A major set of reforms that will change the culture of Texas child welfare practice has successfully made it off the Governor’s desk and will become law later this fall. Starting September 1, HB 567 will take effect and usher in a new approach to keeping at-risk families together, reducing the harm caused to children by unnecessary separation from their parents. This reform is a significant priority for the Texas Public Policy Foundation, which has researched and written extensively on the issue for years.
“HB 567 will help reduce the number of children who unnecessarily enter foster care by shifting the child welfare system’s focus toward preserving and strengthening families,” said Andrew Brown, TPPF’s Distinguished Senior Fellow of Child & Family Policy. “This landmark reform prioritizes support for struggling families over removal of children into foster care, ensures accuracy and fairness in CPS investigations, and allows children in foster care to either return home or be adopted more quickly. We applaud Rep. James Frank and Sen. Bryan Hughes for their leadership on behalf of Texas families.”