CJA TASK FORCE MEETING · Texas A&M College of Medicine . Scott and White Healthcare . Department of Pediatrics . Temple, TX . 254-724-6060 . [email protected]. Laura Wolf Executive Director

CJA TASK FORCE MEETING

January 4, 2013, 9:00 am-12:15 pm Texas Association of Counties

Fourth Floor, Central Texas Room

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Agenda……………………………………………………………………………… 1

Task Force Roster…………………………………………………………………. 2

Meeting Minutes (10/19/12)………………………………………………………… 4

2012 Project Updates………………………………………………………………. 10

2013 Grant Summaries…………………………………………………………… 18

Committee Rosters…………………………………………………………………. 33

Committee Scope of Work………………………………………………………… 36

Children’s Justice Act Task Force

Quarterly Task Force Meeting January 4, 2013

9:00 AM- 12:15 PM

AGENDA

8:30 Networking Breakfast

9:00 Welcome and Introductions – Honorable Dean Rucker

9:15 Approval of October 19, 2012 meeting minutes – Action Item

9:20 Project Spotlight Follow-Up: Presentation of Mandatory Reporter Training Video, Center for the Elimination of Disproportionality and Disparities – Joyce James

9:50 Project Spotlight: Advanced Child Abuse Training for Law Enforcement, Texas Municipal Police Association – Nicole Martinez

10:20 Break

10:30 Quarterly Task Force Education: Child Sexual Assault Medical Evaluation – Dr. Jim Lukefahr

11:10 Grantee Quarterly Updates – CJA Staff

11:20 Budget Report – CJA Staff

11:25 Committee Breakouts (Working Lunch)

12:00 Committee Report Out

12:15 Adjourn

1

2012-2013 TX Children’s Justice Act Task Force Members

Dean Rucker, Chair District Judge 318th Family District Court Midland, TX (432) 688-4390 [email protected]

Cathy Crabtree, Vice Chair Director of Chapter Development National Children’s Alliance Austin, TX (512) 971-2367 [email protected]

Tony Bradley Lieutenant/Supervisor, Rural Child Abuse Task Force Collin County Sheriff Plano, TX 972-633-6626 [email protected]

Kriste Burnett Attorney at Law Cleburne, TX (817) 648-0002 [email protected]

Irene Clements President Texas Foster Families Association Pflugerville, TX 512-775-9781 [email protected]

Audrey Deckinga CPS Assistant Commissioner Texas Department of Family and Protective Services Austin, TX (512) 438-5776 [email protected]

De Shaun Ealoms Parent Program Specialist Texas Department of Family and Protective Services Austin, TX (512) 438-2224 [email protected]

Jon Evans Attorney at Law Austin, TX (512) 476-4075 [email protected]

Kristen Foster Associate Henslee Schwartz, L.L.P Austin, TX (512) 426-7177 [email protected] [email protected]

Denise Hyde Attorney at Law Austin, Texas (512) 474-9911 [email protected]

Joyce James Associate Deputy Executive Commissioner Center for Elimination of Disproportionality and Disparities Texas Health & Human Services Commission Austin, TX (512) 487-3396 [email protected]

Randi King Assistant District Attorney Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office Beaumont, TX (409) 835-8615 [email protected] [email protected]

Margaret U. Lalk Attorney at Law Austin, TX (512) 417-1937 cell [email protected]

Kris Linenberger Training Manager Texas Homeless Network Austin, TX (512) 482-8270 [email protected]

James Lukefahr Child Abuse Pediatrician University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, TX (210) 704-3953 (210) 704-3800 [email protected]

Gabriel Martinez, Jr. Deputy Chief of Police City of Laredo Police Department Laredo, Texas 956-795-2899 [email protected]

Chris Oldner District Judge 416th Judicial District Court McKinney, TX (972) 548-4520 [email protected]

2

mailto:[email protected]





mailto:audrey.deckinga@dfps













2012-2013 TX Children’s Justice Act Task Force Members

Daniela Ontiveroz Youth Specialist Texas Department of Family and Protective Services Midland, TX (432) 686-2297 (432) 557-3400 cell [email protected]

Daniel Powers Senior Vice President of Clinical and Administrative Services Children’s Advocacy Center of Collin County Plano, TX 972-633-6615 214-707-7471 cell [email protected]

Julie Prudhome Clinical Director Garth House, Mickey Mehaffy CAC Beaumont, TX 409-838-9084 [email protected]

Joy Rauls Executive Director Children Advocacy Centers of Texas Austin, TX 512-258-9920 [email protected]

Craig Spinn Superintendent of Schools Thorndale ISD Burnet, TX 830-798-7311 [email protected]

Vicki Spriggs CEO Texas CASA, Inc. Austin, TX (512) 473-2627 [email protected]

Nhung Tran Asst. Professor of Pediatrics Texas A&M College of Medicine Scott and White Healthcare Department of Pediatrics Temple, TX 254-724-6060 [email protected]

Laura Wolf Executive Director CASA of Travis County Austin, TX 512-539-2665 [email protected]

LaRu Woody Former Director, Family Justice Division Travis County District Attorney’s Office 1801 Santa Clara St. Austin, TX (512) 779-9013 [email protected]

Staff

Ginny Woods Program Director (512) 482-8986 [email protected]

Heidi Penix Grant Administrator (512) 482-8986 [email protected]

3











MINUTES of Texas Children’s Justice Act Task Force Meeting Date: October 19, 2012

Call to order: A regular meeting of the Texas Children’s Justice Act Task Force (CJA) was held at the Texas Center for the Judiciary (TCJ), Austin, TX on October 19, 2012. The meeting convened at 9:00 a.m. with the Honorable Dean Rucker, CJA Task Force Chair, presiding. Members in attendance: Tony Bradley, Kriste Burnett, Irene Clements, Cathy Crabtree, De Shaun Ealoms, Jon Evans, Kristen Foster, Denise Hyde, Joyce James, Kris Linenberger, James Lukefahr, Gabriel Martinez, Chris Oldner, Daniela Ontiveroz, Dan Powers, Julie Prudhome, Joy Rauls, Dean Rucker, Craig Spinn, Vicki Spriggs, Nhung Tran, Laura Wolf Members not in attendance: Audrey Deckinga, Randi King, Margaret Lalk, LaRu Woody Also in attendance: Heidi Penix, Ginny Woods, Tina Amberboy, Windy Hill, Dan Capouch, Cathy Cockerham Welcome and Introductions by the Honorable Dean Rucker. Judge Rucker welcomed members and guests. Introductions were made around the room.

Approval of past meeting minutes: The minutes from the July 13, 2012 meeting were disseminated to the Task Force members via email three days prior to this Task Force meeting. The minutes were also included on page 4 of the meeting materials. Upon review of the minutes, there were no revisions from the Task Force. The minutes were approved without objection.

