The 2012 -13 Budget for Child Protection in

The 2012 -13 Budget for Child Protection in Texas April 19, 2011

Budget Process l l l House and Senate each file their own budget Each budget is considered and changed by respective committees Goes to floor full vote – l l Conference committee from both houses appointed to resolve differences Conference committee budget goes back to each chamber for a vote – l Members can change and add to it Only vote yes or no, cannot make any changes Sent to Governor to sign or veto

Budget as Filed Cut Virtually Every Aspect of Child Protection l l l Cut statewide intake, making it more difficult to process reports of child abuse and neglect Cut prevention and family services, driving more children into foster care Cut support for adoption, making it more difficult to get kids out of foster care Cut support for foster homes, making it difficult for kids to get care they need Cut caseworkers working with families and children, adding to an already overwhelming workload

Child Protection Budget as Filed Short by 20% Overall and 50% for Prevention 2010 -11 Budgeted Agency Requested HB 1/ SB 1 Change from 201011 Change from request Total TDFPS Agency $2, 740, 323, 71 $3, 116, 310, 229 $2, 486, 625, 005 5 -$253. 7 mil. -9. 3% -$629. 7 mil -20% Total CPS $2, 250, 506, 44 $2, 560, 421, 857 $2, 084, 483, 193 9 $166, 023, 256 -7. 4% -$475, 938, 664 -18. 6% Statewide Intake Prevention CPS Direct Delivery Staff 4 $36, 933, 583 $43, 320, 279 $36, 402, 389 -$531, 194 -1. 4% -$6, 917, 890 -18. 7% $88, 109, 457 $99, 807, 000 $48, 247, 099 -$39, 862, 358 -45% -$51, 559, 901 -58. 5% $837, 809, 055 $920, 311, 139 $789, 636, 570 -$48, 172, 485 -5. 7% -$130, 674, 569 -14%

Advocacy Community Created Unified Message to Fight Cuts l Organizations that work on CPS policy and child abuse prevention, many who provide direct services to families and children organized into coalition called Child Protection Roundtable l Create unified message about the child protection budget and the impact of the proposed cuts l Made some progress, more so in the senate than the house – – l House budget has passed thru committee and been voted on Senate Finance amended child protection budget but still in committee Even with more generous budget in the senate, not enough funding to support families and achieve optimal outcomes

Even after Committee Process, Caseworkers Not Fully Funded l Partial funding for CPS direct delivery staff – – – l l Requested $73 million for 749. 5 FTEs House funds $40 million for 462 FTEs Senate restores $48 million for 565 FTEs Direct delivery staff are currently carrying unmanageable caseloads Caseloads will continue to increase

Proposed Cuts Will Drive Caseloads Even Higher Investigator FBSS CVS FY 05 17. 5 37 FY 06 35 20 45 FY 07 22. 1 21. 1 43. 6 FY 08 22. 1 20. 7 39. 1 FY 09 20. 7 19 28. 2 FY 10 E 29. 1 21. 9 29. 5 FY 11 E 23 19. 2 27. 8 FY 12 24 22. 5 28. 6 FY 13 7 42 24. 8 24 29. 1 CWLA Recommended 12 12 15

Proposed Cuts Will Exacerbate Caseworker Turnover 8

Lack of IT Funding Will Make Caseworker’s Job Harder l l l Requested $3. 7 million for casework management automated systems HB eliminates funding for operational changes to these systems IT funding supports IMPACT and CLASS programs – – Provides more efficiency for caseworkers. Necessary to support legislative, policy, and external systems changes

Proposed Cuts to Statewide Intake Means Longer Hold Times and More Abandoned Calls l l l l LBB Projects Increase in SWI (reports)+11, 668 = +5% to 250, 075 FY 13 Average Hold Time: 8. 9 min. FY 11 DFPS request: $3. 1 mil. FY 12 $3. 7 mil FY 13 Revised down to $1. 6 mil. FY 12 and FY 13 HB 1 and SB 1 don’t fund a dime more LBB Projects Average Hold Time: 8. 7 min. ? Hold times will be longer and more calls abandoned

Prevention Investment-Inverse Ratio and Proposed Prevention Cuts The Graduate College of Social Work University of Houston analysis of the costs of child abuse concluded that Texas spent $6, 279, 204, 373 in 2007 on direct and indirect costs dealing with the after-affects of child abuse and neglect. (2009) Cache Seitz Steinberg, Ph. D. Kelli Connell-Carrick, Ph. D. Patrick Leung, Ph. D. Joe Papick, MSW Katherine Barillas, MSW, ABD (August, 2009). REPORT TO THE INTERAGENCY COORDINATING COUNCIL FOR BUILDING HEALTHY FAMILIES AND THE DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY AND PROTECTIVE SERVICES: Evaluation Elements 1 -6 Final Report. 11 (2007) TDFPS Costs projected for 08 -09: LAR budget for CPS costs including foster/ adopt costs. Excludes other DFPS functions (APS, CCL, PEI). Total PEI costs 2007 LAR Prevention budget for 08 -09

