Cy-Fair nonprofits, legislators work to support foster youth

Former Cypress Christian School student William Swan said he spent several years in the foster care system growing up because his biological family was “very dangerous.” He was separated from his brother for over a year before their case worker ultimately helped get them adopted into the same family.

“It was very hard for me because I didn’t get to reach out to my brother sometimes, and we lost contact for a little while,” he said.

Since 2015, when a federal judge deemed Texas’ child welfare system “broken,” lawmakers and government agencies have worked to improve the system. Efforts have included shutting down inadequate facilities, funding the hiring of more Texas Department of Family and Protective Services case workers and partnerships with nonprofits.

The DFPS reported a steady decline in the number of children in foster care over the past several years, correlating with state-level reform efforts.

While Swan's biological family's home wasn't the best fit for him, the Family First Prevention Services Act of 2018 focuses on helping children stay safely with their families, reducing the need for foster care placements.

“This is more of a crisis than people realize. It’s not until they have a family member or loved one get involved with the [Child Protective Services] system that they realize how dysfunctional it is,” said Vince Duran, the CEO of Boys and Girls Country, a licensed residential home for children.

In a nutshell

The Texas Legislature has approved several reforms in the state’s child welfare system over the past decade to address high caseload numbers and turnover rates among case workers, Community Impact previously reported.

The DFPS reports a 38% decline in Texas foster care children since 2015, while Harris County’s foster care population has dropped 49%.

“Over the last several sessions, this committee has taken a leading role in the historic transformation of the Texas child welfare system, and because of your work, Texas is now an example for the rest of the nation,” Andrew Brown, vice president of policy for the Texas Public Policy Foundation, said at a May 7 Texas Senate committee hearing.

Statewide, daily caseloads for case workers have gone from an average of 21.1 in 2015 to 11.8 in 2024, the DFPS reports. In Harris County, case worker turnover rates have remained around 25%, while CPS employee salaries are up 38%.

December 2015: A federal judge declares the Texas foster care system “broken.”
May 2017: Senate Bill 11 creates the Child Protective Services Legislative Oversight Committee; House Bill 871 makes it easier for state agencies to work with faith-based organizations.
January 2020-December 2021: Statewide, 21 facilities housing 13 or more children are shut down or have their licenses revoked.
September 2021: The Texas Legislature funds $83.1 million in SB 1 to hire 312 caseworkers; HB 5 allots an additional $90 million to the DFPS.
October 2021: Gov. Greg Abbott approves a new panel to analyze the rising number of foster care children without a placement.
Jan. 29: Rep. Lacey Hull, R-Houston, files House Bill 2216.
June 2: Lawmakers convene for the final day of the regular session.

Also of note

A new bill filed in the Texas Legislature aims to level the playing field for families involved in the state’s child welfare system.

HB 2216, filed by Hull, who represents parts of Cy-Fair, would extend the legal standards Native American families receive under the federal Indian Child Welfare Act to all Texans. The bill raises the threshold for removing children from their homes and prioritizes placing them with relatives when possible.

HB 2216 has drawn mixed reactions from local nonprofit leaders. Duran said it reflects a growing effort to keep children with their families. Lisa Johnson, executive director of Entrusted Houston, said she believes the bill would have little impact locally, as it proposes practices that are already happening.

Passed in 1978, the ICWA protects Native American children by requiring strong evidence before removal and prioritizing placement with family or tribal communities to preserve cultural identity.

HB 2216 would extend these protections to all Texas families by requiring the DFPS to make “active efforts,” rather than “reasonable efforts,” to reunite children with their families.

The bill also raises the standard for terminating parental rights from “clear and convincing evidence” to “beyond a reasonable doubt” and prioritizes placing children with relatives.

“My bill, as in ICWA, requires an appropriate—albeit limited—service plan providing resources that can help the parent protect their due process rights while still ensuring safety and welfare of the child,” Hull said during a March 25 committee hearing. “That plan could be limited to counseling or parenting classes and would in no way include visitation due to safety concerns.”

What they're saying

Inconsistent standards and poor communication often lead to unnecessary separations, Duran said. By adopting ICWA’s family-first principles, he said the bill would give all Texas families the same legal protections.

“Many times, kids were removed a little too quickly based solely on the testimony of an angry 12-year-old or based on family members who were going to make false allegations because there was a divorce or some type of legal action,” Duran said.

On the other side, Johnson, who started Entrusted Houston to support foster and adoptive families, said HB 2216 may not have much impact as she feels its measures are already being practiced.

“I would really hope, at the very least, Representative Hull would know that ‘active efforts’ are definitely happening by the case workers, especially in Harris County,” she said.

Get involved

Arrow Child and Family Ministries officials said every city and county across the state has an “urgent need” for foster care families, particularly for those willing to welcome children with intellectual and developmental disabilities as well as children over age 8.

But fostering and adoption aren’t the only ways locals can support children in the welfare system and the organizations serving them.

Entrusted Houston supports local foster care families with furniture, clothing and other supplies to help them thrive. (Courtesy Entrusted Houston)

Entrusted Houston serves 300-400 children each month, and nonprofit officials said that wouldn’t be possible without the collective support of individuals, churches, businesses and community organizations. The organization supports children awaiting foster care placement during this transitional period. The nonprofit also assists caregivers through its resource center and hosts a yearly holiday drive, which served more than 2,800 children in 2024.

“We have definitely seen an increase over the years, and the calls have only been growing in numbers lately,” Johnson said.

Between Oct. 1, 2023, and Sept. 30, 2024, 85 children lived at Boys and Girls Country. During that time, the organization received more than 500 calls for help and reunited 14 children with their caregivers.

Duran encouraged anyone interested in supporting foster families to reach out to their local churches. He said many churches in Cy-Fair offer post-adoption support services.

Nonprofit leaders said they are always looking for volunteers.

Here are a few ways to serve locally:

1. Entrusted Houston