Grant Committee Report by Denise Hyde, Grant Committee Chair. The Grant Committee Report was included on page 8 of the meeting materials. The members of the 2012 Grant Committee were Denise Hyde (Chair), Kriste Burnett, Jon Evans, Margaret Lalk, LaRu Woody, and Dean Rucker (Ex Officio). Following the July 13th Task Force meeting, additional CJA grant applications were still pending approval. The Grant Committee met with each applicant to discuss revisions to their pending proposals. The Committee gave each applicant the opportunity to resubmit their proposals. The Grant Committee met in-person on August 23rd and convened again via conference call on September 13th. The Grant Committee recommended the following proposals, totaling $620,967.00 for approval:

Organization Project Title Original Amount

Requested Notes

Texas CASA Training and Technical Assistance for Local CASA Programs

$127,104.00 Texas CASA’s original request was awarded as two separate grants for ease of grant monitoring and reporting

Texas CASA Multidisciplinary Advocacy Training Project

$43,703.00

Children’s Advocacy Centers of Texas

Increasing Access to Medical Assessments

$151,653.00 With requested revision, the scope of the grant was significantly increased

Texas Municipal Police Association

Child Abuse and Neglect Training for Law Enforcement

$198,507.00 Number of trainings significantly scaled back to target underserved areas

Center for the Elimination of Disproportionality and Disparities

Mandatory Reporter Training

$100,000.00 Statewide launch of previous year’s pilot offering

4


The recommendations of the Grant Committee were forwarded to the Executive Committee and approved on September 14, 2012. The action of the Executive Committee was ratified by approval of the majority of the Task Force.

2012-2013 Projects by Ginny Woods, CJA Program Director. Ms. Woods reviewed each of the following Task Force priorities: (1) Multidisciplinary Team Response and Coordination; (2) Victim Advocacy and Support and Mental Health Services; (3) Children with Disabilities or Special Healthcare Needs; (4) Child Maltreatment-Related Fatalities; (5) Recognizing and Responding to Abuse by the Education System; and (6) Access to Medical Evaluations, as well as the approved projects which support each priority. The table below summarizes the Task Force priorities and projects.

Project Title Description Grantee Priority Area

A Prospective Study of Infant Injury Patterns in Non-Accidental Trauma Cases

The Harris County Institute of Forensic Science (HCIFS) will undertake a prospective study designed to document injuries observed in infant deaths investigated by the HCIFS in order to identify relationships between pattern and cause of injury.

Harris County Child Maltreatment-Related Fatalities

Child Abuse: Diagnosis to Prosecution Conference

The Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences (HCIFS) in collaboration with Baylor College of Medicine-Texas Children’s Hospital, University of Texas Health Sciences Center and Harris County Child Fatality Review Team (HCCFRT) will host a two-day program organized to carry the audience through a child abuse case from recognition, through investigation, to final prosecution. The target audience is pediatricians, investigators, attorneys and judiciaries.

Harris County Child Maltreatment-Related Fatalities

Mandatory Reporter Training

Building on the success of the pilot year, CEDD will conduct structured disproportionality and disparities training for mandatory school reporters of child abuse and neglect statewide.

Center for the Elimination of Disproportionality and Disparities (CEDD)

Recognizing and Responding to Abuse by the Education System

Mandatory Reporter Training in the

Center for Child Protection (CCP) will provide training the teachers and

Center for Child Recognizing and

5


Education System counselors, university students who

will become future mandatory reporters, top school administrators, and community members to improve identification of abuse and facilitate proper reporting.

Protection Responding to Abuse by the Education System

Training and Technical Assistance for Texas CACs

Children’s Advocacy Centers of Texas, Inc. (CACTX) will provide children’s advocacy center staff and team members with specific and targeted professional development training, formal networking opportunities, cross-training, and technical assistance designed to enhance their professional skills and knowledge and to support the collaborative model of service delivery for child victims of abuse.


MDT Response and Coordination

Child Abuse and Neglect Training for Law Enforcement

The Child Abuse & Neglect Training Program for Law Enforcement administers a comprehensive and free training that combines an overview of effective response to the abuse with instruction on the benefits of a multidisciplinary approach.

Texas Municipal Police Association

MDT Response and Coordination

Family Advocate Manual and Evaluation

The Center for Child Protection through the development of an updated best practices model will guide those CACs seeking to implement Family Advocate programs and will encourage other CACs to modify their existing Family Advocate programs in accordance with successful practices. Additionally, the Center for Child Protection will create, test, and disseminate a Family Advocate evaluation tool to help all CACs measure the effectiveness of their programs and garner additional resources in support of these programs.

Center for Child Protection

Victim Advocacy and Support and Mental Health

6


Multidisciplinary Advocacy Trainings

Texas CASA will host six (6), two-day regional trainings across the state to an audience of CASA program staff and volunteers, regional CPS staff, area attorneys and other regional stakeholders as identified. These comprehensive trainings are designed to strengthen the multidisciplinary collaborative partnerships by providing relevant training related to positive outcomes for children.

Texas CASA Victim Advocacy and Support and Mental Health

Training and Technical Assistance to Local CASAs

Texas CASA will assist local CASA programs and volunteers by providing in-person and webinar training to CASA volunteers and staff, as well as other relevant stakeholders on relevant advocacy topics. Additionally, Texas CASA will provide growth assistance to CASA programs underserving their child victim population and achieving better outcomes related to child safety, well-being and permanency.

Texas CASA Victim Advocacy and Support and Mental Health

Forensic Interview Curriculum for Children with Disabilities

Children’s Advocacy Centers of Texas, Inc. will create an extended, multiple-session forensic interview process for interviewing these children. This will allow them to tell their story in their own time, without the constraints of the standard one-session forensic interview format.


Children with Disabilities and Special Healthcare Needs

Training for Effective Response to Child Maltreatment Victims with Disabilities

SafePlace will provide training designed to prepare victim service, child welfare and allied professionals, at an individual level and multi-disciplinary team level, to provide sensitive and effective services to child maltreatment victims with a range of disabilities.

SafePlace Children with Disabilities and Special Healthcare Needs


Through this research and evaluation project grant, Children’s Advocacy Centers of Texas, Inc. (CACTX) will work with contracted research professionals to conduct a comprehensive review of current practices for child abuse medical evaluations in Texas and provide training and policy recommendations to support the Children’s Justice Act



7


(CJA) priority of improving access to quality medical assessments for child maltreatment victims.

