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Welcome!. A special thank you to our sponsors:. Dr. Bob Sanborn President and CEO CHILDREN AT RISK Mandi Kimball Director of Public Policy and Government Affairs CHILDREN AT RISK. 82 nd Legislative Priorities Presented by: Bob Sanborn, Ed.D., President & CEO and

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  1. Welcome! A special thank you to our sponsors:

  2. Dr. Bob SanbornPresident and CEO CHILDREN AT RISKMandi KimballDirector of Public Policy and Government AffairsCHILDREN AT RISK

  3. 82nd Legislative Priorities Presented by: Bob Sanborn, Ed.D., President & CEO and Mandi Kimball, MSW, Director of Public Policy and Government Affairs

  4. Our Children Protecting our state’s most vulnerable children

  5. Texas vs. Nation:Child Poverty Rates, 2009

  6. Texas vs. Nation:Child Poverty Rates, 2009 • 24% of children in Texas live in poverty • 25.5% of Dallas County children in poverty (2008) • 49% of Texas’ children live in/near poverty • Texas is tied for 41st in percentage of children living in poverty • Tie with West Virginia, Louisiana, South Carolina, Tennessee • Only Alabama, New Mexico, Kentucky, Arkansas, and Mississippi rank lower

  7. Child Poverty by Race/Ethnicity Children in Poor Families in Texas, by Race, 2008

  8. Child Poverty by Residential Area Children in Poor Families in Texas, by Residence, 2008

  9. Agenda: Four Key Issues Food Insecurity Health Care Education Human Trafficking

  10. Food Insecurity In 2009, 24% of households with children reported they did not have enough money for food within the last 12 months.

  11. PROBLEM: Food Insecurity in Texas • 24% of Texas children lived in households that were ‘food insecure’ at some point during the year (2006-2008) • In 2010, more than 3 million Texas students were considered “economically disadvantaged,” or qualified for free/reduced-price school meals • In 2009, 43% of economically disadvantaged students attended schools where 80%+ students also qualify for free or reduced-price meals

  12. PROBLEM: Low Participation in School Breakfast Program • In 2010, only 42% of qualifying students, on average, participated in the School Breakfast Program in Texas • Dallas County school districts had a participation rate of only 21% among students who qualify for free/reduced-price meals • In comparison, 75% of Texas’ qualifying students (78% in Dallas County) participated in the National School Lunch Program

  13. SOLUTION: Universal Free Breakfast • Implement Universal School Breakfast Programs for schools that have a population of 80% or more qualifying students • Allows more creative ways to distribute meal • Reduces negative stigma and increases participation • Provision 2 • Cost effective

  14. SOLUTION: Universal Free Breakfast Mean Participation Rates in School Meals by District Participation in Provision 2 (2010) 13% 26%

  15. Health Care Insured children are more likely to have up to date immunizations, regular health care providers, fewer emergency room visits, and miss fewer days of school due to illness

  16. PROBLEM: Uninsured Children • Texas has forfeited nearly $1 billion of federal CHIP funding to other states over the past ten years. • Texas has the highest uninsured rate in the nation: • In 2008, 25.1% of Texans vs. 15.4% National

  17. SOLUTION: Increasing Coverage • Medicaid Matters! • Increase preventative care through flexible funds (Medicaid Waiver). • Reduce the cost of services for CHIP and Medicaid by utilizing community health care workers

  18. Education Texas ranks last in the nation in the percentage of adults with high school diplomas

  19. PROBLEM: Students Falling Behind • Only one in four adults (age 25+) in Texas has a minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree • In 2009, 34% of Texas 4th graders and 27% of 8th graders tested below basic reading levels • Low-income students are less likely than their more affluent peers to have access to educational resources outside of school

  20. PROBLEM: Length of Academic Year

  21. SOLUTION: Extended Learning Time • Pass a resolution in support of extended learning time to improve student outcomes through: • Increasing time on task • Broadening and deepening coverage of curriculum • Providing opportunities for experiential learning • Strengthening ability to work with diverse ability levels simultaneously • Deepening adult-child relationships

