SAN ANTONIO – The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services is taking a new approach to the foster care system, moving toward a community-based care model.
On Tuesday, the Children's Shelter announced it would become the lead agent in child welfare services for Bexar County, in alignment with the state's community-based model.
Annette Rodriguez, president and CEO of the Children's Shelter, said in years past, TXDFPS has been more state-oriented when it came to the foster care system. She said now that TXDFPS is awarding children shelters across the state contracts, the facilities will be allowed to cater to the community-specific needs the children may have.
"The best way to apply services, the best way to create the greater impact is to be able to allow communities to come together and create services that make sense for their children and families," Rodriguez said. "It's a big mind shift, it's a big culture shift, but I think it's a great step in the right direction.
Rodriguez said that the Children's Shelter's new division called Family Tapestry was awarded a TXDFPS contract. Family Tapestry, she said, will serve as the group that works directly with the TXDFPS on community-based care.
Children's Shelter officials believe that community-based care not only allows facilities to meet region-specific needs, it allows children in the foster care system to stay close to their communities.