Budget Report by Ginny Woods, CJA Program Director. The budget was included on page 20 of the meeting materials. Ms. Woods reviewed the CJA 2013 budget. The 2013 CJA grant award is $1,344,616. CJA staff is estimating approximately $140,000 unexpended funding from the 2012 grant award for estimated total grant income of $1,484,616. Currently the Task Force has budgeted $1,470,302.10 with $14,314 remaining for scholarships. The Task Force previously approved up to $50,000 for scholarships. Project Spotlight: Center for the Elimination of Disproportionality and Disparities, Mandatory Reporter Training Video and Guide by Joyce James, Associate Deputy Executive Commissioner and Windy Hill, Program Specialist, Texas Health and Human Services Commission, Center for the Elimination of Disproportionality and Disparities (CEDD). This project will develop a curriculum-based training model on disproportionality for mandated reporters that can be replicated and brought to scale. The curriculum content, video, and training guide will be designed to educate mandatory reporters on the requirements to report suspected abuse and neglect, concepts of disproportionality and disparities, understanding the data related to disproportionality and disparities, and the role of mandatory reporters in eliminating racial disproportionality. Quarterly Task Force Education: Overview of the Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) Model for Child Abuse Investigations by Dan Powers. Mr. Powers reviewed the history of the establishment of Children’s Advocacy Centers (CACs). The primary goals of CACs are to minimize the re-victimization of child victims and supportive family members by the criminal justice system, and to facilitate the prosecution of perpetrators through effective fact finding and strong case development. The Texas Family Code Chapter 264 sets out requirements for Texas CACs. The multidisciplinary team (MDT) must have in place an interagency agreement, as well as working protocols. The MDT is made up of professionals representing law enforcement, child protective services, prosecution, medical professionals, mental health, family advocates, as well as CAC program staff. Mr. Powers then reviewed each of the key components of the CAC. The presentation slides were included as part of the meeting materials and are available on the Children’s Justice Act website. Committee Assignments and Charges by Cathy Crabtree, Vice Chair. Task Force members were previously surveyed regarding their standing committee preference. Committee rosters were included on pages 21-23 in the meeting materials. The executive committee has drafted the scope of work for each standing committee for the 2012-2013 grant year. These descriptions were included on pages 24-26 in the meeting materials. Ms. Crabtree emphasized the importance of the standing committees to the work of the Task Force. Typically time is set aside at Task Force meetings for committee breakouts; however, other committee meetings occur in the interim between Task Force meetings as necessary depending on the scope of work outlined for each committee. Committee Breakouts and Action Plans Each subcommittee met to discuss their scope of work for the year and devise next steps. Report Out on Committee Plans The next steps of the Membership Committee are as follows:

• Update Task Force matrix to reflect the five members cycling off. • Identify primary and secondary priorities. • Update recruitment memo to pass out at January meeting.

8


• Review orientation process and identify areas for improvement. • Revise training needs assessment survey to guide education component at Task Force meetings. • Dr. Lukefahr to deliver training on child sexual assault medical assessments at January meeting.

The next steps of the Legislative Committee are as follows:

• Provide updates on relevant legislative activities (related to Task Force priority areas). • Build alliances and invite aids to next CJA Task Force meeting.

The next steps of the Grant Committee are as follows:

• Draft process and timeline for annual grant solicitation. • Draft Request for Applications. • Create list of organizations to add to the distribution list, as well as avenues for posting the

solicitation. The meeting was adjourned at 1:00 p.m. These minutes were approved at a Texas Children’s Justice Act Task Force Meeting on January 4, 2012. Honorable Dean Rucker, CJA Task Force Chair

9

FY 2012 Final Grant Reports

Grantee: CAC of Smith County

Project: Kids in Court

Years Funded: 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012

Updates from 2012:

• Presented at the CACTX Family Advocacy Training – Kids in Court Case Study • Developed a case tracking system to work in coordination with law enforcement and CPS to

track cases in order to keep families informed on their case status. • Kids in Court Coordinator learned the benefit of 1:1 trial preparation for each child based on age

and what is developmentally appropriate for each child. This takes additional time and effort for the coordinator but has proven to be more effective than courtroom orientation classes for multiple children.

• Assisted 59 child victims/families during the year.

Grantee: CACTX

Project: Training and Technical Assistance for Texas CACs

Years Funded: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012

Updates from 2012:

• Provided 30 trainings, 7 networking forums, 22 peer reviews, 22 training and technical assistance webinars, and 3 community presentations (84 total training and technical assistance offerings).

• 800 individuals attended CACTX 2012 trainings, 108 participated in the networking forums, 254 in the peer review sessions, 247 in the webinars, and 118 in the community presentations for a total of 1,527 participants in the training and technical assistance offerings in 2012.

• Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) Learning Collaborative was one of the year’s most successful trainings. 27 CAC therapists completed this training and have offered many examples of how effective TF-CBT has been with children and families.

• More than 90% of respondents to surveys have indicated that CACTX trainings meet the evolving needs of local centers and more than 95% of respondents indicate that CATX technical assistance meets the evolving needs of local centers.

10

Grantee: Center for Child Protection

Project: Family Advocate Manual and Evaluation

Years Funded: 2012

Updates from 2012:

• Completed site visits to five local CACs to learn about differences between Family Advocate programs across the state. The sites visited were Dallas, Plano, Fort Worth, Tyler and Dayton. The Family Advocate Manager for Center for Child Protection said that these visits were extremely helpful in crafting a manual that informs best practices but remains open enough to be implemented in CACs representing various local communities.

• Presented the Family Advocate Program at CACTX Annual Conference. This opportunity was used to collect more data about the various family advocate programs throughout the state as well as the discovering the areas of top concern for most CACs. 32 attendees filled out a short survey.

• Best practices have been documented and the family advocate manual’s structure has been organized. The Center is now in the process of putting the manual together.

• Fell behind schedule in finalizing and piloting evaluation tool. Utilized the CACTX Annual Conference as a venue to gather needed information.


Project: Trauma Informed Trainings

Years Funded: 2012

Updates from 2012:

• Held two Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) led by Dr. Susana Rivera. The first training was held in November of 2011 and 48 therapists were trained. The second training in March of 2012 training 18 therapists (66 therapists). The goal of the grant was to train 100 therapists but there was difficulty in attracting therapists to the second training.

• The Center for Child Protection has recognized that organizations within the child welfare system have already recognized the importance of trauma-informed care and have begun to integrate the interventions and treatment modalities. As such, the Center has decided to shift from the original trauma-informed multidisciplinary presentation to a collaboration with the Juvenile Support Network (JSN) and the University of Texas’ Division of Diversity and Community Engagement. The Center will collaborate on the JSN’s annual conference to focus on the implementation of trauma-informed care in the social services arenas. The conference will take place in February of 2013 and their grant has been extended.

11

Grantee: Texas Department of Family Protective Services

Project: Family Assessment Tool and Training

Years Funded: 2010, 2011, 2012

Updates from 2012:

• DFPS developed and evaluated a Family Assessment model using safety intervention guidelines. The family assessment model will be used to facilitate consistent application of the safety intervention guidelines. DFPS held two statewide workgroups in October of 2011 to develop the model and the guidelines to be evaluated throughout the year.

• Throughout the grant year, DFPS held regional trainings and provided technical assistance. All regional supervisory staff were trained, customized training workshops for conservatorship staff were designed and delivered at regional conservatorship conferences, and focus groups solicited feedback on progress and barriers in meeting agency goals.

• 48 trainings were held and 1,409 staff members were trained. Feedback was very positive. • DFPS also provided case consultations and this was extremely successful. • The following data was collected:

Each measure is addressed below and will be followed by discussion of the results as a whole.

