Under pressure from the governor, advocates and a federal court, lawmakers are moving at breakneck speed to address the state’s failing child welfare system. But in doing so, they may be rushing into a privatization scheme that could plunge Child Protective Services (CPS) into crisis again.
In 2016, more than 200 children died of abuse and neglect in Texas. On any given day, there are hundreds of kids who are in imminent danger, yet go unseen by a caseworker with CPS, the troubled state agency that is responsible for protecting maltreated children through social services like foster care. For the children who are rescued, it’s possible they’ll end up sleeping in a hotel or CPS office because there aren’t enough foster homes.
Source: Despite Warnings, the Texas Legislature Plans to Privatize Much of the Child Welfare System TEXAS OBSERVER