Make sure you’re in the loop on current happenings in child welfare at both the state and national levels by browsing news clips of interest selected by our Public Policy team. This page will be continually updated as news stories come up, with the most recent stories at the top.
BROWSE BY YEAR: 2019 | 2018 | 2017| 2016
December 2019
- New Center in North Austin Opening to Help Foster Families
- Texas Agrees to Caseload ‘guidelines’ for CPS Foster Care Workers
- What Happens to Children When their Parents, Guardians are Arrested?
- Fewer Texas Children Entered Foster Care in 2019
- Texas ICWA Decision Up For Reconsideration
November 2019
- Federal Law on Foster Care, CPS Offers Texas Big Chances to Help Abused Kids — Or Lose Federal Aid
- Nonprofit Foster Care Providers Push Back Against Federal Judge’s ‘One-size-fits-all’ Mandates
- One Judge’s Tough Approach to Foster Care: It’s Only for the Really Extreme Cases
- Foster Care Operation in North Texas Balks at Judge’s Order to Provide Nighttime Watches of Kids
- Federal Judge Reacts to ‘Cinder-Block Cells’ at Texas Foster Home
- Our View: Texas Foster Care System Should Embrace Reforms
- When it Comes to Child Welfare, is Anyone Listening?
October 2019
- State Bar of Texas: Representing Youth Clients
- State Bar of Texas: Legal Representation in Child Protective Services Cases
- State Bar of Texas: Two Doors to the Courthouse
- The Dallas Morning News: Foster Care Plaintiffs ask Judge to Sanction Texas, Citing Blown Deadlines, ‘Shocking’ Revelations
- The Dallas Morning News: A fed-up Judge and a New Chief: Is this what it takes to get Texas to protect kids?
- NBC News: Yellow-haired Muppet Karli helps ‘Sesame Street’ Tackle Addiction
- Office of the Texas Governor: Governor Abbott Announces Intent To Appoint Jaime Masters As Commissioner Of The Department Of Family And Protective Services
- Austin American-Statesman: New Foster Care, Child Protective Services Chief Named
- The Dallas Morning News: ‘The State Of Texas Lost This Case,’ Judge in Foster Care Lawsuit says, Warns Further Delays will Bring Fines
September 2019
- Houston Chronicle: Adoption Agency Finds a Way Home for Older Children
- UTSA Today: Community-Wide Partnership Creates Pathway to College for Youth with a History of Foster Care
- The Chronicle of Social Change: Texas Task Force Looks at Youth Involved in Child Welfare, Juvenile Justice Systems
- KTXS: New CPS Court Associate Judge Hired in Taylor County to Help Backlog of Family Court Cases
- Denton Record-Chronicle: Vicki Spriggs: New Advancements in the Child Welfare System
- Victoria Advocate: Texas’ Youngest Students Aren’t Getting Suspended like They Used to
- Lexington Herald Leader: One child, 60 Homes by Middle School. State Focuses on School Challenges for Foster Kids.
- Houston Chronicle: $15 Million to Help Texas Child Sex Trafficking Survivors
August 2019
- KTRE: New Law Offers More Resources to Kids in Foster Care Transitioning Into Young Adults
- Houston Chronicle: UH launches $17M Program for Former Foster Youth
- Rivard Report: Bexar County’s Proposed $1.78B Budget Focuses on Protection for Families, Children
- The Eagle: Trafficking awareness group to work in Brazos County Detention Center
- Austin American-Statesman: Paxton likely to challenge ruling upholding Indian adoption law
- San Antonio Business Journal: GOOD WORKS SA: Nonprofit helps adults who age out of foster care like its founder
- Conroe Courier: Increase in child death cases spurs new investigator position in Montgomery County DA’s office
- Texas Standard: News Roundup: Report On Texas Foster Care Placements Highlights Areas In Need Of Help
- FOX 34: Texas Boys Ranch highlights need for foster parents on South Plains
- The Texas Tribune: 5th Circuit upholds Indian Child Welfare Act as constitutional, reversing lower court
- The Chronicle of Social Change: Federal law protecting Indian children and families will stand
- Dallas News: A new hope has emerged for Dallas children in state custody
- The Washington Post: Trump administration cuts legal funding for victims of human trafficking
July 2019
- Texas Public Radio: Why do less than 4% Of former foster kids have a college degree in Texas?
