Texas Youth Commission Unable to Make Sweeping Changes Recommended by Task Force

On September 13, 2007, the Texas Youth Commission (TYC) said that it would be unable to adopt many of the recommendations of a task force convened in May 2007 to reform the system. TYC spokesperson Jim Hurley said that some of the recommendations are beyond TYC’s scope and would require other juvenile justice stakeholders to agree to changes. Other recommendations, such as limiting TYC referrals to youth convicted of felony offences and better training for guards, were recently enacted by the legislature.

While the 21-member task force was charged with presenting recommendations that could be immediately implemented, after two days of discussion, the group chose instead to focus on broad systemic changes. These included increasing the system emphasis on preventive measures such as education, parental involvement, and substance abuse and mental health treatment programs. While TYC may be unable to make some changes without stakeholder agreement, Mr. Hurley said the agency intends to take any recommendations within its ability to enact.

The task force draft report entitled “Transforming Juvenile Justice in Texas: A Framework for Action” was released September 13, 2007 by task force Chairman David Springer, Ph.D. after TYC refused to release it. The task force evaluated TYC current practices and sought to present recommendations on systemic reform to implement policies based on current juvenile justice best practices, especially those focused on measures to keep juveniles from entering the criminal justice system.

The task force noted in the report that its decision to focus on systemic reform were driven in part by TYC policies that the task force felt reflect a focus on punishment, rather than treatment for the youth. They said that the TYC sanction of the use of pepper spray, to replace physical restraint exemplifies that focus. The task force recommended that TYC do the following:

• Move inmates into smaller, community-based settings
   

• Provide treatment programs tailored to juvenile offenders’ specific needs, such as substance abuse or mental health.
   

• Implement gender specific programs
   

• Implement diversion programs
   

• Involve families in treatment

The full text of “Transforming Juvenile Justice in Texas: A Framework for Action” by David Springer, Ph.D., et al., may be accessed through the OPEN MINDS Industry Resources Library page at www.openminds.com/circlehome/indres/100107tycrpt.htm

For more information contact: David W. Springer, Ph.D., LCSW, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and University Distinguished Teaching Professor, University of Texas, School of Social Work, 1 University Station D350, Room 2.202C, Austin, Texas 78712-0358; 512-471-0512; Fax: 512-471-7268; E-Mail: dwspringer@mail.utexas.edu  Web site: www.utexas.edu/ssw/faculty/springer  or Dimitria D. Pope, Acting Executive Director, Texas Youth Commission, 4900 N. Lamar Boulevard, Post Office Box 4260, Austin, Texas 78765; 512-424-6130; E-mail: tyc@tyc.state.tx.us; Web site: www.tyc.state.tx.us; or Tim Savoy, Communications Director, Texas Youth Commission, 4900 Lamar Boulevard, Austin, Texas 78765; 512-424-6005; E-mail: tim.savoy@tyc.state.tx.us  Web site: www.tyc.state.tx.us; or Jim Hurley, Spokesperson, Texas Youth Commission, 4900 Lamar Boulevard, Austin, Texas 78765; 512-424-6005; E-mail: jim.hurley@tyc.state.tx.us; Web site: www.tyc.state.tx.us.


 

Ohio Legislature Considering Changes to Ohio Foster Care system

The Ohio Legislature is considering changes to the state’s foster care system to increase foster parent background reporting and foster parent training hours from 24 to 36. The background reporting bill is intended to increase information sharing between agencies overseeing foster care placements. Both the Ohio House of Representatives and the Ohio Senate are considering bills. The Senate has passed both its reporting and training bills; the House has passed its reporting bill and is expected to pass its training bill.

The bills to strengthen reporting and information sharing are:

• Senate Bill (SB) 163 — Introduced May 7, 2007, by State Senator Tom Niehaus, SB 163 would require law enforcement agencies to link current criminal information with a database of current and prospective foster parents. The state Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation would be required to notify public and private foster care agencies of any new criminal activity. The Senate passed the bill on June 26, 2007. It is now under consideration by the House.
   

• House Bill (HB) 213 — On May 8, 2007, State Representatives Courtney Combs and Jeff Wagner introduced HB 213 to clarify when a court must order a person to be fingerprinted and establish a retained applicant fingerprint database in order to improve foster parent background checks. The bill passed the House on June 26, 2007, and was sent to the Senate.
   

The bills to increase the number of training hours required of prospective family foster caregivers are:

• SB 164 — Introduced May 9, 2007, by State Senator Gary Cates. The bill would increase preplacement training for family foster homes from 24 hours to 36. SB 164 passed the Senate on June 26, 2007 and was sent to the House on June 27, 2007.
   

• HB 214 — Introduced May 8, 2007, by State Representative Jeff Wagner and Courtney Combs would increase prospective family foster caregivers’ training hours from 24 to 36. The bill will be voted on by the full house October 2, 2007, and is expected to pass.

