS A FEDERAL INITIATIVE. WE ARE THE, I THINK, THE 24TH STATE TO JOIN A HOME FOR EVERY CHILD.

AND THIS INITIATIVE IS REALLY ALL ABOUT IMPROVING THE RATIO OF LICENSED FOSTER HOMES TO CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE.

AND YOU CAN. IF YOU HEAR THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TALK ABOUT IT, THE ACF TALK ABOUT IT, THEY'LL TALK ABOUT DOING THIS TWO WAYS.

NUMBER ONE, YOU CAN REDUCE YOUR DENOMINATOR OF CHILDREN ENTERING FOSTER CARE.

AND THE WAY THAT YOU CAN DO THAT IS BY IMPROVING UPSTREAM PREVENTION SERVICES AVAILABLE TO THOSE FAMILIES.

SECONDLY, YOU CAN YOU CAN GROW YOUR NUMBER OF LICENSED FOSTER PLACEMENTS.

WE ALREADY, AS YOU ALL KNOW, HAVE DONE A LOT OF WORK IN TEXAS TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE.

SO WE WILL, OF COURSE, CONTINUE LOOKING. WE ALWAYS WANT TO BE ASKING OURSELVES, HOW CAN WE IMPROVE UPSTREAM SERVICES TO PREVENT CHILDREN FROM ENTERING CARE, FOR EXAMPLE, THROUGH THE TEXAS FAMILY FIRST PILOTS.

BUT WE'RE ALSO GOING TO BE DOING A LOT OF WORK AT HOW WE RECRUIT AND HOW WE RETAIN THE RIGHT KINDS OF LICENSED FOSTER HOMES.

WE CERTAINLY WANT TO GROW THE NUMBER OF FOSTER HOMES IN TEXAS, BUT WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT THE THE WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IN A FOSTER HOME HAS CHANGED A LOT OVER THE LAST DECADE. AND SO WE WANT TO BE VERY, VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT HOW WE APPROACH THAT.

AND WE HAVE BEGUN INITIAL WORK ON WHAT OUR PLAN IS TO DO THAT.

AND THEN WE WILL BE WORKING WITH OUR WITH CHILD PLACING AGENCIES, WITH SCCS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS TO ENSURE THAT WE REALLY HAVE THE RIGHT PLAN TARGETED TO GROW CAPACITY IN THE STATE OF TEXAS, PARTICULARLY IN AREAS OF THE STATE THAT ARE LACKING CAPACITY.

AND THAT IS PARTICULARLY TRUE IN RURAL AREAS OF THE STATE.

AND THEN LASTLY, I'LL SHARE AN UPDATE ON LEGISLATIVE SESSION, WHICH IS ALMOST HERE AGAIN, FOLKS. AS OF TODAY, WE ARE 214 DAYS AWAY FROM THE START OF THE 90TH LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF REFINING, COMBINING OUR EXCEPTIONAL ITEMS REQUEST FOR NEXT LEGISLATIVE SESSION, RECOGNIZING THAT WE KNOW IT WILL BE A TIGHT BUDGET SESSION FOR THE STATE OF TEXAS.

SO WE HAVE SOME BIG BUCKETS FOR ID FOR EXCEPTIONAL ITEMS. WE'RE STILL WORKING THROUGH WHAT EXACTLY WILL BE INCLUDED IN THIS, BUT WE DO ANTICIPATE THAT WE WILL HAVE EXCEPTIONAL ITEMS AROUND ADDRESSING WORKFORCE SAFETY AND NEEDS. AS YOU ALL KNOW, OUR STAFF FIND THEMSELVES IN A RANGE OF VERY UNSAFE SITUATIONS.

AND I REALLY WE REALLY HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO EQUIP THEM WITH THE RIGHT TOOLS TO THE GREATEST EXTENT WE POSSIBLY CAN TO KEEP THEM SAFE AS THEY DO THEIR VERY IMPORTANT WORK. AND THEN ALSO FOCUSING ON HOW WE CAN SUPPORT THEM IN DOING THEIR WORK OUTSIDE OF JUST SAFETY.

WE WILL HAVE AN EXCEPTIONAL ITEM BUCKET AROUND COMMUNITY BASED CARE AND HOW WE CONTINUE TO ROLL OUT COMMUNITY BASED CARE ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS, BUT ALSO HOW WE SUPPORT COMMUNITY BASED CARE, INCLUDING THE FINANCIAL MODEL AND INCLUDING OTHER SUPPORTS THAT MIGHT BE NEEDED TO HELP MAKE COMMUNITY ENSURE THE SUCCESS OF COMMUNITY BASED CARE.

WE WILL HAVE AN EXCEPTIONAL ITEM AROUND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT, WHICH THAT IS A KEY ELEMENT OF OUR ANNUAL PLAN.

IF YOU REMEMBER ME TALKING ABOUT THAT LAST TIME.

WE KNOW THAT WE ANTICIPATE RIGHT NOW THAT WILL INCLUDE FAMILY GROUP DECISION MAKING, FAMILY BASED SAFETY SERVICES ENHANCEMENT, EXPANSION OF THE TEXAS FAMILY FIRST PILOT, AND CONTINUING TO IMPROVE OUR STRATEGIES AROUND KINSHIP CARE.

NEXT BUCKET IS STRENGTHENING SERVICES FOR VULNERABLE ADULTS.

WE ANTICIPATE, AS YOU ALL MAY REMEMBER, THE. THE OLDER POPULATION IN TEXAS AND THE DISABLED POPULATION IN TEXAS ARE GROWING AT A RAPID, RAPID RATE. I THINK EXPECTED TO DOUBLE BY 2050 IF I'M REMEMBERING.

YES. KAZ IS NODDING. AND OUR WORKFORCE IS NOT GROWING THAT QUICKLY, AS YOU MIGHT IMAGINE.

SO REALLY, NUMBER ONE, ASKING FOR THE PERSONNEL RESOURCES THAT WE NEED, BUT ALSO LOOKING AT CREATIVE WAYS THAT WE CAN MAKE OUR WORK MORE EFFECTIVE, FOR EXAMPLE, THROUGH THE USE OF SCREENING, WHICH IS A TOOL THAT WE USE IN CHILD PROTECTIVE INVESTIGATIONS, WILL BE AN AREA OF FOCUS FOR US. PREPARING FOSTER YOUTH FOR A SUCCESSFUL TRANSITION INTO ADULTHOOD WILL BE ANOTHER BUCKET WE ANTICIPATE RIGHT NOW THAT WILL LIKELY INCLUDE THINGS LIKE THE FYI VOUCHER ENHANCEMENTS TO POST PERMANENCY AND POST-ADOPTION SERVICES, ALONG WITH OTHERS.

[00:25:09]

OUR SUNSET REVIEW CONTINUES TO GO VERY WELL. WE HAVE AN EXCELLENT SUNSET TEAM, WHICH I KNOW I'VE SHARED WITH YOU BEFORE.

THAT'S ASKING ALL SORTS OF REALLY GOOD QUESTIONS.

WHAT I WILL JUST SHARE WITH YOU NOW IS THAT WE ANTICIPATE THAT OUR REPORT WILL BE PUBLISHED BY THE SUNSET COMMISSION, PROBABLY IN OCTOBER, AND THEN WE ANTICIPATE HEARINGS THAT WE WILL TESTIFY AT.

AND THEN EVENTUALLY THE SUNSET COMMISSION WILL VOTE ON THEIR RECORD, THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IN NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER THAT WILL RESULT IN LEGISLATION BEING FILED TO MAKE SOME STATUTORY CHANGES TO DSPS AND CONTINUE THE AGENCY.

AND THAT BILL WE WOULD ANTICIPATE BEING EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 1ST, 2027.

AND WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO TURN IT BACK OVER TO.

CONNIE TO CHAIR ALMEIDA. SORRY, I HAD A CONNIE MOMENT.

I COULDN'T THINK OF IT. I'VE GOT A QUICK ONE QUICK QUESTION.

YES OF COURSE. SO TYPICALLY WHEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, YOU KNOW, YOU PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM THEY WANT A FEW THINGS IN RETURN.

SOME OF IT IS LIKE REPORTING DATA. AND USUALLY IT'S NOT JUST FOR THE PROGRAM THEY'RE FUNDING.

THEY ALSO WANT SOME DATA POINTS ON EVERYTHING YOUR AGENCY IS DOING ELSEWHERE.

SO CAN YOU GIVE US AN IDEA OF WHAT THE BURDEN OF REPORTING MIGHT BE ON THAT? SURE. AND I'M SORRY, I INTENDED TO OPEN IT UP FOR QUESTIONS.

SO I'LL ANSWER THIS AND ANSWER ANYBODY ELSE'S QUESTION.

YES WE DO. YOU'RE RIGHT THAT IT DID COME WITH A DATA REPORTING REQUIREMENT.

I WILL JUST SAY THERE'S NOT THERE MIGHT BE SOME FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES, BUT THIS IS NOT SOMETHING WHERE WE ARE GETTING MORE MONEY BECAUSE WE'VE OPTED INTO A HOME FOR EVERY CHILD. THERE IS A BENEFIT WHICH I'LL BE HAPPY TO EXPLAIN.

IN ADDITION TO, OF COURSE, HOPEFULLY GROWING THE LICENSED CAPACITY OF FOSTER HOMES IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.

WE DO HAVE TO REPORT ON A MONTHLY BASIS SOME PRETTY, SOME PRETTY STANDARD DATA ELEMENTS.

I WILL SAY WE PROVIDE AN ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE VOLUME OF DATA ALREADY TO THE FEDS THROUGH WHAT'S CALLED AFCARS.

SO THESE ADDITIONAL DATA ELEMENTS ARE REALLY WE HAVE TO DO SOME WORK ON GETTING TO THE DATA, BUT AFTER THAT, IT'S REALLY NOT A HIGH VOLUME OF ADDITIONAL DATA THAT WE'RE PROVIDING.

SO IT'S THINGS LIKE PROVIDING THE RATIO OF THE LICENSED FOSTER HOMES TO CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE, WHICH OBVIOUSLY THAT'S RELATIVELY ACCESSIBLE DATA TO US.

THERE ARE, WE HAD TO IDENTIFY WHAT IS CALLED SOME WRAPAROUND MEASURES, BUT THESE ARE DATA ELEMENTS THAT WE ALREADY COLLECT.

SO IT'S THINGS LIKE WE WANT TO MAKE SURE OF COURSE THAT WHEN WE GROW THE LICENSED CAPACITY IN THIS STATE, WE ARE NOT TRADING QUALITY FOR QUANTITY. SO WE'LL HAVE SOME WRAPAROUND MEASURES AROUND ENSURING THAT WE'RE NOT SEEING ANY SORT OF DIFFERENCE IN THE SAFETY THAT THAT CHILDREN EXPERIENCE IN FOSTER CARE.

AND WE HAVE A WHOLE LIST OF THEM WHICH WE'RE HAPPY TO SHARE.

BUT WE IDENTIFIED SOME SOME WHAT ARE CALLED WRAPAROUND MEASURES.

AND THEN THE FEDS IDENTIFIED SOME AS WELL. I THINK TECHNICALLY WE IDENTIFIED THE LEAD MEASURES AND THE FEDS IDENTIFIED SOME WRAPAROUND MEASURES.

AND THEN WE JUST HAVE THE RATIO DATA THAT WE HAVE TO REPORT.

AND THEN THE REASON ONE, ONE REASON THAT WE DID THIS.

SO A HOME FOR EVERY CHILD IS GIVEN AS AN OPTION TO STATES WHO ARE ON A PROGRAM IMPROVEMENT PLAN AS A RESULT OF THE CHILD AND FAMILY SERVICES REVIEW.

CHILD AND FAMILY SERVICES REVIEW IS SOMETHING THAT EVERY SINGLE STATE GOES THROUGH.

I THINK ABOUT EVERY 7 OR 8 YEARS. WE'VE BEEN THROUGH FOUR ROUNDS OF CFSA AND A GOOD THING TO KNOW ABOUT KFSR IS THAT NO STATE IN THE HISTORY OF KFSR HAS EVER PASSED THEIR THERE CF ESSER REVIEW.

SO ALL STATES ARE ALWAYS ON A PIP IS HOW IT WORKS.

AND THE CURRENT ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR THE ADMINISTRATION, FOR CHILDREN AND FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IS HIMSELF A FORMER A FORMER DEPARTMENT HEAD FROM THE STATE OF IDAHO. HE FELT THAT THAT WAS A REALLY BURDENSOME PROCESS.

AND HE THOUGHT THAT THIS WAS HE ROLLED OUT A HOME FOR EVERY CHILD IN IDAHO WHEN HE WAS THERE.

AND SO HE IS PROVIDING THIS AS AN OPTION. SO BASICALLY, BY OPTING IN TO THE HOME FOR EVERY CHILD PROGRAM, WE WERE ABLE TO SET ASIDE OUR CFS, OUR PIP, WHICH COULD THEORETICALLY INCLUDE SOME PRETTY HEFTY PENALTIES AND FOCUS ON THIS ONE VERY SPECIFIC MEASURE. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS?

[00:30:02]

THERE'S A LOT GOING ON. IT WAS GREAT. I WAS REMINDED THAT WE MIGHT NOT HAVE PROVIDED EVERYBODY ON THE COUNCIL AN OPPORTUNITY FOR UPDATES ON WHAT WAS GOING ON. SO IF IT'S OKAY, I'D LIKE TO GO BACK TO THAT.

SO IF ANYBODY WOULD LIKE TO SHARE. YEAH. I'LL START.

SO ONE OF THE MANY THINGS THAT I DO IS I'M AN ADJUNCT PROFESSOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SAINT THOMAS IN HOUSTON TEACHING CRIMINAL JUSTICE.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE BEEN IMPLEMENTING AND EMBEDDING INTO MY CURRICULUM FOR MOST CLASSES, AND I'M, IS THE WHOLE CPS APS ANGLE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE.

SO FOR EXAMPLE, LAST SEMESTER I TAUGHT LEGAL ASPECTS OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND ACTUALLY WENT INTO A FOR SEVERAL SESSIONS WENT INTO WHAT WAS THE LEGAL BASIS FOR REMOVING A CHILD. MOST PEOPLE THINK THAT COPS JUST REMOVE CHILDREN OR, YOU KNOW, OR THAT THE CPS WILL COME IN AND ARREST THE PARENTS.

IT'S LIKE, NO, THEY DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO DO THAT. AND MAKING THOSE DISTINCTIONS CLEAR WAS WAS A REAL SURPRISE TO MOST OF THE STUDENTS.

SO I'VE ALSO ENCOURAGED A LOT OF THE OTHER PROFESSORS.

I'VE GIVEN THEM A LOT OF DOCUMENTATION AND INFORMATION JUST TO TRY AND EMBED THAT PART INTO THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE.

ALL THESE, YOU KNOW, KIDS ARE GOING, KIDS ARE STUDENTS, BUT THEY'RE KIDS TO ME.

THEY'RE, THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, STARTING OUT THEIR CAREER IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND HAVING AN UNDERSTANDING OF CPS CAPABILITIES AND THE ROLES AND WHAT THEY CAN AND WHAT THEY CAN'T DO IS I THINK WOULD RATHER START IT NOW AS OPPOSED TO ONCE THEY'RE IN THE WORKFORCE FOR SEVERAL YEARS.

SO THAT'S BEEN PRETTY SUCCESSFUL. AND I'M ALSO WORKING WITH OUR TRAINING DIVISION TO HAVE MORE CPS RELATED INFORMATION IN OUR TRAINING FOR OUR EXISTING POLICE OFFICERS. ANYONE ELSE? SURE. I'LL I'LL GO. SO SUMMER IS USUALLY THE BUSIEST TIME FOR US.

WE PUT ON A LOT OF CONFERENCES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE IN FOSTER CARE.

LAST WEEK, WE CONVENED THE. IN COLLABORATION WITH CPS AND REGION SEVEN, WE HOSTED A CONFERENCE AT UT AUSTIN AND BROUGHT A BUNCH OF YOUNG PEOPLE TO LEARN ABOUT COLLEGE AND TO INTERACT WITH SOME OF THE STUDENTS IN OUR SPARK PROGRAM AT UT, TO LEARN REALLY ABOUT HOW TO BE SUCCESSFUL IF THEY CHOOSE TO GO TO COLLEGE OR ENTER THE WORKFORCE, THINGS LIKE THAT. WE HAVE ANOTHER LARGE CONFERENCE COMING UP THIS IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS AT UT ON THE 23RD THROUGH THE 25TH, WHICH WE ARE REALLY EXCITED FOR. THAT ONE IS REALLY LARGE, OVER 200 PARTICIPANTS FROM ALL OVER THE STATE AND VERY EXCITED FOR THAT.

I ALSO WANT TO DRAW ATTENTION TO SOME OTHER THINGS THAT ARE OCCURRING AROUND THE STATE, AS IT'S RELEVANT TO OLDER YOUTH IN FOSTER CARE EDUCATION.

REACH FOR TEXANS HELD THEIR CONFERENCE LAST WEEK IN DALLAS AND I'M VERY GRATEFUL.

GRATEFUL FOR DALLAS COLLEGE FOR HOSTING US THERE.

AS YOU ALL MAY KNOW, EDUCATION REACH PROVIDES CRITICAL KNOWLEDGE, SUPPORT, TRAINING, AND ADVOCACY FOR FOSTER CARE LIAISONS AROUND THE STATE WHO CAN HELP YOUNG PEOPLE WHO WERE IN FOSTER CARE NAVIGATE THE HIGHER EDUCATION PROCESS.

I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE DAY ONE BAGS FOR THEIR ADVOCACY ON ENSURING THAT NO CHILD WHO IS IN FOSTER CARE HAS TO CHANGE PLACEMENTS BY TAKING THEIR BELONGINGS IN A TRASH BAG, OR HAS TO LEAVE FOSTER CARE WITH THEIR BELONGINGS IN A TRASH BAG.

THEY RECENTLY LAUNCHED A NEW INTERACTIVE MAP TO HELP PROMOTE ADVOCACY, AND LOUISIANA JUST BECAME THE SEVENTH STATE TO PASS LUGGAGE LAWS. WE HAVE ONE IN TEXAS THAT THEY WERE REALLY A BIG PART OF GETTING PASSED, AND I THINK IT'S GOING TO CONTINUE TO GROW. SO DEFINITELY CHECK OUT DAY ONE BAGS WEBSITE AND CHECK OUT THEIR NEW RESOURCE THERE.

I DON'T WANT TO SPOIL SINCE I HAVE SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES HERE ABOUT THE TEXAS FOSTER YOUTH NETWORK PROJECT THAT WE HAVE GOING ON IN COLLABORATION WITH THE TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION. YOU'LL HEAR FROM THEM. WE HIRED SOME GREAT PEOPLE FROM DSPS ACTUALLY, THAT ARE NOW WORKING THERE AT UT AND DOING AN INCREDIBLE JOB.

SO YOU'LL HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT HERE IN A LITTLE BIT. AND THEN LASTLY, ON A PERSONAL NOTE, I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS SEMESTER I HAD FOUR STUDENTS FROM OUR PROGRAM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS GRADUATE, ALL THESE FOLKS THAT HAD LIVED EXPERIENCE. AND IT IS GREAT TO SEE THEIR THEIR ACADEMIC SUCCESS, THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS AND THE ALUMNI FROM, FROM THESE PROGRAMS THAT I'VE BEEN WITH, THE YOUNG PEOPLE I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH ARE DOING AMAZING THINGS.

AND SO ONE OF MY STUDENTS ALSO WAS ACCEPTED TO TEXAS TECH MEDICAL SCHOOL.

AND SO SHE'S, YOU KNOW, GOING FROM FOSTER CARE TO BEING ACCEPTED INTO MEDICAL SCHOOL AND ON THEIR PATH TO BECOMING A DOCTOR.

VERY PROUD OF ALL OF THESE STUDENTS. SO THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO SHARE THIS UPDATE.

[00:35:07]

IN THE CHILD PROTECTION COURT. ONE OF THE BENEFITS OF HAVING THE CPS CASES HEARD IN A CHILD PROTECTION COURT IS WE ARE ABLE TO DO A LOT OF SPECIALIZED DOCKETING AND JUST A LOT OF EXTRA THINGS THAT IF YOU'RE HEARING A CPS CASE ON A DISTRICT DOCKET THAT HAS FAMILY CASES, DIVORCES, PROPERTY MATTERS, IT JUST DOESN'T HAVE THE TIME TO DO SO.

SEVERAL THINGS THAT WE'RE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THIS LAST QUARTER IS WE HAD OUR STAR WARS ADOPTION DAY.

AND WE HAD EVERYBODY DRESS UP IN SOME KIND OF STAR WARS THEME.

THIS IS OUR FIRST TIME BEING ABLE TO DO THIS ACTUALLY ON MAY 4TH.

IT WAS A MONDAY. SO WE WERE REALLY EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.

IT LAST FRIDAY, WE WERE ABLE TO DO OUR IT'S PROBABLY LIKE OUR EIGHTH GRADUATION CELEBRATION, WE HAD 38 GRADUATES THAT WERE SLATED TO PARTICIPATE.

WE HAD 24 SHOW UP, AND THIS IS HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATIONS.

WE HAD A GED RECIPIENT RECIPIENT, AND WE HAD A WELL, WE HAD TWO BACHELOR DEGREE GRADUATES AS WELL.

WE MAKE SURE WE CELEBRATE NOT JUST THE KIDS THAT ARE STILL IN CARE AND EXTENDED CARE, BUT ANYBODY THAT'S AGED OUT OF CARE HAS GONE THROUGH MY COURT OR THE GULF COAST COURT.

THEY'RE ABLE TO COME BACK AND CELEBRATE WITH US.

AND ONE OF THE REAL EXCITING THINGS ABOUT THIS TIME, THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME IN ALL YEARS WE DID THIS. WE ACTUALLY HAD SEVEN KIDS THAT WERE IN THE SAME HIGH SCHOOL THEIR WHOLE CAREER, WHICH THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN, BUT THE ONE HIGH SCHOOL FROM THE TIME THEY WERE IN CARE UNTIL GRADUATING AND THAT THAT WAS THE FIRST, USUALLY IT'S LIKE 1 OR 2 OR NONE. SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT.

ONE OTHER OR TWO OTHER REALLY BIG PROJECTS WE HAVE, WE STARTED A NEW SPECIALIZED DOCKET HOPE DOCKET AND A DELAYED BIRTH CERTIFICATE DOCKET.

THOSE ARE SOME BIG ISSUES THAT WE'RE HAVING IN HARRIS COUNTY RIGHT NOW. GETTING DELAYED BIRTH CERTIFICATE TOWARDS PERMANENCY FOR KIDS THAT ARE IN HOMES READY TO BE ADOPTED. AND THEN OUR HOPE DOCKET IS FOR OUR YOUTH WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES THAT WE KNOW ARE GOING TO BE SWITCHING INTO THE EITHER INTO ADULT GUARDIANSHIP OR JUST GOING INTO THE SYSTEM. AND WE NOW CREATE A SPECIALIZED DOCKET TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING IS SET UP AND READY FOR THEM TO MAKE THAT TRANSITION.

