Emails, Patrick Crimmins, media relations manager, Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, Oct. 3, 2018

12:51 p.m.

I think it is important to understand that there are several hundred foster/adopt agencies to choose from, and most of those do not claim a religious affiliation. I am waiting on those numbers and will send asap………Patrick

My queries for DFPS:

 Is this claim accurate?

No. 

Why or why not?

We always need qualified, loving foster and adoptive parents, and sexual orientation is not taken into consideration by the State of Texas when determining whether or not an individual can foster or adopt.  While HB 3959 protects the religious beliefs of child placing agencies and adoption agencies, that DOES NOT mean that a qualified individual cannot foster or adopt – it simply means that person should select an agency that will accept his or her application to foster or adopt.

In fact, while HB 3859 protects providers with sincerely-held religious beliefs, that same law also requires that alternatives are offered to the new foster or adoptive parents so that every child is served.

What is the best-available information on whether, and to what extent, individuals have been kept from adoption if they are gay?

DFPS has a long-standing practice that connects potential foster/adoptive parents with providers in their part of the state, and that practice is unaffected by HB 3859. For example, if someone in Victoria wants to adopt a Texas foster child, we will connect that person with an agency that can make that happen, with the only consideration what is best for that child.

The bottom line is that any qualified person who wants to foster or adopt a child in Texas can do so, regardless of his or her sexual orientation.

Patrick Crimmins

Media Relations Manager

Texas Department of Family and Protective Services

1:44 p.m.

...we have 133 foster/adoption agencies in the state (not several hundred as I said below), some with religious affiliations. The point is that there are plenty to choose from – anyone who wants to foster or adopt can do so, and we always need both new foster parents and adoptive parents!

Patrick

2:11 p.m.

Can you point me to any recent relevant statistics? The numbers here seem considerably old: https://www.dfps.state.tx.us/Adoption_and_Foster_Care/Why_Not_Me/press_release.asp

g.

2:37 p.m.

Total number of children adopted FY 2018 (through Aug. 31, 2018): 5,636

Number of children who need an adoptive parent, as of Aug.31, 2018: 3,811

3:13 p.m.

These are children adopted from foster care only – we don’t have any data on private adoptions.