The state’s foster care system has been dangerous to children and embarrassing to the state for years. But with state officials constantly chasing other issues, it’s still suffering from neglect.
Department of Family and Protective Services
Posted in
Foster Care in Texas
Texas foster care children exposed to sexual abuse, given wrong medication and neglected in unlicensed placements, new report says
The federal judge overseeing the decadelong lawsuit against Texas for conditions in its foster care system cut this week’s hearing short. She proposed all parties involved, including the governor, “cut to the chase” to identify solutions.
Posted in
Criminal Justice
Targeting surgeries rarely used on kids, Gov. Greg Abbott asks state agency to determine if gender affirming care is child abuse
Medical experts say gender affirming care for transgender children rarely, if ever, includes use of the surgeries Abbott cited in his letter to the head of the Texas Department of Family Protective Services.
Posted in
Foster Care in Texas
Texas officials knew foster children were illegally placed in an unsafe shelter. It didn’t end until a whistleblower came forward.
State officials knew children were being illegally housed in an unlicensed facility but did not notify the court, despite a mandate from a federal court judge that came as part of a decade-long class action lawsuit against the state on the behalf of foster children.
Posted in
Foster Care in Texas
“Serious, harmful consequences”: Texas continues placing foster children in harm’s way, court monitors find
A federal judge in 2015 found that Texas violates foster children’s constitutional rights. At a hearing this week, court monitors found some progress in reforming the foster care system — but also noted several concerns.
Posted in
State Government
Judge says Texas officials need to speed up foster care reforms
U.S. District Judge Janis Jack says she will give state officials until May to make progress on her orders to overhaul the state’s foster care system, or face hefty fines.
Posted in
Health care
Years after a judge ordered fixes, Texas’ child welfare system continues to expose children to harm, federal monitors say
Two independent experts appointed to scrutinize the system described “a disjointed and dangerous child protection system … where harm to children is at times overlooked, ignored or forgotten.”
Posted inState Government
Analysis: In Texas government, the buck stops … somewhere
Texas state government is run by top leaders who promised to model their operations on business. They didn’t say it would be an error-prone business.
Posted in
State Government
Federal judge hammers Texas officials over failures to improve foster care system
An exasperated U.S. District Judge Janis Graham Jack found the state in contempt of court for failing to comply with some of her earlier orders in the wide-ranging lawsuit filed on behalf of Texas foster children.
Posted inState Government
Texas child welfare chief Hank Whitman announces retirement
He championed staff pay raises in the three years he spent at the helm of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.