- The Chronicle of Social Change: Ben Carson Unveils Major Stable Housing Initiative for Former Foster Youth
- UTSA Today: Foster care teens explore college opportunities at UTSA
- San Antonio Express-News: Many foster children missing out on free college
- Courthouse News Service: Panel Sides With Texas in Battle Over Foster Care Reforms
June 2019
- The Sealy News: CASA for Kids focuses on families during National Reunification Month
- Austin American-Statesman: Report: Texas among the worst states for childhood well-being
- Fort Worth Business Press: Commentary: Initiative paying off for kids in foster care
- The Rivard Report: Community Based Care: A Model Designed to Meet the Needs of Foster Youth in Bexar County
- The Apopka Voice: Keys to independence: A success in helping foster kids get driver’s licenses
- Austin American-Statesman: Lawmakers overlook high rates of uninsured, foster care fixes
- KUT 90.5: 1 In 30 Kids In Foster Care In Texas Were Reported Missing Last Fiscal Year, Report Finds
- The Texas Tribune: Texas governor signs bills to combat human trafficking, aid sexual assault survivors
MAy 2019
- Dallas News: Texas insurance giant tells judges brain-damaged baby and mom are stifling company’s free speech
- Austin American-Statesman: Texas Legislature approves sweeping child care safety reforms
- Texas Standard: News Roundup: Bill Would Help Ensure Foster Care Youth Have Access To Identification Documents
- Dallas News: ‘End the silence’: Texas House advances bill for churches, charities to report sexual predators
- Houston Forward Times: The Foster Care Nightmare: Community Leaders Come Together to Discuss Solutions to Address the Impact the Foster Care System is Having on Our Children
April 2019
- Texas Standard: News Roundup: Many Kids Under CPS Care Were Neglected By Parents Dealing With Substance Abuse (Includes audio)
- KXXV: Forever Families: Waco Rainbow Room
- Houston Chronicle: Texas must value the true costs of childhood trauma [Opinion]
- Orange Leader: Planting a pinwheel memorial
- Austin American-Statesman: U.S. Sen. John Cornyn introduces bill to help prevent child abuse
- Community Impact Newspaper: Nonprofit Angel Reach sees successes with foster youth in The Woodlands and Conroe
- KIII: Authorities say child abuse numbers rising in San Patricio County
- Gainesville Daily Register: April named child abuse awareness month
- Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Our view: Human trafficking requires statewide solution
March 2019
- Dallas News: Texas focused more on fighting lawsuit than fixing foster care, child welfare advocates say
- Trump’s 2020 Budget for Family and Youth Services
- GuideLive: Dallas’ new ‘kind cafe’ coffee shop — the one hiring former foster kids — opens March 25
- Austin American-Statesman: Paxton targets U.S. law limiting adoptions of Indian children
- KXAN: Woman builds infrastructure of support for sex trafficking victims
- The Katy News: AG Paxton defends Texas foster care system at the 5th Circuit
- Moore County News Press: Family Helpline, a source of information for families dealing with CPS
- Houston Chronicle: Home at last: New $700k voucher program aims to keep former foster kids off the streets
- Texas Monthly: As Texas privatizes Child Protective Services, will the horror stories go unheard? (Commentary)
- KETV: Nebraska puts brakes on drug testing parents in child abuse cases
- Texas Insider: AG Paxton applauds court ruling declaring unconstitutional a Texas law that requires application of the Indian Child Welfare Act in child custody proceedings
- Dallas News: Survivors protest film about Amarillo-area Boys Ranch, saying it ignores history of abuse
February 2019
- Dallas News: How a normal girl from Keller became a victim of sex trafficking and managed to escape
- Texas Standard: Report details statewide proposal to help children who survive trauma get services they need
- WKRG: Sparks builds infrastructure of support for sex trafficking victims
- Houston Chronicle: Texas can connect foster care and college campuses (Opinion)
January 2019
- Dallas News: Legislators, want to cut property taxes? Stop requiring counties to pay for more services
- Star-Telegram: Human trafficking takes up residence, but has no home, in Texas
- University of Houston: UH Program Boosts College Success for Students Previously in Foster Care
- Chronicle of Social Change: Report: Extended care foster care in California boosts wealth, stability
- KDFW: Grant helps UNT support students from foster care
- Office of the Texas Governor: Governor Abbott announces grant funding to prevent and combat human trafficking and care for victims
- Austin American-Statesman: Commentary: Voters watching legislators’ commitment to Texas children
- Dallas News: State suspends Dallas child placing agency after infant dies in Forney foster home
- KBTX: Child advocacy, faith-based groups work together for children in foster care
- CNN: Cyntoia Brown is granted clemency after serving 15 years in prison for killing man who bought her for sex