  22. PROBLEM: Inaccurate Graduation Rates • In Dallas ISD, only 51% of first-time freshmen graduated from high school anywhere in Texas within six years (expected class of 2006) • The Texas Education Agency reported a four-year graduation rate of 68.8% for the same class

  23. PROBLEM: Leaver Codes • Leaver Code Abuse: Withdrew for Home Schooling • Nearly 25% of students who leave Texas public school system are reported to leave for home school • Students often reported as leaving for home schooling in their 3rd year of high school, as late as their 6th year • Inadequate documentation for removal of students • Minimally a verbal statement from parent/guardian • In an audit, one district did not have adequate documentation for removing 40% of the reported home school leavers

  24. SOLUTION: Increase Documentation • Home School Leaver Code • Require written documentation for home schooling to ensure accurate dropout calculations • Written, signed statement from parent/guardian • Signed simultaneously by school and guardian • Creates a better understanding and tracking of how many students are home school vs. dropout

  25. Human Trafficking Trafficking of persons is one of the largest criminal industries existing today, tied with arms dealing and superseded only by drug dealing.

  26. Human Trafficking: PROBLEMS • 25% of all victims rescued in the U.S. are from Texas • 100,000 and 300,000 children are sold for sex in the U.S each year – with most between ages 11 to 14. • 1 in 3 girls are solicited by a pimp within 48 hours of running away from home. • Texas does not have a safe house for rescued victims

  27. Human Trafficking: SOLUTIONS • Recognize children who have been prostituted as victims • vs. criminalizing children • Establish a Safe House for victims that provides appropriate services • vs. detention in the criminal justice system • Remove force, fraud, and coercion for child sex trafficking cases to ease prosecution of pimps • Collect revenue from forfeitures by pimps and use funds for victim services

  28. 82nd Legislative Agenda Protect Vital Services and Enact No Cost Solutions for Children Human Trafficking: • Encourage Child Protective Services to investigate and take custody of child trafficking victims to redirect victims away from the costly criminal justice system • Recognize children who have been prostituted as victims not criminals • Remove force, fraud, and coercion for child sex trafficking victims • Collect revenue from forfeitures by pimps and johns and use funds for victim services Food Insecurity • Implement Universal School Breakfast Program for schools that have 80% low-income students Health • Increase preventative care and reduce emergency room visits through utilization of community health care workers • Protect and appropriately fund community-based mental health services Education • Require written documentation for homeschooling to ensure accurate dropout calculations • Pass a resolution in support of extended learning time and its academic benefits

  29. Thank You! Dr. Robert Sanborn, Ed.D. CEO & President of Children at Risk Sanborn@childrenatrisk.org Mandi Kimball, MSW Director of Public Policy and Government Affairs mkimball@childrenatrisk.org (713) 869-7740 Sign up for e-advocacy alerts at www.childrenatrisk.org!

  30. Jason SaboSenior Vice President United Ways of Texas and Chief Operating Officer of Frontera 501

  31. Madeline McClureExecutive Director of TexProtects

  32. Dallas Children’s Public Policy Briefing October 26, 2010 Child Protective Services and Child Abuse Prevention: 82nd Legislative Session Madeline McClure LCSW - Executive DirectorThe Texas Association for the Protection of Children

  33. Impact of Child Abuse: Short-term and Long-Term *60-80% of adult drug or alcohol abusers have a history of child abuse **60-90% of prostitutes were sexually abused as children

  34. Data: Texas Child Abuse Prevalence

  35. How Prevalent is Child Abuse in Dallas County?

  36. How Prevalent is Child Abuse in Dallas County?

  37. How Prevalent is Child Abuse in Texas?

  38. How Prevalent is Child Abuse in Texas?

  39. TX Child Abuse and Neglect Continues Upward Trend 1 Source: DFPS Data Books 1998-2009

  40. Center for Public Policy Priorities analysis of data in federal Child Maltreatment reports

  41. *US Dept. HHS, Administration for Children & Families, Child Maltreatment 2007; retrieved from http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/pubs/cm07/ US Dept. HHS, Administration for Children & Families, Child Maltreatment 2008; retrieved from http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/cb/pubs/cm08/

