Resource Letter for Judges & Attorneys
The Children’s Commission maintains a distribution list to inform legal practitioners of training and scholarship opportunities and to relay pertinent child welfare-related information about emerging, relevant, and changing policy, laws, practice, and training opportunities that are of interest to attorneys handling CPS cases. The Resource Letter is shared via email distribution on a near-weekly basis and posted below.
If you are interested in joining this list to receive the Resource Letter, please subscribe below.
2021
- 10/13/2021: October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month
- 10/6/2021: Jurist in Residence Letter, 2021 Child Welfare Judges Conference Update
- 10/1/2021: Preserving Family Connections through Kinship Care
- 9/16/2021: 2021 Texas ICWA Summit Replay and Materials Now Available
- 9/10/2021: September is National Suicide Prevention Month
- 9/1/2021: 87th Regular Legislative Session September 1st Effective Dates
- 8/27/2021: Back to School Reminders for 2021-2022 School Year
- 8/12/2021: Jurist in Residence Letter, Registration Now Open: 2021 Child Welfare Judges Conference
- 8/5/2021: 87th Legislative Session Archived Webcast, Related Program Materials, and Report
- 8/3/2021: Emergency Rental Assistance Available
- 7/30/2021: Judicial Trauma Institute Replay and Materials Now Available
- 7/23/2021: Young Adult Pandemic Aid (PanAid) for Older Texas Youth
- 7/21/2021: Reminder: Children's Commission Webcast 87th Legislative Session Update on CPS-Related Matters
2021
- 10/6/2021: 2021 Child Welfare Judges Conference Update
- 8/13/2021: Registration Now Open: 2021 Child Welfare Judges Conference
- 5/26/2021: Family-Centered Justice Program Opportunity
- 5/21/2021: Save the Date: 2021 Child Welfare Judicial Conference; Judicial Scholarship Opportunity to NCJFCJ 84th Annual Conference in St. Louis
- 5/3/2021: Webinar on June 15: Judicial Discussion on Capacity
- 3/24/2021: National Quality Improvement Center on Family-Centered Reunification Implementation Sites and Information Webinar
- 2/8/2021: National CASA/GAL Seeking Nominations for Judicial Leadership Council
- 1/28/2021: Texas Juvenile Mental Health and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Law Bench Book
2020
- 12/1/2020: Registration Deadline Today for the “Day with the Department” Judicial Conference
- 11/17/2020: Featured Speakers on "Day with the Department" Judicial Conference
- 10/28/2020: 2020 Child Protection Law Bench Book Now Available
- 10/8/2020: Save the Date for Upcoming "Day with the Department" Judicial Conference
- 9/2/2020: Jurist in Residence Letter: Registration Now Open: 2020 Child Welfare Judges Conference
- 7/15/2020: Updated Save the Date for 2020 Annual Child Welfare Conference
- 7/6/2020: Reminder: Applications Due Tomorrow for Scholarships to NCJFCJ 83rd Annual Virtual Conference
- 6/29/2020: Announcing Judicial Scholarship Opportunity to NCJFCJ 83rd Annual Virtual Conference
- 5/18/2020: NCJFCJ Seeking Applications for Board of Directors
- 2/7/2020: Save the Date: 2020 Child Welfare Judges Conference
- 1/17/2020: Judicial Practices to Improve Permanency Outcomes
2019
- 9/19/19: Reminder: Live CPS-Related MCLE on Thursday, September 26, 2019
- 9/12/19: Announcing Live CPS-Related MCLE on Thursday, September 26, 2019
- 8/30/19: Save the Date! Upcoming MCLE Opportunities
- 8/28/19: Back to School 2019-2020
- 8/21/19: Update on the Status of ICWA in Texas
- 8/9/19: Learning Opportunity for Judges Who Hear CPS Cases Involving Infants and Toddlers
- 8/2/19: 2019 Child Protection Update: 86th Legislative Session
- 7/12/19: Reminder: Registration is Now Open for the 2019 Child Welfare Judges Conference
- 7/3/19: Children's Commission Webcast: 86th Legislative Session Update on CPS-Related Matters
