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Prevention and Early Intervention (PEI) Program Descriptions

Programs

PEI manages and contracts with community-based programs to prevent abuse, neglect, delinquency, and truancy of Texas children. PEI programs are administered through contracts with local community agencies or organizations. All services are not available in all Texas communities. To find out if your community has services available, go to"Programs Available in Your County."

Community Youth Development (CYD)

The CYD program contracts with Fiscal Agents to develop juvenile delinquency prevention programs in ZIP codes that have a high incidence of juvenile crime. Approaches used by communities to prevent delinquency have included mentoring, youth employment programs, career preparation, and alternative recreation activities. Communities prioritize and fund specific prevention services identified as needed locally. CYD services are available in 15-targeted Texas ZIP codes.

Services to At-Risk Youth (STAR)

Through contracts with community agencies, STAR offers family crisis intervention counseling, short-term emergency residential care, and individual and family counseling to youth up to age 17 who experience conflict at home, have been truant or delinquent, or have run away. STAR services are available in all 254 Texas counties. Each STAR contractor also provides universal child abuse prevention services, ranging from local media campaigns to informational brochures and parenting classes.

Texas Families: Together and Safe (TFTS)

TFTS funds community-based programs designed to alleviate stress and to promote parental competencies and adoption of behaviors that will increase the ability of families to successfully nurture their children and work toward family self-sufficiency. TFTS services are available in eleven areas in the state, serving approximately 30 counties. The goals of TFTS are to:

  • Improve and enhance access to family support services;
  • Increase the efficiency and effectiveness of community-based family support services;
  • Enable children to remain in their own homes by providing preventative services; and
  • Increase collaboration among local programs, government agencies, and families.

Texas Runaway and Youth Hotlines

The toll-free Texas Runaway Hotline (1-888-580-HELP) and the Texas Youth Hotline (1-800-98-YOUTH) offer crisis intervention, telephone counseling, and referrals to troubled youth and families.  A volunteer workforce of about 60 people answers the phones.  Many callers face a variety of problems including family conflict, delinquency, truancy, and abuse and neglect issues.  The program increases public awareness through television, radio, billboards and other media efforts.  Hotline telephone counselors respond to about 40,000 calls annually.

Tertiary Child Abuse Prevention

Community-based, volunteer-driven services are provided for prevention, intervention and aftercare of children who have been, or who are at risk of being, abused and/or neglected. The goals of the program include reducing child maltreatment and the number of families re-entering the Child Protective Services system. Additional goals are improving the quality and availability of aftercare services for abused children, and enhancing a statewide network of tertiary child abuse prevention programs. Services are available in two communities.

Family Strengthening Services

Services that have been evaluated and proven to effectively increase family protective factors (At-Risk Family Strengthening Services) or that have utilized best practices. A variety of services are available across the state that are designed to increase known protective factors to increase family resiliency while preventing child abuse and neglect. Programs must also foster strong community collaboration to provide for a continuum of family services.

Youth Resiliency Services

Services that have been evaluated and proven to effectively increase youth protective factors (At-Risk Youth Resiliency Services) or that have utilized best practices. A variety of services are available across the state that are designed to increase know protective factors to increase youth resiliency while preventing juvenile delinquency. Programs must also foster strong community collaboration to provide for a continuum of services for youth participants.

Community-Based Child Abuse Prevention (CBCAP)

The CBCAP program seeks to increase community awareness of existing prevention services, strengthen community and parental involvement in child abuse prevention efforts, and encourage families to engage in services that are already available. In addition to supporting short-term respite services in two communities and the Infant Mortality Prevention Education program, six communities have been supported in developing Community Partnerships for Strengthening Families. Partnerships are comprised of parents, community members, community and faith-based organizations and government agencies working to improve outcomes for children, youth and families. The model places a high priority on parental involvement and participation in the design, implementation and evaluation of community-based programs and activities designed to prevent child abuse and neglect.

Statewide Youth Services Network (SYSN)

SYSN supports statewide networks of community-based prevention programs that provide evidence-based juvenile delinquency prevention services to address conditions resulting in negative outcomes for children and youth. The program is focused on youth ages 10 through 17 and offers services in each DFPS region.

Community-Based Family Services (CBFS)

This program serves families who were investigated by CPS but whose allegations were unsubstantiated. The program provides community and evidence-based services to prevent child abuse and neglect. Services include home visitation, case management, and additional social services to provide a safe and stable home environment. Services are currently offered in Bexar and Travis counties.

Special Initiatives

Special Initiatives for Prevention and Early Intervention include child abuse prevention media campaigns, development and distribution of the annual child abuse prevention kit, statewide surveys of prevention and early intervention service providers, and support of the annual Partners in Prevention Training Conference.