The bills are related to the August 2006 death of a developmentally disabled boy at the hands of his foster parents. Following the death, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services reviewed the foster care licensing policies and procedures. ODJFS discovered that about 18% of the data submitted by private agencies to the Family and Children Services Information System in August and September 2006 lacked complete criminal background information from the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation or Federal Bureau of Investigation. About 11% of the forms submitted had no documentation of the required background checks.

The full text of SB 163 may be accessed through the OPEN MINDS Industry Resources Library page at www.openminds.com/circlehome/indres/100107Ohiofosterreporting.htm

The full text of HB 213 may be accessed through the OPEN MINDS Industry Resources Library page at www.openminds.com/circlehome/indres/100107ohiohbfcreporting.htm.

The full text of SB 164 may be accessed through the OPEN MINDS Industry Resources Library page at www.openminds.com/circlehome/indres/100107ohsbfctraining.htm

The full text of HB 214 may be accessed through the OPEN MINDS Industry Resources Library page at www.openminds.com/circlehome/indres/100107ohiohbfostertraining.htm

The full text of the audit report entitled, “Ohio Department of Job & Family Services Office for Children and Families: Fiesel Case Review” was released November 27, 2006. It may be accessed through the OPEN MINDS Industry Resource Library at www.openminds.com/circlehome/indres/121106butlercsbreview.htm

For more information contact: Tom Niehouse, Senator, District 14, Ohio State Senate, Senate Building, Room #038, Ground Floor, Columbus, Ohio 43215; 614-466-8082; E-mail: sd14@mailr.sen.state.oh.us; Web site: www.senate.state.oh.us/senators/bios/sd_14.html or Jeff Wagner, Representative, District 81, Ohio House of Representatives, 77 S. High Street, 12th Floor, Columbus, Ohio 43215-6111; 614-466-1374; Fax: 614-719-6981; E-mail: district81@ohr.state.oh.us; Web site: www.house.state.oh.us/jsps/MemberDetails.jsp?DISTRICT=81; or Courtney Eric Combs, Representative District 54, Ohio House of Representatives, 77 S. High Street, 12th Floor, Columbus, Ohio 43215-6111; 614-644-6721; Fax: (614) 719-6954; E-mail Address: district54@ohr.state.oh.us  Web site: www.house.state.oh.us/jsps/MemberDetails.jsp?DISTRICT=54; or Gary Cates, Senator, District 4, Ohio State Senate, Senate Building, Room #040, Ground Floor, Columbus, Ohio 43215; 614-466-8072; E-mail: SD04@mailr.sen.state.oh.us; Web site: www.senate.state.oh.us/senators/bios/sd_04.html; or Dennis Evans, Public Information Officer, Office of Communications, Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, 30 East Broad Street, 32nd Floor, Columbus, Ohio, 43215-3414; 614-466-6650; Fax: 614-466-0292; E-mail: evansd03@odjfs.state.oh.us; Web site: http://jfs.ohio.gov/.


 

Survey Shows Washington State Foster Care System Meets Needs of Caregivers & Children, Despite Some Faults

In 2006, 86% of children in the Washington State foster care system who needed mental health services received them, and 75% of their caregivers received adequate support according to a recent benchmarking survey. However, nearly two-thirds of children did not receive face-to-face visits with a caseworker during 2006. While foster care parents reported unmet training needs in areas such as dealing with biological families and nurturing child development, most (89%) licensed caregivers said they had been properly trained for their roles and 76% said they received adequate support.

These are findings of a study entitled “Benchmark Report for the 2007 Survey of Foster Parents and Relative Caregivers in Washington State” conducted by the Washington State University’s Social and Economic Sciences Research Center and submitted by John Tarnai, Ph.D., principal investigator. The report was prepared for the Braam Oversight Panel, which was created to oversee the Washington foster care system and develop benchmarks. The purpose of the survey was to gather information about caregivers’ experiences to ensure they are getting the training and support they need.

Over 1,200 caregivers across the state were surveyed by telephone between April and July 2007. The survey was composed of approximately 150 questions that were presented to both licensed and unlicensed caregivers.

The full text of the study “Benchmark Report for the 2007 Survey of Foster Parents and Relative Caregivers in Washington State” conducted by the Washington State University’s Social and Economic Sciences Research Center and submitted by John Tarnai, Ph.D., principal investigator may be viewed online at www.openminds.com/circlehome/indres/100107wadshsfcbmsvy.htm  .

For more information contact: John Tarnai, Ph.D., Principal Investigator and Director, Social & Economic Sciences Research Center, Washington State University, Post Office Box 644014, Pullman, Washington, 99164-4014; 509-335-3840; Fax: 509-335-0116; E-mail: tarnai@wsu.edu  Web site: www.sesrc.wsu.edu