- 6/18/19: 2019 Child Welfare Judges Conference
- 6/13/19: Webinar on June 21, 2019: LGBTQ and Race Equity
- 5/24/19: Special Issue: Resources Related to Preventing and Addressing Domestic Child Sex Trafficking
- 5/21/19: Save the Date for Children's Commission Webcast: 86th Legislative Session Update on CPS-Related Matters
- 5/2/19: Deadlines Extended: 2019 Summer Scholarship Opportunities for Child Welfare Judges and Attorneys
- 4/26/19: Announcing Judicial Commission on Mental Health Jurist in Residence Resource Letter
- 4/18/19: Announcing 2019 Summer Scholarship Opportunities for Child Welfare Judges and Attorneys
- 4/11/19: Save the Date: 2019 Child Welfare Judicial Conference
- 4/5/19: Texas Youth Permanency Study
- 3/29/19: Judicial Scholarship Opportunity to NCJFCJ 82nd Annual Conference
- 3/15/19: Engaging Children and Youth in Court
- 3/5/19: Texas Board of Legal Specialization Announces Inaugural Child Welfare Law Specialists
- 2/14/19: Children's Commission Releases Report on Building a Trauma-Informed Child Welfare System: A Blueprint
- 2/5/19: Announcing 2019 Spring Scholarship Opportunities for Child Welfare Attorneys
- 1/17/19: Upcoming Training on Family Drug Court, Child Welfare Information Study, Last Day to submit TST Applications
- 1/10/19: Hands-on Trial Skills Training Applications Extended to Thursday, January 17th
- 1/3/19: Hands-on Trial Skills Training Applications Due Thursday, January 10, 2019
2018
- 12/19/18 Hands-on Trial Skills Training Opportunity
- 12/7/18 Update on the status of ICWA in Texas
- 11/30/19 2018 Child Protection Law Bench Book
- 11/9/18 Update on the status of ICWA in Texas
- 11/2/18 Information Regarding Children and Families Separated at the Border and State Courts
- 10/10/18 Request for Participation in Upcoming Round Table on Mediation in CPS Cases (A)
- 10/3/18 The Education of Children & Youth Placed in Residential Treatment Round Table Report
- 9/26/18 New and Updated Education-Related Resources
- 9/21/18 2018 Texas CASA Conference
- 9/12/18 2018 Study of Legal Representation in Child Protective Services Cases
- 9/7/18 MCLE and Related Discounts for CPS-Related MCLE
- 8/31/18 CPS-Related MCLE on Tuesday, September 11, 2018
- 8/24/18 Back to School Reminders for 2018 - 2019
- 8/17/18 MCLE on CPS-Related Issues, Save the Date: September 11, 2018
- 8/1/18 The Relative and Other Designated Caregiver Program
- 7/19/18 Save the Date: 2018 Child Welfare Judges Conference
- 7/13/18 Webinar: Kinship Care and Race Equity in Child Welfare
- 6/13/18 DFPS "3 in 30" Program Information and Implementation Schedule
- 5/24/18 Video Conferencing to Increase Family and Youth Engagement
- 5/17/18 Attorney and Judicial Scholarship Deadlines Extended
- 5/9/18 Resources Related to Cultural Competency and Reducing Disproportionality and Disparities
- 5/3/18 Scholarship Deadlines; TBLS Child Welfare Application Extension; TBLS Exam Fee Reimbursement; and DFPS Region 1 Community Meeting
- 4/24/18 TBLS Applications for Specialization Exam in Child Welfare Law Due April 30, 2018
- 4/19/18 Summer Scholarship Opportunities for Child Welfare Attorneys
- 3/22/18 Trial Skills Training Opportunity: July 2018
- 3/13/18 Legal Representation Survey
- 2/26/18 TBLS 2018 Specialization Exam in Child Welfare; Scholarship Opportunity for Inaugural CLE hosted by new Child Protection Law Section of the State Bar of Texas
- 2/23/18 Judicial Commission on Mental Health
- 2/2/18 Drug Court Grant Opportunity
- 1/30/18 New Child Protection Law Section
- 1/22/18 The Texas Response to Human Trafficking
2017
- 12/13/17 Texas Child Protection Law Bench Book
- 12/1/17 Hearing Notification Service Update - Hearing Alerts by Text Message Now Available
- 11/3/17 Trial Skills MCLE Now Available in the TexasBar CLE Online Classroom
