The latest Child Protective Services news from The Texas Tribune.
Advocates and families testified all day in front of House Human Services members as legislators buckled down to look at key bills that would overhaul how the state takes care of endangered children. Full Story
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How do you help sex trafficking victims like Sarah who’ve learned that the way to survive is to flee? Full Story
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Laws the state uses to put sex traffickers behind bars can sweep up their prey, too. A few years in age can mean the difference between a chance at rehabilitation and a lengthy prison sentence, as Yvette learned. Full Story
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No one wanted Lena behind bars. She was not a prostitute; she was a child who had been sexually exploited. But teenage sex-trafficking victims in Texas end up in jail for one simple reason: There's nowhere else for them to go. Full Story
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After her father raped her, Jean became one of the roughly 12,000 Texas kids in long-term foster care, a system that often leaves children more damaged than when they arrive. For Jean, selling sex seemed like a safer bet. Full Story
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Over the past five months, The Texas Tribune has investigated the hidden world of sex trafficking. Now, we want to hear about your experiences. Full Story
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Texas leaders have publicly battled sex trafficking for more than a decade, but they’ve devoted hardly any resources to helping victims. Full Story
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Texas Tribune reporters Neena Satija, Morgan Smith and Edgar Walters hosted a live discussion about sex trafficking with Chuck Paul, a former child welfare investigator. Full Story
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Texas representatives have filed legislation to start an overhaul of the the state’s Child Protective Services, following a crisis that has left thousands of kids at risk. Full Story
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Standing in front of the Capitol in 80-degree heat, attendees gathered at a rally sponsored by Child Protection Roundtable of Texas and the Texas Home Visiting Coalition urging legislators to make long awaited changes to how the state handles abused and neglected children. Full Story
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Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday imposed an immediate hiring freeze on state agencies through the end of August. His office said Tuesday that the Department of Family and Protective Services is among those exempted from it. Full Story
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On Monday, the Senate Finance Committee scrutinized Department of Family and Protective Services budget requests while the House Workgroup on Child Protective Services floated a proposal to make the department a standalone agency. Full Story
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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's second State of the State speech is set for Tuesday — a chance for the governor to make his priorities known to a Legislature that has already made plans of its own. Full Story
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The state’s top leaders have vowed to address the woeful shortcomings of the child welfare system. State lawmakers know that even in a tight budget cycle, they're going to have to spend money to address the problems. Full Story
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Texas House and Senate leaders are starting out the legislative session nearly $8 billion apart according in dueling budget proposals released Tuesday. Among the sticking points: spending on public education and border security. Full Story
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Texas children facing abuse and neglect are going to be a major issue during the 85th Legislative Session as legislators grapple with less funding, a federal court case and troubling headlines about failings at the Department of Family and Protective Services. Full Story
In a joint letter released Thursday, Abbott and the Department of Family and Protective Services urged congregations to rally a “network of nurture” to support foster families with donations and other activities. Full Story
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Here’s a look at the top health and human services storylines The Texas Tribune tracked this year. Full Story
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A new pilot program led by Gov. Greg Abbott’s office aims to provide specialized care and services for 500 of the most emotionally traumatized foster children in Texas. Full Story
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A board of lawmakers has given final approval for $150 million in funding to help pull the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services out of its crisis mode — but there are strings attached. Full Story
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