Accomplishments
Adoptions
In FY 2019, a record number of children in state care found “forever” homes as CPS completed 6,107 adoptions. Relatives adopted 50.7 percent of those children and youth. That’s compared with 5,678 adoptions in FY 2018 (49.1 percent by relatives) and 5,413 adoptions in FY 2017 (50.2 percent by relatives).
Community-Based Care
CPS continued to expand Community-Based Care (CBC) in FY 2019. The goal of CBC is to improve the overall well-being of children in state care, find them permanent places to live, and keep them closer to home and connected with their communities and siblings. A single contractor is responsible for foster care and kinship care services within each geographic area. The single source continuum contractor (SSCC) is responsible for finding foster homes or other places for children in state care to stay, and providing them and their families with a full continuum of services.
In FY 2019:
- DFPS awarded a contract on July 1, 2019 to St. Francis Community Services to serve as the SSCC for Region 1. Stage I, where St. Francis will begin providing services, is expected to begin January 2020 following a six-month start-up phase.
- DFPS released a Request for Application (RFA) for Region 8b on May 2, 2019. The RFA closed on August 2, 2019. Stage I implementation is expected to begin in the spring of 2020 following a six-month start-up phase.
- 2INgage, the SSCC for Region 2, began placing children in FY 2019. Implementation of stage I will continue in FY 2020 with a focus on building the local network of foster care and services. 2INgage is a partnership between the Texas Family Initiative LLC and New Horizons Ranch and Center Inc.
- Family Tapestry, a division of the Children’s Shelter in San Antonio, is the SSCC for Region 8a. Family Tapestry began placing children on February 1, 2019. Implementation of stage I will be ongoing during FY 2020, with a focus on building the local network of foster care and other services.
- DFPS renewed its contract with ACH Child and Family Services in Region 3b. ACH will continue to provide placement, preparation for adult living, and adoption services, as well as case management services in the future.
See Community-Based Care on the DFPS website for more information.
Faith-Based Initiatives
CPS significantly expanded faith-based initiatives by supporting congregations in Texas that wanted to participate in the CarePortal. The CarePortal is an online platform that allows churches to provide goods and services to children and families who are in need in their own communities. By August 31, 2019:
- 1,929 congregations were partnering with DFPS.
- 535 of our faith partners were enrolled in the CarePortal and helping to meet the needs of children and families.
- The CarePortal had given aid to 7,645 children with an estimated economic impact of $2,381,487.
In communities where the CarePortal was not available, CPS expanded the Adopt a Family initiative to faith partners that want to support youth and families in need. Adopt a Family was available in regions 1, 3, 5, 6a, 6b, 9, and 11.
In addition, CPS expanded the Clergy in Court for Kids program. This program allows clergy members to attend court hearings and support youth and families. CPS expanded this initiative to Hutchison County (Region 1), Wichita and Taylor counties (Region 2), Dallas and Hunt counties (Region 3), and Fort Bend County (Region 6b).