![Page 1: Permanency Summit October 7-9, 2012 Hilton Bella Harbor – Rockwall, Texas Safety v. Risk: The Travis County Experience](https://reader036.vdocuments.mx/reader036/viewer/2022062619/5516bb16550346a25b8b5e47/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
Permanency Summit
October 7-9, 2012Hilton Bella Harbor – Rockwall, Texas
Safety v. Risk: The Travis County Experience
![Page 2: Permanency Summit October 7-9, 2012 Hilton Bella Harbor – Rockwall, Texas Safety v. Risk: The Travis County Experience](https://reader036.vdocuments.mx/reader036/viewer/2022062619/5516bb16550346a25b8b5e47/html5/thumbnails/2.jpg)
Interrupt, ask questions, please
![Page 3: Permanency Summit October 7-9, 2012 Hilton Bella Harbor – Rockwall, Texas Safety v. Risk: The Travis County Experience](https://reader036.vdocuments.mx/reader036/viewer/2022062619/5516bb16550346a25b8b5e47/html5/thumbnails/3.jpg)
Caveats and Confessions
![Page 4: Permanency Summit October 7-9, 2012 Hilton Bella Harbor – Rockwall, Texas Safety v. Risk: The Travis County Experience](https://reader036.vdocuments.mx/reader036/viewer/2022062619/5516bb16550346a25b8b5e47/html5/thumbnails/4.jpg)
I have to fight against thinking
1. The case is over when CPS is appointed PMC
2. Placement hearings are straightforward and easy
3. I have plenty of time to get it right
4. There is no danger, no risk, in placing or leaving a child in foster care
5. The child or youth need not be, even shouldn’t be, present at court
![Page 5: Permanency Summit October 7-9, 2012 Hilton Bella Harbor – Rockwall, Texas Safety v. Risk: The Travis County Experience](https://reader036.vdocuments.mx/reader036/viewer/2022062619/5516bb16550346a25b8b5e47/html5/thumbnails/5.jpg)
You may not be able – or want – to replicate what we’ve done in Travis County
But you may be able to make a change that does work in your jurisdiction
![Page 6: Permanency Summit October 7-9, 2012 Hilton Bella Harbor – Rockwall, Texas Safety v. Risk: The Travis County Experience](https://reader036.vdocuments.mx/reader036/viewer/2022062619/5516bb16550346a25b8b5e47/html5/thumbnails/6.jpg)
Work still to do in Travis County
![Page 7: Permanency Summit October 7-9, 2012 Hilton Bella Harbor – Rockwall, Texas Safety v. Risk: The Travis County Experience](https://reader036.vdocuments.mx/reader036/viewer/2022062619/5516bb16550346a25b8b5e47/html5/thumbnails/7.jpg)
1. Adjust policies and procedures to allow youth to lead “normal” lives and to remove the stigma of being in foster care
2. Locate or create lasting connections (caring adults) for youth leaving care – prepare them for leaving, starting at least by 16, if not 15
3. Push harder to consummate adoptions sooner rather than later
4. Establish ways to avoid the use of psychotropic medications, monitor them when prescribed, and prepare youth for their continued use after leaving foster care
5. Harness the knowledge and power of faith-based and civic organizations
6. Bring healing to children and youth in or leaving foster care – help make them whole
![Page 8: Permanency Summit October 7-9, 2012 Hilton Bella Harbor – Rockwall, Texas Safety v. Risk: The Travis County Experience](https://reader036.vdocuments.mx/reader036/viewer/2022062619/5516bb16550346a25b8b5e47/html5/thumbnails/8.jpg)
![Page 9: Permanency Summit October 7-9, 2012 Hilton Bella Harbor – Rockwall, Texas Safety v. Risk: The Travis County Experience](https://reader036.vdocuments.mx/reader036/viewer/2022062619/5516bb16550346a25b8b5e47/html5/thumbnails/9.jpg)
![Page 10: Permanency Summit October 7-9, 2012 Hilton Bella Harbor – Rockwall, Texas Safety v. Risk: The Travis County Experience](https://reader036.vdocuments.mx/reader036/viewer/2022062619/5516bb16550346a25b8b5e47/html5/thumbnails/10.jpg)
Edward died in 2009,just after his 17th birthday
![Page 11: Permanency Summit October 7-9, 2012 Hilton Bella Harbor – Rockwall, Texas Safety v. Risk: The Travis County Experience](https://reader036.vdocuments.mx/reader036/viewer/2022062619/5516bb16550346a25b8b5e47/html5/thumbnails/11.jpg)
Robert, in 2011, just after his 13th
