Democrats and Republicans are engaged in important debates about how the federal government can best serve families in these challenging economic times. There are no simple answers, but as we enter the holiday season, there is one thing on which we can all agree: Family is essential for achieving the best in our lives and...
The video is disturbing. A young man stands over a girl, his fists clenched, stomping on her as she screams for help that never comes. A caseworker with the Department of Family and Protective Services, which has custody of the children, stands nearby watching the abuse unfold, but never intervenes. As difficult as it is...
Tonight, an estimated 13 children will sleep on the floor of CPS offices throughout Texas. “Every day was uncertain,” one child who experienced it routinely told the Texas Tribune. “You don’t know where you’re going to lay your head — where you’re going to get your next plate of food.” The child described the experience...
Soon, every Texan will have more opportunity to pursue their dreams, to learn new skills, and to thrive. The Texas Public Policy Foundation’s Opportunity Project supported and tracked important legislation that improved workforce development, removed governmental barriers, and reformed safety net programs—all of which will make Texas a more prosperous state. The 87th Texas Legislature...
Texans believe in second chances. That goes for families, too—even to parents whose past mistakes led to the involuntary termination of their parental rights. And a bill before the Texas House could give them their rights back and restore their families, if they turn their lives around and live up to their obligations. House Bill...
March 12 was the deadline to file bills at the Texas Legislature. For people who earn their livings in and around the Capitol, it’s a minor holiday. There’s a flurry of activity as staff work to finalize their boss’ legislative packages and lobbyists race to find sponsors for the remaining bills in their portfolios before...
Stories warning of a coming surge in child abuse have been a staple of local news reporting throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. For months, experts quoted in these reports issued dire predictions that severe instances of child abuse were poised to skyrocket due, in part, to the widespread move toward virtual schooling. The logic of these warnings followed...
The COVID-19 pandemic delivered a staggering blow to the U.S. economy, leaving millions of Americans unemployed. Low-income families were hit particularly hard and continue to struggle as the recovery rate for low-wage jobs lags behind that for high-wage jobs. Prolonged periods of unemployment for low-income families carry a number of risks, most notably an increased...
The COVID-19 pandemic has hit Hispanics particularly hard. The reasons for this range from language barriers to higher rates of comorbidities. Combine this with another disturbing trend—4,200 children in New York alone have lost a parent to COVID-19, putting a quarter of them at risk of going into foster care—and a crisis is becoming clear....
Government-imposed lockdowns related to the COVID-19 pandemic have disrupted life and created uncertainty for all Americans. Particularly impacted are the parents of children in foster care, many of whom face the very real threat of losing their children forever due to strict legal timelines governing child welfare cases. Consider Alexis, a domestic violence survivor in...
As election day approaches, the polarization of our political climate has been on full display. It’s easy to fall victim to the temptation to lose hope that our increasingly divided electorate will ever be able to reach consensus on many of the most challenging issues faced by our nation. Yet, as Americans, we are united...
It now looks unlikely that Austinites will get to make their voices heard this November in the controversy over the city’s homelessness policies. The Austin city clerk recently rejected a petition that would have allowed voters to reinstate the camping ban the City Council dismantled last year. Save Austin Now, a nonprofit that supported bringing back the...