Child-Centered Oversight

About This Priority

Safety is caregivers’ top priority, but punitive regulations that fail to recognize the realities of caring for children who have experienced trauma currently provide a disincentive to work with children and youth who have high needs. The trauma that children experience before they are placed in foster care can result in self-harm, aggression, and other challenging behaviors. The Legislature’s guidance will be needed to focus on core health and safety so that true safety risks are prioritized and addressed.

PROVIDE

Provide direction on oversight of care for children with complex needs and behaviors such as runaway, self-harm, or aggressive behavior to keep kids more stable and offer therapeutic care. Needs include, guidance on reviewing cases related to trauma-induced behaviors, review processes for documenting behaviors, and improved technical assistance.

DIRECT

Direct HHSC to contract with a third-party national expert to review and re-envision residential child-care licensing standards to improve the process while maintaining safety and accountability.

DIRECT

Direct DFPS to create a tiered or weighted system for findings of abuse and neglect to better identify and respond to intentionally harmful or neglectful behavior

HB 1517 / SB 593

Relating to licensing and oversight of certain facilities and homes providing substitute care for children in the conservatorship of the Department of Family and Protective Services.  View below or click here for our one pager of bill support for SB 593.

Check out our SB 593 Guide.

HB 3933

 Relating to the liability of entities contracted with the Department of Family and Protective Services to provide community-based care or child welfare services. View below or click here for our one pager of bill support for HB 3933.

Liability Insurance

Click to view our brief and recommendations on Liability Insurance for Child Welfare Providers.