CPS sees unexpected jump in child abuse, neglect reports

By MICHELE MARCOTTE
Sentinel Staff
Sunday, January 10, 2010

Following state and regional trends, Nacogdoches saw a significant increase in the number of investigations and removals of abused and/or neglected children from homes by Child Protective Services in 2009, according to Lisa King, Nacogdoches County Child Welfare Board chairwoman.

At one point last year, the county had 28 children removed and placed into foster care in a single month. Investigative caseworkers average a minimum of 12 investigations each month.

Andrew Rogers/The Daily Sentinel (ENLARGE)

This room is where Child Protective Services interviews children when they are taken in. Investigator Jennifer Claude says this room is designed to be more comforting to children.

“The major presenting problem remains drug and alcohol abuse,” King said, explaining why children are removed from homes.

Shari Pulliam, a public information officer for CPS, said intakes, reports and investigations typically increase each year, but this past year CPS saw an unexpected 25 percent jump.

“It’s a little bit higher than in the recent years,” she said of the increase, adding that it may be attributed to the agency doing a better job of getting the word out about reporting. “It starts with a report through the hotline. We’re letting the community know how important it is to make that phone call to the hotline and to report what someone suspects to be abuse and neglect. I think public awareness has increased our reports, and with more reports, you’re going to find more families in crises. You’re going to offer more family services, and you’re also going to have to remove more children.”

Currently, there are 116 Nacogdoches County children in foster care, a number that King said is a remarkable increase from a decade ago, when the number was 16. She said a major challenge in our area is the availability of licensed foster homes that can provide care for sibling groups so they can remain together.

The Nacogdoches Boys Ranch is the only residential placement facility in Nacogdoches County, and with it only serving boys, girls are left without a facility.

“Nacogdoches would be better able to care for all of our children if we had a residential facility that would care for both boys and girls,” King said.

She said daily foster care rates can range from $22.15 to $374.33 per day, depending on the type of placement (foster home, group home, residential treatment facility or other type) and the care level the child requires.

The Nacogdoches County Child Welfare Board, which is comprised of Nacogdoches County citizens who volunteer their time to provide assistance to foster children and CPS, provides clothing and supplies as needed for these children who are removed from abusive situations in an emergency. King said the board receives $400 per month from the county to help meet the needs of children in care. The board gives each child $25 for their birthday each year and provides them Christmas gifts through the Empty Stocking Fund, which also provides gifts for needy children in the county. In addition, in August of 2009, the board allocated more than $9,000 for back-to-school clothing for Nacogdoches foster children.

King said the ideal situation for the county would be to have more local families step up and become foster families.

“Foster parents that I know have had wonderful experiences caring for foster children,” she said. “Some have even gone on to adopt the children in their care. Not all placements are easy. No one will tell you that there are not huge changes to the family when a foster child comes into a home. Being able to make the best placement for a child is always paramount in the decision process; however, many times there is not a home in Nacogdoches County in which to place the child or sibling group.”

She said many times they try to keep children in their own communities and with their own relatives. Family team meetings and family group conferences, which are designed to focus on family strengths and to allow the parents and extended family members the opportunity to resolve the issues that led to agency intervention, as well as the agency’s kinship program are all initiatives to accomplish this goal.

King said while case workers attempt to work to keep children within the region, many times the children are placed in other areas of the state, falling on the case load of staff who do not know them or their family.

In those instances, Court Appointed Special Advocates of Deep East Texas follow those children throughout their placement in foster care.

“We are extremely grateful to have a CASA program in Nacogdoches,” King said. “Without them, many children would be without a consistent voice to advocate for them.”

King said because there is not a way to stop child abuse, it is the responsibility of a concerned community to work together to provide the best environments for abused and neglected children.

“Child Protective Services is bound by legislation and a limited state budget,” she said. “This leaves it up to the community to help fill in the gaps.”