1. Presentation To House Human Services Committee March 10, 2009 Jane Burstain, Ph.D., Senior Policy Analyst F. Scott McCown, Executive Director Unless otherwise noted, all data in this presentation is from DFPS databooks

2. Overview Of Presentation What have you gotten for your money? What challenges remain? What opportunities exist?

3. Investigations Have Improved

4. More Children Remain At Home...

5. ... Safely

6. Relative Placements Have Increased...

7. ... And Are More Stable Source: Data provided by DFPS – 2008 is an estimate

8. Foster Care Has Decreased

9. More Children Are Adopted

10. Caseworker Attitudes Have Improved Surveys of caseworkers indicate that they are more satisfied with their job, their workloads and available resources in 2008 compared to 2005 DFPS scores on the Survey of Excellence improved in every dimension in 2008 compared to 2006 Annual reports of caseworker surveys authored by Dr. Maria Scannapieco and Dr. Kelli Connell-Carrick

11. But Challenges Remain –Service System For Families Stretched

12. FBSS caseloads have not declined FBSS voluntary turnover increasing Not able to meet federal standards for visiting children or parents

13. But Challenges Remain – Children In PMC Without TPR Improving But Still High

14. But Challenges Remain –Young Children In PMC Without TPR Source: DFPS data

15. But Challenges Remain – More Children Aging Out

16. But Challenges Remain- Dealing With The Gates Decision Source: CPPP analysis of DFPS data

17. But Challenges Remain- Dealing With The Gates Decision Source: CPPP analysis of DFPS data

18. But Challenges Remain – Turnover Better But Still High Source: Data provided by DFPS – 2008 is an estimate

19. But Challenges Remain – Other Financial support for relative caregivers Foster care rate increases

20. Opportunities Legislative –Continue to look for permanent alternatives for children in PMC without TPR – HB 884 (Naishtat) –Ease transition for children who age out – HB 704 and 705 (Rose) –Job opportunities at state agencies for children who age out – HB 1043 (Orr) Information –Study how children end up in PMC without TPR –Study impact of Gates –Collect data to support an informed implementation of a relative PMC subsidy Financial –$53 million in freed general revenue from CPS federal stimulus funds –Fostering Connections To Success And Increasing Adoptions Act Provisions to help children who age out

21. Resources CPPP written testimony on CPS budget: http://cppp.org/files/4/20102011CPSbudget.pdf http://cppp.org/files/4/20102011CPSbudget.pdf CPPP policy page on Fostering Connections Act: http://cppp.org/files/4/newfostercare.pdf http://cppp.org/files/4/newfostercare.pdf CPPP policy page on CPS workforce issues: http://cppp.org/files/4/364%20DFPS%20workforce.pd f http://cppp.org/files/4/364%20DFPS%20workforce.pd f CPPP policy page on CPS funding: http://cppp.org/files/4/Jan%2009%20update.pdf http://cppp.org/files/4/Jan%2009%20update.pdf

22. Use of This Presentation The Center for Public Policy Priorities encourages you to reproduce and distribute these slides, which were developed for use in making public presentations. If you reproduce these slides, please give appropriate credit to CPPP. The data presented here may become outdated. For the most recent information or to sign up for our free E-Mail Updates, visit www.cppp.org.www.cppp.org © CPPP Center for Public Policy Priorities 900 Lydia Street Austin, TX 78702 P 512/320-0222 F 512/320-0227