Statutory References
- Federal: Title XX, Social Security Act
- Federal: Title IV-B, Part 2, Social Security Act
- State: Texas Family Code, 264.301
- State: Human Resources Code, 40.0561
The Community Initiatives for Program Development Division was established within PRS to develop, implement and manage contracted service programs to prevent child abuse and neglect, juvenile crime, family disruption, and the isolation of agency programs from the communities the serve. Community based programs to prevent child abuse and delinquency include:
- Community Youth Development Program - This program assists communities in designing comprehensive approaches to support families and enhance the positive development of youth. Using legislative appropriations, grants are made available for developing juvenile delinquency prevention approaches in communities with high incidence of juvenile crime. Eleven communities are being served.
- Services to At-Risk Youth (STAR) Program - These services are offered to youth ages 7-18 who are runaways, truants, youths experiencing family conflict or involved in delinquent conduct (but have not been adjudicated), and their families. Contracted community agencies offer family crisis intervention, short-term emergency residential care, individual and family counseling, and an array of supportive services.
- Texas Families: Together and Safe - Grants are allocated for Family Support services to community based preventive programs. The services are designed to alleviate stress and promote parental competencies and behaviors that will increase the ability of families to successfully nurture their children; enable families to use other resources and opportunities available in the community; and create supportive networks to enhance child-rearing abilities of parents.
- Texas Runaway Hotline - Hotline staff and volunteers work closely with social service agencies and juvenile delinquency prevention programs. Their goal is to provide callers with 24-hour crisis intervention and telephone counseling; information and referral for callers in need of food, shelter and/or transportation home; conference calls to parents and shelters; and a confidential message relay service between runaways and parents.
- Gang Activity Prevention - The program's objectives are to reduce the risk factors that may lead to gang involvement and students dropping out of school. Activities that are provided encourage parental involvement, educational enhancement, cultural and social enrichment activities, drug prevention education, and supportive guidance.
Special projects and initiatives include:
- Community Partners - Community Partners is a public/private partnership that develops local boards to support Child Protective Services staff by creating projects such as Adopt-A-Caseworker and Rainbow Room. Adopt-A-Caseworker focuses on finding a sponsor to meet caseworker needs for resources for clients. The Rainbow Room stocks emergency items needed by children and families such as diapers, formula, clothes, toys, and cleaning supplies.
- Young at Heart - Young at Heart is an intergenerational program to encourage elderly Texans to volunteer in child-care facilities. The program is administrated through cities and senior advocacy agencies. Young at Heart efforts include recruitment, training, funding, media materials, evaluation and volunteer recognition.
- Family Outreach - Family Outreach is an all volunteer organization that works to recruit successful parents to work with at-risk families under the supervision of a PRS case manager. Services by trained volunteers include services to at-risk families, parenting classes, "warm lines" for parents in crisis, and other services as determined by the local center.
FY 1998 Expenditures and Staffing
Community Initiatives for Program Development
Staff Cost $1,633,062
u Total Staff 27
Contracted Services $28,061,624
- Services to At Risk Youth
- Community Youth Development
- Texas Families: Together and Safe
- Gang Prevention
- Healthy Families
- Home Instruction Program for Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY)
- Juvenile Sex Offender Program