AND THE FINAL THING, WHICH I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IS WE OPENED UP WHAT WE ARE CALLING A LAUNCH PAD.

IT IS A CLOSET SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED FOR YOUNG ADULTS AS WELL AS OUR OLDER YOUTH.

AND IT'S NOT LIKE A TRADITIONAL LIKE CLOSET. THESE ARE VERY PRACTICAL THINGS FOR OUR YOUNG ADULTS, FOR THEIR VERY PRACTICAL NEEDS. SO WE HAVE FOOD IN THEIR POTS AND PANS.

WE HAVE CHARGERS LAUNDRY DETERGENT, TOILETRIES AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

PAPER PLATES, PAPER CUPS, YOU KNOW, JUST THINGS THAT AS THEY'RE TRANSITIONING EITHER INTO THEIR SEAL PLACEMENT OR THEY JUST NEED A LITTLE.

BIT OF EXTRA HELP. ONE KID IS IN A SEAL PROGRAM AND THEY RAN OUT OF TOILET PAPER AND I'M LIKE, WELL, LET'S GO GET SOME TOILET PAPER. WE HAVE TOILET PAPER, PAPER TOWELS.

SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THAT. WE, WE ALSO, IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR KIDS THAT HAVE AGED OUT.

WE HAD A YOUNG LADY WHO'S 22 NOW AND SHE NEEDED SOME HELP.

AND WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE STILL THERE AND AVAILABLE FOR OUR YOUNG ADULTS AFTER THEY AGE OUT, TO KNOW THAT THEY HAVE A RESOURCE THAT THEY CAN COME BACK TO. SO IT'S AT THE COURTHOUSE, SO IT'S DOWNTOWN.

AND, YOU KNOW, AND THEY'RE ABLE TO COME AND UTILIZE IT WHEN WE'RE, WHEN WE'RE THERE TO OPEN IT.

ALL RIGHT. A COUPLE OF UPDATES. FIRST, I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT JUNE 15TH IS WORLD ELDER ABUSE AWARENESS DAY.

SO WE HAVE 24 VOLUNTEER BOARDS ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS WHO HAVE DOZENS AND DOZENS OF ACTIVITIES HAPPENING TO RECOGNIZE THAT IMPORTANT DAY.

SO I ENCOURAGE YOU TO LOOK AT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN YOUR COMMUNITY AND PARTICIPATE.

A COUPLE OF OTHER THINGS RELATED TO WORLD ELDER ABUSE AWARENESS DAY THAT CAN HAPPEN EVERY DAY IS.

FIRST, I WOULD ENCOURAGE US TO JUST CHECK ON OUR ELDERLY NEIGHBOR.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE AWARE THAT ABOUT 75 TO 90% OF OLDER ADULTS NEVER HAVE ANYONE EVEN ASK THEM HOW THEY ARE.

ONCE YOU START TO AGE, YOU BECOME INVISIBLE. AND THE ONLY WAY WE CAN CHANGE THAT IS BY ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THEY'RE NOT INVISIBLE.

THE SECOND THING IS TO CONNECT WITH YOUR LOCAL COMMUNITY BOARD AGAIN, REMINDING YOU THAT THEY'RE VOLUNTEERS.

AND SO THEY'RE KICKING OFF THIS SEASON OF SUMMER, DOING A COUPLE OF THINGS FUNDRAISING FOR THE SILVER STAR ROOMS, WHICH KEEP ESSENTIAL NEEDS IN THOSE SILVER STAR ROOMS. IT COULD BE EVERYTHING FROM A FAN TO ADULT DIAPERS TO ANY KIND OF PARTICULAR NUTRIENTS OR THINGS IN OLDER ADULTS MIGHT NEED.

SECONDLY, I WOULD ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO. KEEP IN MIND THAT THIS IS ALSO THE SEASON WHEN ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES IS ESPECIALLY EXPERIENCING A LOT OF INTAKE COMPLAINTS AROUND OLDER ADULTS WHO DON'T HAVE COOL AIR DURING THE SUMMER.

SO A LOT OF OUR BOARDS ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF FUNDRAISING TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE AC UNITS.

[00:40:01]

SO IT DOESN'T TAKE MUCH. AN 80 DEGREE DAY COULD CAUSE A DEATH.

AND SO THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO ADDRESS AS COMMUNITY BOARDS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES OVER THE COURSE OF THE SUMMER. THE OTHER THING WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON IS, AS I'M THE INTERIM PRESIDENT OF THE TEXAS PARTNERS FOR ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES STATE BOARD INTERIM, BECAUSE I'M NOT READY TO MAKE A FULL COMMITMENT. BUT WE ARE WORKING ON STANDARDIZING THOSE BOARDS ACROSS THE STATE AND KEEPING THEM IN COMPLIANCE SO THAT WE CAN HAVE A UNIFIED APPROACH IN WORKING WITH DSPS AND ADULT PROTECTIVE SERVICES.

AND THEN LASTLY, AGAIN, JUST ENCOURAGING US ALL TO REITERATE, JUST CHECKING ON AN OLDER ADULT.

AND AS I WAS SPEAKING TO KIDS EARLIER, WHEN I TOLD HIM THAT HE DIDN'T ASK MY PERMISSION TO RETIRE, ONE OF THE THINGS I SHARED WITH HIM THAT I'VE BEEN DOING RECENTLY IS ASKING PEOPLE, WHEN I GO OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY TO PICK UP THE PHONE AND TO OPEN THEIR CAMERA AND TO TURN IT AROUND AND FLIP IT ON THEMSELVES. IN A CERTAIN PART OF MY PRESENTATION, I REMIND THEM THAT EVERY DECISION YOU'RE MAKING TODAY, YOU'RE MAKING FOR YOURSELF BECAUSE YOU'RE AN AGING ADULT. AND SO I WILL LEAVE YOU WITH THAT REALLY HAPPY NOTE.

THANK YOU. WELL, ON THE EL PASO FRONT, WE'VE GOT A FEW FOLKS THAT I WANTED TO REALLY RECOGNIZE BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN REALLY WORKING HARD IN OUR COMMUNITY.

AND ONE OF THEM IS VANESSA LEON. SHE'S THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE HART GALLERY OF EL PASO.

AND THEY REALLY, AS A TEAM, HAVE WORKED REALLY HARD IN STRENGTHENING THE PRESENCE OF THE HART GALLERY AND POST ADOPTION EFFORTS AND THEIR, THEIR WORK TO TO ADDRESS THOSE NEEDS. SIMILARLY, I'D LIKE TO RECOGNIZE SENATOR BLANCO FROM EL PASO BECAUSE HE REALLY PRESSED THE EXTREME WEATHER TASK FORCE THIS YEAR AND REALLY HAD SOME SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE AND, AND A LOT MORE AWARENESS ABOUT THE OLDER ADULTS AND EXTREME WEATHER CONDITIONS OUT THERE IN EL PASO. SO ON THEM, ONE OTHER THING THAT HAPPENED IN EL PASO OR SOMETHING ELSE THAT HAPPENED IN EL PASO.

AND ON MAY 14TH, WE CONVENED OUR EL PASO BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CONSORTIUM.

THIS IS A CONSORTIUM OF LOCAL PARTNERS THAT'S COME TOGETHER SINCE 2014 TO REALLY WORK ON IMPROVING THE POLICY PRACTICE AND, AND PROGRAMS FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE CONDITIONS AT ALL LEVELS.

AND SO WE STARTED WITH, WE'VE UPDATED OUR DATA AND RELEASED A NEW 2026 REPORT FOR THE COMMUNITY AND ALSO SOME ACTION PLANS FOR SEVERAL OF THE GROUPS THAT ARE OUT THERE, INCLUDING ONE OF THE ACTION PLANS THAT'S WORKING ON DIVERSION AND JUSTICE.

AND WE'RE HOPING TO HAVE A SEQUENTIAL INTERCEPT MODEL PROGRAM, LATTER PART OF THIS YEAR WHERE WE CAN REALLY COME TOGETHER AND LOOK AT A GAP WHERE WE'VE BEEN LOOKING IN THE TRANSITION AGE YOUTH ARENA, WHICH IS THE 17 TO 24, TO PREVENT THEM FROM FALLING INTO A JUSTICE SYSTEM, OR IF THEY'RE INVOLVED IN JUVENILE JUSTICE, THAT THEY DON'T FALL INTO THE JUSTICE SYSTEM AFTER THAT, THAT THEY ARE SET UP FOR SUCCESS. SO THOSE THINGS HAVE BEEN HAPPENING IN THE REGION, AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT FROM FROM THE STATE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH ALL FOR SHARING. AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE THE AMAZING WORK THAT'S BEING DONE IN SO MANY OF OUR COMMUNITIES.

SO NOW I AM. IN STIRLING FROM THE TEXAS FAMILY CARE NETWORK IS GOING TO

[V. TEXAS FOSTER YOUTH NETWORK]

I ALWAYS HAVE TO REMEMBER HOW MANY SEES AND HOW MANY SS IS IN THAT ACRONYM? YEP. THAT'S A GOOD REMINDER. YES. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING.

IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE. I APOLOGIZE FIRST, I WAS SUPPOSED TO COME LAST COUNCIL MEETING.

BUT AFTER TRAVELING FOR 13.5 YEARS PROFESSIONALLY, MOST OF IT WITH THE DEPARTMENT, I EXPERIENCED MY VERY FIRST WEATHER DELAY, AND I'M STILL RECOVERING FROM IT. BUT ON BEHALF OF UNITED AIRLINES AND ICE, I APOLOGIZE.

SO IT IS A PRIVILEGE AND HONOR TO BE HERE THIS MORNING.

A LITTLE BIT BITTERSWEET THAT I THINK EVERYBODY HAS TALKED ABOUT TO BE THE BOOKEND OF THIS. BUT IF THERE'S ONE CC, I'D LOVE FOR YOU TO HEAR MORE ABOUT IT IS TEXAS FAMILY CARE NETWORK. COMMISSIONER, I WILL SAY YOU INSPIRED ME A LITTLE BIT.

I TO PREP FOR THIS. I GOT MY NOTEBOOK READY AND I WATCHED ONE OF YOUR COMMITTEE MEETINGS WHERE YOU FIRED THROUGH THE, THROUGH THE PRESENTATION. SO I HAVE SOME NOTES HERE WITH ME.

I APOLOGIZE. THIS IS NOT A PRESENTATION FULL OF DATA AND CHARTS.

THERE ARE SOME VISUAL REFERENCES FOR YOU ALL.

I'M VERY HAPPY TO OPEN UP AN INVITATION TO VISIT WITH YOU ALL INDIVIDUALLY ESPECIALLY AS AS THIS IS SUN SETTING, BUT WOULD LOVE TO CONTINUE TO HEAR HOW YOUR INSIGHT CAN HELP US CONTINUE TO CHANGE WHAT WE DO FOR KIDS AND FAMILIES.

SO WE'LL GO THROUGH THE SLIDE PROJECTION. SO THE NEXT ONE. THE FIRST ONE IS JUST AN OVERVIEW OF THE COUNTIES IN WHICH WE SERVE.

SO WE ARE IN DEEP EAST TEXAS WHICH IS REGION FIVE.

SO THAT'S IF YOU THINK GEOGRAPHICALLY, IF YOU NEED TO GO GET SOME GOOD CAJUN FOOD, OR IF YOU'RE GOING TO THE CASINOS, YOU'VE GOT TO COME THROUGH US. AND SO WE SERVE OUR

[00:45:03]

ANGELINA. BUT WE'RE PROUD TO ALSO REPRESENT THE OTHER COUNTIES SURROUNDING THOSE.

I DID SHARE A TIMELINE FOR WHERE WE WERE. SO WE DID START STAGE ONE, WHICH, AS COMMISSIONER EXPLAINED, IS WHEN YOU TAKE OVER THAT INTAKE AND PLACEMENT FUNCTIONS AND ADOPTION RECRUITMENT FUNCTIONS BACK ON NOVEMBER 1ST, 2023. FIVE MONTHS LATER, WE JUMPED RIGHT INTO STAGE TWO, WHICH IS COMMISSIONER SHARED IS WHEN YOU TAKE OVER THE CASE MANAGEMENT FUNCTIONS.

AND SO WE'VE BEEN IN STAGE TWO. SO JUST OVER TWO YEARS NOW.

AND THEN THIS LAST MARCH, WE ENTERED INTO THE MYSTERIOUS STAGE THREE.

SO WE'RE A FEW MONTHS INTO THIS AND LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.

WE SERVE AROUND 930 YOUTH, BUT ABOUT APPROXIMATELY 500 OF THOSE ARE IN PAID FOSTER CARE SETTINGS.

SO SHARE SOME UPDATES TODAY AROUND REALLY WHAT I CONSIDER PROBABLY OUR FOUR CORE FUNCTIONS.

AND I JUST WANTED TO PROVIDE A VISUAL REMINDER THAT EVERYTHING THAT WE DO IS CENTERED AROUND CHILD SAFETY.

SO CAN WE HOW CAN WE ENSURE AND IMPROVE THE SAFETY OF THE KIDS AND THE FAMILIES THAT WE SERVE? EVERYTHING WE DO HAS A QUALITY COMPONENT, SO WE'RE NOT JUST GOING TO DO IT JUST BECAUSE IT NEEDS TO BE DONE.

WE'RE MAKING SURE ONE, IT'S COMMON SENSE THINGS THAT WE'RE REALLY GOING TO HELP OUR KIDS AND FAMILIES, BUT ALSO THAT IT'S REALLY FOCUSED ON IMPROVING AND DRIVING QUALITY INDICATORS. AND THE LAST ONE IS INNOVATION. SO WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO LEAN INTO THE FLEXIBILITY OF COMMUNITY BASED CARE.

AND THAT'S NOT MOVING THE STATE MODEL TO THE COMMUNITIES, BUT IT'S REALLY BEING INNOVATIVE IN MEETING THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITIES BASED ON WHAT THEY SHARE WITH US. WHAT WE TALK ABOUT IS WE DO THINGS WITH FAMILIES.

WE DON'T DO THINGS TO FAMILIES. SO OUR NEXT SLIDE SHOWS A OVERVIEW OF OUR CONTRACT PERFORMANCE MEASURES.

AS YOU CAN SEE, MOST OF OUR PERFORMANCE MEASURES, WE DO CONSIDER AREAS OF STRENGTH WHERE WE DO TEND TO PERFORM REALLY, REALLY WELL. SOME OF THEM WE OUTPERFORM ALL THREE BASELINES.

WE DO HAVE A COUPLE AREAS THAT WE ARE WATCHING.

THE FIRST ONE THERE PAL COMPLETION. I WILL SAY WE WERE ONE YOUTH SHY OF THAT BEING AN AREA OF STRENGTH.

AND WE'RE WORKING WITH THE DEPARTMENT TO MAYBE LOOK AT THAT A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY.

THE OTHER IS HOME SETTING. WHAT I WANTED TO SHARE ABOUT THIS ONE IS THAT MOST OF THE NON HOME SETTING CARE DAYS ARE SPENT IN OUR TCS AND GROW, AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT A PROJECT THAT WE'RE WORKING ON TO TRY TO IMPROVE THAT.

AND I SHARED EARLIER ABOUT THE PAL COMPLETION. SO THE AREAS THAT YOU DO SEE AS OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT ARE PLACEMENT, PROXIMITY AND SIBLING GROUPS PLACED TOGETHER AS THE COMMISSIONER SHARED EARLIER PLACEMENT PROXIMITY IS SOMETHING THAT ALL OF US STRUGGLE WITH OCCASIONALLY, BUT WE'RE WORKING WITH OUR PROVIDER NETWORK TO GET WITH THEM, TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IT IS THAT THEY NEED SO THAT WE CAN SUPPORT THEM GENERATING THAT ADDITIONAL CAPACITY. THE OTHER FOCUS ON THAT IS, AS THE COMMISSIONER SHARED, HOW DO WE GET FURTHER UPSTREAM SO THAT WE CAN EITHER PREVENT THE REMOVAL, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO SIBLINGS? SIBLING GROUPS TEND TO DO BETTER IN KINSHIP PLACEMENTS.

THIS METRIC ONLY LOOKS AT SIBLING GROUPS THAT ARE PLACED TOGETHER IN PAID FOSTER CARE SETTINGS.

AND WHAT WE'VE LOOKED AT IS THERE ARE SEVERAL TRACER METHODOLOGIES THAT INDICATE WHY A SIBLING GROUP MIGHT NOT BE PLACED TOGETHER.

YOU CAN PROBABLY IMAGINE THEM, BUT IF YOU'VE GOT A YOUNG BABY AND A TEENAGER, IT MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT MORE HARDER TO GET THEM IN THE SAME SETTING.

SOMETIMES A SINGLE SIBLING WILL NEED HIGHER LEVEL TREATMENT SERVICES FOR WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE, AND SO THAT MIGHT CAUSE A SEPARATION. OTHER INDICATORS COULD BE IF IF IF THEY HAVE DIFFERENT PARENTS.

A COURT MIGHT SUGGEST THAT, YOU KNOW, TO KEEP THEM WITH KINSHIP CAREGIVERS. THERE MIGHT BE AN ORGANIC NEED TO SEPARATE THEM.

REGARDLESS, WE DO LOOK AT THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO CONTINUE TO IMPROVE THIS PERFORMANCE.

WHEN WE LOOK AT FOR SIBLINGS, I WILL SAY WHEN WE LOOK AT PAID FOSTER CARE SETTINGS, 47.2 OF OUR SIBLINGS, ALL SIBLINGS ARE PLACED TOGETHER IN PAID FOSTER CARE.

BUT IF WE LOOK AT ALL PLACEMENTS, NOT JUST PAID FOSTER CARE AT 60.9 OF OUR SIBLING GROUPS GET TO STAY TOGETHER.

SO OUR NEXT SLIDE, I'LL TALK TO YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR CLINICAL SERVICES.

THIS IS LED THROUGH OUR SENIOR DIRECTOR, DENISE SANTOS.

AND SO I REALLY WANTED TO REALLY BREAK THIS OUT INTO FOUR KEY COMPONENTS OF WHAT THE CLINICAL TEAM IS LOOKING AT.

SO THE FIRST ONE IS OUR INTAKE AND PLACEMENT.

AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE. SO AS WE RECEIVE THOSE REFERRALS FOR NEW REMOVALS, YOU ARE AWARE WE HAVE A FOUR HOUR WINDOW TO SECURE A PAID PLACEMENT.

SO OUR INTAKE AND PLACEMENT TEAM WORKS REALLY DILIGENTLY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE CAN MEET THAT NEED.

ON THE RARE OCCASION THAT WE'RE NOT ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE IT WITHIN THOSE FOUR HOURS, WE DO ENTER. I KNOW THAT SOME PARTS OF THE STATE CALL IT C WOP OR CHILD WITHOUT PLACEMENT.

WE DON'T CALL IT THAT. IT IS CHILD PENDING PLACEMENT BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT IT IS. THEY'RE PENDING US TO GET THAT PLACEMENT SECURED FOR THEM.

AND SO WHEN WE HAVE TO ENTER INTO THAT, WE ACTUALLY HAVE TWO HOUSES THAT WE RENTED.

SO IT'S A RESIDENTIAL SETTING. IT IS HOME. LIKE THERE'S A KITCHEN, THERE'S A LIVING ROOM, THERE'S GAMES, THERE'S STREAMING TVS. IT'S WHAT A KID WOULD EXPECT TO BE IN A HOME, NOT SITTING IN AN OFFICE, NOT SITTING IN A HOTEL. FOR OUR OLDER YOUTH OR THOSE WHO HAVE MORE COMPLEX NEEDS.

WE DO HAVE A SHORT TERM EMERGENCY PLACEMENT PROGRAM WITH ONE OF OUR LOCAL PROVIDERS.

[00:50:04]

I DID WANT TO SHARE TWO REALLY EXCITING PROJECTS.

ONE IS THE COMPLEX YOUTH PLACEMENT SUPPORT PROTOCOL, AND OUR SENIOR DIRECTOR HAS REALLY ENVISIONED THESE TWO PROJECTS.

AND I WANT TO KIND OF USE SOME OF HER LANGUAGE IN THIS BECAUSE I WILL MESS IT UP IF I IF IT'S ON MY OWN WORDS.

SO THIS PROJECT INTRODUCES A STRUCTURED PROTOCOL TO BETTER SUPPORT THE PLACEMENT DECISIONS FOR YOUTH WITH COMPLEX NEEDS.

IT FOCUSES ON IMPROVING COLLABORATION ACROSS CARE TEAMS, STANDARDIZING ASSESSMENT AND DECISION MAKING PROCESSES, AND ENSURING EACH PLACEMENT IS TAILORED SPECIFICALLY TO THE USE, STABLE SAFETY AND LONG TERM OUTCOMES.

BY CREATING CLEAR GUIDELINES AND ACCOUNTABILITY, THE INITIATIVE AIMS TO REDUCE PLACEMENT DISRUPTIONS, ENHANCEMENT OF COMMUNITY OF CARE AND ULTIMATELY DRIVE BETTER EXPERIENCES AND OUTCOMES FOR YOUTH AND CAREGIVERS.

IN OTHER WORDS, IT IS A WRAPAROUND MODEL THAT WHEN WE START TO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS PLACEMENT COULD BE BREAKING DOWN, IT IS US WRAPPING AROUND THAT CAREGIVER TO SAY WHAT ADDITIONAL SUPPORTS YOU HAVE, WHAT ADDITIONAL RESOURCES CAN WE PULL TOGETHER TO TRY TO PREVENT THAT DISRUPTION? AND THE LAST ONE IS A IS A REALLY UNIQUE, COLLABORATIVE CLINICAL INITIATIVE INTRODUCED BY TEXAS FAMILY CARE NETWORK CALLED PROJECT EQUILIBRIUM.

I WILL START BY SAYING THIS IS NOT FINALIZED.

IT IS NOT FORMALLY LAUNCHED, BUT IT IS. IT IS IN THE PROCESSES.

SO THIS IS A DATA DRIVEN APPROACH TO MANAGING PSYCHOTROPIC MEDICATION USE FOR MEDICALLY AND PSYCHIATRIC PSYCHIATRICALLY COMPLEX YOUTH IN OUR REGION.

IT MOVES BEYOND COMPLIANCE BY COMBINING MEDICAL DATA, POLYPHARMACY ANALYTICS AND YOUTH CENTERED ENGAGEMENT TO IMPROVE A CLINICAL OVERSIGHT.

THE PROJECT FOCUSES ON REDUCING OVERMEDICATION, IDENTIFYING RISKY MEDICATION BEHAVIORS AND PATTERNS, AND STRENGTHENING COORDINATION AROUND HOSPITALIZATIONS.

AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, IT IS INVOLVING THE YOUTH VOICE IN THE PROCESS.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE WORKING TOGETHER WITH DSPS AND SUPERIOR AND WORKING TO GET SOME FINALIZED AGREEMENTS ON HOW WE MOVE THIS FORWARD, BECAUSE IT IS A NEW APPROACH TO HOW WE LOOK AT THIS PART OF OUR CARE FOR OUR OLDER TEENS.

SO OUR NEXT SLIDE, I WILL SHARE SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS AROUND OUR OPERATIONS.

SO THAT IS LED BY OUR SENIOR DIRECTOR, KELLY GUIDRY.

