Employee Union Urges Officials and Lawmakers to lower caseloads, raise pay in FPS

On Friday, June 10th, the House Committee on County Affairs will be meeting in Lubbock to seek input on improving Child Protective Services.

Members of the Texas State Employees Union welcome this opportunity to encourage State Representatives to make long overdue changes in the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. DFPS is plagued by high caseloads that prevent staff from spending the time they need with each child, family, or vulnerable adult. As a result, Texans in need of help often fall through the cracks, sometimes with tragic consequences.

Despite volumes of reports and the ruling from a Federal Court, the initial proposals for DFPS’ Appropriation Request indicate that the agency seeks to “maintain current caseload levels.” This will result in a continuation of the current caseload crisis and prevent the agency from slowing down skyrocketing turnover. Maintaining current caseload levels will ensure that more vulnerable Texans will fall through the cracks, as caseloads and turnover rates continue feeding into each other in a vicious cycle.

Yvette Sherman, a retired CPS caseworker in San Angelo and TSEU Executive Board Member stated, “We ask that elected leaders take action by establishing caseload standards, funding enough positions to make these standards a reality, and funding a real pay raise. Without taking significant steps to lower caseloads and increase retention rates, the same systemic problems will continue to hamper DFPS’s ability to function, and possibly endanger the children and families we’re meant to protect.”

“Maintaining current caseload levels, as DFPS is proposing, is discouraging,” added Ms. Sherman. “It’s clear that our agency has a caseload crisis, but it’s not addressing this crisis in a meaningful way.” 

In December, Senior US District Judge Jack issued a ruling that faulted DFPS for being “deliberately indifferent toward caseload levels” and for “departing from professional judgment” towards policies and procedures related to the foster care system. The ruling calls for the appointment of a Special Master and the development of an Implementation Plan that would establish a caseload limit in the Child Protective Services Conservatorship program and require DFPS to keep caseloads below this limit.

Attorney General Ken Paxton is appealing the ruling to the 5th Circuit court of appeals.

Texas State Employees Union is a statewide organization of employees of state agencies and universities in Texas. TSEU has 11,000 members, including 1,250 in the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.

(Press release from TSEU)