  42. Problem: Texas Child Abuse Costs and Prevention Investment-Inverse Ratio Cost (Billions) Annual Expenditures 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. (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

  43. Texas CPS Caseworker Turnover Caseworker turnover is more than 2x the avg. state employee turnover 2010 “Rider 13, Human Resources Management Plan http://www.dfps.state.tx.us/documents/about/pdf/2010-10-1_Rider13_Report.pdf 2009 “An Annual Report on Classified Employee Turnover for Fiscal Year 2009” State Auditor’s Office 2009 Rider 13, Human Resources Management Plan” TDFPS 2008, “An Annual Report on Classified Employee Turnover for Fiscal Year 2008” State Auditor’s Office 2008, “Rider 13, Human Resources Management Plan” TDFPS 2007, “An Annual Report on Classified Employee Turnover for Fiscal Year 2007” State Auditor’s Office 2007 “Rider 15 FY 2007 Human Resources Management Plan http://www.dfps.state.tx.us/documents/about/pdf/2007-04-01_Rider15.pdf

  44. NATIONAL TOP CPS CASEWORKER TURNOVER FACTORS: High Caseloads / Workload (#1 Texas) Inadequate Pay (#2 Texas) Supervision Quality (# 1 2005 #3 2007 Texas) Inadequate preparation / training education & tough working conditions Lack of recognition for a job well-done Paperwork demands Chronic stress, emotional exhaustion, lack of support

  45. State CPS Caseloads vs. Recommended Levels and National Average 2005-2009 Actual caseloads TDFPS CPS Data books: http://www.dfps.state.tx.us/About/Data_Books_and_Annual_Reports/default.asp and multiple Rider reports and presentations 2008 Actual Caseloads TDFPS Data Warehouse courtesy of Terri Ware, DFPS COO 2007 “National Data Analysis System Issue Brief: Child Welfare Workforce”, Child Welfare League of America http://ndas.cwla.org

  46. CPS Caseworker 2008 National Average Salary Survey Comparison: Texas 42nd Rank Source: 2008TexProtects National Average Salary Survey

  47. Percent Difference Between CPS Salary and TX Teacher Salary 2006-2007 Teacher Salaries: “Staff FTE Counts and Salary Reports” http://www.tea.state.tx.us/adhocrpt/adpeb07.html

  48. Turnover Reduces Child Permanency - Human Costs 1 2 6-7 The Child Welfare Training Institute: : http://www.cwti.org/RR/impact%20DVD%20intro.pdf (1990)Katz, L., “Effective Permanency Planning for children in foster care”. Social Work, 35, 220-226. Study in Washington and Idaho showed that when caseloads were reduced to no more than 10 children per worker, permanency for children was accomplished in a timely manner. United States General Accounting Office. 2003. Child Welfare: HHS Could Play a Greater Role in Helping Child Welfare Agencies Recruit and Retain Staff: “Some of the caseworkers we interviewed handle double the number of cases recommended and spend between 50-80% of their time completing paperwork, thereby limiting their time to assist children and families”

  49. Fewer Changes in Caseworkers Increases the Chances of Permanency for Children Children Entering and Exiting Care to Permanency, from January 1, 2004 through September 2004, Who Experienced Worker Changes

  50. Solutions PREVENTION, PREVENTION, PREVENTION! *Increase most cost effective prevention program investment in programs across life-line continuum *Appropriate funds for effective in-home visitation programs, including expansion of the Nurse-Family Partnership Invest in sexual abuse prevention programs to address separate pathology from other maltreatment *Provide funds for rigorous evaluation of effectiveness and ROI for currently state-funded programs

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