There is a crisis facing a small but important segment of children in the Texas foster care system with complex needs. The state has failed to find safe, appropriate placements for many of these children. Instead of providing homes or other specialized care, DFPS sometimes places children in office space supervised by under-trained staff, puts them in out-of-state facilities, or allows children to languish in large, institutional facilities where kids too often experience more neglect and trauma, including physical or sexual abuse.
The following two-page memo to the Texas Legislature addresses this crisis — and urges policymakers to make a new commitment to supporting children and families earlier as part of the state's response to the crisis.