![Page 12: Permanency Summit October 7-9, 2012 Hilton Bella Harbor – Rockwall, Texas Safety v. Risk: The Travis County Experience](https://reader036.vdocuments.mx/reader036/viewer/2022062619/5516bb16550346a25b8b5e47/html5/thumbnails/12.jpg)
![Page 13: Permanency Summit October 7-9, 2012 Hilton Bella Harbor – Rockwall, Texas Safety v. Risk: The Travis County Experience](https://reader036.vdocuments.mx/reader036/viewer/2022062619/5516bb16550346a25b8b5e47/html5/thumbnails/13.jpg)
During TMC, I worry about returning a child home and learning she’s then injured or killed
I’m inclined to play it safe, to close the door to a return home
![Page 14: Permanency Summit October 7-9, 2012 Hilton Bella Harbor – Rockwall, Texas Safety v. Risk: The Travis County Experience](https://reader036.vdocuments.mx/reader036/viewer/2022062619/5516bb16550346a25b8b5e47/html5/thumbnails/14.jpg)
During PMC, I have to guard against playing it safe,closing the door to imperfect parents or families,
leaving a child in foster care
![Page 15: Permanency Summit October 7-9, 2012 Hilton Bella Harbor – Rockwall, Texas Safety v. Risk: The Travis County Experience](https://reader036.vdocuments.mx/reader036/viewer/2022062619/5516bb16550346a25b8b5e47/html5/thumbnails/15.jpg)
There are risks in foster care - There is damage done,unintentionally, by our system
There are reasonable risks to open doors so children can exit to legal permanency
![Page 16: Permanency Summit October 7-9, 2012 Hilton Bella Harbor – Rockwall, Texas Safety v. Risk: The Travis County Experience](https://reader036.vdocuments.mx/reader036/viewer/2022062619/5516bb16550346a25b8b5e47/html5/thumbnails/16.jpg)
![Page 17: Permanency Summit October 7-9, 2012 Hilton Bella Harbor – Rockwall, Texas Safety v. Risk: The Travis County Experience](https://reader036.vdocuments.mx/reader036/viewer/2022062619/5516bb16550346a25b8b5e47/html5/thumbnails/17.jpg)
![Page 18: Permanency Summit October 7-9, 2012 Hilton Bella Harbor – Rockwall, Texas Safety v. Risk: The Travis County Experience](https://reader036.vdocuments.mx/reader036/viewer/2022062619/5516bb16550346a25b8b5e47/html5/thumbnails/18.jpg)
![Page 19: Permanency Summit October 7-9, 2012 Hilton Bella Harbor – Rockwall, Texas Safety v. Risk: The Travis County Experience](https://reader036.vdocuments.mx/reader036/viewer/2022062619/5516bb16550346a25b8b5e47/html5/thumbnails/19.jpg)
Children Under Travis County Court Jurisdiction
• COS: 197
• TMC: 737
• PMC: 304
Total: 1,238
![Page 20: Permanency Summit October 7-9, 2012 Hilton Bella Harbor – Rockwall, Texas Safety v. Risk: The Travis County Experience](https://reader036.vdocuments.mx/reader036/viewer/2022062619/5516bb16550346a25b8b5e47/html5/thumbnails/20.jpg)
Travis County CPS Dockets
Darlene Byrne (Lead District Judge)
John Hathaway (Associate Judge)
Texanna Davis (Associate Judge)
262, Status, and Permanency Hearings – Mondays and Fridays
Placement Hearings - Wednesdays
Central Docket (District Judges)
Final Trials - weekly
![Page 21: Permanency Summit October 7-9, 2012 Hilton Bella Harbor – Rockwall, Texas Safety v. Risk: The Travis County Experience](https://reader036.vdocuments.mx/reader036/viewer/2022062619/5516bb16550346a25b8b5e47/html5/thumbnails/21.jpg)
Types of Hearings on PMC Docket
Initial Placement Reviews - within 2 months of final trial
Placement Reviews - generally, every 4 months
Special Reviews - as needed, pending Placement Review
![Page 22: Permanency Summit October 7-9, 2012 Hilton Bella Harbor – Rockwall, Texas Safety v. Risk: The Travis County Experience](https://reader036.vdocuments.mx/reader036/viewer/2022062619/5516bb16550346a25b8b5e47/html5/thumbnails/22.jpg)
Types of Placement Hearings on PMC Docket
Simple Adoption - 5 minutes or less (9:00, 1 day/month)
Complex Case - 30 – 60 minutes (2:00-4:00)
Basic Case - 20 minutes (9:00-1:00 pm, 3 per hour)
Special Reviews - 15-30 minutes (8:30 and noon)
![Page 23: Permanency Summit October 7-9, 2012 Hilton Bella Harbor – Rockwall, Texas Safety v. Risk: The Travis County Experience](https://reader036.vdocuments.mx/reader036/viewer/2022062619/5516bb16550346a25b8b5e47/html5/thumbnails/23.jpg)
Why?
