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.