Lots of changes are coming from all directions in the foster care system.
One of those shifts happening in the system, is the decline of caseworkers in the State of Texas which is something even noticed locally. One-third of them left their jobs in 2022.
"There is a shift in foster care just in general across the entire state," Patty Pisklak, executive director of CASA of West Texas, said. "I just know that there’s a lot of other areas of CPS workers that are coming into our area to help cover cases. So anytime that’s happening you know that there’s a low number of case workers in our area [like] when individuals that work for CPS in San Angelo or other areas have to come in and help. Thankfully they do but that also means the workforce is down here locally."
CASA of West Texas works closely with these kids and CPS caseworkers as well and have noticed the turnover's impact.
"The other issue is with all these changes in foster care across the state some of these high needs children are without placement," Pisklak said. "So it is a major issue. It really just depends on the situation with the child."
This ongoing problem ends up trickling down and impacting foster kids by now leaving some of them without proper placement and having to be put in other living situations like hotels or offices.
The kids who are often referred to the Department of Family Protective Services are also older teens with behavioral needs.
"A lot of the issues involve behavioral health and just different things that are going on with those specific children and because there is a lack of placements in Texas and because of the changes with community based care it’s caused a lot of issues that’s led to those children being without placement," Pisklak said.