- 10/20/17 Website Update and Children's Commission Celebrates 10 Year Anniversary
- 9/29/17 Reminder of Upcoming MCLEs and Related Discounts
- 9/18/17 Rescheduled Live MCLE on Trial Skills: Tuesday, October 3, 2017
- 9/8/17 Undocumented Caregivers in Texas
- 9/1/17 New Laws Effective September 1, 2017; Legislative Update Now Available Online
- 8/18/17 Education Considerations for the 2017 - 2018 School Year
- 8/4/17 MCLE Webcasts on Trial Skills: Tuesday, August 29, 2017
- 7/21/17 2017 Child Protection Judicial Update: 85th Legislative Session
- 7/14/17 Child Protection Legislative Update: 85th Legislative Session Webcast, July 24th 1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
- 7/23/17 Texas Higher Education Information and Resource Guide for Foster Care Liaisons
- 6/16/17 Texas Board of Legal Specialization (TBLS) Child Welfare Law Certification Exam
- 5/12/17 Best Practices for Residential Interventions for Youth and their Families: A Resource Guide for Judges and Legal Partners with Involvement in the Children's Dependency Court System
- 4/21/17 Texas Health Steps Medical Checkup
- 4/7/17 Announcing Two New Education Guides:
- 3/31/17 ICWA Quick Reference Tools for State Courts
- 3/17/17 Definition of Home for Purposes of Removal to Foster Care
- 3/10/17 Beyond the Bench: Law, Justice, and Communities Summit
- 3/3/17 Homeless Youth Handbook
- 2/10/17 Capacity and Community Engagement
- 2/3/17 Family Helpline and Spanish Version of the Children's Commission Resource Guide
- 1/27/17 Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Update
- 1/6/17 DFPS Case Management System
2016
- 12/12/16 Notice and Engagement Email Notification System Announcement
- 12/2/16 Youth Voice in Court Proceedings
- 11/18/16 MCLE Video on Trauma-Informed Advocacy for Attorneys
- 10/28/16 Archived MCLE on CPS-related Issues
- 9/20/16 Child Adolescent Needs and Strengths Assessment and Family Strength and Needs Assessment
- 8/2016 Notification to Courts of New CASA Screening Procedure
- 5/18/16 Ombudsman for Children and Youth in Foster Care
- 5/2/16 Judicial Guide to Advocate for and Ensure Adequate Funding for Legal Representation in Child Protective Services Cases
- 4/20/16 Department of Family and Protective Services: Increase in Removals
- 4/14/16 STAR Health Enhancements
- 2/8/16 Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS) Assessment for Foster Children 2016
- 1/8/16 New Texas Case Law on Indian Child Welfare Act
2021
- 10/13/2021: October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month
- 10/6/2021: Jurist in Residence Letter, 2021 Child Welfare Judges Conference Update
- 10/1/2021: Preserving Family Connections through Kinship Care
- 9/16/2021: 2021 Texas ICWA Summit Replay and Materials Now Available
- 9/10/2021: September is National Suicide Prevention Month
- 9/1/2021: 87th Regular Legislative Session September 1st Effective Dates
- 8/27/2021: Back to School Reminders for 2021-2022 School Year
- 8/13/2021: Jurist in Residence Letter, Registration Now Open: 2021 Child Welfare Judges Conference
- 8/5/2021: 87th Legislative Session Archived Webcast, Related Program Materials, and Report
- 8/3/2021: Emergency Rental Assistance Available
- 7/30/2021: Judicial Trauma Institute Replay and Materials Now Available
- 7/23/2021: Young Adult Pandemic Aid (PanAid) for Older Texas Youth
- 7/21/2021: Reminder: Children's Commission Webcast 87th Legislative Session Update on CPS-Related Matters
- 7/13/2021: NACC Invites Comments on Draft Recommendations for Legal Representation of Children and Youth
- 7/7/2021: Reminder: July 30th Deadline for Fiscal Year 2022 CIP Grant Applications
- 7/1/2021: Update on the Status of ICWA in Texas
- 6/29/2021: Effective July 1, 2021, DFPS will not file Non-Emergency Removals
