Thanks for the encouraging words related to my current trip to Washington, D.C. The friend who affirmed in response to my facebook posting from yesterday: "Don, You've got this" made my day. I knew it was true. Another frie…
Thanks for the encouraging words related to my current trip to Washington, D.C. The friend who affirmed in response to my facebook posting from yesterday: "Don, You've got this" made my day. I knew it was true. Another friend suggested that I walk like a Marine. That, too, put a smile on my face.
Historically, I have relied on Priceline Express Deals or Hotels.com as a source for booking a hotel. It was an exercise in futility this time. I checked the prices on several hotels I've stayed at in the past and their prices ranged from $500 to $1,000 a night plus tax. That simply is not doable for the non-profit corporation where I work.
In recent years, I've occasionally used AirBNB and found it significantly less expensive, but you never know unless the information is shared the distance to the closest Metro Station. I prefer to mix walking with the Metro to get to where I need to be.
I was beginning to panic when a friend suggested Booking.com. I'm staying at a boutique hotel near Union Market this trip and the presence of indoor plants and a few antiques make for a very pleasant setting. The walk to the Metro is reportedly ten minutes. I beg to differ, but it worked out okay. I still have Uber as a backup plan.
Today when I'm on Capitol Hill, I plan to both walk and talk like a Marine ready to engage in battle. So far, my words seemingly have fallen on deaf ears, but what the State of Texas finds acceptable for children from hard places makes Texas look less efficient than a third world country. It is unacceptable!
I have mentioned previously that Texas spent over $30,000,000.00 over an 18-month period to pay for off-duty policemen to watch kids in hotel rooms, churches, and other makeshift emergency shelters. One corporation, headed by a former Texas Ranger to supply "rent a badge" oversight had a $26.4 million dollar contract. That seems unacceptable when there are children's homes with an openness to provide care with little to no cost to the state.
In 2018, the Federal Government passed a must-pass omnibus budget act that had over two thousand pages of other legislation attached to it. One of those, included the Family First Prevention Services Act. It limited out of home care for which Title IV-E funds could be used to foster care (six or fewer) for children not needing treatment services due to severe mental health and behavioral problems.
That eliminated children's home from being a resource. Though most children's home provide services without cost to the state or federal government, the state opted not to use them since they were no longer identified in the continuum of care.
Last month I read that there are thousands of serious occurrences negatively impacting children in unlicensed placements in Texas. The childcare licensing act of 1973 was enacted to protect the health, safety, and well-being of children. It required state agencies to meet the same requirements. That legislation has fallen by the wayside in how the Texas is choosing to do business.
For over 12 years, Texas has had monitors reviewing child welfare cases to ensure the State is complying with expectation regarding the care of children. The reports read like a horror story for children. Texas doesn't always get it right.
The past Monday, Federal Judge Janis Jacks fined the State of Texas, $100 thousand dollars a day until they comply with expectations designed to keep children safe. Child welfare officials could not confirm to the court that even the housing being provided for child is safe.
H.B. 4852 – Create Acceptable Respectful Environments of Children (CARE) Act that would restore children's homes to the continuum of care, while providing a host of safeguards for children is part of the answer to the foster care shortage. Only one Congressman from Texas has signed on to the legislation as a cosponsor.
Perhaps it's true: There are none so blind as those who will not see.
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