F~><'F'kCtVM1L_ C]F KERR CC7L1rdT~Y CHILD AL~USE: ~P~ID x~'KUTEC"f IUhd f~IVD pUTt•iCJRIZE Tt-~E COUiVTY JUDGE T7 SIC•:iV S~I+r11E do tt-~is the c`5th day cif Niar-•c^h, 1996 ~_tpon rttatian made by Commissiane'r, Halel~amp, sF~cGncied by i:ommi~s<.si~~ne~, L~-~ckey, file CGItY~t unanimously approved by ~ vote of 4-~-Q', to accept tt-,e iiFr~r" Lr•G~_tlity Chi7.d Fabuse. and L='rotecticrn ar'7d a~_~thor•i E tt-~e Co+_~nty J,..~dgE to sign samee KERB COUNTY CHILD ABUSE AND PROTECTION PLAN INTRODUCTION AT RISK CHILD POPULATION AGES 0 - 13 : 1,474 CHILD POPULATION TOTAL : 9,096 COUNTY CHILD ABUSE STATISTICS TOTAL INVESTIGATIONS : 200 TOTAL CONFIRMED : 58 AVERAGE MONTHLY IN-HOME SERVICES : 17 families 46 children CHILDREN IN PRS LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY : 35 CHILDREN IN PRS FOSTER CARE : 35 REGULATED CHILD CARE FACILITIES LICENSED : 19 REGISTERED : 21 II. PREVENTION SPECIFICS DESCRIPTION OF CURRENT PREVENTION ACTIVITIES a. County Government Activities through Open Communication between Agencies I. Law Enforcement Agreements with local law enforcement agencies within the county between Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services and the Kerr County Sheriff s Department and Kerrville Police Department. 2. Probation Agreement with Local Juvenile Probation and the KSTAR agency 3. Council of Governments b. Local Prevention Activities; Special and Pilot Projects 1. Child Services Board Child Abuse Prevention Month Activities Public Awareness Activities Activities to support foster children and families 2. KSTAR programs for runaway children and at risk youth crisis counseling and shelter care 3. Hill Country Family Outreach prevention of abuse through training and outreach by volunteers Baby Love program, Mom's Support Group, Grandparents Support Group 4. Partners in Parenting Education (PIPE) parenting education 5. Hill Country Crisis Council crisis hotline, counseling ,and battered women's shelter 6. Law Enforcement Agencies DARE program, officers ongoing training on child abuse efforts by officers to check children, especially during family violence calls 7. Texas Children's Mental Health Plan offers in-home services to children and their families to prevent out of home placement for children in priority population (defined by local mental health) 8. Homespun provides early childhood intervention services to children birth to three years of age 9. Any Baby Can provides services to children with chronic illnesses l0.Hil1 Country CASA Court Appointed Special Advocates, trained volunteers assigned to advocate for children involved in the court system, priority to Children's Protective Services cases 11.YMCA Activities for Youth in the community c. Barriers to Reducing Child Abuse 1. Lack of funds for prevention programs currently in place and in development of new programs. 2. Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect by professionals and community at large. 3. Lack of training for community professionals on identification and reporting of child abuse and neglect. 4. Public Apathy 5. Leniency in domestic violence convictions. III. PROTECTION ACTIVITIES a. Child Services Board sponsored activities such as a police officer to deliver Child Abuse awareness and prevention seminars to local youth and law enforcement officers, parenting information to all parents of school children, Blue Ribbon month activities, publicizing of the Child Abuse Hotline to the public. IV. ACTIVITIES FOR FUTURE CONSIDERATION a. Scheduling of training for professional individuals in the community who care, tend, treat, and educate children which will include : school staff and personnel, day care center personnel, all medical professionals, dentists, chiropractors, EMT, law enforcement personnel. DATE PLAN REVIEWED BY COUNTY CHILD SERVICES DATE PLAN REVIEWED BY COUNTY COMMISSIONERS APPROVED: R COU Y GE DAT BOARD: February 27,1996 3 Z 5 ,~ COMMISa~ONERS' COURT AGENDA R~:QUEST PLEASE FURNISH ONE ORIGINAL AND FIVE COPIES OF THIS REQUEST AND DOCUMENTS TO BE REVIEWED BY THE COURT. MADE BY: Robert A. Denson OFFICE: County Judge MEETING DATE: March 25 1996 TIlVIE PREFERRED: SUBJECT: (PLEASE BE SPECIFIC) Consider and discuss approving Kerr County Child Abuse and Protection Plan and authorize the County Jude to sign same. EXECUTIVE SESSION REQUESTED: (PLEASE STATE REASON) ESTIMATED LENGTH OF PRESENTATION: IF PERSONNEL MATTER -NAME OF EMPLOYEE: NAME OF PERSON ADDRESSING THE COURT: County Judge Time for submitting this request for Court to assure that the matter is posted in accordance with Title 5, Chapter 551 and 552, Government Code, is as follows: Meeting scheduled for Mondays THIS REQUEST RECEIVED BY: THIS REQUEST RECEIVED ON: 5:00 P.M. previous Tuesday. All Agenda Requests will be screened by the County Judge's