- 6/28/2021: Reminder: Scholarship Applications Due this Friday, July 2 for TexasBarCLE one-day CAN Workshop and NACC 44th Annual Conference
- 6/28/2021: Children's Commission Webcast: 87th Legislative Session Update on CPS-Related Matters
- 6/18/2021: Announcing Scholarship Opportunities for Child Welfare Judges and Attorneys to Summer Conferences
- 6/9/2021: National Reunification Month
- 6/3/2021: Announcing Release of Final Report of the Task Force on Court-Appointed Legal Representation
- 6/2/2021: Reminder: Applications Due Friday, June 4 for Judicial Scholarships to NCJFCJ's 84th Annual Conference in St. Louis
- 6/1/2021: Fiscal Year 2022 Court Improvement Program Grant Applications: June 1, 2021 - July 30, 2021
- 5/27/2021: Supreme Court of Texas 38th Emergency Order
- 5/26/2021: Jurist in Residence Letter, Family-Centered Justice Program Opportunity
- 5/21/2021: Jurist in Residence Letter, Save the Date: 2021 Child Welfare Judicial Conference
- 5/19/2021: CPS Webinar on The Asian Experience and Race Equity
- 5/17/2021: May is Foster Care Month
- 5/5/2021: Correction: Supporting Youth and Young Adults in Foster Care through the Pandemic
- 5/3/2021: Jurist in Residence Letter, Webinar on June 15: Judicial Discussion on Capacity
- 4/27/2021: Trial Skills Training Application Final Deadline Extended
- 4/20/2021: Announcing Scholarship Opportunities for Child Welfare Attorneys to ABA's Virtual National Parent Representation Conference
- 4/15/2021: TBLS Child Welfare Law Specialization Application Deadline
- 4/12/2021: April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month
- 4/7/2021: Trial Skills Training Opportunity
- 3/24/2021: Jurist in Residence Letter, National Quality Improvement Center on Family-Centered Reunification Implementation Sites and Information Webinar
- 3/12/2021: Trauma-Informed Texas Website; Archived Foster Care and Education Webinar; Mediation Round Table Report
- 3/8/2021: UTMB Survey on the Intersection of Domestic Violence and Child Welfare
- 3/4/2021: Resources and Upcoming Training in the Aftermath of Winter Storm Uri
- 2/8/2021: Jurist in Residence Letter, National CASA/GAL Seeking Nominations for Judicial Leadership Council
- 1/28/2021: Jurist in Residence Letter, Texas Juvenile Mental Health and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Law Bench Book
- 1/13/2021: Registration Reminder: Texas Indian Child Welfare Act Summit
- 1/11/2020: Human Trafficking Prevention Month
2020
- 12/18/2020: 2021 Texas Indian Child Welfare Act Summit
- 12/15/2020: National Study on Remote Hearing Practices in Child Welfare Cases
- 12/1/2020: Registration Deadline Today for the “Day with the Department” Judicial Conference
- 11/19/2020: Highlighting ICWA During Native American Heritage Month
- 11/17/2020: Jurist in Residence Letter: Featured Speakers on "Day with the Department" Judicial Conference
- 11/13/2020: Spotlight on Adoption in November
- 11/6/2020: CPS Webinar on November 19: Someone Who Looks Like Me: Representation Within the Child Welfare System
- 10/30/2020: The Intersection of Domestic Violence and Child Welfare
- 10/28/2020: Jurist in Residence Letter: 2020 Child Protection Law Bench Book Now Available
- 10/22/2020: Dismissal Date Guidance for Child Protective Services Cases
- 10/8/2020: Jurist in Residence Letter: Save the Date for Upcoming "Day with the Department" Judicial Conference
- 10/1/2020: Casey Family Programs Special Report
- 9/24/2020: Back to School for the 2020-2021 School Year
- 9/22/2020: Supreme Court of Texas 26th Emergency Order and Office of Court Administration Guidance for All Court Proceedings During COVID-19 Pandemic
- 9/10/2020: Upcoming CPS Webinar on September 16th: LGBTQ and Race Equity Part II
- 9/2/2020: Jurist in Residence Letter: Registration Now Open: 2020 Child Welfare Judges Conference