AND SO WE REALLY HAVE THREE PRIMARY COMPONENTS IN OUR OPERATIONS TEAM.

AND SO I'LL TALK WITH A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SOME OF OUR OUR STRATEGIES AND CASE MANAGEMENT.

THE FIRST ONE REALLY, WE WANT TO OUR GOAL IS TO CONTINUE TO INCREASE OUR REUNIFICATION RATES.

I'M HAPPY TO SHARE THAT FROM LAST APRIL OF 2025 TO THIS APRIL OF 2026, WE HAD 68 REUNIFICATIONS.

AND SO THOSE ARE 68 KIDS THAT GET TO GO HOME, BACK TO MOM AND DAD.

AND WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE THAT NUMBER UP.

REUNIFICATION IS ALWAYS OUR PRIMARY RESPONSE, OUR PRIMARY FOCUS.

IF WE ARE NOT ABLE TO DO THAT, WE DEFINITELY WANT TO CONTINUE TO KEEP OUR KIDS WITH OUR FAMILIES.

WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO DECREASE THE TIME TO PERMANENCY FOR EACH EXIT TYPE.

I KNOW THAT WE, WE REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IF WE'RE NOT ABLE TO RETURN BACK HOME, THAT WE CAN SAFELY DO IT WITH A RELATIVE.

AND THEN ALSO IT TIES INTO SOME OF OUR OTHER GOALS AROUND OUR PCA EXITS.

OUR PERMANENCY TEAM IS REALLY HARD AT WORK, MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE POSITIVE, LASTING AND RELATIONAL PERMANENCY FOR OUR KIDS AND YOUTH.

AND WE WORK WITH REALLY GOOD PARTNERS SUCH AS THE ART GALLERY OF SOUTHEAST TEXAS, WENDY'S WONDERFUL KIDS.

AND THEN A LITTLE BIT LATER, I'LL TALK TO YOU ABOUT ONE OF OUR SPECIAL PROJECTS CALLED PROJECT BEACON. OUR KINSHIP AND SUPPORT SERVICES IS REALLY BUSY RIGHT NOW.

SO WE'RE WE ARE ON THE, THE, THE TAIL END OF ROLLING OUT A NEW KINSHIP LICENSING STANDARDS THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP WITH HHS.

I'M PROUD TO SERVE ON A COMMITTEE THAT'S ADDRESSING THE REQUIREMENTS FROM SENATE BILL 593.

AND THOSE ARE TO CONTINUE TO STREAMLINE AND REDUCE DOWN THE MINIMUM STANDARDS SO THAT THEY'RE NOT DUPLICATIVE, BUT SO THAT THEY DON'T SACRIFICE QUALITY IN THE PROCESS OR SAFETY. WE ARE WORKING WITH WITH OUR LOCAL PROVIDERS TO CONTINUE TO INCREASE OUR EXITS WITH THE, WITH THE PCA. WE DO FEEL LIKE THE REDUCED OR THE RELAXED KINSHIP VERIFICATION STANDARDS WILL HELP, AS WELL AS THE EFFORTS ROLLED OUT THROUGH TEXAS CHILD CENTERED CARE AND THE ADDITIONAL BENEFITS IT GIVES TO CHILD PLACING AGENCIES WHO WORK WITH LICENSING KINSHIP CAREGIVERS.

THE LAST ONE IS I WANTED TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT FAMILY CENTERED TREATMENT, AND WE'LL TALK ABOUT THIS A LITTLE BIT LATER ON.

BUT FAMILY CENTERED TREATMENT IS AN EVIDENCE BASED MODEL THAT PROVIDES A HANDS ON, IN-HOME WRAPAROUND APPROACH TO PROVIDING IN-PERSON INTERVENTION STRATEGIES. WE REALLY FEEL LIKE THROUGH IMPLEMENTING FAMILY CENTERED TREATMENT, WHICH IS A SPECIAL ALLOCATION THAT WE GOT FROM OUR LEGISLATIVE PARTNERS IN DFS TO ROLL OUT THE KINSHIP BEHAVIORAL HEALTH GRANT.

[00:55:03]

BUT THE GOALS REALLY ARE TO CONTINUE TO INCREASE KINSHIP PLACEMENTS, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO WANT TO BRING IN FAMILIES WHO HAVE MORE OF THOSE HIGH, COMPLEX YOUTH WHO WOULD OTHERWISE TEND TO BE IN A RESIDENTIAL SETTING.

WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO USE THAT. WE DO FEEL LIKE BY BRINGING IN THE BIO FAMILY, WHICH IS, IS THE, IS THE CORE COMPONENT. IT WILL ALSO INCREASE OUR EXITS BACK TO REUNIFICATION AND DECREASE SEPARATED SIBLINGS AND DECREASE PLACEMENT DISRUPTIONS IN OUR KINSHIP CAREGIVERS. THE NEXT SLIDE, I'LL GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF PROJECT BEACON, WHICH I SHARE WAS IS A FOCUS AROUND SOME PERMANENCY EFFORTS.

SO WHAT WE LOOKED AT WAS OUR, OUR YOUTH, WHO WE HAD PMC WITH ALL RIGHTS TERMINATED WERE ADOPTION WAS THE GOAL, BUT WE REALLY DIDN'T HAVE AN OUTCOME IN SIGHT.

SO WE REALLY FOCUSED ON THESE. WE STARTED WITH 85 YOUTH AND I'M HAPPY TO SHARE A STORY.

AS YOU LOOK AT THE DATA, I'LL TELL YOU ABOUT ONE OF THE SUCCESSFUL OUTCOMES OF THIS FOR SO FAR, ONE OF THE, THE, AND ACTUALLY, I APOLOGIZE, THE NUMBER SHOULD BE 46 HAVE EXITED AND 39 ARE REMAINING ON THIS LIST.

BUT I'LL TELL YOU ONE OF THE STORIES. SO JAY CAME INTO FOSTER CARE IN AUGUST OF 2019 AFTER A REPORT OF HIS MOTHER NOT BEING ABLE TO MEET HIS NEEDS, AS WELL AS THOSE OF HIS SIBLINGS. THROUGHOUT THE INVESTIGATION, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE MOTHER HAD BEEN HOSPITALIZED MULTIPLE TIMES IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME DUE TO PSYCHOTIC EPISODES, AS WELL AS ATTEMPTING SUICIDE.

HIS FATHER ACTUALLY COMMITTED SUICIDE ON AUGUST ON IN AUGUST OF 2018.

ON HIS ACTUAL BIRTHDAY, HE'S THE YOUNGEST OF THREE CHILDREN.

HIS OLDER BROTHER WAS ADOPTED BY A FAMILY MEMBER, AND HIS OLDER SISTER WAS WORKING AND LIVING IN A IN A SIL PROGRAM.

THEY'VE ALL TRIED PLACEMENT WITH DIFFERENT RELATIVES, BUT NONE OF THEM EVER REALLY WORKED OUT.

IN FEBRUARY OF 2026, AFTER WE LAUNCHED PROJECT BEACON, HE WAS ON HIS 12TH PLACEMENT AND HE HAD A CONVERSATION WITH HIS CASE MANAGER ABOUT HE'D BEEN TALKING WITH HIS PATERNAL GRANDFATHER AND JUST WANTED TO KNOW IF HE COULD GO LIVE WITH HIM. AND SO THE CASE MANAGER GOT THE INFORMATION AND STARTED TALKING TO THE GRANDFATHER, AND THE GRANDFATHER OPENED UP ABOUT SOME OF HIS OWN TRAUMA THAT HE REALLY HADN'T ADDRESSED AFTER THE LOSS OF HIS, HIS CHILD. BUT WHEN HE LEARNED THAT HIS HIS GRANDSON WAS IN A HOME AND STILL HADN'T BEEN ADOPTED, HE WANTED TO KNOW WHAT HE COULD DO. SO HE STARTED.

THE CONVERSATIONS, ENSURED SOME SAFETY. A FEW WEEKS LATER, HE WAS PLACED WITH HIS GRANDFATHER.

HE WENT TO SCHOOL AND WORKED SOME, SOME WITH HIS GRANDFATHER.

HE WAS REALLY EXCITED. HE WAS ABLE TO SET UP A SAVINGS ACCOUNT, HAD A PUPPY.

LIFE WAS REALLY GOOD. HIS CASE CLOSED LAST MONTH BECAUSE HIS GRANDFATHER GOT EXIT OF HIM.

SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED. AND AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE NEXT SLIDE, RIGHT.

SO JAY IS ONE OF THOSE KIDS, BUT OVER OUR FIRST TWO YEARS OF HAVING CASE MANAGEMENT, WE'VE HAD 974 KIDS EXIT OUT OF THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM.

77% OF THOSE HAVE BEEN WITH FAMILY. AND THAT INCLUDES OUR ADOPTIONS, OUR KINSHIP EXITS, OUR REUNIFICATIONS 19% OF OUR EXITS HAVE BEEN THROUGH UNRELATED ADOPTION, AND IT'S 20%, I'M SORRY. AND THEN 3% HAVE BEEN EMANCIPATED.

THE NEXT SLIDE, I REALLY WANT TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE WORK AROUND OUR QUALITY ASSURANCE AND CONTRACTS.

THIS IS UNDER THE DIVISION OF OUR SENIOR DIRECTOR OF QUALITY ASSURANCE AND CONTRACTS, DOCTOR AMY STRICKLER.

I REALLY JUST WANT TO SHARE THIS BECAUSE WHEN I GROW UP, I FEEL LIKE I WANT TO BE ON A ON A QA TEAM.

THEY SEEM TO HAVE THE MOST FUN IN LIFE. I WANTED TO SHARE.

THEY HAVE A THEME SONG, DON'T STOP ME NOW. AND IF I COULD TELL YOU EVERY DAY, THEY DO HAVE A GOOD TIME, BUT THEY REALLY HELP US LOOK AT THE THE DATA BEHIND WHAT WE'RE DOING AND HELP US CONNECT THAT BACK TO THE KIDS AND FAMILIES THAT WE SERVE BECAUSE THEY ARE THEY ARE LIVES AT THE END OF THE DAY. THE NEXT SLIDE I REALLY WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT AND IT'S PURPOSELY ZOOMED OUT.

PLEASE DON'T TRY TO ZOOM IN TO IT. THIS IS JUST IT.

IT SHOWS THE WORK OF HOW WHEN WE WANT TO FOCUS ON SOMETHING, WE JUST TELL THEM WHAT THE VISION IS.

THEY GET TO WORK ON PULLING ALL THE DATA COMPONENTS BASED ON THE DATA THAT WE HAVE THROUGH IMPACT OR THROUGH OUR OWN SYSTEM.

AND REALLY, THEY CAN USE IT TO BUILD A CUSTOM REPORT, WHICH IF YOU'LL GO TO TAKE US TO THE NEXT SLIDE, YOU'LL SEE ONE OF THOSE CUSTOM REPORTS THAT WE BUILT.

AND ANOTHER PROJECT THAT WE'RE WORKING ON IS TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF KIDS WHO ARE LESS THAN 13 YEARS OLD IN AN RTC OR A GROUP SETTING.

THESE KIDS NEED TO BE IN HOMES. SO THAT IS ONE OF OUR FOCUSES IS TO CONTINUE TO EXPAND TREATMENT, FOSTER CARE. AND SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO SEE THE WORK THAT GOES INTO THIS.

WHEN WE BUILD A SPECIAL PROJECT LIKE THIS, WE ALSO BUILD SOME INTERNAL RED FLAGS FOR US SO THAT WHEN WE SEE WE'VE GOT A YOUTH WHO MIGHT FALL INTO THIS, WE JUMP AND WRAP AROUND IT REAL QUICKLY TO TRY TO PREVENT THIS AT ALL POSSIBLE.

THE NEXT SLIDE, AND I WILL SAY, YOU KNOW, QA, THEY FEEL LIKE THEY'RE THE LIFE OF THE PARTY.

BUT IF YOU'VE NEVER MET OUR SENIOR DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, CHERI PULLIAM, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT A PARTY TRULY IS.

SO OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TEAM REALLY IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CONNECTS US TO OUR COMMUNITY.

AND THEY WERE REALLY INSTRUMENTAL AND, AND KEY TO OUR SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH OF TFC IN WHEN WE GOT READY TO GO BEFORE STAGE ONE.

[01:00:05]

AND WE REALLY FEEL LIKE THIS IS ONE OF THE AREAS THAT WE'RE HAPPY TO PRIDE OURSELVES ON.

COMMISSIONER MENTIONED EARLIER ABOUT THE SSHRC COMMUNITY ADVISORY PANEL.

SO THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WE HAD ALREADY BEEN CONSIDERING PUTTING TOGETHER. INSTEAD OF HAVING MULTIPLE COMPONENTS, WHY NOT JUST HAVE A LOT OF EXPERTS AND INCLUDING THOSE WITH LIVING EXPERIENCE, COME TALK IN ONE ONE FORUM.

SO WE'RE HAPPY TO SHARE THAT OUR COMMUNITY ADVISORY PANEL HAS MET, AND WE ARE IN THE FINAL DRAFTS OF OUR REPORT, WHICH WILL BE DUE BACK TO DFES BY JULY 1ST. AND SO WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS, AS WELL AS SHOWING WHAT SOME OF THE DATA AROUND THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS CAN HELP US CONTINUE TO IMPROVE.

WHEN WE MENTIONED KIND OF THE TONE THAT'S SET BY OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TEAM, WE THOUGHT, WELL, WHAT IF THOSE ARE THE BOOKENDS FOR THE WAYS THAT FAMILIES GOT ENGAGED, AS WELL AS IF THIS WERE THE LAST TOUCH FROM FOR OUR TRANSITION AGE YOUTH? WHAT IF THAT WAS THE EXPERIENCE THAT WE GAVE THEM? ONE THAT WAS OPEN, ONE THAT WAS FRIENDLY, ONE THAT WAS CELEBRATORY AND GAVE THEM SOME HOPE.

SO WE DID DO SOME REPOSITIONING. AND SO WE'VE NOW MOVED OUR FAMILY ENGAGEMENT AND OUR YOUTH ENGAGEMENT TEAMS UNDER OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TEAM.

IT REALLY HELPS BECAUSE IT ALLOWS US TO BUILD STRONGER PARTNERSHIPS WITH OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO HELP MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY IS SUPPORTING THESE YOUTH.

AND THROUGH THAT, OUR OLDER TEENS GET A PROM EVERY YEAR.

THERE'S GRADUATION PARTIES THEY GET TO TAKE THEM OUT FOR EXCURSIONS FOR NORMALCY THINGS, TAKE THEM TO THE GROCERY STORE, LET THEM SEE WHAT THIS IS LIKE, YOU KNOW WHAT THIS LOOKS LIKE. HELP THEM SET UP ALL THOSE THINGS THAT YOU WANT TO HELP GET THEM READY FOR, FOR THEIR NEXT STAGE OF LIFE. THE NEXT SLIDE JUST SHOWS THE TEXAS FAMILY CARE NETWORK IS A PART OF PRESSLEY RIDGE.

THEY ARE A PARENT ORGANIZATION. AS YOU CAN SEE, THEY DO OPERATE IN SIX OTHER STATES, PRIMARILY IN THE NORTHEAST REGION.

BUT PLEASE MAKE NO MISTAKE, TEXAS FAMILY CARE NETWORK IS A TEXAS ORGANIZATION.

TEXAS BORN, TEXAS LED. I GREW UP IN REGION FIVE.

SO THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR ME. BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THIS ALLOWS US TO DO IS TO GET SOME SUPPORT.

ONE OF THOSE SUPPORT IS TO HELP GET PREVENTATIVE SERVICES IN PLACE.

AND I'M REALLY EXCITED TO, YOU KNOW, I SHARED EARLIER ABOUT THE FC T OR THE FAMILY CENTERED TREATMENT THAT WE'RE ROLLING OUT THROUGH THE KINSHIP BEHAVIORAL HEALTH GRANT. BUT I'M REALLY EXCITED THAT WE'RE GOING TO GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO ALSO ROLL OUT TEXAS FAMILY FIRST.

AND WE WILL HAVE SOME SUPPORTS FROM PRESLEY RIDGE THROUGH THAT. SO IT'S AN INCREDIBLE ORGANIZATION TO BE A PART OF, AND WE REALLY DO LOOK FORWARD TO WHERE THIS IS GOING TO GO FOR FOR THE STATE OF TEXAS.

AND I REALLY JUST WANTED TO TO CLOSE UP WITH THE NEXT SLIDE, WHICH YOU'LL SEE, WHICH WE ARE DOING THIS WITH PRESLEY RIDGE.

AND THAT IS A FOCUS AROUND THE FOUR CORE CONNECTIONS.

SO THE QUESTION IS WHAT CONNECTS US. SO IT'S RELATIONSHIPS.

IT'S FINDING SOMEONE WHO LISTENS. IT'S BEING SELF-AWARE.

RESILIENCY. FAMILY BELONGING TO A COMMUNITY AND FRIENDSHIPS.

BUT ABOVE ALL, WHAT CONNECTS US IS HOPE. A BELIEF THAT THERE IS ALWAYS A WAY FORWARD.

AND THOSE ARE THE CONNECTIONS THAT WE LOOK AT. THE FOUR CORE CONNECTIONS CONNECTIONS TO HOPE, SELF, OTHERS AND COMMUNITY SELF. THE CONNECTION TO SELF IS FOSTERING SELF-AWARENESS AND EMOTIONAL REGULATION.

THE CONNECTION TO OTHERS IS AROUND BUILDING STRONG, TRUSTING RELATIONSHIPS.

CONNECTION TO COMMUNITIES IS ABOUT CULTIVATING A COLLABORATIVE AND RESPECTFUL ENVIRONMENT AND MY FAVORITE CONNECTION TO HOPE.

INSPIRING BELIEF IN A PATH TO SUCCESS. SO I KNOW THAT THIS IS OUR LAST COUNCIL MEETING I WAS.

I WAS HOPING TO CLOSE THIS OUT WITH. I'D LOVE TO COME SHARE SOME UPDATES WITH YOU ALL. WHAT I WILL LEAVE YOU WITH THOUGH IS A QR CODE.

OR IF YOU WANT TO CONNECT WITH ME, I'D LOVE TO.

I INVITE YOU ALL TO AN INDIVIDUAL CONVERSATION WHERE AGAIN, I'D LOVE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW WE CAN CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN OUR COMMUNITY FOR OUR KIDS AND FAMILIES. AND SO I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.

THANK YOU. I ACTUALLY HAVE A QUESTION, BUT I ALSO HAVE A COMMENT.

SO 40 YEARS AGO, I WAS ACTUALLY HIRED AS RIGHT OUT OF GRADUATE SCHOOL AS THE DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH AND TRAINING FOR PRESSLEY RIDGE SCHOOLS.

WOW. SO THAT'S EXCITING THAT THIS IS LIKE COMING HOME.

SO GOOD. WE LIKE TO HEAR THAT. AND AND IT'S AMAZING BECAUSE YOU TALK ABOUT THE CORE VALUES OF PRESSLEY RIDGE SCHOOLS, AND THOSE ARE STILL EMBEDDED IN ME AND HAVE GUIDED MY WORK FOR 40 YEARS.

I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT. THANK YOU. SO. OKAY. LET ME LET ME REGROUP.

I DO HAVE A QUESTION. VERY INTERESTED IN THE FAMILY CENTERED TREATMENT PROGRAM.

IT SOUNDS KIND OF LIKE OUR OLD, YOU KNOW, FAMILY PRESERVATION IN HOME WORK.

DO YOU HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE THAT AFTER REUNIFICATION OR WHAT SUPPORTS ARE PROVIDED AFTER THE REUNIFICATION? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. SO ONE OF THE REALLY UNIQUE THINGS ABOUT FAMILY CENTERED TREATMENT, AND JUST FOR THE RECORD, IT IS USED IN PRESSLEY RIDGE AS PREVENTIVE SERVICES IN OTHER PARTS WHERE THEY SERVE AND IS GOING TO BE A PART OF US IN TEXAS FAMILY FIRST

[01:05:03]

SO. RIGHT. SO OUR IDEA WITH KINSHIP IS THAT THE KINSHIP CAREGIVER AND THE BIO PARENT ARE WORKING TOGETHER.

THE OTHER THING THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IS IF WE HAVE A FAMILY WHO'S GOING TO BE REUNIFIED ABOUT 30 DAYS BEFORE THAT REUNIFICATION, WE WANT TO GET THEM CONNECTED TO FC T SERVICES BECAUSE IT CAN AND SHOULD CONTINUE AFTER THAT REUNIFICATION HAPPENS AND DOESN'T HAVE TO CONTINUE THROUGH THE SSCC BECAUSE IT'S BEING PROVIDED THROUGH THROUGH PRESSLEY RIDGE.

SO OUR CASE CAN CLOSE. THEY CAN CONTINUE TO GET THAT SERVICE ON THROUGH THE FINAL PHASE.

THERE ARE FOUR PHASES TO FC T. SO IT'S A REALLY UNIQUE MODEL IN THAT IT DOES ALLOW IT TO CONTINUE AFTER REUNIFICATION.

DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION? THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. I'M CURIOUS. YOU IDENTIFIED ON YOUR PERFORMANCE MEASURES THAT THE ACQUISITION OF DRIVER'S LICENSES AND STATE IDS AND PRESUMABLY OTHER SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION FOR YOUNG PEOPLE ARE A STRENGTH.

CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT THIS ACTUALLY LOOKS LIKE IN YOUR AREA? LIKE WHAT NUMBERS YOU'RE SEEING, WHAT THE PROCESS LOOKS LIKE? SURE. SO I DID WRITE A NOTE THAT YOU WERE INTERESTED IN THIS FROM A PREVIOUS PRESENTATION.

SO FOR US, WHEN THEY TURN 16, OUR LAST QUARTERLY PERFORMANCE WAS AT 49.1% OF THEM AT 16 HAD THAT HAD EITHER OF THOSE TWO DOCUMENTS, WE WE CAN GET YOU THE AGE SPECIFIC IF THAT'S SOMETHING YOU'RE INTERESTED IN AS WELL.

BUT FOR US, IT IS AN INTENTIONAL APPROACH TO MAKING SURE THAT THIS IS A VITAL KEY THAT THEY HAVE ACCESS TO, BECAUSE IT IS THEIR RIGHT TO DO SO. DEFINITELY.

AND AS YOU KNOW, IT'S SUCH A HINDRANCE IF THEY DON'T GET THESE THINGS RIGHT.

AND SO I'M CURIOUS, YOU KNOW, WHAT LESSONS HAVE YOU LEARNED IN PRIORITIZING THIS, YOU KNOW, GETTING PEOPLE THEIR DOCUMENTS AND GETTING THEM THESE IMPORTANT THINGS LIKE THEIR DRIVER'S LICENSE.

WHAT LESSONS HAVE YOU LEARNED IN THIS PROCESS THAT MAYBE OTHERS COULD TAKE AWAY WHEN TRYING TO DEAL WITH THE SAME ISSUE.