Child Abuse Prevention Services: Texas vs. US average* But we invest less in prevention than any other state in the nation: In Texas only 5 of every 1, 000 children receive prevention services compared to a national average of 44 of every 1, 000 children. 12 *US Dept. HHS, Administration for Children & Families, Child Maltreatment 2007; retrieved from http: //www. acf. hhs. gov/programs/cb/pubs/cm 07/ US Dept. HHS, Administration for Children & Families, Child Maltreatment 2008; retrieved from http: //www. acf. hhs. gov/programs/cb/pubs/cm 08/

PEI (Prevention) Budget Impact Program STAR Program Budgeted 2011 HB 1 SB 1 $21, 000, 862 $13, 699, 728 % Cut -34. 8% CYD Program $7, 847, 599 $5, 039, 300 -35. 8% Texas Families (TFTS) $4, 121, 878 $2, 610, 039 -36. 7% Child Abuse Prevention Grants $1, 813, 365 $1, 640, 667 -9. 5% Other At-Risk Prevention $8, 955, 911 $0 Overall PEI $45, 883, 574 13 $2, 290, 576 -100% (HB -74. 4% (SB Overall: $24, 123, 550 PEI $26, 414, 125 42% SB 1 (40%) 47% HB 1 (45%)

SB 1 vs. HB 1 Prevention l SB 1 as amended by Senate Finance restores STAR and CYD funding close to 2010 -11 levels and provides a little more funding for child abuse prevention l HB 1 as passed restores STAR funding close to 2010 -11 levels but leaves original cuts to all other programs – Child abuse prevention programs facing a 55% cut

Home Visitation Programs l Most Successful Child Abuse Prevention and early intervention strategy l Offer parenting support interventions in the home for families with young children l Risk assessment, information, guidance l Services delivered by professionals or trained community workers l Common Outcomes: – – – Improved pregnancy outcomes Improved parenting practices Safe home environments Improved child health and development Improved School readiness Enhanced Family economic self-sufficiency

Home Visitation Programs: National l l l Healthy Families Parents as Teachers (PAT) Home-Based Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters (HIPPY) Avance Family Connections Triple P Nurse Family Partnership

Top Prevention Priority NFP Legislation l l 17 SB 156 (80 -R) currently serving 2, 000 TX Families $17. 8 million for FY 2010 -11 Proposed budget cut of 50% to $8. 9 mil. 2012 -13 -HB 1 - Full restoration in SB 1 1, 000 currently served pregnant or postpartum mothers, babies and families will abruptly end services if cuts go forward.

Services to Help Keep Kids at Home l Protective day care – helps relieve stress in homes with young children and gets a third party watching to make sure child is safe l Services to help parents address their underlying problems – Includes substance abuse and mental health assessment and treatment, parenting classes and in-home help when family cannot otherwise get services (e. g. , not eligible for Medicaid)

Services to Help Keep Kids with a Relative When Can’t Be at Home l Up to $1, 000 upfront, one-time payment to help get home ready and up to $500/year in reimbursement for child related expenses – l Relative’s income can be no more than 300% of federal poverty limit Day care for relatives who work full time

As Funding for Family Services Has Increased, More Children Have Stayed at Home or with a Relative and Out of Foster Care $ 90, 000 $ 80, 000 $ 70, 000 Spending on family services 82% 80% Percentage of children staying with families 78% $ 60, 000 76% $ 50, 000 74% $ 40, 000 72% $ 30, 000 70% $ 20, 000 68% $ 10, 000 $- 66% 2005 2006 2007 Source: LARs and Operating Budgets and DFPS data 2008 2009

Keeping Kids Out of Foster Care Saves Money Source: CPPP Report: Upside Down Child Protection, Feb. 2011

Current House and Senate Budgets for Family Services Still Not Enough l House and Senate Budgets as filed funded family services below 2010 -11 levels l House Budget as passed and Senate Budget as amended by Senate Finance for family services: – Funding close to 2010 -11 funding levels – But still about 20% less than what DFPS needs l DFPS estimates that more children and families will need services in 2012 -13 as compared to 2010 -11

Adoption Subsidies Help Get Kids Adopted and Are Far Cheaper than Foster Care l To encourage adoption, DFPS offers a monthly payment to help offset the costs of caring for kids – – Usually continues until the child is 18 Available for older children, minorities, children with disabilities and sibling groups l About 92% of all adoptions have a subsidy l The avg monthly adoption subsidy is about $420 vs. avg monthly foster care payment of $1, 900

Current Senate Budget is Better than Current House Budget for Adoption Subsidies l Neither budget as filed funded any adoption subsidies for 2012 -13 l House Budget as passed still does not fund adoption subsidies for 2012 -13 l Senate Budget as amended by Senate Finance Committee funds adoption subsidies in 2012 -13

Foster Care Is Currently Fully Funded l House and Senate budgets as filed funded foster care below 2010 -11 levels – – l Cut payments to foster families No funding to cover additional children coming into foster care House budget as passed and Senate budget as amended by Senate Finance restore payment cut and provide funding to cover caseload growth

Contact Information Jane Burstain, CPPP Burstain@CPPP. org l Ashley Harris, TCFC aharris@txchildren. org l Madeline Mc. Clure, Tex. Protects Madeline@Tex. Protects. org l Audrey Deckinga, TDFPS Audrey. Decking@dfps. state. tx. us l