Disproportionality in Children's Protective services
According to a report issued in January 2006 by the Texas Health adn Human Services Commision (HHSC) and the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS), the Texas Legislature in 2005 directed them to "determine whether Child Protective Services (CPS) enforcement actions are disproportionately initiated against any racial or ethnic group."
TCFR commends the Legislature for compelling this study and DFPS for compelling this study and DFPS for pursuing it and taking steps to remedy systemic problems. The January report revealed:
Per 1000 African American children, they were :
Almost twics as likely to be the subject of a report to CPS as Hispanics or Anglo children
Over twice as likely to be removed from their homes as Hispanic or Anglo children
Represented in foster care at approximately three times the rate of Hispanic and Anglo children
In March of 2004 TCFR President Peter Johnston served as master of ceremonies for a press conference in Austin exposing this problem. Media from throughout Texas covered stories related to that press conference and the next day at a hearing of the House Select Interim Committee on Child Welfare and Foster Care it became the source of discussion.
TCFR believes that exposure catalyzed the awareness of the legislature such that it mandated the study during its 2005 regular session in its CPS reform.
Subsequently, Texas CPS engaged the services of nationally recognized child welfare organization, The Casey Foundation, to assist in efforts to undo racism and disproportionality in the system. Houston was selected by CPS as a focal point for taking pro active steps to reverse that problem through community action.
TCFR was asked to be one of a number of community organizations to help develop a strategy for overcoming the problem. TCFR president Johnston stated, "Our part as TCFR is to advocate on behalf of parents. From our inception we have recognized that African Americans and the poor were unduly targeted by CPS. We are working on this project with CPS to make needed changes."
Currently the Houston committee is focused on the Sunnyside area to begin implementing change with other target areas to follow. Similar independent efforts are taking place in the Dallas area and The Casey Foundation is working with other states as well to attack this endemis problem crippling African American families
Legislature has directed CPS to publish a follow-up report of progress in July.