I THINK THE BIGGEST LESSON IS TO TREAT THIS LIKE IT'S YOUR OWN LIFE, RIGHT? SO WHEN YOU YOU KNOW, FOR ME, WHEN I TURNED 16, I WANTED MY DRIVER'S LICENSE THAT DAY AND I KNEW WHAT MY PARENTS HAD TO WORK THROUGH TO GET US THERE. I THINK IF WE TREAT ALL THIS LIKE OUR OWN, IF IT WERE OWN OUR OWN KIDS, OUR OWN FAMILIES, WHAT WOULD WE DO? AND IT GOES BACK TO OUR MISSION IS TO DO WHATEVER IT TAKES.

AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW, MY LEAST FAVORITE WORD TO SAY IS KNOW MY TEAM, KNOW THAT.

AND SO THEY WILL COME VERY CREATIVE IDEAS TO MAKE SURE WE WRAP AROUND THIS WITH OUR IDS AND DRIVER'S LICENSE.

IT WAS A VERY DIRECT APPROACH WITH OUR CAREGIVERS, WHETHER THEY WERE FOSTER PARENTS OR RELATIVE KINSHIP CARERS, TO WHAT DO YOU NEED TO HELP MAKE SURE WE CAN GET THIS ACCOMPLISHED? AND SO WE REALLY JUST TOOK THAT AS OUR LEADING CHARGE.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. OH, SURE.

CAN YOU SPELL YOUR NAME FOR US? SURE. FIRST NAME IS ROCKY, ROCKY, AND MY LAST NAME IS HENSARLING, HENSARLING. AWESOME. THANK YOU. YEP. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. OKAY. NEXT WE WILL HEAR FROM RACHEL DOER, THE DIRECTOR OF FAITH BASED AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT,

[IV. FAITH-BASED AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EVENT AND ACTIVITIES OPPORTUNITIES UPDATE ]

WELL, THANK YOU TO ALL YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS FOR WHAT YOU DO IN THE COMMUNITY.

WE KNOW YOU ARE VERY ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITIES THAT YOU REPRESENT, AND WE APPRECIATE YOU BEING AT OUR EVENTS.

APRIL WAS OF COURSE CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH.

WE HAD A LOT OF ACTIVITIES. AND INSTEAD OF ME TALKING ABOUT THE ACTIVITIES, I THINK THE BEST WAY IS TO HIGHLIGHT A VIDEO THAT OUR MEDIA RELATIONS DEPARTMENT COMPILED.

WE WORK VERY CLOSELY WITH MEDIA RELATIONS ON ALL OF OUR PUBLIC AWARENESS EVENTS.

AND SO THEY WORKED ON A HIGHLIGHT REEL OF ALL OF OUR MEDIA AND OUR PRESENTATIONS AND EVENTS.

AND SO WE'LL SHOW THAT TO YOU NOW.

APRIL IS NATIONAL CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION MONTH.

IT FOCUSES ON TEACHING EVERYONE THE SIGNS OF ABUSE AND NEGLECT SO WE CAN ALL PUT A STOP TO IT.

AS YOU DO YOUR SHOPPING AT UNITED SUPERMARKETS ACROSS LUBBOCK, YOU MAY NOTICE NEW PINWHEELS OUTSIDE.

THEY'LL REMAIN IN PLACE THROUGH THE MONTH OF APRIL. TODAY, LOCAL OFFICIALS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS PAINTED CADILLAC RANCH BLUE.

LOCAL CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES SAY AWARENESS EFFORTS LIKE THIS DO MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

OFTENTIMES IT GOES, KIDS WON'T SAY ANYTHING BECAUSE THEY'RE TOO SCARED OR THEY'RE TOO YOUNG.

EVERY CALL THAT IS CALLED INTO THE STATE HOTLINE, IT IS COMPLETELY CONFIDENTIAL.

THE SHERIFF SAID, IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING.

IT'S. IT'S NOT BECAUSE YOU WANT TO HURT THAT PARENT.

TAKE AWAY THAT PARENT OR ANYTHING ELSE. BUT IT'S TO SAVE THAT KID.

AN OCEAN WAVE OF BLUE PILED INTO THE TRAVIS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS COURT THIS WEEK AS LOCAL LEADERS UNITED TO PROTECT THE COUNTY'S MOST VULNERABLE

[01:10:08]

KLTV SEVEN'S ALEX WEBSTER SPOKE WITH A SURVIVOR OF ABUSE WHO NOW ADVOCATES FOR OTHER VICTIMS OUT THERE.

SASHA NEULINGER WAS A VICTIM OF ABUSE AT JUST FOUR YEARS OLD, NOW TELLING HIS STORY TO HELP OTHERS TELL THEIRS.

CHILDREN CANNOT ADVOCATE FOR THEMSELVES. THEY'RE STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW THE WORLD WORKS.

SOMETIMES IT'S MAYBE WHAT'S COMING BETWEEN REMOVING KIDS FROM A HOME AND LEAVING THEM IN THE HOME IS A DIRTY HOME, AND SO WE'LL HELP THAT FAMILY WITH CLEANING SUPPLIES.

THE DPS APPROACH REFLECTS ON A DELIBERATE FOCUS ON EARLY ENGAGEMENT, TIMELY ACCESS TO COMMUNITY BASED SERVICES.

SO LET'S TALK ABOUT BLUE SUNDAY. THAT IS HAPPENING IN A COUPLE WEEKS.

PRAYER IS THE SIMPLEST THING YOU CAN DO, BUT THE MOST POWERFUL.

TOMORROW MORNING, THE TEXAS CAPITOL WILL SEE A CROWD ARRIVE.

THEY'RE AWASH IN BLUE. THEY ARE SET TO MARK GO BLUE DAY EVERY SINGLE DAY.

WE NEVER FORGET ABOUT OUR KIDS. WE DON'T FORGET IT BECAUSE THEY HOLD DEAR TO OUR HEART.

AGAIN, I THANK YOU ALL FOR WHAT YOU DO. KEEP FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT.

YOU ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE EVERY SINGLE DAY.

MAY WE LEAVE HERE COMMITTED NOT ONLY TO AWARENESS, BUT TO ACTION.

BUILDING STRONGER FAMILIES, STRONGER COMMUNITIES, AND A FUTURE WHERE PREVENTION IS THE STANDARD.

OUR VISION IS SIMPLE. SAFE CHILDREN AND ADULTS.

STRONG FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES. STRONGER. TEXAS.

SO WE THANK YOU, YOUR PARTNERS, WHO ALSO HELP US WITH THESE EVENTS AROUND THE STATE AND FOR SHOWING UP FOR OUR STAFF AND FOR OUR CHILDREN AND OUR FAMILIES.

SO THANK YOU FOR EVERYBODY THAT WAS INVOLVED IN THOSE EVENTS FOR APRIL.

WE ALSO IN APRIL CELEBRATED A VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION WEEK AS A REMINDER.

AND AT DFS, WE HAVE OVER 1500 VOLUNTEERS AROUND THE STATE THAT PROVIDE US MORE THAN 13,000 HOURS A YEAR.

AND SO OUR VOLUNTEERS ARE CRUCIAL TO COMPLETING THE MISSION AND VISION OF OF THIS AGENCY.

AND SO WE WANTED CHERYL, COULD YOU TO THE NEXT.

YEAH. SO EVERY YEAR WE DO HONOR OUR AMAZING VOLUNTEERS.

WE AWARD THEM, WE, WE HAVE A COMMITTEE THAT SELECTS VOLUNTEER NOMINATIONS.

AND I WANTED TO POINT OUT SPECIFICALLY, WE USED TO JUST WE HAD THE BIGGEST HEART AWARD FOR WHICH ENCOMPASSED EVERY ENCOMPASSED EVERY BODY AND THEN A HELPING HAND AWARD, WHICH ENCOMPASSES OUR GROUPS. BUT WE HAD SO MANY YOUTH COME FORWARD AND VOLUNTEER WITH OUR AGENCY AND DO SOME AMAZING WORK THAT WE CREATED THE BIGGEST HEART AWARD FOR OUR YOUTH CATEGORY. AND SO THIS YEAR, THE GIRL SCOUT TROOP IN 3110 DOWN IN EDINBURGH, THEY HELPED TO REARRANGE AND STOCK OUR RESOURCE ROOM AND THEY ALSO HELPED WITH OUR VISITATION ROOMS. I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF YOU HAVE BEEN IN GOVERNMENT OFFICES, BUT OUR VISITATION ROOMS ARE NOT ALWAYS THE MOST WELCOMING AND THAT'S WHERE FAMILIES HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT. AND SO WE HAVE NOT ONLY THE GIRL SCOUT TROOP THAT DID THAT IN REGION 11, BUT WE HAVE SEVERAL WONDERFUL, AMAZING PARTNERS THAT UPDATE OUR VISITATION ROOMS SO THAT WHEN FAMILIES COME TO OUR OFFICES WHERE THEY HAVE THAT, THAT, THAT VERY SMALL WINDOW WHERE THEY CAN VISIT THEY, THEY ARE ABLE TO DO SO IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT IS MORE CONDUCIVE AND MORE WELCOMING.

SO I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THEM. BUT WE ACTUALLY DO OUR COMMUNICATIONS TEAM, OUR EXCUSE ME, OUR YES, OUR COMMUNICATIONS TEAM WORKED ON A VIDEO FOR JALEN OLIVARES WHO'S OUT IN REGION NINE.

SHE REALLY SHE CAME TO SHE CAME IN TO START HELPING WITH OUR RESOURCE ROOM, OUR, OUR RAINBOW ROOM AND SAW A NEED SPECIFICALLY FOR OUR OLDER ADULTS. AND SO SHE WENT TO WORK AND I'LL LET THE VIDEO HIGHLIGHT WHAT JALEN DID AND WHY SHE WON THE AWARD THIS YEAR.

BEING A TEENAGER IN TODAY'S WORLD IS PRETTY CRAZY.

WE DEFINITELY HAVE A LOT GETTING THROWN AT US AT ONE TIME.

I FEEL LIKE KIND OF GROWING UP, I JUST I HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WERE ABLE TO HELP ME AND I, I ALSO HAD A LOT OF FRIENDS THAT DIDN'T HAVE THOSE PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO HELP.

AND IT WAS KIND OF HARD TO SEE THAT. SO. MY NAME IS JALEN OLIVAREZ.

I'M 17 YEARS OLD AND I GO TO PERMIAN HIGH SCHOOL IN ODESSA, TEXAS.

[01:15:01]

I WAS LIKE, I LIKE THIS ONE. WE STARTED OFF WITH JUST FILLING CLOTHES AND I WOULD SAY PROBABLY DOING INVENTORY FOR THE RAINBOW ROOM.

AND SHE HAS AN EYE FOR FASHION. I WOULD PUT OUTFITS TOGETHER AND SHE WOULD TELL ME THAT THEY DIDN'T LOOK GOOD.

SO I THINK THAT'S KIND OF THE BEGINNING OF IT.

AND THEN FROM THERE, SHE APPROACHED ME ONE DAY AND SHE SAID, HEY, I THINK WE SHOULD DO A DRIVE FOR THE TEEN ROOM.

SO SHE WENT HOME, KIND OF BRAINSTORMED, AND SHE SHOWED ME HER FLIER AND I SAID YES AND GAVE HER SOME LITTLE POINTERS.

BUT FOR THE MOST PART, SHE DID IT ALL BY HERSELF.

AND I WAS LIKE, HEY, LET'S PUT IT OUT TO THE COMMUNITY.

I STARTED THREADS OF HOPE BECAUSE WE HAD A TEENAGER COME INTO THE BUILDING AT ONE POINT, AND THEY NEEDED SOME CLOTHES AND WE HAD STUFF.

IT JUST WASN'T WHAT WE NEEDED AT THE TIME, AND IT KIND OF BROKE MY HEART.

I THINK CLOTHES ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. I SAY CLOTHES KIND OF HELP BOOST THE CONFIDENCE.

CLOTHES CAN HELP PEOPLE HEAL. DEFINITELY. BECAUSE YOU GET TO SHOW YOUR COLORS, YOU GET TO SHOW YOUR PERSONALITY.

YOU GET TO SHOW PEOPLE LIKE, HEY, THIS IS ME.

THIS IS WHAT I LOVE. JAYLEN'S FUTURE, IF YOU ASKED ME, I WOULD SAY IS EXTREMELY BRIGHT.

SHE IS A VERY GIVING UP YOUNG LADY. SHE CAN PROBABLY SEE YOUR NEED BEFORE YOU SEE YOUR NEED.

I GOT CLOTHING FOR TEENAGERS. I GOT HYGIENE PRODUCTS.

I GOT HAIR STUFF. IT DEFINITELY MAKES ME FEEL PROUD OF MYSELF BECAUSE SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE TEENAGERS DEFINITELY GET OVERLOOKED. A LOT OF TIMES TEENAGERS DON'T HAVE THE CAPACITY TO TAKE ON SERVING THE COMMUNITY THEY'RE A PART OF.

SO FOR HER TO, TO SEE THE NEED, CREATE THE DRIVE, RUN THE DRIVE IS A HUGE DEAL.

OH, IT'S MY AWARD.

I WISH WE COULD HIGHLIGHT ALL OF OUR WONDERFUL VOLUNTEERS, BUT THESE WERE JUST THE AWARD WINNERS FOR THIS YEAR.

AND OF COURSE, WE WILL CONTINUE TO RECOGNIZE OUR VOLUNTEER AWARD WINNERS IN THE FUTURE.

SO. AND THEN CHERYL, NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. YEAH.

FOR, FOR THIS MONTH. THE NEXT, THE, WE ARE OF COURSE IN ELDER ABUSE AWARENESS MONTH AS JULIE BASICALLY DID MY PRESENTATION FOR ME.

THANK YOU JULIE. BUT YES, WORLD ELDER ABUSE DAY IS MONDAY, JUNE 15TH.

PURPLE SUNDAY IS THE DAY BEFORE AND THAT IS THE DAY SIMILAR TO BLUE SUNDAY WHERE WE ASK FAITH PARTNERS AROUND THE STATE TO TO PRAY FOR OUR, FOR OUR, OUR CLIENTS AND STAFF AND THOSE INVOLVED IN ELDER ABUSE AWARENESS.

WE ARE ALSO HOLDING MULTIPLE TRAININGS AROUND THE STATE FOR FIRST RESPONDERS AND INCREASED COLLABORATIONS WITH HOSPITALS AND MUNICIPALITIES.

THAT'S BEEN A FOCUS OF APS IS REALLY WORKING WITH THOSE CRITICAL PARTNERS THAT HELP US DO OUR JOBS TO ENSURE WORKING TOGETHER.

AND WE ALSO HAVE A SERIES OF WEBINARS, VIRTUAL WEBINARS THAT ANYBODY CAN JOIN ON A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT TOPICS RELATED TO THOSE IN THE IN THE ELDER SPACE. AND ANYBODY CAN REGISTER FOR THESE WEBINARS.

IF YOU GO TO THE PUBLIC WEBSITE, THERE IS AN EMAIL AT THE LOWER BANNER, AND YOU CAN SIGN UP TO RECEIVE OUR GOVT DELIVERY EMAILS, WHICH WILL HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION ABOUT THE WEBINARS THAT WE'RE THAT WE CONTINUE TO PRODUCE MOVING FORWARD.

SO THAT IS THE UPDATE. ANY QUESTIONS? I'LL JUST MAKE ONE POINT ON JULIE'S POINT ABOUT CHECKING ON NEIGHBORS.

POLICE OFFICERS GET THE SAME CALL EVERY DAY OF.

I SEE MY NEIGHBOR EVERY MORNING. I DIDN'T SEE HER THIS MORNING. SOMETIMES SHE SLEEPS IN, BUT IT'S 1:00.

I'M A LITTLE WORRIED ABOUT HER, BUT THEY CAN'T GO BREAK IN THE PERSON'S DOOR.

BUT WE CAN. AND OFTENTIMES THEY JUST FELL AND THEY'VE BEEN LAYING THERE NOT, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T HAVE THEIR PHONE WITH THEM.

AND IF THAT NEIGHBOR WASN'T CHECKING ON THEM AND DIDN'T CALL US, THEY COULD HAVE LAID THERE FOR GOD KNOWS HOW LONG.

SO IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO DO THAT. AND I APPRECIATE YOU BRINGING THAT UP.

OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

SO I'D LIKE TO THANK OUR COUNCIL MEMBER, TIM FOR CONNECTING THE COUNCIL WITH OUR NEXT TWO PRESENTERS.

FIRST WE HAVE LILY GILBERT AND PEARL TRAN, AS WELL AS MONICA FAULKNER FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN WITH THE INSTITUTE FOR CHILD AND FAMILY WELL-BEING.

SO WELCOME AND THANK YOU.

[01:20:06]

AND ALSO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE ON THE COUNCIL.

MY NAME IS DOCTOR MONICA FAULKNER. I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE TEXAS INSTITUTE FOR CHILD AND FAMILY WELL-BEING.

WE'RE LOCATED AT UT AUSTIN. WE DO WORK WITH TIM.

OUR INSTITUTE DOES RESEARCH PROGRAM EVALUATION, TRAINING, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, AND WE HAVE SOME PROGRAMS, ALL FOR THE PURPOSE OF ENHANCING CHILD AND FAMILY WELL-BEING, PARTICULARLY FOR FAMILIES WHO HAVE BEEN TOUCHED BY FOSTER CARE AND ADOPTION.

ONE OF THE PROGRAMS WE RUN RIGHT NOW IS CALLED SPARK, AND IT IS RUN BY TIM, AND IT IS TO HELP STUDENTS AT UT AUSTIN WHO HAVE LIVED IN FOSTER CARE. AND IT WAS THROUGH THAT PROGRAM THAT LILLY AND PEARL, MY CO-PRESENTERS, CAME TO US.

SO BESIDE ME IS LILLY, AND LILLY IS ONE OF OUR FOUR GRADUATES THIS THIS YEAR.

SHE JUST EARNED HER BACHELOR'S IN SOCIAL WORK DEGREE FROM UT AUSTIN, AND SHE IS THANKFULLY GOING TO STICK AROUND WITH US A LITTLE BIT LONGER AND HELP US GET THIS NETWORK UP AND RUNNING. LILLY IS FROM CENTRAL TEXAS, SO SHE AGED OUT OF CARE IN REGION SEVEN, AND PEARL TRAN IS A ALSO A GRADUATE OF UT AUSTIN.

SHE GRADUATED LAST YEAR WITH HER DEGREE IN BIOCHEMISTRY AND SOCIOLOGY MINOR AND NOT TO JINX ANYTHING FOR LILY, BUT SHE SPENT THIS YEAR WORKING WITH US WHILE SHE WAS STUDYING FOR HER DENTAL SCHOOL EXAMS, AND SHE IS APPLYING TO DENTAL SCHOOL. BUT WE'RE NOT JINX.

AND SHE DID REALLY WELL IN HER DENTAL SCHOOL.

SHE DID REALLY WELL, REALLY WELL, BUT WE'VE BEEN SO LUCKY TO HAVE HER.

SO THEY ARE GOING TO DO MOST OF THE PRESENTATION TODAY, BECAUSE I THINK THEY HAVE DONE EXTRAORDINARY WORK IN HELPING US GET THIS UP AND RUNNING.

I'M JUST GOING TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW WE GOT HERE.

THE TEXAS FOSTER YOUTH NETWORK WAS AN IDEA THAT CAME FROM THE TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION, AND THEY HAD A SIMILAR NETWORK FOR VETERANS, AND THEY WERE INTERESTED IN IMPLEMENTING IT WITH FOSTER YOUTH.

AND HOWEVER, THE POPULATION IS VERY DIFFERENT.

SO WE BASICALLY HAD TO START FROM SCRATCH. BUT THE IDEA IS CONNECTING YOUTH WITH OPPORTUNITY WITH WORKFORCE OPPORTUNITIES AND HELPING ELIMINATE THE MEET THE BARRIERS TO WORKFORCE, WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY EVERYTHING THAT YOU CAN THINK OF AS A BARRIER.

SO I OFTENTIMES BOTH CREDIT AND KIND OF BLAME TIM BELL FOR THESE BIG DREAMS, BUT HE BROUGHT THIS TO US AND HE SAID, HEY, IF THEY WANT TO DO THIS, WHY DON'T WE HAVE STUDENTS THAT ARE IN OUR SPARK PROGRAM? AND STUDENTS AT OTHER CAMPUSES ACROSS TEXAS RUN THE CALL CENTER.

AND I WAS LIKE, THAT'S A REALLY GOOD IDEA. HOW ARE WE GOING TO DO THAT? SO WE ARE REALLY IN OUR INFANCY RIGHT NOW. WE BEGAN ON JANUARY 1ST.

WE FINALLY GOT A CONTRACT THROUGH AND WE GOT UP AND RUNNING VERY QUICKLY TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE DO THIS? WHAT DO YOU WANT? SO NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO TODAY WE'RE JUST GOING TO PRIMARILY TALK TO YOU ABOUT WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING, WHICH IS A LOT OF LISTENING AND PLANNING. WE DID A LANDSCAPE ANALYSIS TO HELP THAT'S STILL HELPING US UNDERSTAND WHAT YOUTH WANT, WHICH IS NOT NECESSARILY WHAT WE THOUGHT THEY WANT.

SO IT WAS GOOD. AND THEN I'M GOING TO TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE DESIGN AND WHERE WE'RE AT AND HOW YOU CAN BE INVOLVED WITH THIS AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

SO NEXT SLIDE. SO WE FIRST BEGAN THIS PROJECT WITH A LANDSCAPE ANALYSIS TO MAP THE CURRENT STATE OF WHAT IT'S LIKE TO NAVIGATE THE RESOURCES FOR YOUTH. WE INTERVIEWED 20 YOUNG ADULTS AND THEN 69 COMMUNITY PARTNERS, AND THE INTERVIEWS HELPED US UNDERSTAND THE SUCCESS, THE SUCCESSES, THE CHALLENGES, AND THE RESOURCES NEEDED, AND AS WELL AS THE COORDINATION ACROSS SYSTEMS AND THE YOUTH SERVING PROFESSIONALS AND YOUTH.

A MAIN POINT OF THIS PROJECT IS CENTERING LIVED EXPERIENCE.

SO THE LANDSCAPE ANALYSIS WAS THE FIRST PART OF COLLABORATION WITH YOUTH TO HEAR ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE.

ANOTHER POINT OF COLLABORATION WAS CONDUCTING PEER TO PEER INTERVIEWS.

SO THE INTERVIEWERS ALSO HAD LIVED EXPERIENCE.

AND OUR GOAL WAS TO CREATE AN AUTHENTIC ENVIRONMENT FOR THE YOUNG PARTICIPANTS TO BE ABLE TO TALK OPENLY WITH THAT INITIAL SHARED REPORT.

THE FINDINGS WE GATHERED WILL HELP TO SHAPE AND DESIGN OUR CALL CENTER TO BE SURE THAT WE ARE LISTENING AND LEARNING WITH THE FIRM FOUNDATION AND OUR YOUTH VOICE.

AND THEN THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE. SO NEXT SLIDE.

YEAH. UNDERSTANDING THE LANDSCAPE. SO WHEN WE STARTED THIS, WE KNOW FROM RESEARCH THAT YOUTH NEED A LOT OF THINGS.