A. Reduction in the number of findings of Unable To Determine abuse and/or neglect in the investigation stage.

Investigation case determinations were measured from February through August 2012 and were compared to the same months of the previous year. More investigations were completed during the 2011 timeframe so a comparison of the actual case counts is misleading; however, there were changes in the rates that are encouraging. Cases with a final disposition of Unable to Determine comprised 9.8 percent of the total closed investigations. That percentage decreased slightly, only two-tenths of a percent, in 2012 to 9.6 percent. Dispositions of Unable to Complete also dropped by two-tenths of a percent going from 2.3 percent in 2011 to 2.1 percent in 2012. More sizeable shifts occurred in dispositions that involve clear decisions to either validate or invalidate the allegations. In 2011, 22 percent of the cases were closed with a disposition of Reason to Believe. That percentage increased to 23.7 percent in 2012. And, finally, there was a reduction in the rate of cases closed with a disposition of Ruled Out. In 2011 65.8 percent of all cases were closed with a disposition of Ruled Out. That number dropped to 64.5 percent in 2012.

12

B. Fewer FBSS stages closed with "services inappropriate" as the reason, or less time for these to close.

Again, comparing data from 2011 to the same months in 2012, we find a slight reduction in the number of FBSS cases closed with a reason of “services inappropriate”. Although the closure reason comprises only a small fraction of the total number of FBSS cases closed, there were also other shifts in closure reasons that are encouraging. First, cases closed because services were inappropriate dropped from 1.8 percent of the total in 2011 to 1 percent in 2012. More noticeable shifts occurred in the “Child removed from home/CVS” closure reason suggesting possibly that gathering more information for decision-making leads to increased removals from FBSS. In 2011, 9.9 percent of FBSS stages were closed due to a removal. That rate increased in 2012 to 10.7 percent. The average duration of an FBSS stage dropped from 8 months in 2011 to 7.3 in 2012.

C. An increase in the number and percent of reunifications that occur within 12 months relative to the same time period over the previous year. Months compared would be children entering care during June and July 2011 and their status as of June/July 2012 relative to those entering care June/July 2010 and their status as of June/July 2011.

Contrary to the theorized increased reunification rates, there was a reduction in the percent of children who were reunified within twelve months. Children who entered care during June and July of 2011 were reunified within twelve months in 16.7 percent of the cases while in 2012 that rate dropped to 14.4 percent.

D. Reduction in the percent of Parental Child Safety Placement (PCSPs) occurring in both Investigations and Family Based Safety Services (FBSS).

There was actually an increase PCSP usage in 2012 relative to 2011 in both investigations and FBSS. In 2011, three percent of all investigations open at any time during the year utilized a PCSP while the utilization rate in FBSS was slightly higher at 3.4 percent. In 2012, 3.5 percent of all investigations utilized a PCSP and in FBSS the rate rose to 3.9 percent.

Grantee: Texas Department of Family and Protective Services

13

Project: Cultural Competency Training

Years Funded: 2012

Updates from 2012:

• Due to difficulties with Foster Care Redesign procurement process, DFPS was only able to hold one Undoing Racism workshop. It was also not possible for DFPS to hold Knowing Who You Are Train the Trainer sessions.

• DFPS was able to held one Undoing Racism Workshop during the grant period. DFPS contracted with the People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond to conduct the workshop. The workshop was held on November 12-13, 2012 at the Westin Domain Hotel in Austin, Texas. There were 42 workshop participants. The participants included individuals from the Abilene and Midland community; CPS staff from State Office, Region 7, and Region 8; Health and Human Services Center for the Elimination of Disproportionality and Disparities (CEDD) staff; members of the Advisory Committee for the Promotion of Adoptions of Minority Children; Travis County Health and Human Services staff; and DFPS Center for Learning and Organizational Excellence (CLOE) staff. CASA was invited to participate but was unable to attend.

• Several individuals in the room are slated to become Knowing Who You Are facilitators so their participation in the workshop will allow is to continue our expansion efforts to sustain the work in the child welfare system

Grantee: East Texas CASA

Project: Pathways to Permanency

Years Funded: 2010, 2011, 2012

Updates from 2012:

• Significantly increased the number of completed adoptions in Rusk, Gregg and Upshur counties. During 2012, 7 cases involving 9 children were successfully resolved in Gregg County (children adopted or reunified with family), 2 cases involving 3 children were resolved in Upshur County, and 3 cases involving 5 children were resolved in Rusk County. 17 children found permanent homes in 2012 due to the diligent efforts of the Permanency Coordinator.

• East Texas CASA continues to work with DFPS and because of this improved relationship with CPS, they are able to work collaboratively to develop “out of the box” solutions to reach permanency for children who are stuck in foster care. ETCA has also learned the importance of working with Attorney Ad Litems. The biggest lesson learned during the 2012 grant year is the importance of case mining – looking back into old cases and discovering who children were connected to at various times in their lives. Six children found placement this year due to case mining efforts.

14

Grantee: Office of Court Administration

Project: Child Protection Courts Enhancement Project

Years Funded: 2010, 2011, 2012

Updates from 2012:

• Focused on collaboration amongst the CPCs – sharing solutions and increasing dialogue between the courts. This has led to a greater understanding of the challenges the courts share.

• Each court self-identified a performance measure for improvement. Coincidentally, all of the courts focused on timeliness measures – either ensuring that hearings were held on time or that attorneys were promptly appointed. Courts working on hearing timeliness worked together to develop a shared scheduling order which has aided in keeping statutory deadlines. Courts whose caseloads have permitted have added additional hearings between status and permanency to help parents engage in services as well as more frequent permanency review hearings. Courts focusing on early appointments of attorneys have worked to identify situations that delay attorney appointments, such as budget constraints, and worked to find solutions.

• A successful practices guide that focuses on these timeliness strategies has been completed and will be published as an online resource.

• The CPCs have proven to have positive case outcomes, as compared to other Texas courts hearing child protection cases. They have the highest rate of reunification, the highest rate of placement with relatives (when reunification is not an option), and the highest rate of final orders within one year.

Grantee: Texas CASA

Project: Quality CASA Advocacy and a CASA for Every Child

Years Funded: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012

Updates from 2012:

• Through CASA Growth Planning Assistance, Texas CASA provided individual assistance to three programs identified as being the programs in Texas with the largest number of unserved children in their area (Amarillo Area CASA, CASA of the Coastal Bend, and CASA of Tarrant County). The three programs consulted with Texas CASA, created strategic plans for growth, and involved board members, staff, volunteers, and community members in the process. Each of the programs made changes to identified critical areas including strengthening their relationship to the judiciary, seeking GAL appointment, creating recruitment teams, enhancing board involvement, and community awareness and outreach.

15

• Texas CASA provided a train the trainer for Knowing Who You Are (KWYA). 13 out of the 15 attendees will be certified facilitators. The Texas CASA network has 18 certified facilitators statewide. Texas CASA also held 5 KWYA trainings throughout the year attended by 48 participants.

• Texas CASA held the San Antonio Permanency Summit. Region 8 was chosen as the focus area and five judicially-led teams (with stakeholder partners from CASA, CPS, attorneys, and service providers) participated in the day and a half meeting in San Antonio. The Summit promoted systems change to ensure permanency and family connections for all youth in foster care. 55 individuals attended.

Grantee: Texas Municipal Police Association

Project: Child Abuse and Neglect Training for Law Enforcement Officers

Years Funded: 2010, 2011, 2012

Updates from 2012:

• During the 2012 grant year, TMPA held 37 trainings and served 498 students. Of those, 478 received TCLEOSE credit.

