Dallas Morning News

Fewer Foster Children Forced to Sleep in CPS Offices

Child Protective Services is finding more emergency beds for foster children previously forced to sleep in CPS offices.

Associate State Protective Services Commissioner Kristene Blackstone tells The Dallas Morning News that CPS housed just one foster child at a CPS office during one recent weekend. That's after having been known to sleep a dozen foster children or more nightly in state buildings and hotels until new foster homes could be found for them.

Blackstone credits increased reimbursements for foster-bed providers, pay raises for caseworkers and the hiring of more caseworkers to find and place foster children for the decrease. That has helped lift much of the load from overburdened caseworkers. In December, nearly 150 investigators carried caseloads of more than 35 families. Blackstone says seven have caseloads that big now.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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