The top local stories this morning from KERA News: A Texas Senate health committee meets today to examine a growing number of mentally ill children entering the state foster care system.
The hearing will also scrutinize how Child Protective Services tracks cases of abuse and neglect
This comes as a 17-year-old runaway from foster care is accused of killing a first-year dance major at UT-Austin’s campus. Last month, a four-year-old Grand Prairie girl died under the care of her mother and boyfriend. CPS has been blamed for not acting quickly enough to remove her from the home.
Gov. Greg Abbott last week named a former Texas Rangers chief to lead the state agency, which also oversees foster care. Two “special masters” were also appointed to make improvements after a judge ruled that Texas’ foster care system is ‘broken.’
Other stories this morning:
- The American Lung Association released its annual State of the Air report this morning. The report card on the nation’s air quality had good and bad news for Texas.
- Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center are trying to figure out whether a hospital’s good finances translates to its patients.
You can listen to North Texas stories weekdays at 8:22 and 6:20 p.m. on KERA 90.1 FM.