WE KNOW THAT YOUTH WHO LEAVE FOSTER CARE HAVE HIGHER RATES OF HOMELESSNESS, UNEMPLOYMENT, MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, EVERYTHING. BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT THERE ARE RESOURCES OUT THERE AND WHAT WE WERE SEEING IS PARTICULARLY IN RURAL

[01:25:06]

SO WHAT WE WERE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND FROM THE LANDSCAPE ANALYSIS WAS HOW DO WE CONNECT THOSE? HOW DO WE CONNECT WHAT'S ALREADY THERE WITH WHAT THE YOUTH NEED AND MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET IT? NEXT SLIDE. SO. OH, I THINK THIS IS YOU, PEARL.

SORRY ABOUT THAT. OH. OOPSIE. I DON'T ACTUALLY SWITCH THIS ONE LAST MINUTE.

WHEN A YOUTH REACHES OUT TO US, IT TYPICALLY SHOWS JUST THE MOST VISIBLE EDGE OF A MORE LAYERED SET OF NEEDS.

AND YOUTH ARE TYPICALLY TASKED WITH NAVIGATING ALL OF THAT ON THEIR OWN.

SO WHAT WE DO WITH THIS HOTLINE IS WE'RE PLANNING TO BUILD TRUST WITH YOUTH AND WORK TO CREATE PLANS THAT ARE LED BY THEIR GOALS.

WE'LL ALSO PROVIDE CONSISTENT FOLLOW UP AND GUIDED RESOURCE NAVIGATION FOR THE YOUTH THAT CONNECT WITH US, WHETHER THAT BE HELPING THEM MAKE A CALL TO A COMMUNITY PARTNER WALKING THEM THROUGH AN APPLICATION.

WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT THEY FEEL SUPPORTED THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE PROCESS.

NEXT SLIDE. SORRY, WE REORGANIZED OUR SLIDES, BUT DO YOU ACTUALLY MIND GOING BACK TO THE PREVIOUS SLIDE? YEAH. SO THAT'S THE SIDE THAT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO. SO THIS ONE WHEN YOU'RE 18 TO 25, THAT PERIOD OF EMERGING ADULTHOOD IS WHEN YOU LOOK FOR GUIDANCE FROM OTHERS. MOST, MOST YOUTH GET THE MOST YOUTH GET THE PRACTICE SKILLS, LIKE SOFT SKILLS, LIKE EMOTIONAL REGULATION AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION.

AND THEY GO THROUGH CRITICAL TRANSITIONS LIKE FINISHING EDUCATION, FINDING EMPLOYMENT.

THEY'RE LEAVING THEIR HOME TO SHAPE THEIR CAREER PATH AND THEY'RE BUILDING AND PURSUING RELATIONSHIPS, BUT THEY'RE USUALLY ALL WHILE RECEIVING SUPPORT AND GUIDANCE FROM FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND COMMUNITIES WITHOUT A NATURAL SUPPORT SYSTEM, YOUTH EXITING FOSTER CARE STRUGGLE ON THEIR OWN AND THEY RELY ON SUPPLEMENTED SUPPORT WE CALL TRANSITIONAL LIVING SERVICES.

SO ONE OF THE THEMES THAT WE HEARD DURING THESE INTERVIEWS THIS IS A QUOTE FROM OUR YOUTH IS THAT LEARNING TO BE AN ADULT IS HARD.

THE YOUTH SAID THAT THEY HAD TO LEARN TO DEPEND ON THEMSELVES, TO MANAGE LIFE, TO BUDGET AND TO HAVE SELF COMPOSURE.

AND WE OFTEN HEAR THAT THEY FELT IN THESE INTERVIEWS MULTIPLE DIFFERENT YOUTHS, THEY USE THE SAME PHRASE THAT THEY WERE THROWN TO THE WOLVES, AND THEY DIDN'T REALLY FEEL PREPARED TO NAVIGATE ADULTHOOD ON THEIR OWN. AND FOR ANY YOUTH, THAT JUST TRANSITION IS HARD.

YET A TIME OF GROWTH. BUT FOR YOUTH TRANSITIONING OUT OF FOSTER CARE, SOME FELT A SENSE OF ABANDONMENT AND FADING SUPPORT AS THEY GOT OLDER, WHILE OTHERS WERE RELIEVED TO KNOW THAT THEY ARE STILL TRANSITION CENTERS THAT COULD OFFER SUPPORT BEYOND 21.

SO A STRONG COMMONALITY THAT YOUTH VALUED AS SUPPORT HAVING SOMEONE IN YOUR CORNER AND AS ONE YOUTH SAID IT, AS LONG AS THEY HAVE SUPPORT, THEY KNOW THAT THEY CAN GET THROUGH IT EVEN IF IT IS HARD.

SO YEAH. SO NEXT SLIDE. AND THEN ONE MORE.

SO NOT ONLY ARE THE RESOURCE NEEDS ARE COMPLEX, BUT THE SYSTEMS THAT PROVIDE SUPPORT ARE ALSO FRAGMENTED.

WE HAVE MULTIPLE SYSTEMS, MULTIPLE PROVIDERS, AND MULTIPLE SPECIALISTS THAT ALL DISPERSE THE RESOURCES AND ATTACH TO THOSE RESOURCES ARE COMPLICATED ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS AND PROCESSES.

THEY HAVE GEOGRAPHIC BOUNDARIES, DIFFERENT TIMELINES, AND POINTS OF CONTACT THAT THE YOUTH HAVE TO UNTIE THE KNOT TO FIGURE OUT.

THERE'S REGIONAL DIFFERENCES. SOME MAY HAVE UNEVEN ACCESS BECAUSE OF THE VARIATION OF THE NUMBER OF AVAILABLE SERVICES, OR AT TIMES DIFFICULT TO REACH BECAUSE OF LONG DISTANCES.

THERE'S ALSO A LACK OF CONTINUITY AND CONNECTION WHEN YOUTH MOVE ACROSS THE STATE.

THE CONSTANT REPETITION OF HAVING TO START OVER.

THE EFFORTS TO HELP THEM GET PERMITS OR JOBS OR OTHER SUPPORTS.

SO A QUOTE BY A TRANSITION SERVICE PROFESSIONAL WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE CAPTURES THIS ISSUE.

HE SAID THAT THERE WERE SO MANY RESOURCES, THERE WERE SO MANY RESOURCES OFFERED TO THIS PERSON WHEN THEY AGED OUT OF CARE ABOUT WHAT THEY TRULY LACKED WITH WAS CLARITY.

AND I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT A LOT OF YOUTH LACK.

YOUTH LACK CLARITY. THEY DON'T KNOW. THEY DON'T KNOW WHO HANDLES WHICH NEEDS BECAUSE OF THE MANY SERVING PROFESSIONALS IN THEIR LIVES, WHO WHOSE JOB IS TO DO THIS? WHO'S GOING TO HELP ME WITH HOUSING? WHO DO I CALL TO GET MY TUITION AND FEE WAIVER COMBINED? THIS CREATES MIXED COMMUNICATION, LOST COORDINATION, AND FRUSTRATION FOR YOUTH.

EVEN WITH SOME YOUTH, YOU'RE RISKING. ALSO, EVEN SOME OF THEM WILL THROW UP THEIR HANDS AND WALK AWAY FROM ACCESSING THAT RESOURCE.

SO. SO, AS PEARL SAID EARLIER, YOUTH ENCOUNTERED TOO MANY BARRIERS AND DEAD ENDS WHEN TRYING TO GET HELP. WITHOUT THOSE NATURAL SUPPORT SYSTEMS, YOUTH ARE SENT IN CIRCLES.

ONE THING YOUTH EXPRESSED IN OUR INTERVIEWS WAS THE DESIRE FOR RELATIONAL SUPPORT.

[01:30:04]

AS ONE YOUTH SAID IN OUR INTERVIEWS, IT'S TOO MANY LOOPS AND TOO MUCH STUFF THAT WE HAVE TO DO TO GET THE RESOURCES, AND THE HELP THEY SAY IS ALREADY IN PLACE FOR US.

NOW IT'S GETTING WAY TOO COMPLICATED AND HARD BECAUSE NO ONE HAS ANY ANSWERS.

WHILE WE'RE NOT A MATERIAL RESOURCE IN THIS CALL CENTER, WE HELP YOUTH BUILD CONFIDENCE IN THEIR ABILITY TO ACCESS WHAT THEY NEED BY PROVIDING LIVE WALKTHROUGHS AND LEADING BY EXAMPLE. WE ENSURE YOUTH CAN STAY CONNECTED TO A FAMILIAR STAFF MEMBER EVERY TIME THEY CALL, AND STAFF AT THE NETWORK WILL ALSO MODEL SOFT SKILLS AND ADVOCACY FOR THE YOUTH ARE CALLING TO US.

THE RESOURCE NEEDS DESCRIBED BY YOUTH ARE INTERCONNECTED.

FINDING HOUSING, EMPLOYMENT AND MEETING BASIC NEEDS ARE ALL PIECES OF A PUZZLE.

STAKEHOLDERS NOTED THAT THEY ENCOUNTER CLUSTERS OF NEEDS THAT INTERACT AND CAN QUICKLY DESTABILIZE RESOURCES, EXTEND ACROSS VARIOUS SYSTEMS AND LOCATIONS, RESULTING IN YOUTH FEELING LOST OR NOT KNOWING WHERE TO START.

THE FOSTER YOUTH NETWORK WILL ACT AS A BRIDGE BETWEEN THESE RESOURCES AND SIMPLIFY ACCESS BY CENTRALIZING SYSTEMS, YOUTH AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS THROUGH ONE PLATFORM, A PLACE YOUTH AND CAREGIVERS CAN TURN TO IN ANY CIRCUMSTANCES AND BE CONNECTED WITH RESOURCES THAT CAN HELP. NEXT SLIDE. SO THE FOSTER YOUTH NETWORK WILL PROVIDE RELATIONAL CONTINUITY AND A SAFE HAVEN FOR YOUTH, HELP YOUTH NAVIGATE SYSTEMS AND ACCESS RESOURCES, AND CREATE A SAFE SPACE FOR GUIDED PRACTICE AND LEARNING THROUGH EXPERIENCE.

SO WHERE WE'RE AT RIGHT NOW, AGAIN, WE'VE STARTED IN JANUARY.

SO WE HAVE BEEN EXPLORING TECHNOLOGY AND SYSTEMS. HOW DO WE MAKE THIS WORK? RIGHT. AND SO WE HAVE TALKED TO A LOT OF OTHER CALL CENTERS TO SEE HOW THEY DO THINGS.

WE ARE COMMUNICATING WITH A LOT OF OTHER PROFESSIONALS TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO MAKE THIS WORK.

AND WE'LL TELL YOU SOME OF THE DECISIONS WE'VE MADE FROM THAT LANDSCAPE ANALYSIS.

WE'RE ALSO IN THE MIDDLE OF HIRING STAFF AND GETTING ROLES SOLIDIFIED.

RIGHT NOW OUR PROJECT DIRECTOR IS GAY VOPAT, WHO USED TO WORK AT DPS AND HAS EXTENSIVE KNOWLEDGE IN WORKING WITH OLDER YOUTH, AND SHE HAS JUST TAKEN THIS AND JUST RAN WITH IT.

WE'RE ALSO DEVELOPING OUR POLICIES AND PROCESSES.

SO WE KNOW THAT OUR TARGET POPULATION IS YOUNG ADULTS WHO HAVE AGED OUT.

WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO MEET ALL OF THOSE NEEDS AND DOCUMENT ALL THE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR OUR STAFF WHO ARE GOING TO BE WORKING AT THE CALL CENTER.

SO WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT. AND THEN OUTREACH IS CRITICAL, RIGHT? WE ALWAYS KNOW THAT THERE ARE NEW PROGRAMS POPPING UP IN THE FOSTER CARE COMMUNITY.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE OUT THERE LETTING PEOPLE KNOW WHEN WE'RE UP AND RUNNING.

AND THEN USER RESEARCH IS REALLY IMPORTANT. SO WE'VE ALREADY MADE SOME CHANGES THAT I HAD MADE ON THESE SLIDES, BUT I IT WAS TOO LATE FOR ME TO CHANGE IT. BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE DISCOVERED IS NOBODY LIKES THE WORD CENTER BECAUSE IT REMINDS THEM OF RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT CENTERS AND PEOPLE. WE CAN'T USE THE WORD HUB. AND SO WE'RE WE'RE KIND OF RIGHT NOW IN THE MIDDLE OF THE USER RESEARCH WHERE YOUTH ARE TELLING US THEY LIKE YOUTH LINE.

BUT THEN WE'RE GOING TO FILL THAT OUT AND SEE WHERE THAT GOES.

SO AGAIN, WE'RE REALLY JUST KIND OF GETTING STARTED ON THIS.

AND I WOULD SAY I WOULD BRING IT BACK TO YOU ALL, BUT I'M GOING TO TELL YOU HOW TO KEEP IN TOUCH WITH US SO YOU CAN WATCH WHAT WE'RE DOING.

NEXT SLIDE. FROM OUR WORK THAT WE'VE ALREADY DONE WITH YOUTH.

SO BASICALLY LILLY PERL AND OUR TEAM, EVERY TIME THERE'S A MEETING OF YOUTH ANYWHERE, I FEEL LIKE WE'VE BEEN THERE AND WE'VE GOT STICKY NOTES AND STICKERS AND ASKING THEM, WHAT COLORS DO YOU LIKE? DO YOU LIKE THIS? DO YOU LIKE THAT? SO FROM THAT, WE'VE GOT TWO KIND OF ELEVATOR PITCHES THAT WE HAVE AND A TAGLINE THAT WE'VE DEVELOPED ALREADY THAT WE'RE USING, AND IT'S REAL HELP FROM PEERS WHO GET IT. AND THEN THE TEXAS FOSTER YOUTH NETWORK WILL BE A PLACE WHERE YOUNG PEOPLE CAN CONNECT WITH RELIABLE, TRUSTED RESOURCES AND PREPARE FOR ADULTHOOD, SUCH AS GETTING A JOB, FINDING HOUSING, GOING TO SCHOOL, TAKING CARE OF THEIR HEALTH, OR GETTING LEGAL OR FINANCIAL SUPPORT.

NEXT SLIDE. AND THEN THE SECOND PART OF THAT, THE NETWORK WILL BE RUN BY YOUNG PEOPLE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE WHO CAN OFFER A TRUSTED, COMFORTABLE SPACE TO FIND SUPPORT, SOLVE PROBLEMS, AND ENVISION THE FUTURE WITH SOMEONE WHO KNOWS WHAT IT'S LIKE.

AND I AM GOING TO LET LILY TELL YOU ABOUT HOW WE TOOK THE LANDSCAPE ANALYSIS AND MADE SOME DECISIONS ALREADY.

SO WHAT WE LEARNED FROM OUR INTERVIEWS IS WE WANT THE CALL CENTER TO BE STAFFED BY YOUTH WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE.

THE CALL CENTER WILL HAVE A WIDE RANGE OF HOURS, SO THAT YOUTH WILL HAVE SOMEONE TO CALL WHEN THEY NEED IT MOST OUTSIDE OF TRADITIONAL BUSINESS HOURS. IN CONTRAST TO WHAT WE ORIGINALLY THOUGHT, YOUTH EXPRESSED WANTING REAL PEOPLE TO TALK TO.

SO RATHER THAN CHATBOTS OR AI. SO WHEN YOU REACH OUT, THEY WILL BE CONNECTED WITH LIVE SUPPORT FROM A REAL PERSON.

[01:35:04]

STAFF WILL THEN PROVIDE LIKE CASE MANAGEMENT AND FOLLOW UP WITH YOUTH CONSISTENTLY AVOIDING THOSE LONG RESPONSE TIMES.

STAFF WILL ALSO RECEIVE REFLECTIVE SUPERVISION FROM A TRAINED PROFESSIONAL WHO WILL ASSIST WITH CRISIS CALLS, PROVIDE DEBRIEF SESSIONS, AND SUPPORT CALL CENTER STAFF WELL-BEING.

SO OUR NEXT STEP IS REALLY GETTING OUR OUTREACH TEAM INTO PLACE WHILE WE'RE PUTTING ALL OF THESE THINGS INTO INTO OPERATIONS.

WE ARE GOING TO HAVE OUTREACH COORDINATORS COVERING EVERY, EVERY REGION.

THERE WON'T BE ONE PER REGION JUST BASED ON OUR BUDGET, BUT EVERY SINGLE DOLLAR I HAVE LEFT OVER IN THAT BUDGET IS GOING TO OUTREACH AND OUTREACH COORDINATOR POSITIONS. WE'RE GOING TO BE COORDINATING WITH REGION STAFF.

A LOT OF THEM HAVE ALREADY PARTICIPATED, BOTH TWC STAFF IN DIFFERENT REGIONS AND DPS STAFF HAVE ALREADY PARTICIPATED IN THE LANDSCAPE ANALYSIS AND PROVIDED REALLY GREAT FEEDBACK. AND THEY'RE ALL REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS.

OUR OUTREACH STAFF ARE GOING TO PLAN TO ATTEND REGION EVENTS.

ANYTHING THAT'S HAPPENING WITH YOUTH. WE WANT THEM THERE SO THAT THEY CAN SPREAD THIS.

WE ALSO THIS AGAIN, IS ONE OF TIM'S BIG DREAM IDEAS, WHICH I THINK WOULD WORK SHOWING UP AT COURT DOCKETS AND SAYING, HEY, YOU'RE AGING OUT. HERE'S, HERE'S A NUMBER, TEXT THIS NUMBER.

SO YOU'VE GOT IT IN YOUR PHONE AND INCENTIVIZING WITH LIKE A $5 GIFT CARD RIGHT THERE SO THAT THEY GO SO THAT THEY ALREADY HAVE THAT PHONE NUMBER IN THEIR PHONE WHEN THEY NEED IT TO TEXT. AND THEN WE'RE ALSO GOING TO GET THE MESSAGE OUT THROUGH ALL OF YOU THROUGH STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS.

AND I'M GOING TO SKIP THE NEXT SLIDE AND SKIP THAT ONE.

SO OUR GOAL JUST TO SUM IT UP IS TO REALLY HAVE YOUTH VOICE AT THE CENTER OF THIS AND TO HAVE STRONG PARTNERSHIPS.

WE DON'T WANT TO WORK IN ISOLATION AND WE ARE GOING TO JUST START.

SO I'M REALLY PUSHING MY TEAM. WE GOT WE WERE DELAYED ABOUT SIX MONTHS TO START BECAUSE OF CONTRACTING, WHICH IS PRETTY NORMAL. BUT WE'RE REALLY PUSHING TO START BEFORE WE'RE PERFECT BASICALLY.

BECAUSE THERE'S JUST SUCH A NEED. SO WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN ONGOING IMPROVEMENT PROCESS WHERE WE GET BETTER AS WE GO.

BUT WE'RE LOOKING FOR A SOFT LAUNCH IN EARLY 2027.

IF NOT SOONER. IF I CAN GET IT SOONER, I WILL.

SO NEXT SLIDE. SO HOW YOU CAN HELP CONNECT WITH US.

AND THIS WAS ONE OF THE MISTAKES I REALIZED ON MY SLIDE IS I DIDN'T PUT HOW THE EASIEST WAY, IF YOU HAVE TIM'S EMAIL WOULD BE TO CONNECT WITH TIM, BUT GAVE OPAT IS OUR PROJECT DIRECTOR AND YOU CAN GOOGLE HER, SHE'LL POP UP ON HER WEBSITE AND SHE WILL TALK TO ABSOLUTELY EVERYBODY ABOUT THIS.

AND THEN WHEN WE'RE READY, COLLABORATE WITH US ON CURATING THOSE LOCAL AND REGIONAL RESOURCES.

LET US KNOW WHAT'S IN YOUR COMMUNITY. BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS WE KNOW IS WE CAN SEND YOU SOMEWHERE, BUT IT'S NOT ALWAYS THE BEST FIT. AND SO WE DO WANT TO HEAR THAT KIND OF ON THE GROUND, LIKE, DON'T SEND PEOPLE HERE, SEND THEM HERE. THEY'RE MORE YOUTH FRIENDLY.

WE NEED THAT INFORMATION AND WE'LL ONLY GET IT FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE ALSO ON THE GROUND.

AND THEN THIS SAYS OUR PHASED ROLLOUT IN FALL 2027.

THAT IS A TYPO. I'M HOPING IT'S FALL 2026, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE EARLY 2027.

SO THAT IS WHERE WE ARE AT. APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TALK WITH YOU ALL AND HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.

SO I JUST HAVE A QUESTION. SO THE CONCEPT IS YOU'VE GOT AGED OUT YOUTH OR AGING OUT YOUTH WHO HAVE ALL THESE SERVICES AVAILABLE TO THEM.

BUT EACH INDIVIDUAL ONE IS LIKE A DIFFERENT OFFICE, A DIFFERENT AGENCY THAT HAS DIFFERENT REQUIREMENTS.

AND THIS IS A HUB, NOT A HUB, WHATEVER WE CALL IT, WHATEVER WE FIGURE OUT, WHATEVER WE CALL IT A BASE WHERE YOU YOU CALL AND SAY, LOOK, I NEED THIS CERTAIN SERVICE. THEY SAY, HANG ON.

YOU NEED TO SPEAK TO THIS PERSON SPECIFICALLY.

I'M GOING TO CONNECT THEM WITH YOU. AND YOU'RE GOING TO NEED THESE SPECIFIC FORMS FOR THIS THING.

AND THIS IS HOW IT WORKS. AND KIND OF MAKING SURE THAT IT'S NOT JUST REFERRING TO AN 800 NUMBER, BUT IT'S AN ACTUAL PERSON TO HAND OFF THE, THE, THE SERVICE.

YEAH. AND EVEN A STEP FURTHER, WHAT WE'VE NOTICED IN WORKING WITH STUDENTS AT UT AND FROM OUR EXPERIENCE THERE, IT'S ALSO FOLLOWING UP. SO WE'RE GOING TO SAY, CAN WE CALL YOU BACK AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU GOT THROUGH TO THE PERSON? THAT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. YEAH. YEAH. SO WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING THAT.

THAT LIGHT CASE MANAGEMENT IS GOING TO BE THAT FOLLOW UP.

AND FOR SOME YOUTH WHEN I WAS DOING CASE MANAGEMENT WITH FOSTER YOUTH WITH MY TEENS, I WOULD HAVE THEM MAKE DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENTS WITH ME SO THAT THEY LEARNED HOW TO DO THAT.

SO WE MIGHT EVEN NEED TO GO THAT FAR WHERE WE'RE LIKE, YOU NEED TO FOLLOW UP WITH THIS SPECIALIST.

LET ME HELP YOU GET THROUGH. BECAUSE HONESTLY, EVEN FOR ME AS A MOM, GOING THROUGH AND CALLING A PEDIATRICIAN'S OFFICE CAN SOMETIMES GET YOU TO THE THREE PEOPLE BEFORE YOU GET AN ANSWER 100%.

SO WE WANT TO WE WANT TO MODEL THOSE SOFT SKILLS.

[01:40:01]

SO A COUPLE THINGS I, I LOVED HOW THOUGHTFUL YOU WERE AND THE DESIGN, INCLUDING THAT LANDSCAPE ANALYSIS, BECAUSE USUALLY WE GO INTO, YOU KNOW, IMPLEMENTATION TOO QUICKLY.

