A new, voluntary program called Resilient Families has officially launched to help families on the verge of separation due to mental and behavioral health challenges. CK Family Services has partnered with the Texas Center for Child and Family Studies (the Center) to bring this critical resource to families across Texas’ Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) Region 3, which encompasses 19 counties in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. 

Region 3 has the highest rate of foster care removals due to Refusal to Assume Parental Responsibility (RAPR) in Texas, exceeding the next highest region by 55%. Resilient Families is specifically designed to reduce these removals by providing targeted support and intervention before crises lead to foster care placements. 

Funding for Resilient Families comes from the Supporting Mental and Emotional Resiliency in Texans (SMART) Innovation grant, awarded by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) in 2024. This initiative was backed by Senate Bill 26, authored by Senator Lois Kolkhorst during the 88th Texas Legislature, to pioneer innovative mental health support for youth. That groundbreaking legislation set multiple bold policy goals including keeping more children safely at home.

“We named it Resilient Families because kids don’t dissolve family relationships, parents do,” said Shawn Wilson, Chief Business Development Officer.
“For these parents and children, strengthening resilience is a critical piece of maintaining the integrity of the family unit, when faced with the lifelong journey that challenges with serious mental illness present,” he continued.

Resilient Families provides comprehensive services, including skills training, peer mentorship from experienced foster families, mental health counseling, and rehabilitation. These wraparound services tackle the full spectrum of family wellbeing, going beyond traditional mental health offerings often inaccessible to families not currently involved with child welfare or juvenile justice systems. 

Families relinquishing parental rights frequently do so due to unmet mental health needs. Families currently enrolled in the program report that their struggle to cope created substantial disruption in their homes including job loss, physical aggression, and increased stress. All of these things led them nearly to a breaking point.

“We can get ahead of RAPR removals and meet these families before they feel things are beyond repair,” said Megan Ransom, CEO of the Center. 

Ms. Ransom continued, “These complex mental and behavioral health needs impact the whole family. Programs like Resilient Families can serve those with potential to thrive as they stick together instead of entering the foster care system.”

Anyone can refer a family in Region 3 experiencing mental and behavioral health challenges by visiting ckbh.org or emailing referrals@ckbh.org. No prior diagnosis or involvement with state systems is required. Families in need are encouraged to reach out immediately, and the community is invited to support this vital initiative, ensuring more Texas families remain resilient, intact, and thriving.