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Children’s Advocacy Centers ask Senate for $21 million to expand case management, mental-health care for child victims
Summary
Children’s Advocacy Centers of Texas asked the Senate Finance Committee for an additional $21 million to expand comprehensive case management services linking child victims to mental-health and forensic resources across the state.
Christina Green, chief advancement and external relations officer for the Children’s Advocacy Centers of Texas, told the Senate Finance Committee the network of 70 centers served more than 60,000 child victims and sought an additional $21 million in funding for comprehensive case management services within HHSC’s budget.
Green said expanded funding would connect children and families to services the state already pays for—including CAC mental-health services and forensic medical exams—preserve families by supporting in‑home services, and help law enforcement and prosecutors obtain information needed to hold perpetrators accountable. She emphasized the technology component of many abuse cases and the need for family engagement to address online abuse and prevention.
The witness said the service is required by statute but that standards and staffing vary by center; she urged funding to raise uniform standards of care and workforce capacity, including licensed clinical social workers for assessments related to suicide risk and PTSD.
Ending: Green provided a one-page handout to the committee and asked Finance to fund the item in the HHSC LAR so CACs can provide uniform, higher-standard case management and mental-health services statewide.
