Texas Department of Family and Protective Services Strategies for Addressing Disproportionality...
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Transcript of Texas Department of Family and Protective Services Strategies for Addressing Disproportionality...
Texas Department of Family and Protective Services
Strategies for Addressing Disproportionality through Community Engagement & Cross-
System Collaboration Presented by:
Joyce James – DFPS Assistant Commissioner for CPSCarolyne Rodriguez – Director, Texas State Strategy,
Casey Family ProgramsMike Griffiths – Director of Juvenile Services,
Dallas County Juvenile Probation
11th Annual Disproportionate Minority Contact ConferenceSeptember 9, 2006 – New Orleans
Desired Outcomes for Today Understand the community-based approach being
taken in Texas to address Disproportionality Understand the internal cultural change needed in
systems to address Disproportionality and disparate outcomes
Learn about the community engagement strategies for leading this work
Recognize the challenges, barriers and opportunities in this work
Establish the linkage of this work to DFPS Renewal in Texas
Consider practical applications by juvenile justice systems and related disciplines to address disproportionality
A Shared Vision . . .
In May of 2004, Casey Family Programs and DFPS entered a collaborative relationship, committed to concentrating resources and energy to establish an intensive planning and implementation process to reduce disproportionality in the Texas child welfare system.
Texas was chosen in part because of: its large child population its potential for significant program and policy impact on
a statewide level, and its long-established working relationship with Casey
Family Programs in a systems improvement collaborative called the Texas State Strategy
Texas State Strategy System Improvement Efforts
Development of tools and identification of evidenced-based practices
Consultation and provision of technical assistance
Shared facilitation of state-focused, strategic partnerships
Joint collaboration in addressing systemic racism in child welfare
Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS)
Children First, Protected and Connected!
The Child Protective Services (CPS) program of DFPS is designated to receive alleged reports of child maltreatment and to investigate reports of suspected abuse and neglect.
The total child population for the state of Texas is estimated to be 6,277,205.
Goal: To ensure child safety and to provide services that promote the integrity and stability of the family.
CPS: Leading Change CPS is committed to addressing disproportionality through its vision of Children First, Protected and Connected, and ensuring alignment with CPS values of
respect for culture inclusiveness of families, youth and community integrity in decision making compassion for all commitment to reducing disproportionality
Strategies include: Implementing legislative changes and mandates Adopting promising practices and tools Improving use of data Increasing the cultural competence of CPS staff at
all levels Facilitating community-led solutions
Texas Legislative Mandates Senate Bill 6 requires the State to take specific actions to
address disproportionality. The bill gives statutory authority to the work we are
doing and planning to do The bill adds to our Texas Family Code, requiring DFPS to
do four things:
1) Provide cultural competency training to all service delivery staff.
2) Increase targeted recruitment for foster and adoptive parents to meet needs of children waiting for homes
3) Target recruitment efforts to ensure diversity among child welfare staff.
4) Develop collaborative community partnerships “to provide culturally competent services to children and families of every race and ethnicity.”
Additional Legislative Mandates
Examination of removal rates and other enforcement actions
Analysis of disproportionality provided to the legislature on January 1, 2006
Development and implementation of remediation plan reported to the legislature on July 1, 2006 – available on agency website: http://www.dfps.state.tx.us/Documents/about/pdf/ 2006-07-01_Disproportionality.pdf
Expected Outcomes
To reduce, and ultimately to prevent, the disproportionate representation of and disparate outcomes for African-American children in the Texas child welfare and juvenile justice systems, and to improve services to all children and families.
Who is Involved? DFPS
Casey Family Programs
Youth and family representatives
Community stakeholders African-American children and families Local government agencies including law enforcement Non-profit agencies Community leaders Legislative staff Foster parents University partners Faith-based leaders Community advocates Media
Guiding Principles from the Beginning…..
