Ten members from West Texas Together (WTT), a community partnership focused on foster care and child welfare in the counties that make up the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) Region 9, traveled to Austin on March 5 to testify in support of Senate Bill 513 before the Texas Senate Health and Human Services Committee.
The bill, known as the Rural Community-Driven Child Welfare Pilot Program, was introduced to address challenges in the foster care system in the Permian Basin and Concho Valley. According to a press release from WTT, many children from these areas have been placed far from their communities due to limited local resources. The bill seeks to allow local stakeholders to create and implement a model that addresses the region’s specific needs.
West Texas has prior experience with Community-Based Care (CBC). Providence Service Corporation initially led a foster care redesign for Regions 2 and 9, but the effort was unsuccessful and the contract was terminated within a year. In 2022, the region attempted another CBC implementation under the current model, but no organizations submitted bids. In 2024, the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) issued a Request for Information (RFI) to gather input on improving CBC. Several organizations responded, highlighting challenges and limitations with the current model.
SB 513 aims to build on these previous efforts by collaborating with DFPS to develop a model that draws on local community strengths. The proposed pilot program would shift responsibility for foster care services to local entities and increase accountability through a community coalition.
Supporters of the bill argue that the proposed model would help prevent foster children from being placed far from their home communities and allow for greater collaboration between local organizations and DFPS.
During the committee hearing, Sen. Kevin Sparks emphasized the importance of local involvement in child welfare services.
“This really does give communities the opportunity to use all those local nonprofits that are already currently serving our kids,” Sparks said.
Michael Redding, CEO of New Horizons Ranch and Center, underscored the need for customized models based on individual community needs.
“Community-Based Care is not the model of care. It is the lens through which we should develop unique models from each community,” Redding said.
Brandon Logan, Executive Director of One Accord for Kids, highlighted the bill’s potential to address long-standing challenges in the region.
“SB 513 offers a solution as a community-driven pilot program that allows local stakeholders to develop and implement a model that works for our unique challenges, ensures local leadership, promotes provider improvement, and establishes accountability through a community coalition,” Logan said.