SO I THINK THAT'S GREAT. AND THE FACT THAT YOU INCLUDED REFLECTIVE SUPERVISION FOR THE OPERATORS ALSO, LIKE WE FORGET THAT PIECE, I KNOW I DO. SO I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT THAT THAT'S EXCELLENT.

SO IT'S INTERESTING. ARE YOU BUILDING A PEER NETWORK AS PART OF THIS MODEL? CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT IT? I WORK A LOT WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AND FIRST RESPONDERS.

SO, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF THE WORK THAT WE DO IS ALSO BUILDING PEER NETWORKS SUPPORT SO THAT THEY'RE MORE COMFORTABLE TALKING TO SOMEBODY THAT'S IN THEIR SHOES AND THEIR HAS THEIR EXPERIENCES VERSUS A PROFESSIONAL.

BUT THAT'S NOT THE CASE HERE, RIGHT? WELL, I MEAN, THE CALL CENTER IS GOING TO BE STAFFED WITH YOUNG ADULTS WHO LIVED IN FOSTER CARE, WHO ARE TRAINED AND SUPPORTED BY PROFESSIONALS AS NEEDED.

YEAH. SO IT IS THERE'S A WHOLE MOTTO AROUND, YOU KNOW, FIRST RESPONDERS, LAW ENFORCEMENT NOW THAT'S EXPANDING LIKE TO EMS AND FIREFIGHTERS AROUND PEER CONNECT AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.

THANK YOU. YEAH. THANK YOU. THANKS. FIRST OF ALL, THIS SOUNDS THIS IS GOING TO BE A GAME CHANGER FOR, FOR YOUTH EXPERIENCING OUR SYSTEM FOR SURE. I'M I'M CURIOUS.

I FEEL LIKE THERE'S SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES. I MEAN, I LOVE THE COURT DOCKET OPPORTUNITY.

THERE'S A LOT OF GREAT IDEAS IN THERE, BUT REALLY AND TRULY, AND IT FEELS TO ME LIKE THERE IS NO REASON THAT EVERY CHILD EXITING DPS CANNOT HAVE THIS AS A FINAL TOUCH POINT AS THEY ARE LEAVING OUR SYSTEM, WHICH, I MEAN, THE MORE TIMES WE CAN REMIND OURSELVES, I MEAN, AND ESPECIALLY TEENAGE VERSIONS OF OURSELVES ABOUT THE RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO THEM, THE BETTER BECAUSE WE'RE ALL ABSORBING A LOT OF INFORMATION.

BUT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF BUILDING A NEW CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AT DPS AND A CENTRAL FACTOR THAT WE ARE CONSIDERING IN THAT CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM IS THAT AS WE GET TO THE PHASES OF THE CASE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM THAT ACTUALLY TOUCH CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN CARE, THEIR EXPERIENCE, THEIR LIVED EXPERIENCE IS, IS CENTRAL TO WHAT THAT DESIGN SHOULD LOOK LIKE, BECAUSE WE'D LOVE TO HAVE A SYSTEM WHERE WHEN THEY EXIT, THEY HAVE EASY ACCESS TO ALL OF THEIR DOCUMENTS THAT ARE STORED IN A CENTRAL LOCATION WHERE THEY CAN GET THAT DRIVER'S LICENSE. GET THAT WHERE THEY JUST HAVE ELECTRONIC ACCESS TO IT.

IN TODAY'S WORLD, THAT'S SO IMPORTANT. I FEEL LIKE THERE'S A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES TO CONNECT THIS, WHICH IS THE REAL HUMAN ELEMENT TO THOSE JUST EASIER, EASIER TO MANAGE.

AND IT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE THIS IS DESIGNED TO BE AN APP RIGHT NOW.

IS THAT RIGHT? NO, I THINK THEY INITIALLY CAME TO US WITH AN APP IDEA AND WE WERE LIKE, I DON'T THINK KIDS WILL LIKE THAT.

AND THEY ACTUALLY SAID, NO, OKAY. THE THE YOUTH DID OKAY.

AND I MEAN, IT FEELS LIKE MAYBE THERE'S SPACE FOR BOTH OF THOSE THINGS.

SO I WILL JUST BE, WE'LL BE VERY EXCITED TO ENGAGE WITH ALL OF YOU AS WE FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE REALLY HAVE YOUTH KNOW THAT THIS IS AVAILABLE TO THEM AND EVERY AVENUE WE CAN POSSIBLY DO SO. SO THAT THEY HAVE BOTH THOSE JUST EASY TOUCH POINTS WHERE THEY CAN ACCESS A RESOURCE ON THEIR PHONE, AND ALSO WHEN THEY NEED TO TALK WITH SOMEONE OR WANT TO TALK WITH SOMEONE, THEY KNOW HOW TO GET THAT AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN POSSIBLY GET IN FRONT OF THEM.

SO REALLY INCREDIBLE. YEAH. AND WE WILL BE WORKING, WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH WITH YOUR STAFF.

SO I HAVE A QUESTION FOR LILY AND PEARL. SO HOW WAS THIS PROCESS FOR YOU HAVING BEEN IN FOSTER CARE NOW WORKING ON RESEARCH WITH YOUNG PEOPLE IN CARE? DID THEY KNOW THAT YOU ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND WHEN YOU WERE REACHING OUT TO THESE FOLKS? AND IF THEY DID, HOW DO YOU THINK THAT IT IMPACTED THEIR RESPONSES? ORIGINALLY IN OUR INTERVIEW GUIDE FOR OUR QUALITATIVE INTERVIEWS, THERE WASN'T A EXPLICIT SELF-DISCLOSURE IN THE INTRODUCTION.

BUT PEARL AND I TALKED A BIT AND THOUGHT THAT IT WOULD BE REALLY IMPORTANT TO INCLUDE THAT. SO YOUTH WERE AWARE THAT WE ALSO HAD LIVED EXPERIENCE IN CARE DURING THE INTERVIEWS.

AND I THINK THEM KNOWING THAT THERE WAS A BASELINE OF SHARED EXPERIENCE THERE I THINK GAVE THEM THE IMPRESSION THAT WE WOULD TAKE THEM SERIOUSLY AND THE FACT THAT THEY HAD CONTROL OVER WHAT THIS WOULD LOOK LIKE, I THINK, MADE THEM WANT TO OPEN UP MORE AND SHARE WITH US.

ANYTHING TO ADD THERE? I WOULD JUST SHARE THERE WAS A COUPLE YOUTH WHO OR THERE WAS LIKE, I REMEMBER LIKE ONE VIVID EXPERIENCE WHERE THE YOUTH FOLLOWED UP WITH THEIR EMAILS AND

[01:45:05]

AND SHE WAS JUST GIVING A LOT OF ENCOURAGEMENT TO US.

AND WHEN I LOOKED BACK AT THAT EMAIL IT WAS JUST SHE WAS LIKE, OH, LIKE, IT'S REALLY AMAZING TO SEE YOU IN A PLACE LIKE THIS AND YOU'RE GOING TO DO SO MANY GREAT THINGS. AND I THINK SHE ALSO SAW THAT EMPOWERMENT WHERE SHE COULD DO THAT HERSELF AS WELL.

SO IT WAS JUST REALLY COOL TO SEE THAT THIS IS HOW FAR THAT YOU CAN GET.

AND I THINK BACK TO THE FIRST QUESTION WHERE IT'S LIKE FROM BEING IN THE SYSTEM AND FOSTER CARE TO NOW DOING RESEARCH OR WORKING WITH ADULTS WITH THIS. IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE MY FOSTER CARE EXPERIENCE AS A CHILD IS VERY SINGULAR.

LIKE, I'M ONLY THINKING ABOUT MY EXPERIENCE AND MY BROTHER'S EXPERIENCE, AND I'M ONLY CONTAINING THAT.

BUT THEN I STEP INTO LIKE THIS UNIVERSITY IN THIS ROLE AND IT EXPANDS THE EXPERIENCE SO MUCH TO SEE LIKE, OH, THIS IS LIKE HOW ORGANIZATIONS ARE WORKING TOGETHER.

LIKE, I DIDN'T REALIZE IT TOOK SO MUCH. I DIDN'T REALIZE IT WAS SO COMPLICATED AND INTERCONNECTED LIKE THAT.

AND SEEING THAT, JUST THAT, LIKE, LIKE, I THINK YOU MENTIONED IT EARLIER WHERE LIKE, THERE'S LIKE, IT TRICKLES DOWN TO LIKE THE TOUCH POINTS WITH THE YOUTH.

AND JUST, I THINK THAT'S JUST REALLY EXPANDED TO SEE LIKE, OH, THIS IS HOW, HOW MUCH IT TAKES REALLY TAKES A VILLAGE TO TAKE CARE OF THE CHILDREN.

SO YEAH. THANK YOU. WELL, I'M JUST VERY EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO HOPEFULLY IMPLEMENT THIS INTO THE COURT.

AND I'D BE HAPPY TO HAVE YOU GUYS COME ANYTIME.

JUDGE GRIFFIN WOULD BE EXCITED FOR YOU GUYS TO COME.

I TEXT HIM AND HE TOLD ME TO TELL YOU YOU'RE AWESOME.

AND SO I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SEE THIS PROJECT GO THROUGH.

THANK YOU SO MUCH. GREAT PRESENTATION. THANK YOU.

OKAY. NEXT. AND AND SARAH, CAN YOU PLEASE REPEAT YOUR THE CORRECT PRONUNCIATION OF YOUR NAME? OKAY. OKAY.

AND YOU'RE GOING TO PRESENT AND TELL US ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON WITH WENDY'S WONDERFUL KIDS.

[VI. WENDY’S WONDERFUL KIDS ]

COMMISSIONER O'NEILL AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT TO YOU ALL TODAY.

MY NAME IS MOLATE SUN. I SERVE AS THE SENIOR DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AT THE DAVE THOMAS FOUNDATION FOR ADOPTION.

I'M JOINED TODAY WITH SARAH KROBOTH OUR WENDY'S WONDERFUL KIDS DIRECTOR THAT MANAGES OUR PROGRAMS ACROSS SEVERAL STATES AND INCLUDING YOUR GREAT STATE OF TEXAS. WE ARE HERE TODAY TO HIGHLIGHT THE SUCCESS OF THE WENDY'S WONDERFUL KIDS PROGRAM, AND TO EXPRESS OUR GRATITUDE FOR THE VALUED PARTNERSHIPS THAT HAVE ALLOWED US TO EXPAND OUR WORK TO HELP YOUNG PEOPLE FIND PERMANENT LOVING HOMES.

THE DAVE THOMAS FOUNDATION FOR ADOPTION IS A NATIONAL NONPROFIT PUBLIC CHARITY DEDICATED TO DRAMATICALLY INCREASING THE NUMBER OF ADOPTIONS OF CHILDREN IN NORTH AMERICA'S FOSTER CARE SYSTEM. FOUNDED IN 1992 BY WENDY'S FOUNDER DAVE THOMAS, WHO WAS ADOPTED HIMSELF, THE FOUNDATION WORKS TO ENSURE EVERY CHILD HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE THE STABILITY, LOVE AND LASTING CONNECTIONS OF A PERMANENT FAMILY.

GUIDED BY THE BELIEF THAT EVERY CHILD IS ADOPTABLE, THE FOUNDATION ADVANCES ITS MISSION THROUGH EVIDENCE BASED PROGRAM, STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP AWARENESS INITIATIVES AND TARGETED GRANT MAKING.

THROUGH ITS SIGNATURE WENDY'S WONDERFUL KIDS PROGRAM AND COLLABORATIVE WORK WITH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE CHILD WELFARE PARTNERS.

THE FOUNDATION IS COMMITTED TO ENSURING THAT NO CHILD LINGERS IN FOSTER CARE OR AGES OUT OF THE SYSTEM WITHOUT THE SUPPORT OF A LOVING AND PERMANENT FAMILY.

WE'RE GOING TO STAY ON THIS SLIDE, AND THAT IS WHAT WE'RE HERE TO TALK TO YOU ALL ABOUT TODAY.

WENDY'S WONDERFUL KIDS IS DEDICATED TO HELPING THE LONGEST WAITING CHILDREN AND YOUTH IN FOSTER CARE ACHIEVE LEGAL PERMANENCY THROUGH A CHILD FOCUSED RECRUITMENT MODEL.

SPECIALLY TRAINED RECRUITERS WORK TO BUILD LIFELONG CONNECTIONS AND SECURE PERMANENCY THROUGH ADOPTION, GUARDIANSHIP OR REUNIFICATION WHEN SAFE TO DO SO, AND RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THIS MODEL TO BE UP TO THREE TIMES MORE EFFECTIVE FOR YOUTH IN THE PROGRAM'S FOCUS POPULATION, AND THAT FOCUS POPULATION INCLUDES OLDER YOUTH, SIBLING GROUPS, CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, YOUTH IN LONG TERM FOSTER CARE, AND THOSE WITHOUT IDENTIFIED ADOPTIVE FAMILIES.

AND TODAY, MORE THAN 475 RECRUITERS SERVE CHILDREN AND YOUTH ACROSS NEARLY EVERY U.S.

STATE. SEVERAL CANADIAN PROVINCES WASHINGTON, D.C.

AND PUERTO RICO IN 18 STATES, INCLUDING TEXAS.

THE FOUNDATION PARTNERS WITH STATE AGENCIES AND NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS TO EXPAND AND EXPAND THE ACCESS TO THE SPECIALIZED SERVICE.

THANKS TO THE LEADERSHIP AND THE COMMITMENT OF THE TEXAS DPS TEXAS ALLIANCE OF CHILD AND FAMILY SERVICES SW PROVIDERS,

[01:50:06]

NATIONALLY, WENDY'S WONDERFUL KIDS HAS HELPED MORE THAN 16,000 CHILDREN AND YOUTH ACHIEVE LEGAL PERMANENCY.

A KEY PART OF THE MODEL IS BUILDING MEANINGFUL, CONSISTENT RELATIONSHIPS WITH YOUTH.

RATHER THAN FOCUSING SOLELY ON PLACEMENT, RECRUITERS SPEND THEIR TIME LISTENING, BUILDING TRUST AND HELPING YOUTH EXPLORE WHAT PERMANENCY AND LIFELONG CONNECTION CAN LOOK LIKE ON THEIR TERMS. RECRUITERS BEGIN WITH ENGAGING INDIVIDUALS ALREADY CONNECTED TO THE YOUTH'S LIFE THAT IS A RELATIVE FORMER CAREGIVERS, TEACHERS, COACHES, MENTORS, AND OTHER TRUSTED ADULTS.

WHETHER OR NOT THESE INDIVIDUALS BECOME A PERMANENCY RESOURCE, THEY STILL CAN PROVIDE VALUABLE SUPPORT, ENCOURAGEMENT, AND STABILITY. WHEN A PERMANENCY RESOURCE IS IDENTIFIED, RECRUITERS CONTINUE STRENGTHENING THAT NETWORK AROUND THE YOUTH AND THE FAMILY, HELPING ENSURE THAT PERMANENCY IS SUPPORTED BY A BROADER COMMUNITY OF CARING ADULTS.

A COMMON QUESTION WE RECEIVE IS HOW CHILD FOCUSED RECRUITMENT DIFFERS FROM TRADITIONAL APPROACHES, SOMETIMES REFERRED TO AS BUSINESS AS USUAL RECRUITMENT TACTICS.

TRADITIONAL RECRUITMENT METHODS ARE OFTEN DESIGNED TO BROADLY RAISE AWARENESS THAT THERE ARE CHILDREN IN THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM WAITING TO BE ADOPTED.

THIS CAN INCLUDE PUBLIC RECRUITMENT CAMPAIGNS, MATCHING EVENTS OR PRESENTATIONS FEATURING YOUTH WHO ARE LEGALLY FREE FOR ADOPTION.

WHILE THESE EFFORTS ARE WELL INTENTIONED AND CAN PLAY A VERY IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM, THEY TYPICALLY FOCUS ON FINDING A FAMILY WHO DOES NOT ALREADY HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CHILD.

CHILD FOCUSED RECRUITMENT TAKES A VERY DIFFERENT APPROACH. INSTEAD OF BEGINNING WITH THE QUESTION OF WHO WANTS TO ADOPT, THE MODEL BEGINS WITH WHO ALREADY KNOWS THIS CHILD? WHO CARES FOR THIS CHILD? THE WORK CENTERS THE YOUTH VOICE AND FOCUSES ON IDENTIFYING AND STRENGTHENING EXISTING RELATIONSHIPS THAT CAN SUPPORT ADOPTION, GUARDIANSHIP, OR REUNIFICATION, AND ANY OTHER FORM OF LEGAL PERMANENCY.

ONCE ASSIGNED TO A YOUTH, A WENDY'S WONDERFUL KIDS RECRUITER SPENDS A SIGNIFICANT TIME LOCATING AND ENGAGING THOSE ALREADY CONNECTED TO THAT CHILD'S LIFE.

MANY OF THESE INDIVIDUALS MAY HAVE NEVER EVEN CONSIDERED ADOPTING FROM FOSTER CARE IN GENERAL, BUT THEY ARE WILLING TO STEP FORWARD FOR A CHILD THEY ALREADY KNOW AND CARE ABOUT.

MOST IMPORTANTLY, THIS MODEL IS NOT JUST A PROMISE.

IN THEORY, IT IS EVIDENCE BASED. WENDY'S WONDERFUL KIDS UNDERWENT A FIVE YEAR, RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED STUDY CONDUCTED BY CHILD TRANS OUT OF WASHINGTON, DC, AND THIS STUDY FOUND THAT CHILD FOCUSED RECRUITMENT MODEL WAS UP TO THREE TIMES MORE EFFECTIVE AT ACHIEVING LEGAL PERMANENCY OUTCOMES FOR THE PROGRAM'S FOCUSED POPULATION WHEN COMPARED TO THE BUSINESS AS USUAL TRADITIONAL RECRUITMENT TACTICS, AND THIS IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT FOR THE YOUTH MOST AT RISK FOR AGING OUT OF CARE.

TRADITIONAL RECRUITMENT METHODS ARE OFTEN LESS EFFECTIVE FOR THAT OLDER POPULATION OF YOUTH OR SIBLING GROUPS OR YOUTH WITH COMPLEX NEEDS.

FOR EXAMPLE, MANY FAMILIES RECRUITED THROUGH TRADITIONAL APPROACHES MAY NOT INITIALLY ENVISION ADOPTING A 16 YEAR OLD WHO HAS BEEN IN CARE FOR YEARS AND WANTS TO HAVE THAT CONTINUED RELATIONSHIP WITH THEIR SIBLING.

CHILD FOCUSED RECRUITMENT HELPS BRIDGE THAT GAP BY BUILDING UPON THE RELATIONSHIP AND THE CONNECTIONS THAT ALREADY EXIST IN THAT CHILD'S LIFE.

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SO WHAT DOES THAT POPULATION LOOK LIKE HERE IN TEXAS? CHILDREN AND YOUTH. THE WENDY'S WONDERFUL KIDS PROGRAM SERVES HAS ALREADY EXPERIENCED YEARS OF INSTABILITY BEFORE THEY'RE EVEN REFERRED TO THE PROGRAM OR RECRUITERS ASSIGNED TO THEM IN TEXAS. THE AVERAGE YOUTH COMES TO THE PROGRAM AT AGE 14 AND HAS SPENT 3.4 YEARS IN FOSTER CARE AND HAS EXPERIENCED EXPERIENCED MORE THAN SIX PLACEMENT CHANGES. ABOUT 82% ARE PART OF A SIBLING GROUP, AND 64% ARE CHILDREN OF COLOR, MEANING THEY FACE MULTIPLE BARRIERS TO PERMANENCY.

THESE ARE NOT THE EASY CASES. THESE ARE THE YOUTH WHO HAVE WAITED THE LONGEST, ARE TYPICALLY HIGH LEVEL CARE PLACEMENTS, AND ARE AT THE LARGEST RISK OF AGING OUT OF FOSTER CARE WITHOUT FAMILY CONNECTIONS.

AND THAT'S WHY THE WENDY'S WONDERFUL KIDS MODEL IS SO VITAL.

RECRUITERS WORK ONE ON ONE WITH EACH CHILD LISTENING TO THEIR STORY, HONORING THEIR VOICE, AND BUILDING A PLAN THAT FOCUSES ON RECONNECTING THEM WITH PEOPLE WHO ALREADY KNOW ABOUT THEM AND CARE FOR THEM.

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. TEXAS HAS ALWAYS BEEN A STATE WILLING TO THINK BIG AND LEAD BOLDLY.

OUR WENDY'S WONDERFUL KIDS JOURNEY IN TEXAS BEGAN IN 2006 THROUGH EARLY PARTNERSHIP WITH UPBRING AND ARMS WIDE CHILDREN'S SERVICES, WITH RECRUITERS SERVING YOUTH IN DALLAS AND HOUSTON AT THAT TIME.

THIS WORK WAS REALLY ABOUT PLANTING THE SEED AND DEMONSTRATING WHAT IS POSSIBLE FOR YOUTH WAITING THE LONGEST IN CARE.

[01:55:05]

THEN, IN 2012, ANOTHER DALLAS SITE WAS ADDED THROUGH UPBRING, CONTINUING TO BUILD MOMENTUM ACROSS THE STATE.

IN 2014, THE WORK CONTINUED TO GROW WITH EXPANSION INTO AUSTIN THROUGH HELPING HAND HOME FOR CHILDREN.

AND WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO THINK ABOUT WITH THIS TIMELINE IS THAT THESE EARLY PARTNERS BELIEVED IN THE MISSION BEFORE SCALING WAS EVEN A CONVERSATION TO BE HAD.

THEY SAW THE VALUE IN CHILD FOCUSED RECRUITMENT AND IN ENSURING THAT OLDER YOUTH YOUTH WITH LARGER SIBLING GROUP GROUPS, YOUTH WITH COMPLEX NEEDS HAD SOMEONE FULLY DEDICATED TO FINDING THEM LEGAL PERMANENCY.

THESE ORGANIZATIONS HELPED BUILD THE FOUNDATION FOR WHAT TEXAS WOULD EVENTUALLY BECOME.

THEY DEMONSTRATE THAT WHEN LOCAL LEADERSHIP COMMITS TO PERMANENCY, OUTCOMES FOR YOUTH CAN CHANGE.

BUT ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT MOMENTS IN THIS JOURNEY CAME IN 2021, WHEN THE DAVE THOMAS FOUNDATION FOR ADOPTION PARTNERED WITH TEXAS ALLIANCE OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES. THAT PARTNERSHIP MATTERED BECAUSE IT CREATED AN ALIGNMENT ACROSS THE STATE AROUND A SHARED VISION, ENSURING YOUTH WAITING THE LONGEST IN CARE HAVE ACCESS TO SPECIALIZED PERMANENCY SERVICES, REGARDLESS OF REGARDLESS WHERE THEY LIVED. TEXAS HAS A VERY UNIQUE CHILD WELFARE LANDSCAPE, AND SCALING SOMETHING STATEWIDE REQUIRES TRUSTED LEADERSHIP, COLLABORATION, AND THE WILLINGNESS TO INNOVATE.

