School of Social Work grant to help improve state foster care program

Posted by Jayme Blaschke
Office of Media Relations
October 9, 2017

The School of Social Work at Texas State University has been awarded a Title IV-E grant of nearly $2.9 million from the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) to enhance the skills of current and future Child Protective Services workers.

This marks the 24th consecutive year the School of Social Work has received a Title IV-E grant from DFPS.

The grant expands the contractual relationship between the DFPS and the Center for Applied Interdisciplinary Research at Texas State. In addition to enhancing CPS workers' skills through undergraduate and graduate education in social work, it will also provide opportunities for ongoing staff training. Training will focus on enhancing caseworker skills necessary for administering the foster care program: referral to services, preparation for and participation in judicial determinations, placement of the child, development of the case plan, case reviews, case management and supervision, and recruitment and licensing of foster homes and institutions.

All training provided under this contract supports the goals and objectives in the Child and Family Services state plan for Title IV-E training.

State and DFPS field supervisors will work cooperatively to enhance the curriculum and training. Newly-developed curriculum will focus on the most current theories and techniques associated with foster care management, permanency planning, placement and case management in a multicultural society. The curriculum and training will contribute to child safety, well-being and permanency of placement.

About Texas State University

Founded in 1899, Texas State University is among the largest universities in Texas with an enrollment of 38,694 students on campuses in San Marcos and Round Rock. Texas State’s 181,000-plus alumni are a powerful force in serving the economic workforce needs of Texas and throughout the world. Designated an Emerging Research University by the State of Texas, Texas State is classified under “Doctoral Universities: Higher Research Activity,” the second-highest designation for research institutions under the Carnegie classification system.