Anushka Sharma –
Published On: October 25, 2021 at 11:30 IST
As Texas’ Foster care problem worsens, State Authorities and Attorneys for children in the system agreed on the next step toward a solution.
A Federal Judge ordered the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, the Health and Human Services Commission, and the Attorneys involved to sit down and come to an agreement on how to move forward in September, with hundreds of children still sleeping in state CPS offices and hotels.
The decision was the latest in a years-long Federal Lawsuit against the State over the facilities and treatment of children in its custody.
According to Court documents, the parties have agreed to form a panel of three impartial, nationally known experts.
The group will utilise State data and their own experience to give “clear, tangible” recommendations on how to deal with the growing number of children without homes and the dearth of available beds to shelter them.
According to the document, the Plaintiffs will select one expert, the State will select another, and the first two experts will select the third expert.
“Each expert will serve on the Expert Panel in a neutral capacity and not as a representative or as a consultant of any particular party,” the Plea stated.
According to the Court documents, these proposals are pure “advisory,” which means that the State officials identified as Defendants in this complaint are not required to make the requested modifications.
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