Texas Creates New Foster Care Ombudsman Office

On September 1, 2015, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) began creating a new foster care ombudsman’s office for youth in the custody of the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS). The office is housed in the HHSC Ombudsman’s Office. Previously, although the HHSC Ombudsman Office existed, it provided no specific assistance to the approximately 50,000 children in Texas foster care. Between 2012 and 2015, only three children in foster care lodged complaints with the HHSC Ombudman’s Office.

The new foster care ombudsman’s office was created by Texas Senate Bill 830 of . . .