Travis County Commssioners Court
February 18, 2003
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Item 6
Number 6 is to receive 2002 annual report and update from the Travis County children's protective services board.
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>> ... This is a way for us to try and help them with some of the costs of, you know, like if they take in a child, getting clothing or bedding or, you know, whatever it is that they may need as the addition cost of taking in that child and being able to raise them through the foster system. And that's some of the things we've done and we are continually going out in the public trying to encourage the public and make them aware of what it is that we're here for. We're constantly trying to recruit foster parents. We've started an annual event here in Travis County where we honor the foster parents so that we let them know that we do appreciate what it is that they do for us, and that is something that we're going to start doing annually and it's going to be held in may which is the foster parents appreciation month, and so we're just trying to a good job here, hope that everyone is pleased with the work that we're doing.
>> the information that dwayne was reading to y'all or reporting to y'all in the report that you have a copy of, I wanted to mention that the author is joyce darling with the research and planning office, so if you have a chance to look at it if you have more detailed questions, just let us know and we'll be able to get that information to you. The other thing I wanted to comment on is just to really emphasize the importance of the county's partnership with the state for children in foster care, our community locally in terms of the funds that come down for the state does not receive sufficient funds to meet the needs for children in this community and so the investment that the county makes is tremendously important, and most recently, as you know, the state budget crisis is starting to have impacts that are trickling down to the local community and while our funds are also incredibly diminished it's tremendous that this investment is continuing. One of the most recent impacts that we've seen as of January 1, children that are placed with foster parents, placed January 1 or after, the state will no longer pay for after school care, so children that would otherwise, you know, be placed in foster placements, there are certainly some foster parents that are unable to accept children into their home because they don't have the resources to pay for after school care for kids and then most recently, karin was sharing with me that the day care funds for relatives have also now been essentially cut, reallocated to the deficit they're having in foster care, so as of the first week in February, relatives won't be able to access funds for day care and that is one of the services or the supports that the county does contribute towards through our cps funds, but as dwayne was saying one of the most signature can't advocacy efforts of the board is going to be focussed this year and has been on the last several months on relative caregiver support because Texas is one of the few states that doesn't have a problem for relatives caring for children that might those come into foster care and there's a tremendous number of families in Texas that are caring for their kin and carrying for children, we are excited about that effort and the board's work as it relates to the capital area safe kids fund, they made an effort to draw in some private dollars to partner with us. And did anybody else want to add anything? >[inaudible]
>> it doesn't. Yeah.
>> are we able to identify relatives who care for kids who are in need? Separate them from relatives who have no -- really don't need assistance?
>> karin, do you want to...
>> yes, we can do that, and we often do that. We prioritize which is a relative term listening to help because there isn't enough help.
>> we know the relatives financial circumstances.
>> yes, as part of our home study process.
>> okay. I guess the one stat that kind of stood out to me was the one that convicted murders, 90% of them were victims of child abuse. Do we know the reason why? What are the experts saying is the reason for that? Or are they saying?
>> I guess there are various opinions on that. I'm not one of the experts on that. But the very layman's explanation has to do with informing your identity as a child, if the world is mean to you and cruel to you, one of the things you can do is withdrawal, one of the things you can do is lash out and it tends to be the people that lash out that don't care about other people because they only care -- they didn't care about them when they were little. Real superficial explanation of a very complicated issue.
>> okay. If we have questions, should we reduce them to writing, send them to staff?
>> yes, that would be fine.
>> before we discuss them?
>> judge, I think this is one of the things that has to be raised into a higher profile when we get into discussions later related to the legislative agenda. I think on page 17 really one of the most important lines in this entire document. Because children's protective services are the legal responsibility of the state of Texas. There are relatively few counties that provide financial supplements to the state cps units. There are only four counties out of 254 that chose -- that choose to provided a additional funding because dprs has not allocated sufficient funding to meet the demand for services in their area and we give them credit. Harris, bexar, travis, an our neighbors to the north in Williamson counties. We've got to be on guard. We've talked about this in terms of the ways that the state, in trying to meet its financial challenges, 9.9 billion, they're downshifting all of this to the other coins and this county has met its responsibility and filled in the gap, but there is also a limit to where we can fill in the gap so I think this is one of those areas where we have to be extraordinarily careful that we don't get more dumped on what is a responsibility of the state of Texas for these children.
>> and I think that what is really good is to have established this fund so that folks out in the -- in the neighborhoods, I mean throughout Travis County can know about this so they can help. This is important. It saves money in the long run. Don't have to build more jail beds. And so -- and prisons. So this is one of those if we can get this out, and nancy, I need to add your name to the back. Nancy puentes.
>> this state agency has to do the 7% cut, same as the other state agencies? And how much money is that?
>> I don't know, because we're already functioning in a huge deficit. How do you --...
>> okay.
>> but what things are happening now, we're hiring for all positions that are not case work related. And we may freeze those as well. They're looking at one of the things about the day care is trying to -- we're already projected to overspend in day care is what has happened and they're looking at the summer months where all the kids are part time go to full time. We're expected to spend over $500,000 for this county alone so I don't know what the state can do for that. And yet, we're looking at all different ways because the budget -- I'm not in on those discussions. We have at the local level given our recommendations of what we can do on a local level.
>> and while it hasn't happened yet, one of the forecasted concerns about what could happen with budget cuts is that it impacts the parameters around decisions for removing kids or not, and so as funds are diminished and less available to pay for children to be in out of home placement, the potential impact is to take greater risks at trying to keep children in their homes and not to have to pay for the cost of them being in out of home placement, and so one of the things that will get looked at are the parameters around the risk assessments and the decisions about whether to repof a child or not.
>> we have a list from health and human services on the things that you were interested in pursuing with the legislature. This I assume is on the list?
>> yes.
>> so we can expect greater challenges?
>> yes, sir.
>> in the months ahead?
>> uh-huh.
>> okay. We will have a few questions about I guess state budget, how it impacts Travis County at some point, it has to impact direct services, so I guess we need to know that even if we can't do much about it. But I do think we ought to do what we can. And like the other -- in the other area, my guess is that the situation will get worse before it gets better?
>> yeah, my understanding is 7% out of our current budget and then we're also [inaudible] look at 9% or more for the next week so additional cuts on top of the 7%.
>> okay. As if the board did not v already have enough to do..., Let's communicate more, though, and see if we can help. Thank you very much. Anything else? Appreciate you coming by again we appreciate your hard work.
Last Modified: Wednesday, April 2, 2003 10:25 AM