Opinion: Child protection saw wins but still lacks prevention dollars

While the Texas Legislature met this session, our state’s foster care crisis continued to unfold in real time. With reports of children dying and others’ safety at high risk in the state’s care, many lawmakers and advocates pointed at this grim reality as an urgent cry for investing in child abuse and neglect prevention.

And while many wins were realized this session that ensure Texas children are protected from the trauma of abuse and neglect, we did not see the much-needed investment in prevention that could transform the entire system by preventing abuse in the first place. 

We celebrate the hard work of partners and lawmakers from both sides of the aisle, who drove important legislation that saw:

• ·        Funding maintained for home and community-based child abuse prevention programs
• ·        A requirement for the Department of Family Protective Services to update and publish critical child protection data monthly
• ·        Support for foster youth to improve transition planning into adulthood and remove barriers that prevent youth from staying in extended care
• ·        Two important health care bills passed that ensure six-month Medicaid coverage for new moms and reduces the likelihood that children will be unnecessarily removed from insurance through the Medicaid CHIP program
• ·        An increase in funding for the Nurse-Family Partnership and Community Youth Development programs

Though there was not a significant increased investment in prevention services, funding was maintained, and we were grateful to work with partners and legislative allies to pass bills to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of Child Protective Services. And, in a big step forward, Texas is now positioned to receive federal funding through the American Rescue Plan Act for critical child abuse prevention programs.

We still have much more work to do to prevent children from ever entering the CPS system and experiencing harm while in the state’s care. We can address the urgent needs of children in state care while also investing in prevention that keeps them out of the system. Child abuse can be prevented. But we must make the investment as a state.

Texans, we have a shared responsibility to protect children and support families. We must continue to advocate for investments in prevention strategies that keep families together and children out of the CPS system. When we prevent families from ever entering foster care, we avoid massive downstream costs to our health care, education and criminal justice systems. Based on Center for Disease Control estimates, child maltreatment costs our state $830,000 per survivor and $16.6 million for each fatality caused by child abuse and neglect. Texas lost $60 billion in 2019 alone due to costs from confirmed child abuse cases.

However, the human cost of abuse is far more alarming. Research demonstrates that negative outcomes stemming from child maltreatment and other adverse childhood experiences induce trauma, impacting a child's biological and emotional development, especially during their earliest formative years. Preventing abuse also ensures that children can have academic success and positive life outcomes.

Voluntary prevention programs work. Efforts like home visiting have a proven return on investment of $1.26 -$8.08 per $1 spent and positively impact child and maternal health, child abuse and neglect, school readiness, and family self-sufficiency by connecting families to support in their communities before a crisis rather than after.  

Legislation this session was focused on making the CPS system function more efficiently and effectively. Still, if we want the system to be for those with the highest need, we must prioritize investments in prevention programs that meet families where they are and strengthen families before a crisis. Texans, your voice and advocacy matter in ensuring that we accomplish this goal.

Phillips is CEO for TexProtects, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization focused on prevention of child abuse and neglect.