THE ALLIANCE, DF, SS LEADERSHIP AND PROVIDERS ACROSS THE STATE HELPED TO CREATE THAT MOMENTUM.

THEN, IN 2022, WE SAW THE FIRST MAJOR SCALING EFFORT IN REGION TWO THROUGH PARTNERSHIP WITH TWO ENGAGE, MARKING ANOTHER IMPORTANT STEP FORWARD IN STATEWIDE EXPANSION.

IN 2023, IT BECAME A VERY TRANSFORMATIONAL YEAR FOR WENDY'S WONDERFUL KIDS IN TEXAS.

WE SAW REGION FIVE SCALE THROUGH TEXAS FAMILY CARE NETWORK, REGION FOUR SCALE THROUGH FOR KIDS FOR FAMILIES, REGION SIX A AND SIX B EXPAND THROUGH PARTNERSHIP WITH TEXAS DPS.

WE ALSO BEGAN OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH ARROW TO SUPPORT YOUTH ACROSS MULTIPLE REGIONS.

AND IN OCTOBER OF 2023, THE PROGRAM SCALED AGAIN IN REGION EIGHT B THROUGH A PARTNERSHIP WITH BELONG.

WHAT STANDS OUT AGAIN MOST IS NOT SIMPLY THE NUMBER OF RECRUITERS ADDED, BUT THE COMMITMENT BEHIND THE DECISIONS.

TEXAS LEADERS RECOGNIZE THAT YOUTH LINGERING IN CARE, ESPECIALLY OLDER YOUTH AND THOSE WITH COMPLEX NEEDS, DESERVE INTENTIONAL PERMANENCY WORK AND DEDICATED PROFESSIONALS FOCUSED SOLELY ON FINDING AND SUPPORTING LIFELONG CONNECTIONS.

EACH OF THESE PARTNERS PARTNERSHIPS REPRESENTS ORGANIZATIONS STEPPING FORWARD AND SAYING THAT THESE YOUTH MATTER AND PERMANENCY MATTERS.

AND BECAUSE OF THAT COMMITMENT, MORE YOUTH ACROSS TEXAS NOW HAVE ACCESS TO SPECIALIZED RECRUITMENT SERVICES THAT SIMPLY DID NOT EXIST BEFORE.

NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. AND THEN IN JANUARY OF 2025, TEXAS REACHED AN INCREDIBLE MILESTONE 500 PERMANENCY OUTCOMES. AND THAT NUMBER REPRESENTS FAR MORE THAN DATA.

IT REPRESENTS YOUTH WHO NOW HAVE LIFELONG CONNECTIONS, FAMILIES, SUPPORT SYSTEMS AND PERMANENCY.

AND THAT MILESTONE BELONGS TO TEXAS. IT BELONGS TO THE PROVIDERS, THE ALLIANCE, DPS LEADERSHIP, RECRUITERS, SUPERVISORS, AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS WHO CHOSE TO PRIORITIZE PERMANENCY FOR YOUTH.

AND AGAIN, WHAT MAKES TEXAS SPECIAL IS THE WILLINGNESS TO COLLABORATE AND BE INNOVATIVE IN SCALE SOLUTIONS THAT WORK.

OF COURSE, THERE'S STILL MORE WORK TO BE DONE, BUT TEXAS HAS ALREADY SHOWN THE NATION WHAT IS POSSIBLE WHEN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PARTNERS COME TOGETHER WITH A SHARED COMMITMENT FOR YOUTH AND FAMILIES.

AND HERE'S WHAT OUR COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS LOOK LIKE TODAY IN TEXAS.

BECAUSE OF THE CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP AND LEADERSHIP OF TEXAS DPS, THE ALLIANCE, AND PRIVATE PARTNERS ACROSS MULTIPLE REGIONS, WENDY'S WONDERFUL KIDS IS CONTINUING TO CHANGE LIVES ACROSS TEXAS.

TODAY, WE HAVE 30 RECRUITERS SERVING YOUTH THROUGHOUT THE STATE.

TOGETHER, THEY'VE HELPED MORE THAN 550 CHILDREN ACHIEVE LEGAL PERMANENCY.

SINCE THE PROGRAM BEGAN IN TEXAS. CURRENTLY, 435 YOUTH ARE ACTIVELY BEING SERVED AND OVERALL, MORE THAN 1300 CHILDREN HAVE BEEN SUPPORTED THROUGH THIS PROGRAM.

AT THE SAME TIME, WE RECOGNIZE THERE IS STILL SIGNIFICANT OPPORTUNITY AHEAD.

HUNDREDS OF YOUTH ACROSS TEXAS CAN STILL BENEFIT FROM THIS SPECIALIZED PERMANENCY WORK AND THE INDIVIDUALIZED ATTENTION WENDY'S WONDERFUL KIDS RECRUITERS CAN PROVIDE.

OUR VISION IS A TEXAS WHERE EVERY YOUTH CAN BENEFIT FROM.

THIS MODEL HAS ACCESS TO A RECRUITER DEDICATED TO HELP THEM BUILD LIFELONG CONNECTIONS AND ACHIEVE LEGAL PERMANENCY.

AS WE CONTINUE TO EXPAND ALONGSIDE SUCCESS IN STATE LEADERSHIP, WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF REACHING EVEN MORE YOUTH AND FAMILIES ACROSS

[02:00:07]

THE PROGRESS WE HAVE SEEN DEMONSTRATES WHAT IS POSSIBLE WHEN COMMUNITY BASED CARE IS PAIRED WITH STRONG LOCAL LEADERSHIP, INNOVATION AND SHARED COMMITMENT TO CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.

AND BEHIND EVERY NUMBER IS A CHILD, A FAMILY, AND A PERMANENCY STORY.

SARAH IS HERE TO SHARE A FEW EXAMPLES FROM RIGHT HERE IN TEXAS THAT DEMONSTRATE THE IMPORTANCE, THE IMPACT OF THIS EVIDENCE BASED MODEL. ONE OF THE THINGS WE ARE MOST PROUD OF IN TEXAS IS THAT THESE ARE NOT JUST PROGRAM NUMBERS OR EXPANSION POINTS ON A MAP. THESE ARE REAL YOUTH, REAL FAMILIES, AND REAL OUTCOMES MADE POSSIBLE FOR THEIR LIVES BECAUSE TEXAS PARTNERS REFUSED TO GIVE UP ON YOUNG PEOPLE. SO I'M HAPPY TO SHARE A COUPLE OF STORIES TODAY.

A TEENAGE GIRL HAD SPENT MORE THAN 1100 DAYS IN FOSTER CARE, MOVING THROUGH NUMEROUS FOSTER HOMES, GROUP HOMES AND RESIDENTIAL FACILITIES. AT THE TIME, SHE WAS REFERRED TO HER WWK RECRUITER.

IN REVIEWING HER CASE FILE, THE RECRUITER FOUND THE NAME OF A FORMER TEACHER AND MADE A PHONE CALL, AND DURING THAT PHONE CALL, THE TEACHER SHARED A VERY POWERFUL MEMORY OF THE TEACHER WHO ACTUALLY SAT ACROSS THE HALLWAY FROM HER.

EVERY SINGLE MORNING. SHE WOULD BRAID THIS YOUNG GIRL'S HAIR BEFORE CLASS STARTED.

THE RECRUITER, THEN, THROUGH DILIGENT SEARCH, FOUND THAT OTHER TEACHER AND MADE A CALL TO HER AS WELL.

SHE LEARNED THAT THIS TEACHER CARED DEEPLY FOR THIS FORMER STUDENT OF HERS, AND HAD THOUGHT ABOUT HER OFTEN OVER THE YEARS.

SHE ACTUALLY WANTED TO BE HER CAREGIVER AT THE TIME THAT SHE WAS DOING HER HAIR, BUT WAS UNABLE TO AT THAT TIME.

HER CIRCUMSTANCES HAD NOW CHANGED, AND BY THE TIME THAT PHONE CALL WAS ENDING, SHE WANTED TO KNOW WHAT SHE COULD DO TO MOVE FORWARD WITH ADOPTION.

I'M VERY HAPPY TO SAY THAT TODAY THIS TEENAGER HAS BEEN ADOPTED BY THAT ADULT, VERY IMPORTANT ADULT IN HER LIFE AND IS THRIVING WITH HER FOREVER FAMILY.

A TEENAGE BOY HAD RECENTLY BEEN RELEASED FROM JUVENILE DETENTION WHEN HE WAS REFERRED TO WENDY'S WONDERFUL KIDS RECRUITER.

HE'D ALREADY EXPERIENCED NINE DIFFERENT PLACEMENTS SINCE COMING INTO THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM AND HAD VERY LITTLE HOPE THAT FAMILY CONNECTIONS STILL EXISTED FOR HIM.

HIS RECRUITER REMAINED CONSISTENT THROUGH EVERY PLACEMENT CHANGE, CONTINUING TO ENCOURAGE HIM AND STILL SEARCH FOR IMPORTANT RELATIONSHIPS FROM HIS PAST.

OVER TIME, AS HE DEVELOPED A RELATIONSHIP WITH THAT RECRUITER, HE OPENED UP ABOUT HIS ADULT SISTER, WHICH LED TO RECONNECTION, PLACEMENT, AND ULTIMATELY, LEGAL PERMANENCY.

WHAT ONCE FELT IMPOSSIBLE BECAME A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT REALITY AND FUTURE BECAUSE SOMEONE CONTINUED TO BELIEVE IN HIM.

IN ANOTHER CASE, A TEENAGE BOY WAS ABLE TO BE ADOPTED BY A FAMILY WHO HAD PREVIOUSLY ADOPTED HIS SIBLING BECAUSE OF THE WORK OF HIS WWE RECRUITER.

THE CONNECTION HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY IDENTIFIED IN DOCUMENTATION, BUT THERE WAS NO DOCUMENTATION OF ANY EFFORTS TO FOLLOW UP WITH THAT FAMILY.

ONCE THE RECRUITER DISCOVERED THIS INFORMATION AND REACHED BACK OUT TO THE FAMILY, THEY BEGAN THE LICENSING PROCESS THAT SAME DAY.

THESE STORIES ARE ONLY A FEW EXAMPLES OF MANY OF WHAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN TEXAS LEADERS SAY PROVIDERS, RECRUITERS AND PERMANENCY TEAMS COLLABORATE TO WORK TOGETHER WITH THAT SHARED BELIEF THAT NO YOUNG PERSON IS BEYOND HOPE AND THAT EVERY YOUTH DESERVES LIFELONG CONNECTIONS AND LEGAL PERMANENCY. NEXT SLIDE.

THANK YOU SARAH. WHAT MAKES THIS WORK POSSIBLE IS THE SHARED COMMITMENT FROM TEXAS PARTNERS WHO PRIORITIZE PRIORITIZES PERMANENCY FOR YOUTH WAITING IN CARE.

WHEN A REGION ENTERS INTO A WENDY'S WONDERFUL KIDS PARTNERSHIP, THE FOUNDATION PROVIDES SUBSTANTIAL PHILANTHROPIC INVESTMENT TO HELP SUPPORT EXPANSION EFFORTS AND SUSTAIN THE WORK OVER MULTIPLE YEARS.

THE FOUNDATION IS COMMITTED TO CONTINUING OUR INVESTMENT AND EXPAND ACCESS TO THE WENDY'S WONDERFUL KIDS PROGRAM TO ALL REGIONS IN TEXAS.

SO FAR THIS FISCAL YEAR, THE FOUNDATION HAS INVESTED MORE THAN 1.5 MILLION INTO THE WW PROGRAM IN TEXAS, WITH MORE THAN $11.9 MILLION INVESTED SINCE WE FIRST ESTABLISHED A PRESENCE IN THE STATE IN 2006.

THIS IS A PROUD HISTORY OF PROVIDING PHILANTHROPIC FUNDING TO SUPPORT WW K PROGRAM COSTS AND COMMITMENT TO CONTINUE COVERING AN ONGOING AMOUNT OF COSTS IN EACH SCALED REGION. BEYOND THE FINANCIAL SUPPORT, THE FOUNDATION PROVIDES A COMPREHENSIVE TRAINING, TECHNICAL ASSISTANT, FIDELITY MONITORING, AND OUTCOME MANAGEMENT TO HELP ENSURE CONSISTENT IMPLEMENTATION AND STRONG RESULTS ACROSS REGIONS.

RECRUITERS RECEIVE ONGOING SUPPORT FROM SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS, ACCESS TO PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES, AND A REGULAR FOR PERFORMANCE REPORTING. THE VALUE OF WENDY'S WONDERFUL KIDS CAN BE MEASURED NOT ONLY BY THE HUNDREDS OF YOUNG PEOPLE WHO NOW HAVE SAFE, PERMANENT HOME, BUT ALSO IN THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS SAVED BY MOVING YOUTH OUT OF CARE AND INTO FOREVER FAMILIES.

[02:05:05]

AND WHILE WE WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR THAT CHILDREN AND FAMILIES CAN NEVER BE REDUCED TO DOLLAR AMOUNTS, WE SHARE THIS ROI ESTIMATE ON AVOIDED SOCIAL SERVICE COSTS TO DEMONSTRATE THAT INVESTING IN THIS PROGRAM IS NOT ONLY THE RIGHT THING TO DO, IT IS ALSO A FINANCIALLY SOUND, EVIDENCE BASED BACKED DECISION.

WE RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING RESPONSIBLE STEWARDS OF PUBLIC FUNDS IN TEXAS, AND WE RESPECTFULLY OFFER THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PARTNER IN DIRECTING RESOURCES TOWARDS A PROGRAM WITH PROVEN OUTCOMES AND LASTING IMPACT.

WITH CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP AND INVESTMENT, WE BELIEVE TEXAS CAN CONTINUE LEADING THE NATION IN ENSURING YOUTH WAITING THE LONGEST IN CARE.

HAVE SOMEONE ACTIVELY WORKING EVERY DAY TO HELP THEM ACHIEVE.

ACHIEVED LEGAL PERMANENCY AND LASTING CONNECTIONS.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION, AND WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. I HAVE SORT OF A QUESTION I NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT BEFORE.

ONE OF THE FOCUS HERE IS TO FIND PEOPLE IN THE KID'S LIFE WHO MAY NOT KNOW THAT THEY'RE FOSTER KIDS OR AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION.

DOES THAT NOT KNOWN IN A SCHOOL THAT ONE OF THE STUDENTS IS A FOSTER KID NECESSARILY? THEY JUST IT'S NOT IT'S NOT LIKE A LABEL. THERE'S THERE'S NO LIKE INFORMING OF THE TEACHERS.

I GUESS I DON'T I DON'T KNOW HOW THAT WORKS. I THINK IT, IT REALLY VARIES.

I MEAN, I, YOU KNOW, THAT IS VERY, VERY PRIVATE INFORMATION FOR A CHILD.

AND I DO THINK IN MANY OR MOST CASES, TEACHERS DO OFTEN BECOME AWARE.

BUT I MEAN, I WILL SAY WHEN I WAS A FOSTER PARENT, IT WAS REALLY UP TO ME TO DISCLOSE THAT ABOUT A CHILD OR UP TO THAT CHILD, TO DISCLOSE THAT FOR THEMSELVES. SO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS AWARE THAT THERE'S AN INDICATOR TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, BUT WHETHER OR NOT AN INDIVIDUAL TEACHER MIGHT BE AWARE VARIES BASED ON THE INDIVIDUAL SITUATION.

SO MUCH. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. I THINK THAT THE THE, THE MODEL THAT YOU HAVE IS REALLY INTERESTING, ESPECIALLY IN REGARDS TO THE SLIDE YOU KNOW, 51 WHERE YOU BROKE DOWN THAT YOU'RE DEALING WITH AN OLDER GROUP OF, OF YOUTH, RIGHT? AND HISTORICALLY AND CURRENTLY THAT IS A MUCH MORE DIFFICULT GROUP OF, OF PEOPLE TO ACHIEVE PERMANENCY AND TO, YOU KNOW, ACHIEVE ADOPTION WITH ALL THE PLACEMENT CHANGES AND, AND INSTABILITY THAT THESE YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE. THE FACT THAT YOU'RE ABLE TO GET TOWARDS ACHIEVING PERMANENCY IS COMMENDABLE.

I'M CURIOUS. YOU KNOW, YOU STARTED OUT BY TALKING HOW IMPORTANT RELATIONSHIPS WERE AND BUILDING TRUST.

HOW DO YOU GET TO THAT POINT WITH THESE YOUNG PEOPLE THAT MAY HAVE FELT THAT THEY HAVE BEEN BURNED AND FORGOTTEN ABOUT? YEAH, NO, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. AND I CAN START AND SARAH WORKS DIRECTLY WITH THE PROGRAM MANAGERS WHO WORK DIRECTLY WITH THE RECRUITERS THAT ARE IMPLEMENTING THIS WORK AND WORKING WITH THE YOUTH. A LOT OF OUR MODEL HAS EIGHT COMPONENTS, AND AT THE CENTER OF THAT IS THE YOUTH.

AND ONE OF THE BIGGEST PARTS OF OUR MODEL IS THE RELATIONSHIP BUILDING PART WITH THE YOUTH.

THERE IS SO MUCH TIME SPENT WITH THAT CHILD ON BUILDING TRUST, BECAUSE BY THE TIME A RECRUITER COMES INTO PLAY, THAT CHILD HAS SEEN SO MANY CASEWORKERS AND SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE MADE PROMISES.

AND SO YET, YET AGAIN, ANOTHER PROFESSIONAL COMING IN TELLING US THEY'RE GOING TO DO ALL THESE THINGS THAT MAYBE DON'T COME TO FRUITION.

RIGHT. AND SO THERE'S A LOT OF TIME SPENT RELATIONSHIP BUILDING, DEVELOPING TRUST AND SAYING YOU'RE GOING TO DO SOMETHING AND ACTUALLY FOLLOWING THROUGH WITH WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO DO AND HELPING THAT YOUTH UNDERSTAND THAT THEY WANT TO MOVE WITH WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE HAPPEN.

AND SO A LOT OF QUESTIONS ARE, YOU KNOW, HELPING THAT CHILD UNDERSTAND, WELL, WHO IS IN YOUR NETWORK? FORGET ABOUT WHAT YOU WERE TOLD BEFORE. WHO DO YOU IDENTIFY AS AN ADULT THAT IS A SUPPORT TO YOU? AND LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT. WHO MAKES SENSE TO YOU AND WHO DO YOU REMEMBER BEING A SUPPORTIVE ADULT? AND LET'S SAY THAT THOSE BRIDGES MAY HAVE BEEN BURNED, RIGHT? WE'VE EXPLORED THOSE BRIDGES. IT'S THAT RECRUITER'S JOB TO START BUILDING A BIGGER NETWORK AROUND THAT YOUTH, WHETHER IT'S PUTTING THEM IN SPORTS AND TO ANY EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES TO BUILD A LITTLE VILLAGE AROUND THEM TO EXPAND THAT NETWORK.

SO THEY DO HAVE PEOPLE IN THEIR CORNER BECAUSE AS THE VERY IMPRESSIVE LILY AND PEARL SAID,

[02:10:02]

IT DOESN'T STOP THE MINUTE YOU TURN 18. I THINK SOMETHING UNIQUE THAT HAPPENS WITH THESE WONDERFUL KIDS THAT ARE BUILDING A RELATIONSHIP WITH THESE YOUTH.

SORRY, LET ME COME CLOSER TO THE MIC. IS THAT THEIR FULL TIME JOB IS DEDICATED ONLY TO THAT LEGAL PERMANENCY ASPECT.

I WAS A FORMER CASEWORKER MYSELF BACK IN OHIO, WHERE WE'RE FROM, AND I ALWAYS THINK OF IT AS LIKE, THIS IS ALL THE STUFF I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO DO. EVERY SINGLE TIME I SAW ONE OF MY YOUTH, EVERY SINGLE MONTH THAT I DIDN'T HAVE THE CAPACITY TO DO BECAUSE OF THE NUMBER OF YOUTH ON MY CASELOAD AND THE FOCUS ON SAFETY, WHICH IS A RIGHTFUL FOCUS.

BUT SOME OF THIS WORK THAT A RECRUITER HAS THE TIME TO DEDICATE ALLOWS THEM TO BUILD THAT KIND OF RELATIONSHIP WHERE IT MIGHT TAKE SEVERAL MONTHS, BUT THEN THEY'RE COMFORTABLE OPENING UP ABOUT THEIR SISTER, THEIR FORMER NEIGHBOR, SOMEBODY WHO WAS IMPORTANT TO THEM THAT NO ONE WOULD EVER COME ACROSS IN THE CASE FILE. AND SO THAT, YOU KNOW, IT MIGHT BE THAT A YOUTH ON THE RECRUITERS CASELOAD IS A FOOTBALL PLAYER AND THEY HAVE THE TIME TO GO TO THEIR FOOTBALL GAME AND SHOW UP FOR THEM AND REALLY BUILD SUPPORT THAT WAY AND BUILD THAT TRUST OF, I'M INVESTED IN YOU. I WANT TO KNOW WHO AND WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO YOU.

AND THAT DIRECTLY IMPACTS THEN THIS RECRUITMENT PROCESS.

ARE YOU WRONG BUTTON? ON THAT NOTE, I'M WONDERING IF YOU CAN SPEAK TO WHAT I KNOW.

IT'S NOT A SHORT TIME FRAME. CAN YOU. I JUST THINK IT MIGHT HELP EVERYONE HERE TO UNDERSTAND LIKE HOW THAT INVESTMENT LOOKS BECAUSE IT'S, IT'S QUITE LONG AND I, THAT THAT REALLY IS IMPORTANT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE 500, I MEAN, THAT IS MANY, MANY, MANY, MANY YEARS OF INVESTMENT.

SO I'M JUST CURIOUS IF YOU COULD SHARE KIND OF WHAT YOUR AVERAGE TIME FRAME LOOKS LIKE FROM THE TIME YOU START ENGAGING A YOUTH TO THE TIME YOU GET TO A CONSUMMATED ADOPTION INTO PERMANENCY FOR THAT CHILD. SO EVERY CHILD S CIRCUMSTANCE IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.

BUT WHAT WE SEE IS EVERY BIT OF TWO YEARS IS WHAT IT WOULD TAKE FROM THE START TO LEGAL FINALIZATION.

BUT IN THE TWO YEAR PERIOD THAT'S INVESTED IN THIS, WHAT IS THE LIKELIHOOD THAT THAT WILL PERSIST LONG TERM FROM YOUR MODEL AND WHAT YOU'VE SEEN POST PERMANENCY. YEAH. YOU KNOW, WE JUST THE FOUNDATION JUST STARTED TO DO SOME WORK AROUND POST PERMANENCY AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AND PROVIDING GRANT FUNDS TO ORGANIZATIONS TO KIND OF PURSUE THAT SUPPORT.

SO ONCE A FINALIZATION HAS OCCURRED, HAVING SOMEONE DEDICATED TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE THAT SUPPORT LONG TERM BECAUSE YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE, WHEN YOU ARE SUPPORTING YOUTH AS A SERVICE PROVIDER, WHETHER YOU'RE A RECRUITER, CASEWORKER, ADOPTION WORKER, THERE'S A LOT OF PROFESSIONALS AROUND WHEN YOU'RE IN THE SYSTEM, AND THEN WHEN FINALIZATION OCCURS, ALL THAT DROPS OFF, RIGHT? AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT RECRUITERS DO, WHICH IS AMAZING IS BUILD A NATIONAL NETWORK OF SUPPORTS AROUND THE FAMILY.