• The program held its third Instructor Training in February 2012 and trained 12 new instructors for the program. Additionally, the program held an Instructor Summit in April 2012 to bring together all previously trained instructors for curriculum updates as well as new information to be included in the training, including a new chapter with recent legislative updates.

• Developed interactive exercises for instructors to use during trainings. These exercises include instructions/guidelines, specific questions and curriculum learning objectives. Feedback from the instructors has been positive.

• According to the results of the student survey in Year 3, law enforcement officers who have taken the training find that it provides valuable information that assists them in their investigations of child abuse, neglect, and exploitation.

Grantee: Center for the Elimination of Disproportionality and Disparities

Project: Mandatory Reporter Training Video and Guide

Years Funded: 2011, 2012

Updates from 2012:

• During the 2012 grant year, CEDD developed an on-line training video and guide for mandatory reporters on understanding disproportionality and the requirement to report.

16

• CEDD held trainings and focus groups with mandatory reporters, child welfare professionals, and other stakeholders from March 2012 through September 2012. Additional trainings and focus groups took place in October 2012 with DFPS-CPS investigations staff and law enforcement representatives, which allowed CEDD to gather feedback on the online training component. 16 trainings and focus groups were held from March through October reaching 454 participants. Trainings targeted Richardson, Port Arthur, Waco, Houston, Beaumont, Arlington, San Antonio, and Lubbock.

• CEDD has conducted an evaluation of the on-line training video and guide with participants from the Region 10 Education Service Center, Port Arthur ISD, and WACO ISD. The results showed that the training improved both the knowledge of institutional racism, disproportionality, and how cultural competency impacts decision making processes.

17

CACTX-Forensic Interview Curriculum for Children with Disabilities Grantee: Children’s Advocacy Centers of Texas (CACTX)

Project Title: Forensic Interview Curriculum for Children with Disabilities

Task Force Priority: Enhance Multidisciplinary Team Response and Coordination; Improve Multidisciplinary Response to Child Maltreatment Victims with Disabilities or Special Healthcare Needs

Project Budget: $29,128

Summary: Children with developmental disabilities have a heightened risk for sexual abuse compared to those without disabilities. These children are also more likely to delay disclosure than non-disabled children. This delay means that there will most likely be little to no physical evidence, leaving the child’s statement as the sole evidence available to investigators. For this reason, it is imperative that the child’s statement be taken in a way that is non-suggestive and non-leading but that also takes into account that children with disabilities may need more time to talk about what has happened to them. Through this model/demonstration project, Children’s Advocacy Centers™ of Texas, Inc. (CACTX) will address the Children’s Justice Act (CJA) priority to improve the multidisciplinary response to child maltreatment victims with disabilities or special healthcare needs by creating an extended, multiple-session forensic interview process for interviewing these children. This will allow them to tell their story in their own time, without the constraints of the standard one-session forensic interview format.

CACTX will develop a comprehensive approach for MDTs to implement the multiple-session interview. The objectives to achieve this goal include:

• Development of a multiple-session forensic interview curriculum;

• Development of a toolkit for CACs to utilize when creating policies and procedures for multiple-session forensic interviews;

• Development of a reference card for CACs and MDTs to utilize that will provide information on recognizing and accommodating children with disabilities;

• Development of a webinar to educate MDT members on the use and effectiveness of multiple-session forensic interviews; and

• Delivery of training to forensic interviewers and other MDT members on the utilization of the multiple-session forensic interview technique .

18

CACTX – Training and Technical Assistance for Local CACs Grantee: Children’s Advocacy Centers of Texas (CACTX)

Project Title: Training and Technical Assistance for Local CACs

Task Force Priority: Enhance Multidisciplinary Team Response and Coordination


Summary: The goals of children’s advocacy centers (CACs) are to reduce the re-victimization of child victims of abuse and facilitate prosecution through effective fact-finding and strong case development. The goal of Children’s Advocacy Centers™ of Texas, Inc. (CACTX) is to help CACs achieve these goals by providing high quality training, technical assistance, and support designed to strengthen the functioning and leadership of multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) across the state. MDTs include partners from law enforcement, child protective services, prosecution, as well as mental health providers and medical professionals, forensic interviewers and family advocates.

CACs are defined in Chapter 264 of the Texas Family Code, with operational guidelines provided in the Texas Standards for Children’s Advocacy Centers. CACTX is currently in the process of strengthening and revising the existing standards to align with those of the National Children’s Alliance, the national accrediting entity for CACs. This multi-phased process will lead to the development of new training curricula and the enhancement of all existing training to reflect the new standards. The result will be the expanded capacity of CACTX and ultimately the delivery of a better response to child abuse victims through CACs and their MDTs. Through this operational support grant, CACTX will provide training and technical assistance for CACs to directly support the CJA priority of enhancing the multidisciplinary team response to and coordination of child abuse investigations. CACTX will also support the CJA priority of improving access to quality victim advocacy and mental health services by training family advocates in effective case management and mental health providers in evidence-based, trauma-focused treatment for child victims of abuse. Each of these initiatives will also support the implementation of the new, enhanced standards for CACs as they related to each of these areas.

The goal of this project is to ensure the accessibility, stability and quality of a coordinated, victim-centered, multidisciplinary approach to services for child victims and witnesses of abuse and violence statewide. To further assist CACs in serving children who have been victimized, CACTX plans to expand its offerings and activities to ensure that targeted training is even more in-depth and relevant for MDT members, forensic interviewers, family advocates and mental health professionals. In recognition of Texas’ diverse population, special efforts will also be taken to implement Spanish-speaking initiatives and new training focused on cultural awareness. This expansion of training and technical assistance capacity is especially pertinent as CACTX works to strengthen and revise the standards for CACs.

19

CACTX – Increasing Access to Medical Assessments Grantee: Children’s Advocacy Centers of Texas (CACTX)

Project Title: Increasing Access to Medical Assessments

Task Force Priority: Increasing Access to Medical Assessments

Grant Budget: $151,653

Project Summary: Children who have alleged abuse in Texas are not receiving medical evaluations at the same rate as children throughout the country. While children in urban areas have access to medical providers that are among the most credentialed professionals in the country, children that reside in the rural communities of Texas receive child abuse medical evaluations at a rate significantly less than the national average. Through this research and evaluation project grant, Children’s Advocacy Centers™ of Texas, Inc. (CACTX) will work with contracted research professionals to conduct a comprehensive review of current practices for child abuse medical evaluations in Texas and provide training and policy recommendations to support the Children’s Justice Act (CJA) priority of improving access to quality medical assessments for child maltreatment victims.

The goal of this project is to identify the barriers and issues that contribute to a low percentage of Texas children being referred for medical evaluations after alleged abuse and to provide recommendations for improving these statistics, particularly in rural and midsized communities. The ultimate goal is for MDT members to have increased resources and awareness of the value of medical evaluations so that more children who are victims of maltreatment will have access to qualified medical professionals who can provide the evaluations.

