Over the past couple months, the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) has released a variety of reports on how the agency is currently serving Texas children and families. Texas CASA’s Public Policy team has reviewed and summarized some of the key reports:

Our Public Policy team works hard to keep the CASA network in the loop, stay at the forefront of legislative and policy advocacy, and ensure CASA always has a seat at the table—all of which is proving more important than ever during this time of great systemic change.

Learn more about the work of our Public Policy team

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DFPS Reports on the State of Texas Foster Care

Over the past couple months, the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) has released a variety of reports on how the agency is currently serving Texas children and families. Texas CASA’s Public Policy team has reviewed and summarized some of the key reports: Rider 15 Report for Community-Based Care – report providing performance measures and comparative trends between the legacy … Read More

Two Retirements & a Promotion: Public Policy Team Evolves

Texas CASA extends our gratitude to longtime leaders Andy Homer and Cathy Cockerham, and congratulates them on their recent retirements. It is also with great pride that we announce the promotion of dedicated child welfare policy expert Sarah Crockett to Director of Public Policy. Chief Public Policy Officer Andy Homer joined Texas CASA’s Public Policy team in 2014. Prior to … Read More

DFPS Releases Report on Children Without Placement

The Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) recently released a report on children in their care who are living in unlicensed facilities – they refer to children in these situations as Children Without Placement (CWOP). Since August 2020, the state has seen a marked increase in the number of youth in unlicensed facilities. Texas has also experienced a shortage … Read More

DFPS Releases Kinship Care Report

The Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) recently released a report on the Relative and Other Designated Caregiver Program (RODC). The program supports continuity and stability for children in the conservatorship of DFPS by providing financial assistance to eligible kinship caregivers. The report reveals that as of fiscal year to-date (FYTD) 2021, 44.5% of children were placed with relatives … Read More

DFPS Releases Rider 15 Report for Community-Based Care

As directed by the 86th Texas Legislature, the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) recently released a report providing performance measures and comparative trends between the legacy foster care and Community-Based Care (CBC) systems. The report reveals key indicators such as keeping children placed within 50 miles of removal, ability to place sibling groups together, safety, kinship placement, and … Read More