Department of Family and Protective Services

Calling the lack of compliance “stunning,” U.S. District Judge Janis Jack again held Texas in contempt of court Friday for failing to comply with court-ordered reforms of the state’s foster care system.

A U.S. District Court judge has found the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) in contempt of an order for certain system reforms, and starting Friday will begin to fine the agency every day until the issue is resolved.

Texas legislators passed a bill last week to create an ombudsman who will independently address issues foster youth have with the Department of Family and Protective Services. The ombudsman will work for the Health and Human Services Commission and oversee and review complaints submitted by any of Texas’ 30,000 foster youth.

Lisa Mayrose knew Florida’s Department of Children & Families needed to overhaul how it investigated phone calls reporting beaten and neglected children. “We had a rash of child deaths,” Mayrose, the regional managing director of the department in Tampa, said in an interview with The Imprint.