CACTX will meet this goal by administering a comprehensive review of current practices regarding child abuse medical evaluations. These data will indicate the areas for improvement in the forensic process and identify strategies to increase access to quality medical evaluations for child maltreatment victims.

20

Center for Child Protection – Family Advocate Manual & Evaluation Grantee: Center for Child Protection Project Title: Family Advocate Manual Evaluation and Evaluation Task Force Priority: Improve Access to Quality Victim Advocacy Project Budget: $15,000 Project Summary: The Center for Child Protection will develop a Family Advocate Best Practices Manual and evaluation tool. In the near future, Children’s Advocacy Centers of Texas (CACTX) will revise the statewide standards for child advocacy centers (CACs) to require that CACs in Texas must have a victim advocacy component, such as a Family Advocate program. At present, Family Advocate programs around the state are in varying stages of development and a comprehensive best practices manual for family advocate programs has not been updated since the model was first established about ten years ago. The Center for Child Protection through the development of an updated best practices model will guide those CACs seeking to implement Family Advocate programs and will encourage other CACs to modify their existing Family Advocate programs in accordance with successful practices. Additionally, the Center for Child Protection will create, test, and disseminate a Family Advocate evaluation tool to help all CACs measure the effectiveness of their programs and garner additional resources in support of these programs. The Center for Child Protection will partner with Children’s Advocacy Centers of Texas to disseminate the best practices manual and evaluation tool to CACs across the state of Texas.

21

CEDD - Mandatory Reporter Training Grantee: Center for the Elimination of Disproportionality and Disparities

Project Title: Mandatory Reporter Training

Task Force Priority: Improve the Recognition and Response by the Education System to Suspected Child Maltreatment


Summary: Building on the success of the pilot year, CEDD will conduct structured disproportionality and disparities training for mandatory school reporters of child abuse and neglect statewide. CEDD will (1) Hold a 3.5 hour leadership development training, “Introduction to Courageous Conversations,” for 50-75 teachers counselors, social workers, and administrators of local education agencies within each education service center region; (2) Conduct follow-up focus for 10-12 participants from the leadership development training in each education service center region groups to develop regional strategic plans; and (3) Host one Undoing Racism Training for two participants from each education service center region and 13 disproportionality and disparities specialists (53 total participants); and (4) Distribute the training video and guide, “What mandated reporters need to know about racial disproportionality and disparities” to all workshop participants as an opportunity to support ongoing learning.

The goal of this project to expand the delivery of the discipline-specific disproportionality and disparities workshop developed during implementation of the FY2012 CEDD CJA grant to mandatory school reporters statewide. Under a current CJA grant initiative, the CEDD is developing a training video and guide for use in educating mandatory reporters about disproportionality and disparities. At the end of the grant period, these tools will provide cost effective, accessible resources for mandatory reporters interested in learning about the concepts of disproportionality and disparities, the importance of data by race and ethnicity, being introduced to and trained on the steps involved in courageous conversations, and learning about racial bias in decision making related to reporting. The training video and guide will also reinforce the statutory requirements related to mandatory reporting that ensure child safety remains first and foremost in the decision to report.

22

Center for Child Protection – Mandatory Reporter Training in the Education System


Project Title: Mandated Reporter Training in the Education System

Task Force Priority: Improve the Recognition and Response by the Education System to Suspected Child Maltreatment


Summary: Center for Child Protection (CCP)aims to improve teachers’ and school administrators’ understanding of their role as mandated reports and to improve how they respond to suspected abuse and neglect. CCP will provide training the teachers and counselors, university students who will become future mandatory reporters, top school administrators, and community members to improve identification of abuse and facilitate proper reporting. The training curriculum will include new research on how trauma impact brain development and how unresolved trauma can impact the child’s ability to learn and develop. The trainings will be delivered to the various audiences in-person by a highly skilled child abuse professional in a setting which encourages dialogue and conversation. Pre and post surveys will be administered to assess the change in knowledge and understanding. Follow up surveys will be conducted at 6 and 12 month intervals to assess change in behavior. CCP will use CJA funding to pay the partial salary of an education coordinator.

23

East Texas CASA – Pathway to Permanency Grantee: East Texas CASA Project Title: Pathway to Permanency Task Force Priority: Continuation project (Final year of funding) Award: $57,615

Project Summary: The Bridge to Permanency Project was implemented in order to expedite resolution of backlogged adoption cases in Gregg County. The successful initial year of the program identified 49 children for intensive case management. Of those, 36 have been adopted and are out of the system. During the second year, 27 new children were added to the caseload, and of those, 7 have been adopted, 3 are in their adoptive placement awaiting finalization, and 6 more have adoptive families identified. In the upcoming year, East Texas Child Advocates will continue efforts to replicate the project in Upshur County while continuing to serve children in Gregg County.

24

Harris County – Diagnosis to Prosecution Conference Grantee: Harris County

Project Title: Child Abuse: Diagnosis to Prosecution Conference

Task Force Priority: Improve Multidisciplinary Response to Suspected Child Maltreatment-Related Fatalities


Summary: The Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences (HCIFS) in collaboration with Baylor College of Medicine-Texas Children’s Hospital, University of Texas Health Sciences Center and Harris County Child Fatality Review Team (HCCFRT) will host a two-day program organized to carry the audience through a child abuse case from recognition, through investigation, to final prosecution. The target audience is pediatricians, investigators, attorneys and judiciaries. Pediatricians specialized in child abuse recognition and treatment, prosecutors experienced in prosecuting child abuse cases, and scientists experienced in delineating “junk” from valid science will provide the presentations during the conference. Lectures will focus on lessons learned from actual child abuse cases and scientific testimony presented during recent child abuse trials. Plenary discussion sessions will be held with the intent to build multidisciplinary relationships and to explore statewide, systems-level response to child abuse. Conference materials and videotaping will be provided to the conference participants, CJA and all other interested stakeholders.

25

Harris County – Prospective Study of Infant Injury Patterns in Non-Accidental Trauma Cases

Grantee: Harris County

Project Title: A Prospective Study of Infant Injury Patterns in Non-Accidental Trauma Cases

Task Force Priorities: Improve Multidisciplinary Response to Suspected Child Maltreatment-Related Fatalities


Summary: The Harris County collaboration will undertake a prospective study designed to document injuries observed in infant deaths investigated by HCIFS. During a six month period, all decedents under the age of 1 year who receive an autopsy by HCIFS will be included in the study regardless of cause and manner of death. All injuries observed during the autopsy will be documented and recorded in a Microsoft Access Database. Statistical analysis will be applied to the data to identify relationships between pattern of injury and cause of injury. The results of the study will be disseminated through leading peer-review journals.