To effect social change will require a multi-faceted approach: socially, economically, educationally and politically
The community must be the driving force behind any sustainable change
Starting with the Data
Compelling Facts About Disproportionality
•There is great difference between races in the likelihood that a child will be removed from home and placed in foster care
•Children of color enter the system at disproportionately high rates as compared to Anglo children
•African American children are 4 times more likely to be placed in care
•African Americans are no more likely to abuse their children than any other race
•Unadjusted data indicate African American children are overrepresented in the Texas CPS system and the level of disproportionality increases at each stage of service
Texas Data - FY 2005Summary of Statewide Data
40% 35% 34% 30%
44%42% 38%
35%
13%20% 26% 34%
3% 3% 2% 1%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Texas ChildPopulation
Confirmed Victimsin CompletedInvestigations
Children Removedfrom their Homes
Children Waitingfor Adoption
Anglo Hispanic African American Other
Dallas County Data: FY 2005
22.4%39.2% 45.6% 52.0%
27.1%
25.7%24.3%
22.8%
45.8%31.0%
27.5% 22.8%
4.7% 4.1% 2.6% 2.4%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Dallas County ChildPopulation
Confirmed Victims inCompleted
Investigations
Children Removedfrom their Homes
Children Waiting forAdoption
African American Anglo Hispanic Other
2005 Texas / Dallas County Juvenile Justice Referrals
* Texas Juvenile Probation Commission
FormalReferrals
State 102,459
Dallas County 10,201
Ethnicity
State DallasCounty
White 29,582(28.9%)
1,497(14.7%)
Black 25,103(24.5%)
4,268(41.8%)
Hispanic 46,674(45.6%)
4,279(41.9%)
Other 1,100 (1%)
157 (1.6%)
Juvenile Age Population vs. Referrals* Texas Juvenile Probation Commission
JuvenilePopulation
State DallasCounty
White 1,014,730(40.9%)
67,497(26.8%)
Black 331,174(13.3%)
63,515(25.7%)
Hispanic 1,051,522(42.3%)
109,127(43.3%)
Total 2,483,398 252,253
JuvenileOffenses
Ethnicity State DallasCounty
White 29,582(28.9%)
1,497(14.7%)
Black 25,103(24.5%)
4,268(41.8%)
Hispanic 46,674(45.6%)
4,279(41.9%)
Other 1,100 (1%)
157 (1.6%)
Dallas County Juvenile Department
Criminal Justice Policy Council Stakeholder Report Card Sessions Texas State University Texas Family & Protective Services Annie E. Casey Juvenile Detention
Alternatives Initiative – Replication Site
Annie E. Casey FoundationJuvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative
Collaboration
Reliance on Data
Objective Admissions Screening
Alternatives to Secure Detention
Expedited Case Processing
Strategies for “Special” Detention Cases
Strategies to Reduce Racial Disparities
Rigorous Facility Inspections
Juvenile Justice Strategies to Impact Disproportionate Minority Contact
Examination of System Social Context Issues Juvenile Justice System Practices
Collect Data From All Contact Points Formulate Vision Develop Structure Build Alliances Diversify Systems Workforce Provide Training Create Instruments / Guidelines to Minimize
Disparity Challenge Ancillary Systems to Address Issue
Project HOPE: Successful Model
Began in May 2002
Community Vision, Mission and Goals
Community focused, data-driven
Existing data maximized and improved
Gaps identified
Current status
Project Hope: Center Opening
Statewide Planning Process
Analyze data to select region
Identify community members and
leaders
Hold community planning meeting
Undoing Racism training
Form Community Advisory
CommitteeReview of dataCharter developmentOther stakeholdersPlan for decision makingIdentification of resourcesAction planning
Begin implementation
Town Hall meetingsDetermine practice modelsMOUsWho else should be at the table?
Requirements
Leadership commitment Diversity and breadth of
Disproportionality Community Advisory Committee
Commitment to stakeholder involvement Alignment with Vision and Values
Statewide Accomplishments
Through community advocacy, Texas has been legislatively mandated to address disproportionality
State Disproportionality Director and Specialists in place
Target sites selected in several regions to implement community strategies
Undoing Racism training achieved for all regional and state office managers and directors, and for pilot site staff and collaborators
Texas is one of 13 nationwide jurisdictions participating Casey Disproportionality Breakthrough Series Collaborative
Best practice training curricula is being implemented to address cultural competency for CPS staff
Disproportionality data used to guide community strategies for systems improvement
Challenges and OpportunitiesChallenges
• Public sentiment
•Impacting Social Context issues effecting Disparity issues
• Political will / support
• Practice issues
• Elevating the voice
• Supporting child welfare leadership
Opportunities
• Strong community engagement
•Strong relationships with stakeholders
•Anti-racist principles in all aspects of CPS and other systems embedded
• Constituents engaged in an in-depth way
• Impacting public policy through legislative engagement
• Bar will be raised for all children, youth, families & communities
• Chance for a collaborative evaluation with university partners
• Strong impact for sustainable change through legislative mandates
Benefits for African-American Youth and Families
More youth and family engagement
Fewer youth in the foster care system
Fewer out-of-home placement moves
Less time in foster care placement
More youth placed with kin
More foster and adoptive homes
More community commitment, involvement, and
resources
The Right Thing to Do
“Cowardice asks the question, is it safe?
Expediency asks the question, is it polite?
Vanity asks the question, is it popular?
But conscience asks the question, is it right?
And there comes a time when one must take a position that is
neither safe, nor polite, nor popular
– but one must take it because it is right.”
~ Martin Luther King, Jr.