County Board Training, Part I
PCAT Conference, San Antonio, March 4, 2014
Nancy Preston, President
 The mission of the TCCWB is to support a statewide
network of volunteers concerned with the welfare of
children, especially those who are abused and neglected.
 The vision of the TCCWB is to lead a cohesive network of
child welfare boards supporting services to vulnerable
children and families and promoting prevention of child
abuse and neglect, so that all children live in a loving,
nurturing and safe environment.
TCCWB
Delegates from Eleven (11)
Regional Councils
Eleven (11) Regional Councils
of Child Welfare / CPS Boards
Delegates
from
Local
CWB’s
Delegates
from
Local
CWB’s
Delegates
from
Local
CWB’s
Delegates
from
Local
CWB’s
Delegates
from
Local
CWB’s
Delegates
from
Local
CWB’s
Delegates
from
Local
CWB’s
Delegates
from
Local
CWB’s
Delegates
from
Local
CWB’s
Delegates
from
Local
CWB’s
Delegates
from
Local
CWB’s
CWB members advocate for children through:
 encouraging legislation to prevent child abuse and to improve services
available for abused and neglected children;
 working with child protective services (CPS) staff to support programs
that meet children’s needs;
 networking with other agencies and organizations to secure the best
practical advantages for abused and neglected children;
 working to prevent abuse and neglect through local and statewide
public awareness initiatives; and
 raising funds to support children’s needs and CWB activities
Duties of a TCCWB Delegate:
 Attend Texas Council meetings, functions & trainings
 Keep abreast of current issues affecting CPS and the children
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& families it serves
Work in the Texas Council to educate & advocate to the
broader audience of concerned Texans
Relay Texas Council information back to their respective
regional council for the purpose of informing county CWB’s
Assist in formulating and evaluating Texas Council
operations, goals & objectives that help improve outcomes
Inform the Texas Council of significant regional & local
events or issues worthy of posting on its website
Partner Agencies
Giving Texas Children Promise (GTCP) –
helping CPS with Rainbow Rooms
TexProtects –
success with legislative initiatives
CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) –
judges’ darlings & guardians for CPS children
Texas Foster Family Association –
helping understand fostering issues
Texans Care for Children, and more…
Regional Child Welfare Boards
or Advisory Councils
 Regional councils provide training and information on
regional and statewide issues, especially issues impacting
services to families and children
 Each regional council operates according to the region’s
needs and wishes. In most instances, each county CWB
sends one or two delegates as their representative to the
regional council
 Each regional council elects two or three delegates to
represent their region at the Texas Council of Child Welfare
Board meetings
Local Child Welfare Boards
 The Texas Family Code, §264.005, provides for the
appointment of county residents to a child welfare board
(CWB) by the county commissioners court
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The CWB is an entity of DFPS for the purposes of
providing coordinated state and local public welfare
services for children and their families, and coordinating
the use of federal, state, and local funds for those services
 Since CWB members are appointed by their commissioners
court, CWB's are also an extension of that entity
Local CWB Organizational
Suggestions:
An active and effective CWB possesses a clear sense of purpose and a strong
organizational framework. Members are well-informed and able to commit the time
required for CWB meetings and activities.
Each CWB should have a:
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Current roster of appointed members
Meeting agenda posted 72 hours in advance of each meeting
Mission statement
Set of Bylaws approved by the Commissioners Court with job
descriptions for members, officers and committees
 Budget annualized to the county fiscal year
 Timely orientation for new members
 Annual goal setting meeting
State Required
Open Government Training
of CWB Members
All elected and appointed officials in Texas are
required to receive Open Government Training
within 90 days of the date of their taking office
or of their appointment.
A copy of course completion certificates must be
printed and filed with the County Clerk.
Responsibilities of a CWB member:
 Attending all board meetings and assigned committee meetings;
 Serving on committees or task forces, and offering to take on special
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assignments;
Staying informed about the board’s mission, policies and services; and
about the CPS program, staff , and child abuse/neglect issues;
Informing the community about the child welfare program;
Helping to develop, recommend and present a proposed annual
budget to the Commissioners Court;
Adhering to annual background checks, conflict of interest and
confidentiality policies;
Assisting with building an informed and supportive constituency;
Recruiting, training and developing new CWB members;
Serving as a liaison to other resources for abused and neglected
children in the community; and
Facilitating the solution of child welfare-related problems in the
community
Suggestions for
Keeping Board Members Invested
 Conduct CWB business in a professional, organized & timely manner.
 Prepare new board members with an orientation with CPS staff & existing board members.
New board members should be given collateral materials about the organization’s current &
recent activities, as well as any information that will be useful in their position.
 Thank & recognize board members to sustain job satisfaction for volunteer board members.
 Lead by example through good attendance & active participation in board meetings. This can
be an effective way to deal with inactive board members.
 Conduct exit interviews for board members who leave to learn more about their board
experience.
 Provide information/feedback on how CWB decisions/activities are helping children.
RAINBOW ROOMS:
A Place for Hope and a New Start
The Rainbow Room is an emergency resource center available to CPS
caseworkers to help them meet the critical needs of abused and neglected
children. Rainbow Rooms stock new items that go directly to children entering
foster or relative care and children in their own homes who live below the
poverty line.
Fundraising Ideas
 Promote TCCWB license plates!!!
 (50% paid in gets back to your own county)
 Think outside the box!!!
 Illusionist or magic show
 Purse Auction (online or show)
 Bunko tournament
 No Go Gala
 Men’s Style Show
 Seek fundraising ideas that relate to your mission or find
others willing to fundraise for your mission (Go Blue
promotional items, Logo t-shirts, Golfers always have
tournaments, etc.)
 Play the sympathy card to high rollers and high tech firms
IMPORTANT RESOURCES:
 TCCWB Resource Manual and Operations Manual
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on TCCWB website http://www.tccwb.org
OAG Open Meetings training
https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/open
Texas Adoption website
http://www.dfps.state.tx.us/Application/TARE/Home.
aspx/Default
It’s Up To You – Child Abuse Awareness website
http://www.dfps.state.tx.us/itsuptoyou/default.asp
National Foster Care website
http://www.fostercaremonth.org
Questions And Answers
How can TCCWB support your local board?
Contact:
TCCWB Executive Director, Shannon Ireland,
at
(512) 484-8598
sireland@tccwb.org