26

OCA – Child Protection Court Enhancement Project Grantee: Office of Court Administration Project Title: Child Protection Court Enhancement Project Task Force Priority: Continuation Project (Final year of funding) Award: $55,170 Project Summary: The Office of Court Administration (OCA) supports specialized Child Protection Courts (CPCs) throughout Texas. CPC judges are OCA employees, and OCA provides administrative and staff support to the CPCs and to the regional presiding judges who appoint CPC judges. OCA supplies case management software (CPCMS) and tracks case-related data entered by the CPCs. Since January 2010, funded through a CJA grant, a Child Protection Courts Attorney has provided full-time legal and technical support to the CPCs. The CPC Attorney has served as a liaison between judges and court personnel and technical staff, as changes to CPCMS are proposed and implemented. She provides legal research, both for immediate questions raised from the bench and ongoing policy issues. She also represents the CPCs to various collaborative workgroups and is their voice in strategic planning regarding workload and funding issues.

27

SafePlace – Training for Effective Response to Child Maltreatment Victims with Disabilities

Grantee: SafePlace

Project Title: Training for Effective Response to Child Maltreatment Victims with Disabilities

Task Force Priority: Improving Multidisciplinary Response to Child Maltreatment Victims with Disabilities or Special Healthcare Needs


Summary: SafePlace will provide training for victim service, child welfare and allied professionals, including but not limited to: Child Protective Services, Children’s Advocacy Centers, children’s shelters, domestic violence and rape crisis agencies. SafePlace will conduct training in 4-5 regions in Texas, and provide a webinar and resource materials. The trainings and resources are designed to prepare these professionals, at an individual level and multi-disciplinary team level, to provide sensitive and effective services to child maltreatment victims with a range of disabilities.

28

Texas CASA – Multidisciplinary Advocacy Training Grantee: Texas CASA

Project Title: Multidisciplinary Advocacy Training

Task Force Priority: Improve Access to Quality Victim Advocacy


Summary: Texas CASA will host six (6), two-day regional trainings across the state to an audience of CASA program staff and volunteers, regional CPS staff, area attorneys and other regional stakeholders as identified (attendance at each regional training anticipated to average 60 persons, total attendance for all trainings anticipated at 300-360 persons). These comprehensive trainings are designed to strengthen the multidisciplinary collaborative partnerships by providing relevant training related to positive outcomes for children, including:

• Facilitating trauma-based education for families; • Mental health, medical and educational advocacy for children living in congregate care; • Advocating for children in cases where legal custody remains with parents or caregivers while

specific services are ordered by the court; and • Leveraging the revised statewide CASA/CPS Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

The goal of the Multidisciplinary Advocacy Training project is to provide professional training which enhances the individual advocacy knowledge and skill level of participants, as well as strengthens the working relationships between local CASA programs and local CPS offices, attorneys ad litem, and other local and regional stakeholders in pursuit of better outcomes for child victims of abuse and neglect.

29

Texas CASA – Training and Technical Assistance for Local CASA Programs

Grantee: Texas CASA

Project Title: Training and Technical Assistance for Local CASA Programs

Task Force Priority: Improve Access to Quality Victim Advocacy


Project Summary: Help local CASA program achieve their goals by providing high quality training, technical assistance, and support designed to increase access to high quality and consistent advocacy throughout the state. CJA will provide operational support to Texas CASA so that they can help local CASA programs and volunteers support the CJA priority of improving access to quality victim advocacy and mental health services for child maltreatment victims and their caregivers.

The primary goals of this program include:

• Increase knowledge and understanding of critical issues affecting victims in the child protection system

• Provide consistent, effective, and excellent GAL and volunteer advocate services to children in the child protection system

• Increase access to quality advocacy

The goals will be met through the following activities:

• In-person and webinar training to CASA volunteers and staff, as well as other relevant stakeholders on relevant advocacy topics including: the impact of trauma on children and families, barriers to mental health, medical, and educational advocacy for children living in congregate care, and effective advocacy for children and families in Court Ordered Services cases.

• Growth assistance to CASA programs underserving their child victim population and achieving better outcomes related to child safety, well-being and permanency.

• Policy information, training and technical assistance to local CASA program staff and volunteers.

30

Texas Municipal Police Association – Child Abuse and Neglect Training for Law Enforcement

Grantee: Texas Municipal Police Association

Project Title: Child Abuse & Neglect Training Program for Law Enforcement

Task Force Priority: Enhance Multidisciplinary Team Response and Coordination


Project Summary: Law enforcement agencies across Texas struggle to provide high quality training and available resources to officers to facilitate a consistent and effective response to victims of child abuse, neglect, and exploitation. Specialized training on crimes against children is not readily available to most rural agencies in Texas nor are there available funds to travel to attend such trainings. Training funds are based on the number of officers an agency has and are used to provide all types of training, not just training on child abuse. Since funds are based on agency size, the smaller agencies, where the training is even more necessary, get fewer funds to provide such training. The use of multidisciplinary teams comprised of professionals from law enforcement, child protective services, prosecution, medical, and other related fields to combat child abuse allows for full victim restoration. Most multidisciplinary teams are located in urban areas. Rural areas lack the knowledge of a multidisciplinary team model approach to child abuse, thus causing a lack of communication and coordination between peace officers and child protective services.

The goal of the Child Abuse & Neglect Training Program for Law Enforcement is to improve law enforcement’s response to child abuse and neglect, including child sexual abuse, exploitation, and fatality cases and cases involving vulnerable populations, by administering a comprehensive and free training program that combines an overview of effective response to the abuse, with instruction on the benefits of a multidisciplinary approach.

The program goals will be achieved through the following activities:

Improve and update current Child Abuse & Neglect Training curriculum, specifically sections relating to cases involving child fatalities and children with disabilities.

Target rural areas that have been identified by program staff, which include 40 Counties and 7 Regional Council of Governments.

Hold 25 Regular 3 day classes in the Targeted Areas.

Reorganize 24 hour curriculum into three 8-hour Modules.

Hold 5 8-hour Modular classes taught over 3 non-consecutive days in the Targeted Areas.

Hold 5 Regular 3 day classes in various counties across Texas that have not yet received the training.

Amend current active Instructor’s Contracts to ensure that classes are taught in the Targeted Areas.

Train at least 350 officers on the Child Abuse & Neglect curriculum.

31

2012-2013 Children’s Justice Act Task Force Committees

Legislative Committee Kris Linenberger, Committee Co-Chair Dan Powers, Committee Co-Chair Training Manager Texas Homeless Network 1713 Fortview Road Austin, TX 78704 (512) 482-8270 [email protected]

Senior Vice President of Clinical and Administrative Services Children’s Advocacy Center of Collin County 2205 Los Rios Blvd Plano TX 75074 972-633-6615 214-707-7471 cell [email protected]

Joyce M. James Audrey Deckinga Associate Deputy Executive Commissioner Center for Elimination of Disproportionality and Disparities Texas Health & Human Services Commission 4900 North Lamar Blvd. Mail Code: 1479 Austin, TX 78751 (512) 487-3396 (512) 424-6974 fax [email protected]

CPS Assistant Commissioner TDFPS 701 W. 51st Street (MC: E-557) Austin, TX 78751 (512) 438-5776 [email protected]

Irene Clements Kristen Foster Executive Director Texas Foster Family Association 18751 Castellani San Antonio, TX 78258 (210) 493-7567 (210) 493-7153 fax (210) 394-7933 cell [email protected]

