Texas foster care agency cancels troubled provider’s contract

The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services has terminated its contract with a troubled foster care provider, EMPOWER, following the deaths of two children under its care and significant staffing issues. This move comes four months after the agency placed EMPOWER into receivership. The decision underscores the urgent need for better oversight and accountability in the foster care system, highlighting broader concerns about the safety and well-being of children in state care. This incident likely has far-reaching implications for policy changes and reforms aimed at preventing such tragedies in the future.