Office to determine if adequate information has been prepared for the Court's formal consideration and action at time of Court Meetings. Your cooperation will be appreciated and contribute towards you request being addressed at the earliest opportunity. See Agenda Request Rules Adopted by Commissioners' Court. Memorandum To: Texas County Judges SL Commissioners From: Texas Council of Child Welfare Boards, Inc. Date: January 22, 1996 Subject: Child Abuse Plans [§264.OI0, Texas Family Code] The statutory deadline for filing your county's Child Abuse Prevention and Protection Plan is rapidly approaching. As this 1995 legislative mandate proved somewhat baffling to many, the Texas Council of Child Welfare Boards offers the documents enclosed as an example, should you still need help in satisfying this requirement The sample appears to comply with the bill's dictates for the average- sized county. While it is by no means the best or only good example of what PRS anticipates to see, a similar effort should suffice for most Texas counties. As a reminder of the law's specifics, we also have included a copy of the referenced Family Code section. Finally, we are also enclosing the "Checklist" attached to an earlier mailing from either the Texas Association of Counties or Pat Devin, PRS Deputy Director. It is a useful outline for drafting your plan. While many counties are well under way in their efforts to provide PRS regional offices with plans by March 1, we understand that some are just begirming the process of compliance. We suggest sending a letter similar to the one enclosed at the earliest cpportunity u- order to set up a meeting of providers who may identify your county's potential resources. If your local Child Welfare Board is active, they should assist you with this process. Your regional PRS office will have your county's informational statistics if you did not receive them earlier. If you have additional questions in this regard, please feel free to call David M. Williams, County Attorney, San Saba County, at (915) 372-3747. He is the chairman of our Issues Committee and can direct your inquiry to the proper party if unable to answer your question. We also wish to thank Carlos Lara, County Auditor, Demmit County, and also a member of our Issues Committee, for allowing us to share his county's work with other Texas counties. § 264.010. Child Abuse Plan; Limitation on Ex- penditure of Funds (a) Funds appropriated for protective services, child and family services, and the purchased service system for the department may only be spent on or• after March 1, 1996, in a county that provides the department with a child abuse prevention and protec- tion plan. If a plan is not submitted to the depart- ment under this section, the department shall docu- ment the county's failure to submit a plan and may spend appropriated funds in the county to carry out the department's duties under this subtitle. (b) A child abuse prevention and protection plan may be submitted by the governing body of a county or of a regional council of governments in which the county is an active participant. (c} The department may not require a child abuse prevention and protection plan to exceed five double- spaced letter-size pages. The county or council of governments may voluntarily provide a longer plan. (d) A child abuse prevention and protection plan must: (1) specify the manner of communication between entities who are parties to the plan, including the department, the Texas Department of Human Ser- vices, local law enforcement agencies, the county and district attorneys, members of the medical and social service community, foster parents, and child advocacy groups; and (2) provide other information concerning the pre- vention and investigation of child abuse in the area for which the plan is adopted. Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 943, § G, eff. Sept. 1, 1995. CARLOS LARA Office of County Audi. January 3, 1996 Leticia Vargas Battered Women's/Children's Shelter Carrizo Springs, TX 78834 Dear Ms. Vargas: .03 North Fifth Street izo Springs, Texas 78834 (210) 876-9752 Dimmit County has been informed that the new legislation passed in reference to HB 2569 (Brady), Section 264.010 (a) thru (d), TFC Titled CHII.D ABUSE PLAN, LIMITATION ON EXPENDITURE OF FUNDS, requires that the Department or Protective and Regulatory Services have a child abuse prevention and protection plan from each County that receives funds appropriated for protective services, child and family services and purchased services. The new plan must be in place by MARCH 1, 1996. The suggested approach to the development of our County's plan is to involve and comprise a planning group of the following representatives: County/District Attorney Offices Local Law Enforcement (City/County) County Child Welfare Board Child Protective Services Juvenile Probation Public Health Officials State Human Service Agencies (TX Dept. of Human Services) Religious Community (ministerial alliance) School Officials Child Care Centers Non-Profit Children & Youth Org. James B. Davis, Dimmit County Attorney Roberto Serna, District Attorney Candido De Anda, Sheriff Carlos Lara, Chairman Eddie Gentry and Veronica Martinez Armando Criel, Chief Probation Officer Jimmy Castellaw, Adult Probation Officer Dr. Rodney Dotson, Dimmit Health Official Pu~-turo ; .oera, Supervisor Father Pablo Sicilia, Our Lady of Guadalupe Church Dee Carter, Superintendent Esmeralda Alcazar, Jerri Ann Ken Leticia Vargas, Director - Women/Children Abuse Center, Leo Perez, Kiwanis President, Ramon Johnston, MRGDC, Yolanda Saldivar, CSA Commissioner's Court of Dimmit County during a regular called meeting nominated and appointed the abovementioned individuals. If you should be unable to partake in this planning committee please feel free to send a proxy. The plan is of utmost importance and needs to be prepared as soon as possible. Page 2 ltr/HB2569 - 01/03/96 A meeting has been scheduled for Thursday, January 11, 1996 at 2 p.m. in the Dimmit County Commissioner's Court Room, 103 N. 5th Street, Canizo Springs, TX. Please make all efforts to attend. If you should have any questions, please do not hesitate to call or contact my office at (210)-876- 9752. Sincerely, Carlos Lara Dimmit County Auditor CL: oam :NT BY~ 1-16-96 13 16 51227$15631 210E765036;# 4 abuse ;child, adult and civil, crimi:~.il} if there was a centralized service ir. the cour.:y. 2) Provision of Services- the plan also .•ecognizes that it would be easier to follow fan..lies if all services were available in one locati.n. III~~ PROTECTION ACTZVITIS3: Z) Dimmit County Child Welfare Board working on ma:'~ing the ,community mare aware of child abuse and reporti:~g systems. Involving the schools as well. The Board plans ~:c do more ,outreach in the community for al.l child abuse p:::vention ',activities. This will include more distribution ~f handouts. 2} Day Care center will refer families to a local r•inister, 3} Resource directory being developed for Dimmit Cc~inty tn,rough the office of the County Judge. Americor Progran, is helping with this task - projection for completion is s~~~ing 1990. 4) .The Dimmit County Plan also recognizes the need .o establish parenting classes to all community mem.;~ers. It is the intent of the planning group to continue to Meet Qr: a regular basis to find a way to achieve this goal The planning group sees this as a coordinated effort with those in the community why can assist in a parenting program to provide input and far others to assist in the to>ut of the County Judge's office. Currercly ,;n older version is available. 7} County Extension Agent - at time ffere parenting 8} Schoo:. District ie offeri^g a par: rating curriculum as well, 9 ) Interagency Group - there is a '_c: gal retwcrk that has peen in puce for last 1; years. c) Barriers tc reducing child abuse: y) Division of services- the plan recogni;:ss that it would be easier to report all types of suspected 2 CHECKLIST 1. ^ Planning group created and comprised of representatives from the following: County/district attorney office Local law enforcement (city and county) County child welfare board Child protective services Juvenile probation Public health officials State human service agencies (i.e., Tx Dept. of Human Services) Religious community (ministerial alliance) School officials Child care centers Non-profit children & youth organizations 2. ^ Meetings scheduled, location reserved, members notified 3. ^ Plan developed and contains the following information and sections: Introduction County level date re: ,Child population, ^ At-risk population, County child abuse statistics Prevention s ec~ ifics Description of current prevention activities: County government activities Local prevention activities, including special projects, pilots projects Barriers to reducing child abuse New activities being developed and probable timeline Protection activities Joint investigation agreement (local law enforcement, CPS county/district attorneys' offices, county/city health officials) Resources for abused children (child advocacy centers, shelters, foster care, etc.) Supportive services (community resource coordination group, court appointed special advocates) Barriers to cooperation Barriers to resource development New activities, agreements, resources being developed and probable timeline 4. ^ Plan reviewed by County Child Welfare Board 5. ^ Plan reviewed by County Commissioners 6. ^ Plan submitted to Tesas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services Regional Office by March 1,1996.