![Page 24: Permanency Summit October 7-9, 2012 Hilton Bella Harbor – Rockwall, Texas Safety v. Risk: The Travis County Experience](https://reader036.vdocuments.mx/reader036/viewer/2022062619/5516bb16550346a25b8b5e47/html5/thumbnails/24.jpg)
3 Suggested Factors
1.CPS
2.CASA
3.Judicial Leadership
![Page 25: Permanency Summit October 7-9, 2012 Hilton Bella Harbor – Rockwall, Texas Safety v. Risk: The Travis County Experience](https://reader036.vdocuments.mx/reader036/viewer/2022062619/5516bb16550346a25b8b5e47/html5/thumbnails/25.jpg)
CPS
1.Permanency Roundtables
2.PCA and kinship workers
3.TARE revisions and Project PUSH
4.PMC unit(s)
5.Shift in focus and philosophy
![Page 26: Permanency Summit October 7-9, 2012 Hilton Bella Harbor – Rockwall, Texas Safety v. Risk: The Travis County Experience](https://reader036.vdocuments.mx/reader036/viewer/2022062619/5516bb16550346a25b8b5e47/html5/thumbnails/26.jpg)
CASA
1.More CASA volunteers
2.Power to request hearings
3.Transitional Youth Specialists
4.Shift in focus and philosophy
![Page 27: Permanency Summit October 7-9, 2012 Hilton Bella Harbor – Rockwall, Texas Safety v. Risk: The Travis County Experience](https://reader036.vdocuments.mx/reader036/viewer/2022062619/5516bb16550346a25b8b5e47/html5/thumbnails/27.jpg)
Judicial Leadership: Pre-2007
Judge Scott McCown Judge Jeanne Meurer
Long history of strong judicial leadership
![Page 28: Permanency Summit October 7-9, 2012 Hilton Bella Harbor – Rockwall, Texas Safety v. Risk: The Travis County Experience](https://reader036.vdocuments.mx/reader036/viewer/2022062619/5516bb16550346a25b8b5e47/html5/thumbnails/28.jpg)
Judicial Leadership: Post-2007
1.2007 – Judge Darlene Byrne assumed responsibility for CPS docket
2.2008 – Judge Darlene Byrne established Travis County Model Court for Children and Families
3.Ongoing – Judge Darlene Byrne empowers AJs to imagine and initiate
![Page 29: Permanency Summit October 7-9, 2012 Hilton Bella Harbor – Rockwall, Texas Safety v. Risk: The Travis County Experience](https://reader036.vdocuments.mx/reader036/viewer/2022062619/5516bb16550346a25b8b5e47/html5/thumbnails/29.jpg)
Lessons Learned
![Page 30: Permanency Summit October 7-9, 2012 Hilton Bella Harbor – Rockwall, Texas Safety v. Risk: The Travis County Experience](https://reader036.vdocuments.mx/reader036/viewer/2022062619/5516bb16550346a25b8b5e47/html5/thumbnails/30.jpg)
The Fierce Urgency of Now
![Page 31: Permanency Summit October 7-9, 2012 Hilton Bella Harbor – Rockwall, Texas Safety v. Risk: The Travis County Experience](https://reader036.vdocuments.mx/reader036/viewer/2022062619/5516bb16550346a25b8b5e47/html5/thumbnails/31.jpg)
There Should be Nothing Permanent About PMC
Every Child Should Be Moving Off the PMC Docket
![Page 32: Permanency Summit October 7-9, 2012 Hilton Bella Harbor – Rockwall, Texas Safety v. Risk: The Travis County Experience](https://reader036.vdocuments.mx/reader036/viewer/2022062619/5516bb16550346a25b8b5e47/html5/thumbnails/32.jpg)
Parents Change
Older Youth Will Often Return to Parents, Regardless
Let the Youth Gain Information/Prepare a Youth For a Safer Return Home
![Page 33: Permanency Summit October 7-9, 2012 Hilton Bella Harbor – Rockwall, Texas Safety v. Risk: The Travis County Experience](https://reader036.vdocuments.mx/reader036/viewer/2022062619/5516bb16550346a25b8b5e47/html5/thumbnails/33.jpg)
There Is Always Family
![Page 34: Permanency Summit October 7-9, 2012 Hilton Bella Harbor – Rockwall, Texas Safety v. Risk: The Travis County Experience](https://reader036.vdocuments.mx/reader036/viewer/2022062619/5516bb16550346a25b8b5e47/html5/thumbnails/34.jpg)
Every Child is Adoptable
There Is No Such Thing as Long-Term Foster Care