- 8/31/2020: Now Available: Tool Kit for Attorneys Representing Parents and Children in Child Protection Cases
- 8/21/2020: Recordings Now Available from Ensuring Justice in Child Welfare Summit
- 8/7/2020: NCSC Free Virtual Child Welfare Summit on August 10-11. 2020
- 7/29/2020: Announcing Attorney Scholarships for Webcast Replays of TexasBarCLE's Child Abuse and Neglect Workshop
- 7/20/2020: Announcing Scholarship Opportunity for Child Welfare Judges and Attorneys to NACC 43rd National Child Welfare Law Virtual Conference
- 7/14/2020: Jurist in Residence Letter: Updated Save the Date for 2020 Annual Child Welfare Conference
- 7/6/2020: Jurist in Residence Letter: Reminder: Applications Due Tomorrow for Scholarships to NCJFCJ 83rd Annual Virtual Conference
- 6/29/2020: Jurist in Residence Letter: Announcing Judicial Scholarship Opportunity to NCJFCJ 83rd Annual Virtual Conference
- 6/25/2020: Health Insurance for Aged Out Foster Youth: Former Foster Care Children’s Medicaid
- 6/17/2020: New Texas CASA Resources and Upcoming Training
- 6/11/2020: Upcoming Webinar on June 17th: Domestic Violence and Race Equity: TWAIS
- 6/3/2020: Webcast on June 5, 2020 and Job Opening at Commission
- 5/29/2020: Register Now: Webcast on Benefits of Using Technology in Child Welfare Cases on June 5, 2020
- 5/21/2020: Benefits of Utilizing Technology in Child Welfare Cases
- 5/13/2020: Announcement regarding the Children’s Commission website, COVID-19 webpage and resource links
- 5/8/2020: Register Now: Webcast on Effective Advocacy in the Virtual CPS Courtroom on May 22nd
- 5/1/2020: Save the Date! Upcoming Webcast on Effective Advocacy in the Virtual CPS Courtroom
- 4/28/2020: Resources to Support Educational Success for Students in Foster Care During COVID-19
- 4/20/2020: Resources for Parents and Families Involved with CPS
- 4/14/2020: April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month
- 4/8/2020: Handling Sensitive or Protected Information in Child Protection Hearings; Interview of Child in Chambers
- 4/1/2020: Guidance for Services and Service Plans
- 3/25/2020: DFPS Issues Virtual Contact Guidelines for Caseworkers
- 3/23/2020: Current Suggested Best Practices for Family Visitation During the COVID-19 Crisis
- 3/20/2020: COVID-19 Resources Related to CPS Cases
- 3/19/2020: Supreme Court Emergency Orders Suspending Deadlines and Procedures
- 3/2/2020: DFPS News Release on Community-Based Care
- 2/19/2020: Hands-on Trial Skills Training Applications Extended to Friday, February 21st
- 2/13/2020: MCLE on Essentials of Family Representation in CPS Cases Now Available in the TexasBarCLE Online Classroom
- 2/4/2020: Hands-on Trial Skills Training Opportunity
- 1/30/2020: Child Welfare Presentation: CIP Talks
- 1/23/2020: Resources Related to Preventing and Addressing Domestic Child Sex Trafficking
- 1/17/2020: Judicial Practices to Improve Permanency Outcomes
2019
- 9/19/19: Reminder: Live CPS-Related MCLE on Thursday, September 26, 2019
- 9/12/19: Announcing Live CPS-Related MCLE on Thursday, September 26, 2019
- 8/29/19: Save the Date! Upcoming MCLE Opportunities
- 8/28/19: Back to School 2019-2020
- 8/21/19: Update on the Status of ICWA in Texas
- 8/2/19: 2019 Child Protection Update: 86th Legislative Session
- 7/12/19: Reminder: Registration is Now Open for the 2019 Child Welfare Judges Conference
- 7/3/19: Children's Commission Webcast: 86th Legislative Session Update on CPS-Related Matters
- 6/13/19: Upcoming Webinar on June 21, 2019: LGBTQ and Race Equity
- 5/24/19: Special Issue: Resources Related to Preventing and Addressing Domestic Child Sex Trafficking
- 5/21/19: Save the Date for Children's Commission Webcast: 86th Legislative Session Update on CPS-Related Matters
- 5/2/19: Deadlines Extended: 2019 Summer Scholarship Opportunities for Child Welfare Judges and Attorneys
