SJRC Texas Belong Community-Based Care (CBC)

Description

In 2017, Texas began a process to redesign the child welfare system in an effort to improve the lives and outcomes of children in state custody. The model is called Community-Based Care (CBC).

SJRC Texas has served over 1,700 children and families in a 27-county region surrounding San Antonio. All but two of the counties are rural. SJRC Texas coordinates child welfare services for the region and provides family enrichment services and programming, mental health supports, residential care, community-based foster care, emergency care services, and a child placing agency to license foster homes and complete adoptions.

SJRC Texas's new division, Belong, is the lead provider for CBC, in which foster care services in a region are centralized through one contractor instead of being managed by a state entity. Belong provides foster and adoption services along with support services for children and families.

SJRC Texas was awarded a contract from the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services for CBC. The organization is one of currently 7 regional contractors across the state.

Services offered

SJRC Texas Belong CBC services include:

• Caregiver support groups and group parenting classes
• Family Resource Center
• Fatherhood Initiative, with education and engagement opportunities
• Foster and kinship care
• Funds for children and families to access medical equipment such as blood pressure cuffs and cranial helmets
• Health clinics
• Legal case management
• Parents as Teachers Home Visiting Program
• "Resource fiestas" providing health screenings, blood pressure readings, blood sugar testing, vaccines, COVID-19 testing, and nutrition information
• Reunification services

A critical component of SJRC Texas Belong CBC's programming is establishing virtual health clinics to increase access to care in rural communities. Currently, SJRC Texas houses two clinics through a partnership with UT Health, with additional collaborative efforts underway for future expansion throughout the multi-county region.

Results

Since October 2021, SJRC Texas Belong CBC has seen the following numbers:

• Over 1,700 children and young adults served
• Over 1,000 volunteers engaged
• 336 staff employed across 27 counties
• Over 1,400 home and virtual visits conducted by certified Parent Educators
• 86 families and 103 children currently served by Parent Educators
• 500 kinship families served

Challenges

The implementation of CBC in the South Central and Hill Country region was a significant challenge. The region spans from the border of Mexico to the Gulf Coast. Therefore, there is an intentional and strategic plan to engage in community-building efforts to help develop opportunities to grow service capacity so that resources are readily accessible for all children and families.

Replication

Gather information from community experts to best understand the needs and strengths of each community. The organizational structure of CBC was designed to have an on-the-ground community team in each subregion (North, South, East, West) that focused on community-building initiatives, including bridging the gap between residents and services, bringing essential services to the rural communities, and offering a platform for collaborative conversations to occur.

Build genuine and authentic relationships with community stakeholders, youth, and adults who are involved in the child and family well-being system and who have an interest in child well-being.

SJRC Texas works closely with other CBC contractors as well as community providers considering applying for the CBC contract in their regions. SJRC Texas engages in a national coalition and is available to others interested in the CBC model and other innovative practices.

Contact Information

Kane Jaggers, Senior Regional Director
SJRC Texas
kjaggers@sjrctexas.org