![Page 35: Permanency Summit October 7-9, 2012 Hilton Bella Harbor – Rockwall, Texas Safety v. Risk: The Travis County Experience](https://reader036.vdocuments.mx/reader036/viewer/2022062619/5516bb16550346a25b8b5e47/html5/thumbnails/35.jpg)
APPLA Means Never Having to Say Long-Term Foster Care
There Can Be No APPLAWithout a Caring Adult
![Page 36: Permanency Summit October 7-9, 2012 Hilton Bella Harbor – Rockwall, Texas Safety v. Risk: The Travis County Experience](https://reader036.vdocuments.mx/reader036/viewer/2022062619/5516bb16550346a25b8b5e47/html5/thumbnails/36.jpg)
Permanency is someone to
1. Contact in an emergency
2. To see or visit when nearby
3. Spend the holidays with
4. Walk you down the aisle
5. Cheer when you get your PhD
![Page 37: Permanency Summit October 7-9, 2012 Hilton Bella Harbor – Rockwall, Texas Safety v. Risk: The Travis County Experience](https://reader036.vdocuments.mx/reader036/viewer/2022062619/5516bb16550346a25b8b5e47/html5/thumbnails/37.jpg)
A Youth’s Well-Being (Quality of Life) is Critical
1. Socializing with friends2. Social media3. Number of youth in home/facility4. Contact with siblings/other family5. School6. Extra-curricular activities7. Sense of control/lack of control
![Page 38: Permanency Summit October 7-9, 2012 Hilton Bella Harbor – Rockwall, Texas Safety v. Risk: The Travis County Experience](https://reader036.vdocuments.mx/reader036/viewer/2022062619/5516bb16550346a25b8b5e47/html5/thumbnails/38.jpg)
Words Are Powerful
1. PMC
2. Placement
3. Level of care
Children and youth need to understand what we’re saying
![Page 39: Permanency Summit October 7-9, 2012 Hilton Bella Harbor – Rockwall, Texas Safety v. Risk: The Travis County Experience](https://reader036.vdocuments.mx/reader036/viewer/2022062619/5516bb16550346a25b8b5e47/html5/thumbnails/39.jpg)
Isolate and Focus on PMC(With 1 Judge, If Possible)
![Page 40: Permanency Summit October 7-9, 2012 Hilton Bella Harbor – Rockwall, Texas Safety v. Risk: The Travis County Experience](https://reader036.vdocuments.mx/reader036/viewer/2022062619/5516bb16550346a25b8b5e47/html5/thumbnails/40.jpg)
Hold More Frequent Hearings
![Page 41: Permanency Summit October 7-9, 2012 Hilton Bella Harbor – Rockwall, Texas Safety v. Risk: The Travis County Experience](https://reader036.vdocuments.mx/reader036/viewer/2022062619/5516bb16550346a25b8b5e47/html5/thumbnails/41.jpg)
Question Use and Dosage of Psychotropic Medications
![Page 42: Permanency Summit October 7-9, 2012 Hilton Bella Harbor – Rockwall, Texas Safety v. Risk: The Travis County Experience](https://reader036.vdocuments.mx/reader036/viewer/2022062619/5516bb16550346a25b8b5e47/html5/thumbnails/42.jpg)
Bring the Child or Youth to Court
1. In-person, if at all possible – video or phone in rare circumstances
2. Allow the child or youth to be present in the courtroom and to participate
3. Talk to the child or youth in chambers (door open, staff outside of door)
4. Assure the child or youth you will listen, but can’t promise to deliver
5. Actively listen
6. Give the child or youth a sense of significance and control
7. Judges – do it for yourself
![Page 43: Permanency Summit October 7-9, 2012 Hilton Bella Harbor – Rockwall, Texas Safety v. Risk: The Travis County Experience](https://reader036.vdocuments.mx/reader036/viewer/2022062619/5516bb16550346a25b8b5e47/html5/thumbnails/43.jpg)
Keep Fighting the Good Fight
With Passion and Urgency
![Page 44: Permanency Summit October 7-9, 2012 Hilton Bella Harbor – Rockwall, Texas Safety v. Risk: The Travis County Experience](https://reader036.vdocuments.mx/reader036/viewer/2022062619/5516bb16550346a25b8b5e47/html5/thumbnails/44.jpg)