Texas Department of Family and Protective Services

DALLAS (News Release) - Community organizations representing nearly 50 counties in north, northeast and East Texas will assume oversight of foster care from the State of Texas, setting in motion first-ever local control to boost capacity and essential services for children and youth in the state’s conservatorship.

The last of three contracts between the organizations, known as Single Source Continuum Contractors (SSCCS), has just been signed with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS). Each SSSC can now accept foster children (through age 17) from DFPS and be responsible for placement in a foster home or residential facility, as well as necessary services.

This marks the largest single expansion of Community-Based Care (CBC) by the State of Texas.

“As the first Governor of Texas to make foster care an emergency item in 2017, it has been one of my top priorities to ensure more vulnerable young Texans and their families receive the care needed to grow and thrive in their communities,” said Governor Abbott. “With this major expansion of Community-Based Care, Texas is taking a significant step forward in better serving children and families in these regions by allowing them to remain close to home and with the support of their communities while under DFPS care.

“I thank Commissioner Muth, Director Cannata, and other DFPS leaders for swiftly rolling out Texas’ newest foster care model to more communities across the state and the Texas Legislature for supporting them in these important efforts. Working together, we will continue to find new and innovative ways to serve and care for our next generation of Texans.”

CBC is designed to increase available capacity, keep foster children closer to home, reduce placement moves and keep siblings together while they remain in the legal custody of DFPS. CBC emphasizes local control, innovation, and responsibility for the continuum of foster care, ideally from placement to a new permanent home, either going back to family members or adoption.

“I am excited that the State is taking another step towards localizing foster care and keeping children as close as possible to the community they call home,” said Rep. James Frank, chairman of the House Human Services Committee.

DFPS Commissioner Stephanie Muth celebrated the expansion as “a real turning point.”

“This largest expansion to date for Community-Based Care is a real turning point in our State’s intensive effort to move to local control, and a better system overall for the children and youth in our care,” she said. “Those kids belong to their communities, and those communities want the opportunity to make every day better for a child in foster care.”

With this expansion, CBC will now be in half of the state geographically, representing a third of the population. With Tarrant County already included, the Metroplex becomes the first major metropolitan area in CBC.

"I am honored to work with Governor Abbott and DFPS as we continue and grow our partnerships serving and supporting our Texas children and families within their home communities,” said George Cannata, Director of the Office of Community-Based Care Transition.

Here are details on the new CBC areas:

Dallas County and eight surrounding counties, known as Metroplex East, will transition to CBC through EMPOWER, a community collaborative that consists of local providers including CK Family Services, Jonathan’s Place, the Bair Foundation, and Pathways Youth and Family Services.

A 23-county area in northeast Texas, Piney Woods, will transition to CBC through 4Kids4Families, a division of Arrow Child and Family Ministries. Arrow serves 4,000 children and families each year, using innovative programs that promote positive outcomes. Arrow has been accredited by the Council on Accreditation since 2014.

And Family Care Network, a division of Pressley Ridge, is the SSCC for the 15-county Deep East area, including Beaumont-Port Arthur. Pressley Ridge is accredited by the Council on Accreditation and has been a leader in implementing innovative, evidence-based programs that promote the well-being of children and families for more than 20 years.

Community-Based Care is already operating in Tarrant County and six nearby counties, 30 counties around Abilene, 41 counties in the Panhandle, and 27 counties surrounding San Antonio.

For more information on CBC, please visit the CBC Webpage.