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January 07, 2005
Texas Seeks $329M to Reform Child Agency
January 7, 2005 [Associated Press]
AUSTIN - Texas' troubled Child Protective Services needs $329 million for reforms such as hiring nearly 2,000 more caseworkers and support staff and improving foster care, state officials said.
The Health and Human Services (news - web sites) Commission, which oversees CPS, laid out more than 160 recommendations to overhaul the agency, which has come under scrutiny after a number of high-profile child abuse deaths.
The most recent was in November, when 35-year-old Dena Schlosser was charged with murder after telling a 911 operator that she had cut off the arms of her baby girl. Schlosser had been investigated by CPS in the past.
Gov. Rick Perry on Thursday called on the Legislature to come up with $250 million, the estimated amount needed from the state, to implement the HHSC plan. The rest of the money would come from federal sources.
F. Scott McCown, head of the Center for Public Policy Priorities, said the plan was a great starting point, but said it calls for too little money and caseloads that are too large.
Posted by Nancy at January 7, 2005 06:26 AM