- 4/26/19: Announcing Judicial Commission on Mental Health Jurist in Residence Resource Letter
- 4/18/19: 2019 Summer Scholarship Opportunities for Child Welfare Judges and Attorneys
- 3/15/19: Engaging Children and Youth in Court
- 3/5/19: Texas Board of Legal Specialization Announces Inaugural Child Welfare Law Specialists
- 2/14/19: Children's Commission Releases Report on Building a Trauma-Informed Child Welfare System: A Blueprint
- 2/5/19: Announcing 2019 Spring Scholarship Opportunities for Child Welfare Attorneys
- 1/17/19: Upcoming Training on Family Drug Court, Child Welfare Information Study, Last Day to submit TST Applications
- 1/10/19: Hands-on Trial Skills Training Applications Extended to Thursday, January 17th
- 1/3/19: Hands-on Trial Skills Training Applications Due Thursday, January 10, 2019
2018
- 12/19/18 Hands-on Trial Skills Training Opportunity
- 12/7/18 Update on the status of ICWA in Texas (December 2018)
- 11/30/18 2018 Child Protection Law Bench Book
- 11/9/18 Update on the status of ICWA in Texas (November 2018)
- 10/3/18 The Education of Children & Youth Placed in Residential Treatment Round Table Report
- 9/26/18 New and Updated Education-Related Resources
- 9/12/18 2018 Study of Legal Representation in Child Protective Services Cases
- 9/7/18 CPS MCLE and Related Discounts
- 8/24/18 Back to School Reminders for 2018 - 2019
- 8/17/18 Save the Date: MCLE on CPS-Related Issues September 11, 2018
- 8/1/18 The Relative and Other Designated Caregiver Program
- 7/13/18 Webinar: Kinship Care and Race Equity in Child Welfare
- 6/13/18 DFPS "3 in 30" Program Information and Implementation Schedule
- 5/24/18 Video Conferencing to Increase Family and Youth Engagement
- 5/17/18 Attorney and Judicial Scholarship Deadlines Extended
- 5/9/18 Resources Related to Cultural Competency and Reducing Disproportionality and Disparities
- 5/3/18 Scholarship Deadlines; TBLS Child Welfare Application Extension; TBLS Exam Fee Reimbursement; and DFPS Region 1 Community Meeting
- 4/24/18 TBLS Applications for Specialization Exam in Child Welfare Law Due April 30, 2018
- 4/19/18 Summer Scholarship Opportunities for Child Welfare Attorneys
- 3/22/18 Trial Skills Training Opportunity: July 2018
- 3/13/18 Legal Representation Survey
- 2/26/18 TBLS 2018 Specialization Exam in Child Welfare; Scholarship Opportunity for Inaugural CLE hosted by new Child Protection Law Section of the State Bar of Texas
- 2/23/18 Judicial Commission on Mental Health
- 2/2/18 Drug Court Grant Opportunity
- 1/30/18 NACC Conference Scholarships; New Child Protection Law Section
- 1/22/18 The Texas Response to Human Trafficking
2017
- 12/13/17 2017 Texas Child Protection Law Bench Book
- 12/1/17 Hearing Notification Service Update - Hearing Alerts by Text Message Now Available
- 11/3/17 Trial Skills MCLE Now Available in the TexasBar CLE Online Classroom
- 10/20/17 Website Update and Children's Commission Celebrates 10 Year Anniversary
- 9/29/17 MCLEs and Related Discounts
- 9/18/17 Webcast: MCLE on Trial Skills
- 9/8/17 Undocumented Caregivers in Texas
- 9/1/17 New Laws Effective September 1; Scholarships for 2017 Texas CASA Conference; 2017 Legislative Update Now Available Online
- 8/18/17 Education Considerations for the 2017 - 2018 School Year
- 7/23/17 Texas Higher Education Information and Resource Guide for Foster Care Liaisons
- 7/21/17 2017 Child Protection Judicial Update: 85th Legislative Session
- 7/14/17 Child Protection Legislative Update: 85th Legislative Session Webcast
- 6/16/17 Texas Board of Legal Specialization (TBLS) Child Welfare Law Certification Exam
- 5/12/17 Best Practices for Residential Interventions for Youth and their Families: A Resource Guide for Judges and Legal Partners with Involvement in the Children's Dependency Court System
- 4/21/17 Texas Health Steps Medical Checkup
