Texas Court Appoints Receiver To Oversee Foster Care Lead Agency EMPOWER Following Child Safety Failures

A Texas court appointed a receiver to oversee operations at EMPOWER, the lead community-based care (CBC) contractor in Region 3E, which includes the Dallas area. The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) requested the appointment due to concerns about child safety.

DFPS petitioned the court after two infants in EMPOWER’s custody died. The petition stated that since EMPOWER began its contract in March 2023, the organization has experienced caseload failures, contract violations, unsafe transportation practices, and poor documentation. These issues resulted in 17 Continuous Quality Improvement plans and two Corrective Action Plans.

The receiver, George Cannata . . .