Children should not have to be separated from their families to get services and supports for serious mental health challenges. Some families find themselves in a tragic position few Texans know about: parents are having to choose between doing nothing for a child in crisis or breaking up their family to get that child help.
Caring for a child with severe mental health concerns places unique stresses on a family. Families often are challenged in securing treatment for their children and the supports needed to continue a functioning family life. When families’ options run out—when they can’t access or afford the help they need— some families make the devastating decision to give their children up to the state, rather than watch a child continue to suffer without services. This choice is costly to the state and unnecessarily harms families. It is time for Texas to examine what’s going on so that leaders can take smart, informed action to rectify it.