SO WHEN THE PROFESSIONALS LEAVE, YOU KNOW, AT LEAST THEY HAVE THAT NATURAL IDENTIFIED NETWORK OF SUPPORTS AROUND FAMILY AND YOUTH.

BUT AGAIN, LIKE I SAID, THERE IS SOME INITIAL STAGES OF WORK TOWARDS THAT POST PERMANENCY WORK AND WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IN SUPPORTING FAMILIES.

THAT'S REALLY GREAT. THAT WAS GOING TO BE MY OTHER QUESTION I WAS GOING TO ASK ABOUT. I'M SO EXCITED TO HEAR THAT YOU ALL ARE WORKING ON THAT. AND JUST TO BE CLEAR, I WAS NOT MAKING THE POINT THAT IT TAKES TOO LONG AT ALL.

IN FACT, I WAS TRYING TO MAKE THE OPPOSITE POINT THAT IT IS A TREMENDOUS IT IS REALLY THAT RELATIONAL INVESTMENT OVER THAT PERIOD THAT YIELDS TRULY POSITIVE PERMANENCY THAT WE, I, AND I THINK YOU'RE I WILL BE VERY CURIOUS TO SEE WHAT THAT POST PERMANENCY WORK SHOWS.

I'M ALSO. ARE YOU ALL CONNECTED AT ALL RIGHT NOW WITH ANY POST PERMANENCY SUPPORTS OR POST ADOPTION SUPPORTS? I MEAN, HOW DO YOU. ONCE YOU. ONCE YOU ONCE YOU ACHIEVE PERMANENCY IN AN ADOPTION IS FINALIZED, IS THERE A HANDOFF TO ANY SORT OF POST ADOPTIVE SUPPORT THAT EXISTS OUTSIDE OF WENDY'S WONDERFUL KIDS.

SO OUR. AND MAYBE YOU CAN SPEAK TO THIS, SARAH, OUR SUCCESS KIND OF TAKE THE LEAD ON THAT OR OUR LEGACY PARTNERS TAKE THE LEAD ON THAT.

AT THIS TIME RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE WE WE, I DON'T BELIEVE WE HAVE POST PERMANENCY SERVICES FROM THE FOUNDATION IN TEXAS CURRENTLY.

SO, BUT AT THE SSEC TAKES ON THAT RESPONSIBILITY OF, OKAY, WHAT ARE SOME RESOURCES? ONCE A FINALIZATION OCCURS THAT WE CAN PROVIDE THIS FAMILY POST PERMANENCY SERVICES.

I THINK THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY GREAT TO HEAR. AND I THINK WE CAN ALSO, I MEAN, YOU ALL HAVE A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ALLIANCE.

THE ALLIANCE HAS A VERY. THEY ARE A PART OF HEART GALLERIES OF TEXAS, WHICH HAS A HUGE POST PERMANENCY POST-ADOPTION SUPPORT ARM.

SO ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO REALLY INTEGRATE THOSE THINGS COMPLETELY TOGETHER, I THINK REALLY JUST HELPS FAMILIES BE SUCCESSFUL IN THE LONG RUN.

[02:15:05]

[VII. PUBLIC COMMENT]

WE DO HAVE A WRITTEN PUBLIC COMMENT THAT MISS GOMEZ WILL READ.

GOOD MORNING. THIS COMMENT WAS EMAILED TO OUR COUNCIL EMAIL BOX BY DOCTOR MICHAEL GOODMAN.

AND HE WRITES, DEAR CHAIR, COUNCIL MEMBERS AND COMMISSIONER O'NEILL, I OFFER THESE REMARKS IN MY INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY AS SOMEONE WHO VALUES MARRIAGE, FAMILY, FAITH AND COMMUNITY. I BELIEVE THESE COMMITMENTS ARE PRECISELY WHY THE COMMISSION.

THE QUESTION BEFORE THE COUNCIL DESERVES CAREFUL ATTENTION.

MY CONCERN IS NOT THAT DFS HAS PLACED FAMILY STRENGTHENING AT THE CENTER OF ITS 2026 ANNUAL PLAN.

THAT EMPHASIS IS RIGHT. MY CONCERN IS THAT FAMILY STRENGTHENING MUST BE DEFINED BROADLY, CAREFULLY AND WITH THE CHILD'S ACTUAL EXPERIENCE AT ITS CENTER NOT ASSUMED TO MEAN THE PRESERVATION OF A HOUSEHOLD. MY FORMATION HAS SHAPED THAT CONVICTION FROM SEVERAL DIRECTIONS THEOLOGICALLY THROUGH GRADUATE WORK IN MINISTRY AND DIVINITY. I UNDERSTAND FAMILY NOT MERELY AS A DOMESTIC PRIVATE DOMESTIC ARRANGEMENT, BUT AS A CONVENTIONAL FIELD OF RESPONSIBILITY, PROTECTION AND LOVE. MY PUBLIC HEALTH TRAINING HAS REINFORCED THAT CHILD WELL-BEING IS SHAPED BY SYSTEMS, SOCIAL CONDITIONS, TRAUMA HISTORY, AND RELATIONAL NETWORKS AND COMMUNITY CAPACITY RATHER THAN HOUSEHOLD COMPOSITION ALONE.

MY APPLIED WORK IN COMMUNITY LED MODELS OF FLOURISHING HAS CONSISTENTLY SHOWN THAT CHILDREN AND FAMILIES THRIVE WHEN INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY RELATIONSHIP SUPPORT, LOCAL LEADERSHIP AND COMMUNITY SYSTEMS ARE STRENGTHENED TOGETHER.

I THEREFORE SUPPORT FAMILY PRESERVATION WHEN FAMILIES CAN GENUINELY BECOME SAFE, STABLE AND NURTURING.

BUT I WANT TO NAME CLEARLY WHAT RESEARCH, PRACTICE AND LIVED EXPERIENCE REPEATEDLY SHOW.

PRESERVING A HOUSEHOLD IS NOT THE SAME AS PROTECTING A CHILD.

ADULTS CAN RECEIVE SERVICES, DEMONSTRATE EFFORT, AND STILL CARRY UNRESOLVED TRAUMA.

CHRONIC DYSREGULATION, ADDICTION OR RELATIONAL WOUNDS THAT PREVENT THEM FROM PROVIDING THE SAFE AND LOVING ENVIRONMENT A CHILD NEEDS.

AND THOSE CIRCUMSTANCES, THE MOST FAITHFUL AND CHILD CENTERED RESPONSE IS NOT TO MORALIZE FAMILY UNITY, BUT TO SURROUND THE CHILD WITH THE MOST NURTURING AND STABLE RELATIONAL COMMUNITY AVAILABLE.

THE DF 2026 PLAN REFLECTS GENUINE ATTENTIVENESS TO THIS.

THE EXPANSION OF KINSHIP BEHAVIORAL HEALTH GRANTS, THE DEVELOPMENT OF POST-ADOPTION SUPPORT, THE ALTERNATE ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE EXPANSION, AND THE FAMILY FIRST PRESERVATION SERVICES ACT.

WORK ALL POINT TOWARD A SYSTEM THAT IS LEARNING TO MEET FAMILIES WHERE THEY ARE, AND TO HOLD CHILD SAFETY AS NON-NEGOTIABLE.

THAT IS TO BE COMMENDED. WHERE I WANT TO ENCOURAGE THE COUNCIL TO GO FURTHER IS HOW FAMILY IS FRAMED, PARTICULARLY IN THE FAITH BASED AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT WORK THAT APPEARS ON TODAY'S AGENDA.

CHILDREN DO BEST WHEN SURROUNDED BY LOVE. THAT LOVE IS SOMETIMES FOUND IN A BIOLOGICAL HOME.

IT IS ALSO FOUND THROUGH KINSHIP CAREGIVERS, GRANDPARENTS, FICTIVE KIN, FOSTER AND ADOPTIVE FAMILIES, MENTORS, CONGREGATIONS, NEIGHBORHOOD NEIGHBORS, TEACHERS, AND TRUSTED COMMUNITY ADULTS.

A STRONG FAMILY POLICY SHOULD HONOR MARRIAGE AND BIOLOGICAL FAMILY WITHOUT NARROWING FAMILY TO MARRIAGE AND BIOLOGY.

THE DEVELOPMENTAL NEED OF A CHILD IS FOR A SAFE, STABLE, NURTURING RELATIONSHIPS, AND THESE RELATIONSHIPS CAN TAKE MORE THAN ONE FAITHFUL FORM. BIBLICALLY, THIS IS A DEEPER EXPRESSION OF FAMILY VALUES.

SCRIPTURE COMMANDS THE PROTECTION OF CHILDREN, THE CARE OF ORPHANS, THE DEFENSE OF THE VULNERABLE, AND PRACTICE OF COSTLY NEIGHBORLY LOVE. JESUS EXPANDS THE MEANING OF FAMILY BEYOND BLOODLINE AND HOUSEHOLD STATUS.

THE PARABLE OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN TEACHES THAT LOVE IS MEASURED NOT BY KINSHIP CATEGORY, BUT BY MERCY, PRESENCE, AND CARE. THE QUESTION THIS COUNCIL IS ULTIMATELY ANSWERING IS NOT DID WE KEEP THE FAMILY TOGETHER? IT IS. IS THIS CHILD SAFE, LOVED, SECURELY ATTACHED AND ABLE TO THRIVE? ACCORDINGLY, I ENCOURAGE THE COUNCIL TO DEFINE FAMILY STRENGTHENING AS THE STRENGTHENING OF THE WHOLE RELATIONAL ECOLOGY AROUND CHILDREN.

THE WHOLE RELATIONAL ECOLOGY FOR CHILDREN INCLUDES THE HEALTH, HEALTHY MARRIAGES WHERE POSSIBLE, STRONG CO-PARENTING WHERE APPROPRIATE, FATHER AND MOTHER ENGAGEMENT, KINSHIP AND FICTIVE KIN NETWORKS, FOSTER AND ADOPTIVE FAMILIES, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SUPPORT, CAREGIVER RESILIENCE AND COMMUNITY SYSTEMS CAPABLE OF STEPPING IN BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER CRISIS. I ALSO ENCOURAGE DSPS TO EQUIP FAITH BASED AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS WITH TRAUMA INFORMED, SAFETY CENTERED GUIDANCE SO THAT FAMILIES STRENGTHENING EFFORTS SUPPORT CHILDREN AND CAREGIVERS WITHOUT MORALIZING REUNIFICATION, STIGMATIZING DIVERSE FAMILY FORMS, OR OVERLOOKING THE EFFECTS OF UNRESOLVED TRAUMA.

THIS IS THE VERSION OF THE FAITH BASED AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THAT WORKS.

[02:20:04]

A CHILD CENTERED, TRAUMA INFORMED APPROACH DOES NOT WEAKEN THE FAMILY.

IT TELLS THE TRUTH ABOUT WHAT FAMILY IS FOR. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE AND RECEIVING THESE REMARKS.

RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED, MICHAEL GOODMAN. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. AND I ALSO NEED TO REMIND THAT THAT THE COUNCIL COMMISSIONER O'NEILL OR GENERAL COUNSEL ARE UNABLE TO COMMENT OR RESPOND TO STATEMENTS MADE DURING PUBLIC COMMENT. OKAY. WE ARE TAKING A QUICK BREAK.

THERE'S BEEN A REQUEST FOR A QUICK BREAK. FIVE MINUTES, FIVE MINUTE BREAK.

HEY. OKAY. WE'RE ALL BACK. THANK YOU. OKAY. NOW, AMY FRANKS FROM THE MANAGEMENT CONSULTING GROUP WILL COME UP TO PRESENT THE COMMISSIONER'S

[VIII. COMMISSIONER’S AWARD OF EXCELLENCE ]

MY NAME IS MADISON WISDOM. AMY FRANKS IS ON VACATION, SO I'M FILLING IN FOR HER TODAY.

HOPEFULLY I'LL FILL HER SHOES. BUT I'M MADISON WISDOM, THE MANAGEMENT CONSULTING GROUP DIRECTOR HERE AT DFS.

MY TEAM HELPS ADMINISTER THE AWARDS PROGRAM HERE AT THE AGENCY.

AND ONE OF THOSE AWARDS IS OUR COMMISSIONER'S AWARD OF EXCELLENCE, WHICH IS ONE OF THE HIGHEST HONORS THAT THE AGENCY PRESENTS TO INTERNAL STAFF AND ALSO EXTERNAL PARTNERS. AND SO THIS AWARD RECOGNIZES INDIVIDUALS WITH EXCEPTIONAL DEDICATION, LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE THAT HAVE PROVIDED A LASTING IMPACT ON THE AGENCY. OUR MISSION. AND THE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES THAT WE SERVE.

AND SO I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THIS AWARD IS.

AND IT REALLY EXEMPLIFIES THE RECIPIENTS, EXEMPLIFY THE EXCELLENCE AND INNOVATIVE THINKING AND AN UNWAVERING FOCUS ON OUTCOMES THAT HAVE THAT LASTING IMPACT. AND THEY REALLY INSPIRE INDIVIDUALS AND TEAMS AROUND THEM TO DO BETTER AND EXEMPLIFY WHAT WHAT IS THE BEST PART OF DPS? AND SO THESE PEOPLE ALSO PROVIDE A PROFOUND, SORRY, INSPIRE THOSE AROUND THEM, AND DEMONSTRATE THE PROFOUND DIFFERENCE ONE PERSON CAN MAKE.

AND SO TODAY, WE HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF RECOGNIZING INDIVIDUALS WHOSE CONTRIBUTIONS REALLY REFLECT THE SPIRIT OF THAT AWARD.

SO IT IS MY HONOR AND PLEASURE TO INTRODUCE TANYA OSTRICH, THE DIRECTOR OF BACKGROUND AND SEARCH SERVICES.

AND I WANT TO READ WHAT'S ACTUALLY ON TANYA'S AWARD.

SO TANYA'S DEDICATION AND LEADERSHIP HAVE PROFOUNDLY ADVANCED DPS'S MISSION TO PROTECT VULNERABLE CHILDREN AND ADULTS ACROSS TEXAS.

OVER FOUR YEARS, SHE POURED EXTRAORDINARY COMMITMENT INTO LEADING THE CREATION OF THE SEARCH ENGINE FOR MULTI-AGENCY, REPORTABLE CONDUCT LONG TITLE THERE, OR CMAQ, WHICH IS A COMPLEX, FIRST OF ITS KIND SYSTEM MANDATED BY THE LEGISLATURE TO PREVENT INDIVIDUALS WITH A HISTORY OF ABUSE, NEGLECT, EXPLOITATION OR MISCONDUCT WITH WORKING WITH VULNERABLE POPULATIONS.

TANYA BUILT THIS EFFORT FROM THE GROUND UP, GUIDING GOVERNANCE, POLICY AND TECHNICAL DEVELOPMENT WHILE UNITING MULTIPLE STATE AGENCIES AROUND A SHARED PURPOSE, WHICH WE KNOW IS NOT ALWAYS AN EASY TASK TO ACCOMPLISH.

SHE LED WITH PATIENCE, INTEGRITY AND RESOLVE THROUGH COUNTLESS COMPLEX DECISIONS, CONSISTENTLY BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER TO ACHIEVE CONSENSUS.

BECAUSE OF TANYA'S UNWAVERING LEADERSHIP AND TIRELESS DEDICATION, CMAQ IS LAUNCHING ON TIME AND WITHIN BUDGET.

AND COUNTLESS TEXANS WILL BE SAFER AS A RESULT.

TANYA, YOUR DEDICATION TO PROTECT OUR MOST VULNERABLE POPULATION IS A BEACON OF EXCELLENCE ACROSS THIS DEPARTMENT AND THE STATE OF TEXAS.

AND SO NOW WE WILL PRESENT THE AWARD TO YOU IF YOU WANT TO COME UP.

AND AFTER THE COUNCIL ADJOURNS, IF PEOPLE, TEAM, TEAMMATES AND FAMILIES CAN STAY AND TAKE PHOTOS TOO.

THANK YOU. OKAY, SO FOR OUR FINAL ITEM ON THE AGENDA, COMMISSIONER O'NEILL WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE EACH OF THE COUNCIL MEMBERS.

[IX. RECOGNITION OF COUNCIL MEMBERS ]

IT HAS BEEN A PLEASURE WORKING WITH YOU FOR THE LAST EIGHT YEARS AS YOUR COUNCIL LIAISON.

[02:25:05]

SO WE'RE GOING TO PRESENT WITH Y'ALL. AND IT SAYS TO ALL WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME.

GREETINGS. KNOW YE THAT THIS OFFICIAL CERTIFICATE IS PRESENTED TO AND WILL HAVE YOUR NAME.

IT SAYS IN RECOGNITION OF AND APPRECIATION FOR HER YEARS OF MERITORIOUS SERVICE TO THE STATE OF TEXAS AS A MEMBER OF THE TEXAS FAMILY AND PROTECTIVE SERVICES COUNCIL. AND IT DOES HAVE YOUR YEARS. AND THEN OUR CERTIFICATES FROM THE COMMISSIONER SAY THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO PROUDLY PRESENT ON JUNE 12TH, 2026 FOR SERVING ON THE TEXAS FAMILY AND PROTECTIVE SERVICES COUNCIL IN RECOGNITION OF YOUR SERVICE.

WE EXPRESS OUR DEEPEST GRATITUDE FOR YOUR TIRELESS WORK IMPROVING THE LIVES OF VULNERABLE TEXANS.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY AND COMPASSION.

SIGNED BY COMMISSIONER O'NEAL. SO FIRST, WE WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE OUR CHAIR, DOCTOR KALANI ALMEIDA, FOR HER YEARS IN 2019 TO 2026.

NOW WE HAVE OMEDI OR DEE DEE CANTU ARISMENDEZ.

DEE DEE IS ONE OF OUR ORIGINAL COUNCIL MEMBERS ALONG WITH LIESA HACKETT WHO WAS UNABLE TO BE HERE.

SHE HAS SERVED FROM 2018 TO 2026.

NEXT WE HAVE MICHAEL BARTON, WHO HAS SERVED FROM 2024 TO 2026.

I KNOW. OUT.

NEXT, I'D LIKE TO PRESENT TO TIMOTHY, WHO HAS BEEN HERE FROM 2025 TO 2026.

NEXT WE HAVE THE HONORABLE JUDGE, KATRINA GRIFFITH.

SHE HAS SERVED FROM 2025 TO 2026.

AND NEXT WE HAVE JULIE KRAWCZYK. SHE HAS SERVED FROM 2020 TO 2026.

AND FINALLY, HERE WE HAVE ENRIQUE MATA, WHO HAS SERVED ALSO FROM 2020 TO 2026.

WE'RE GOING TO TAKE ONE GROUP PICTURE. ARE YOU OKAY? I HAVE JUST ONE MORE. CHERYL HAS SERVED AS THE COUNCIL LIAISON FOR EIGHT YEARS.

SHE HAS OVERSEEN, I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY MEETING FACILITATIONS GOVERNANCE PROCESSES AND STAKEHOLDER COORDINATIONS.

IN ADDITION TO HER TENURE AT. CHERYL HAS OVER TEN YEARS OF EXPERIENCE SUPPORTING ADVISORY COMMITTEES ACROSS TEXAS STATE AGENCIES.

[02:30:04]

BY COORDINATING THEIR TRAINING, EVERY COUNCIL MEMBER HAS TO GO THROUGH REQUIRED TRAINING TO HAVE THIS PRIVILEGE.

BY COMPILING MONTHLY NEWSLETTERS, COLLABORATING WITH INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS FOR MEETING AGENDAS AND PRESENTATIONS, ASSISTING WITH TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS. THE LIST GOES ON AND ON AND ON.

SHE HAS PROVIDED SUPPORT NOT ONLY TO THE COUNCIL BUT ALSO TO THE DFES PARTNERS FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES COMMITTEES.

WE ARE VERY, VERY GRATEFUL FOR CHERYL'S SUPPORT.

THANK YOU CHERYL. AND I JUST WANT TO SAY AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT AND GUIDANCE AND JUST BEING A DELIGHT TO WORK WITH.

YOU CAN FIND PEOPLE WITH THE SKILLS, BUT IT'S WONDERFUL TO FIND PEOPLE WITH THE HEART AND THE KINDNESS.

SO WE ARE VERY GRATEFUL. THIS IS JUST SOMETHING FROM US, FROM THE COUNCIL.

SO THANK YOU.

AND THEN I KNOW THAT WE NEED TO TAKE A PICTURE. BUT JUST VERY BRIEFLY, I THOUGHT WE WOULD FINISH OUT BY SHARING SOME OF WHAT THIS COMMITTEE HAS DONE.

THE COUNCIL HAS EXISTED SINCE 2017. IT WAS CREATED BY THE 85TH LEGISLATIVE SESSION.

THOSE OF US WHO WORK IN STATE GOVERNMENT FOR A VERY LONG TIME, WE COUNT OUR YEARS BY THE NUMBER OF LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS THAT WE'VE BEEN THROUGH.

SO THAT'S FIVE WHOLE LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS. THAT'S A VERY LONG TIME.

AND IT WAS REALLY IT WAS PART OF THE BILL THAT ESTABLISHED DFS AS A SEPARATE AGENCY FROM HHS.

IT HAS SERVED UNDER FOUR COMMISSIONERS. HANK WHITMAN, JAMIE MASTERS, STEPHANIE MUTH AND MYSELF.

THERE HAVE BEEN THREE DIFFERENT CHAIRS MATT KOURI, JUDGE HOLLINS AND DOCTOR CONNIE ALMEIDA AND A TOTAL OF 17 MEMBERS HAVE SERVED ON THE COUNCIL OVER THAT TIME. THE COUNCIL COUNCIL HAS MET 30 TIMES SINCE 2018, AND THEY HAVE HEARD FEEDBACK FROM MORE THAN 300 STAKEHOLDERS DURING THAT TIME. THE COUNCIL REALLY DOES OFFER VALUABLE FEEDBACK.

THEY HAVE PROVIDED INSIGHT INTO IDEAS. WHILE THEY DON'T VOTE ON THINGS, IT IS THE QUESTIONS THAT THEY ASK WHILE THEY SIT UP HERE THAT REALLY GUIDE THE WAY THAT THE DEPARTMENT OPERATES AND THE WAY THAT WE SERVE CHILDREN, FAMILIES AND VULNERABLE ADULTS.

WE ARE VERY, VERY GRATEFUL FOR THEIR SERVICE.

AND WHILE THIS PARTICULAR ITERATION, THIS MIGHT BE OUR LAST TIME, I GUARANTEE YOU THAT YOU WILL CONTINUE TO SEE THESE SAME INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE INVOLVED BEFORE THEY SERVED ON THE COUNCIL, CONTINUE TO BE ADVOCATES FOR CHILDREN, FAMILIES AND ADULTS ACROSS THE STATE OF TEXAS.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. YES. AND WITH THAT, WE ARE ADJOURNED.

THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.