Texas is in the middle of a foster care crisis. More than a dozen children died while in foster care placements in the last several years. Gov. Greg Abbott and the state’s leading lawmakers say fixing the foster care system is a top priority during this legislative session.
The issue rose to be a top item for lawmakers, after 2015 ruling by U.S. District Judge Janis Graham Jack called the system “broken” and unconstitutional. This series aims to get at the root of the challenges facing foster care in the state. We’re going to pick the system apart piece by piece, looking at groups involved with and affected by the system: foster children, caseworkers and lawmakers.