~ In a joint press conference today, Governor Greg Abbott, alongside Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) Commissioner Audrey O'Neill and Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Assistant Secretary Alex J. Adams, announced that Texas will be joining the Trump Administration's "A Home for Every Child" initiative. This announcement comes during National Foster Care Month and reflects the state's ongoing efforts to ensure every child in Texas has access to a safe, stable, and loving home.

Governor Abbott expressed his honor in joining the Trump Administration's mission to provide every child in foster care with a real chance at a permanent, loving home. He stated that by eliminating unnecessary rules and regulations, more children will be able to find stability and hope. The governor also emphasized the importance of working together with federal partners to achieve better outcomes for children in the foster care system.

The "A Home for Every Child" initiative was launched by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through ACF, in support of President Donald J. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump's Executive Order "Fostering the Future for American Children and Families." The goal of this initiative is to ensure that for every child who enters foster care, there is a licensed foster home or kinship placement available – achieving a home-to-child ratio greater than 1:1 across participating states.

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Currently, there is a national shortage of licensed foster homes which creates barriers to stability and connection for children who need them most. In an effort to reverse this trend, Texas has committed to strategic recruitment, expanded kinship support, and removing unnecessary obstacles that discourage qualified families from becoming foster parents.

ACF Assistant Secretary Alex J. Adams expressed his pleasure in welcoming Texas to "A Home for Every Child" during National Foster Care Month. He commended Governor Abbott for prioritizing the needs of Texas' children and families by supporting efforts to keep families together and remove barriers that may discourage loving families from fostering. Adams also stated that ACF looks forward to working with Texas to increase the state's ratio of homes-to-kids, ensuring that every child can grow up in a safe, loving, and stable family.

DFPS Commissioner Audrey O'Neill also spoke at the press conference, highlighting the critical role that foster families play in partnering with case workers and families to help children heal when they have to be separated from their parents. She expressed her gratitude for their dedication and stated that joining "A Home for Every Child" will provide a sharper focus and stronger federal partnership to ensure every child in Texas has a safe place to belong. O'Neill also emphasized the use of data, reducing barriers, and investing in families as key strategies in achieving this goal.

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As part of Texas' participation in the initiative, DFPS will prioritize expanding recruitment and retention of licensed foster families through targeted outreach across the state. They will also work towards increasing kinship placements by reducing barriers for extended family members and trusted adults to become licensed caregivers. Additionally, efforts will be made to strengthen family preservation services and streamline the licensing process to remove unnecessary delays in placing children in qualified homes. Real-time data will also be utilized to identify placement gaps and match children with the most appropriate available home.

Texas has already made progress in recent years towards improving outcomes for children and families involved with the child welfare system. DFPS continues to collaborate with community partners, faith-based organizations, courts, and local child welfare boards to build the necessary infrastructure to ensure no child waits for a home.

National Foster Care Month is observed each May to raise awareness about the more than 370,000 children in foster care nationwide and the families, professionals, and communities who support them. To learn more about becoming a foster parent in Texas, visit www.dfps.texas.gov.

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