Associate Henslee Schwartz, L.L.P 11301 Larue Belle Lane Austin, TX 78739 (512)426-7177 [email protected] [email protected]

Vicki Spriggs Julie Prudhome CEO Texas CASA, Inc. Austin, TX (512) 473-2627 [email protected]

Clinical Director Garth House, Mickey Mehaffy CAC Beaumont, TX 409-838-9084 [email protected]

Tony Bradley Chris Oldner – Ex-officio Lieutenant/Supervisor, Rural Child Abuse Task Force Collin County Sheriff Plano, TX 972-633-6626 [email protected]

District Judge 416th Judicial District Court 2100 Bloomdale, Suite 20030 McKinney, TX 75071 (972) 548-4520 (972) 548-4525 fax [email protected]

33


mailto:audrey.deckinga@dfps








2

Grants Committee Denise Hyde, Committee Co-Chair Kriste Burnett, Committee Co-Chair Attorney at Law Law Office of Denise Hyde 812 San Antonio Street, Suite 304 Austin, Texas 78701 (512) 474-9911 (512) 476-4622 fax

Attorney at Law 904 W. Henderson Cleburne, TX 76033 (817) 648-0002 (817) 648-0012 [email protected]

Nhung Tran Margaret Lalk Asst. Professor of Pediatrics Texas A&M College of Medicine Scott and White Healthcare Department of Pediatrics Temple, TX 254-724-6060 [email protected]

Attorney at Law P.O. Box 92212 Austin, TX 78709 (512) 417-1937 cell (512) 590-8688 fax [email protected]

LaRu Woody Laura Wolf Former Director, Family Justice Division Travis County District Attorney’s Office 1801 Santa Clara St. Austin, TX (512) 779-9013 [email protected]

Executive Director CASA of Travis County Austin, TX 512-539-2665 [email protected]

Dean Rucker - Ex-officio

District Judge 318th Family District Court Midland, TX (432) 688-4390 [email protected]

34







3

Membership Committee Randi King, Committee Co-Chair Gabriel Martinez, Jr. Assistant District Attorney Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office 1001 Pearl St., 3rd Floor Beaumont, TX 77701 (409) 835-8615 (409) 835-8684 fax [email protected] [email protected]

Deputy Chief of Police City of Laredo Police Department Laredo, Texas 956-795-2899 [email protected]

James Lukefahr, Committee Co-Chair De Shaun Ealoms Child Abuse Pediatrician University of Texas Health Science Center 7703 Floyd Curl Dr. (MC: 7821) San Antonio, TX 78229 (210) 704-3953 (210) 704-3800 (210) 704-3392 fax [email protected]

Parent Program Specialist TDFPS 701 W. 51st Street (MC: W-157) Austin, TX 78751 (512) 438-2224 (512-438-3782 fax [email protected]

Daniela Ontiveroz Joy Rauls Youth Specialist Texas Department of Family and Protective Services Midland, TX (432) 686-2297 (432) 557-3400 cell [email protected]

Executive Director Children Advocacy Centers of Texas Austin, TX 512-258-9920 [email protected]

Jon Evans Craig Spinn Attorney at Law 806 W. 11th St. Austin, TX 78701 (512) 476-4075 (512) 477-6840 fax [email protected]

Superintendent of Schools Thorndale ISD Burnet, TX 830-798-7311 [email protected]

Cathy Crabtree – Ex-officio Director of Chapter Development

National Children’s Alliance 9600 Great Hills Drive, Ste. 150W Austin ,TX 78759 (512) 971-2367 [email protected]

35











CJA 2012-2013 COMMITTTEES SCOPE OF WORK

CJA 2012-2013 MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE CHAIR: MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE MEMBERS: I. The Membership Committee shall assess the composition of the Task Force to ensure compliance with mandated positions; diversity among its membership to include a variety of categories, including but not limited to, professional expertise/contacts, gender, ethnicity, race, and culture; as well as alignment with the current three-year plan priorities . It is recommended the Committee maintain and utilize a diversity matrix for use in this process. The committee will develop key criteria for 2013-2014 Task Force candidates and will enlist the other members of the Task Force in helping to identify potential candidates that meet one or more of the key criteria. (October – January; Report back at January 4th Task Force meeting) II. Once potential candidates have been identified, the Committee, with staff support, will schedule meetings (in person if possible) with these individuals to further determine their eligibility and level of interest in being presented as official nominees. (February – April; Report back at April 5th Task Force meeting) III. The Committee will present a slate of candidates for member and officer positions to the Task Force prior to the July 12th Task Force meeting at which elections will be conducted for Task Force members and officers for the following grant year beginning October 1, 2013. (April – July; Report back at July 12th meeting) IV. The Membership Committee is also responsible for building the capacity of Task Force members by:

A. Assessing and revising, as needed, the current Orientation process for new members. (July – September 2013)

B. Developing and implementing, with staff support, training for the Task Force throughout the year. Training presentations should be designed to further Task Force knowledge pertaining to the three-year assessment priority areas.

36

CJA 2012-2013 GRANTS COMMITTEE GRANTS COMMITTEE CHAIR: GRANTS COMMITTEE MEMBERS:

I. The Committee shall meet with CJA staff to review the annual grants process and make recommendations for any needed changes. (October – January; Report back at January 4th Task Force meeting)

II. The Committee will review the Request for Applications (RFAs) drafted by staff to ensure the solicitations reflect the Task Force’s current priorities. (October-January; Report back at January 4th Task Force meeting)

III. The Committee shall review Letters of Intent (LOI) submissions as well as staff recommendations regarding LOIs to determine which applicants will be invited to submit full applications. (January - February)

IV. The Committee shall review all full grant submissions as well as staff recommendations related to grant submissions and make final recommendations to the full Task Force regarding grant approvals. (March-April; Report back at April 5th Task Force meeting)

V. The Committee will assist staff in identifying relevant grantee programs for possible presentations to the full Task Force throughout the year. (Ongoing)

37

CJA 2012-2013 LEGISLATIVE COMMITTTEE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE CHAIR: LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS:

I. The Legislative Committee will, with staff support, identify, review and report to the full Task Force on relevant Interim Session activity and release of related Interim Study reports of interest to the Task Force. (October – January; Report to Task Force at January 4th Task Force Meeting)

II. The Committee shall provide legislative updates at each Task Force meeting occurring during the legislative session regarding issues or activities that might impact, alter, or direct Task Force activities related to the three-year plan priorities. (Ongoing)

III. The Committee will make recommendations regarding legislative positions or other policy considerations and related activity for approval by the Task Force. (Ongoing; Report to Task Force, as needed, at Task Force meetings)

IV. The Committee shall identify, review and report to the full Task Force on any relevant policy changes within the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS), the Attorney General’s office or other state agencies that might be of interest to the Task Force. (Ongoing)

V. The Committee shall develop and maintain relationships with key legislators and/or committee chairs in order to serve as a resource regarding issues or activities related to the three-year plan priorities.

38

Documents

CJA TASK FORCE MEETING · Texas A&M College of Medicine . Scott and White Healthcare . Department of Pediatrics . Temple, TX . 254-724-6060 . [email protected]. Laura Wolf Executive Director