- 4/7/17 New Education Guides:
- Transition Planning in CPS and Special Education - Encouraging Coordination and Collaboration to Promote Better Outcomes;
- Clarifying Confidentiality: New Guidance on Sharing Information about the Education of Children and Youth in Foster Care
- 3/31/17 ICWA Quick Reference Tools for State Courts
- 3/16/17 Current and Upcoming MCLEs on CPS-related Issues
- 3/3/17 Homeless Youth Handbook
- 2/10/17 American Bar Association (ABA) Resources: Upcoming Conferences and Free MCLE
- 2/3/17 Resources for Parent and Parent Advocates: The Family Helpline and Spanish Version of the Children's Commission's Parent Resource Guide
- 1/27/17 Every Student Succeeds Act Update (December 2016)
- 1/13/17 Free ABA Teleconference: Youth Transitioning from Foster Care to Adulthood
2016
- 12/12/16 Notice and Engagement Announcement
- 12/2/16 Importance of Youth Voice in Court Proceedings
- 11/18/16 MCLE Video on Trauma-Informed Advocacy for Attorneys
- 10/28/16 Archived MCLE on CPS-related Issues
- 9/30/16 Child Adolescent Needs and Strengths Assessment (CANS) and Family Strength and Needs Assessment (FSNA)
- 5/25/16 Ombudsman for Children and Youth in Foster Care
The application period for 2022 Court Improvement Program (CIP) grant opportunities is currently open through July 30, 2021. For more information on how to apply, please visit the Grants webpage.
Current Scholarships and New Training Announcements:
8/13/2021: Jurist in Residence Letter, Registration Now Open - 2021 Child Welfare Judges Conference
Previous Announcements:
2021
- 6/18/2021: Announcing Scholarship Opportunities for Child Welfare Judges and Attorneys to Summer Conferences; Applications due by Friday, July 2, 2021.
- 5/26/2021: Jurist in Residence Letter, Family-Centered Justice Program Opportunity; Applications due by Friday, July 9, 2021.
- 5/21/2021: Jurist in Residence Letter, Save the Date: 2021 Child Welfare Judicial Conference; Judicial Scholarship Opportunity to NCJFCJ 84th Annual Conference in St. Louis; Scholarship deadline Friday, June 4, 2021
- 5/19/2021: CPS Webinar on The Asian Experience and Race Equity
- 4/27/2021: Trial Skills Training Application Final Deadline Extended
- 4/20/2021: Announcing Scholarship Opportunities for Child Welfare Attorneys to ABA's Virtual National Parent Representation Conference
- 4/15/2021: TBLS Child Welfare Law Specialization Application Deadline
- 4/7/2021: Trial Skills Training Opportunity
2020
- Announcing Judicial Scholarship Opportunity to NCJFCJ 83rd Annual Virtual Conference
- Hands-on Trial Skills Training Opportunity
2019
- 9/19/19: Reminder: Live CPS-Related MCLE on Thursday, September 26, 2019
- 9/12/19: CPS-Related MCLE on Thursday, September 26, 2019
- 8/29/19: Save the Date! Upcoming MCLE Opportunities
- 8/6/19: Learning Opportunity for Judges Who Hear CPS Cases Involving Infants and Toddlers
- 8/2/19: Recorded Webcast: 86th Legislative Session Update on CPS-Related Matters
- 7/3/19: Children's Commission Webcast: 86th Legislative Session Update on CPS-Related Matters
- 5/2/19: Deadlines Extended: 2019 Summer Scholarship Opportunities for Child Welfare Judges and Attorneys
- 4/18/19: 2019 Summer Scholarship Opportunities for Child Welfare Judges and Attorneys
- 2/5/19: 2019 Spring Scholarship Opportunities for Child Welfare Attorneys
- 1/17/19: Upcoming Training on Family Drug Court, Child Welfare Information Study, Last Day to submit TST Applications
- 1/10/19: Hands-on Trial Skills Training Applications Extended to Thursday, January 17th
- 1/3/19: Hands-on Trial Skills Training Opportunity
2018
- 12/19/18 Hands-on Trial Skills Training Opportunity
- 9/7/18 CPS MCLE and Related Discounts
- 8/17/18 Save the Date: MCLE on CPS-Related Issues September 11, 2018
- 5/17/18 Attorney and Judicial Scholarship Deadlines Extended
- 5/3/18 Scholarship Deadlines; TBLS Child Welfare Application Extension; TBLS Exam Fee Reimbursement; and DFPS Region 1 Community Meeting
- 4/24/18 TBLS Applications for Specialization Exam in Child Welfare Law Due April 30, 2018
- 4/19/18 Summer Scholarship Opportunities for Child Welfare Attorneys
- 3/22/18 Trial Skills Training Opportunity: July 2018
- 2/26/18 TBLS 2018 Specialization Exam in Child Welfare; Scholarship Opportunity for Inaugural CLE hosted by new Child Protection Law Section of the State Bar of Texas
- 1/30/18 NACC Conference Scholarships; New Child Protection Law Section
2017
- 11/3/17 Trial Skills MCLE Now Available in the TexasBar CLE Online Classroom
- 9/29/17 MCLEs and Related Discounts
- 9/18/17 Webcast: MCLE on Trial Skills
- 9/1/17 New Laws Effective September 1; Scholarships for 2017 Texas CASA Conference; 2017 Legislative Update Now Available Online
- 7/14/17 Child Protection Legislative Update: 85th Legislative Session Webcast
- 6/16/17 Texas Board of Legal Specialization (TBLS) Child Welfare Law Certification Exam
- 3/16/17 Current and Upcoming MCLEs on CPS-related Issues
- 2/10/17 American Bar Association (ABA) Resources: Upcoming Conferences and Free MCLE
- 1/13/17 Free ABA Teleconference: Youth Transitioning from Foster Care to Adulthood
2016
2015
- 12/29/15 Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA 2015)
- 11/30/15 Extended Health Care Benefits for Former Foster Youth
- 11/30/15 New Data Available on Education Outcomes for Texas Foster Youth
- 9/15/15 Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths (CANS) Assessment for Foster Children 2015
- 9/4/15 Parental Child Safety Placements, or PCSPs
- 8/3/15 84th Session Legislative Update
- 1/22/15 Foster Care and Human Trafficking
2014
- 11/17/14 DFPS Transformation Report and Suggested Statutory Changes
- 9/8/14 Information about Youth Sex Offenders
- 6/21/14 Unaccompanied Alien Children
- 5/30/14 Texas Child Protection Specialty Courts
- 5/8/14 Why It's Important to Consider the Indian Child Welfare Act
- 2/4/14 Education Decision-Making in CPS cases and the New Form 2085-E
- 1/24/14 Medical Consenter Training
2013
- 12/16/13 Family Visitation in CPS Cases
- 10/28/13 Legislative Changes Regarding Medical Care for Foster Youth
- 9/10/13 Back to School - Legislation and Resources to Help Improve Education Outcomes of Students in Foster Care
- 8/14/13 Opiate and Opioid Dependency of Pregnant and Nursing Women
- 7/30/13 Federal Requirements Regarding Specificity in Court Orders
- 3/22/13 Guide for Fathers in CPS cases
- 1/18/13 Permanency Summit Follow-up
- 1/3/13 Texas Mounts Efforts to Improve Educational Outcomes of Children and Youth in Foster Care
2012
- 11/8/12 83rd Session Legislative Proposal on Appointment and Compensation of Counsel in Child Protective Services (CPS) Cases
- 10/3/12 Permanency Care Assistance Program, Part III - Letter
- 6/11/12 Free Spanish language interpretation available by telephone for some courts
- 5/29/12 Court Hearing Practices and Court Costs
- 5/16/12 Subpoena Policy at DFPS
- 3/28/12 New Appellate Rules Applicable to Termination of Parental Rights or State as Managing Conservator
- 2/22/12 Free Online Attorney Training on Representing Parents in CPS Cases Offered by State Bar of Texas
- 2/3/12 CPS realigns staff in response to state budget cuts
2011
- 11/28/11 Psychoactive Medications
- 3/20/11 DFPS Foster Care Redesign
- 3/7/11 Impact of Budget Deficits on CPS
2010
- 12/1/10 Bench Book for CPS Judges
- 10/5/10 Extending Foster Care Beyond 18
- 9/1/10 Implicit Bias in Judicial Decision-Making
- 4/15/10 Permanency Care Assistance Program, Part II- Follow Up
- 3/8/10 Permanency Care Assistance Program, Part I-Basics
- Engagement Efforts to Achieve Permanency: Moving the Focus to the Front of the Case