On-Demand Training and MCLE

On March 8, 2022, the Hon. Rob Hofmann, Judge of the 452nd District Court and Children’s Commission’s Senior Jurist in Residence, provided a summary of the nuts and bolts of a child welfare case from investigations through various final outcomes. The presentation included a review of statutory requirements, including recent legislative changes, and current issues including dual status youth and placement. Best practices and practical tips for achieving positive permanency for children and engaging families and youth in the court process were also provided.

Recording: Child Welfare Case Primer: Statutory Hearings and Current Issues

Additional Resources:

• PowerPoint: Child Welfare Case Primer: Statutory Hearings and Current Issues
• Texas Child Protection Law Bench Book and Bench Cards

MCLE Information: The recorded webcast has been approved for 1.25 hours of MCLE credit.

Family Violence Credit Information for Judges: The recorded webcast has been approved for 1.25 hours of Family Violence credit. 

On May 17, 2023, Children’s Commission Director of Legal Representation, Dylan Moench led a panel discussion with Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) Program Lead, Lauren Morgan; DFPS Systems Improvement Analyst, Caroline Sinha; Monarch Family Services Owner and Administrator, Dr. Valerie Jackson; and CK Family Services Senior Director of Family Services, Michael Scrivner providing an overview of the Treatment Foster Family Care (TFFC) model, goals and benefits, what makes a TFFC home different than a traditional foster home, the placement process, eligibility criteria, and how it all relates to judges, attorneys, and other child advocates.

Recording: Overview of Treatment Family Foster Care

PowerPoint: Overview of Family Foster Care

Additional Materials: Webcast Q&A

MCLE Information: The recorded webcast was approved for 1.5 hours of MCLE credit. 

On August 17, 2023, Children’s Commission Jurist in Residence Hon. Piper McCraw; Legal Representation Director Dylan Moench; and Staff Attorneys Renée Castillo-De La Cruz and Aimee Corbin provided an overview of federal and state law on reasonable efforts and included a fictional scenario to demonstrate reasonable efforts followed by a Q&A discussion.

Recording: Reevaluating Reasonable Efforts Findings

PowerPoint: Reevaluating Reasonable Efforts Findings

MCLE/TBLS Information: The recorded webcast was approved for 1.0 hour of MCLE and .25 hours of ethics credit. This course has also been approved by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization for 1.0 hour of certification and recertification continuing legal education requirements for attorneys and paralegals in the specialty field of Child Welfare Law.

On July 18, 2024, Allison Green, Legal Director at the National Association of Counsel for Children (NACC) and Kellie Price, Special Projects Attorney at the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) provided a high-level overview of several significant federal child welfare laws and an in-depth look at related provisions in the Texas Family Code. The focused on the similarities and differences between these federal and state laws.

Recording: Understanding the Federal Intersection with Key Texas Child Welfare Laws

PowerPoint: Understanding the Federal Intersection with Key Texas Child Welfare Laws

Additional Resources: Children's Bureau Factsheet: Major Federal Legislation Concerned with Child Protection, Child Welfare, and Adoption

MCLE/TBLS Information: The recorded webcast was approved for 1.5 hours of MCLE credit. This course has also been approved by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization for 1.5 hours of certification and recertification continuing legal education requirements for attorneys and paralegals in the specialty field of Child Welfare Law.

On May 7, 2024, Justice Julie Countiss of the First Court of Appeals and attorney William B. “Bill” Connolly of Connolly, Schneider, and Shireman, discussed the types of temporary orders in child welfare cases that are subject to mandamus review, the process for a mandamus petition, and notable precedent resulting from mandamus review.

Recording: Filing for Mandamus in Child Welfare Cases

PowerPoint: Filing for Mandamus in Child Welfare Proceedings

MCLE/TBLS Information: The webinar was approved for 1.0 hour of MCLE credit. This course has also been approved by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization for 1.0 hour certification and recertification continuing legal education requirements for attorneys and paralegals in the specialty fields of Child Welfare Law and Family Law. 

On June 26, 2024, Michael Hull of the Harris County District Attorney’s Office Appellate Unit and Karen Langsley of Langsley Mills Law discussed what to look for when reviewing a court record, key elements of the Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure, and what to focus on when drafting a petition.

Recording: Handling Your First Child Welfare Appeal

PowerPoint: Handling Your First Child Welfare Appeal

MCLE/TBLS Information: The webinar was approved for 1.0 hour of MCLE credit. This course has also been approved by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization for 1.0 hour certification and recertification continuing legal education requirements for attorneys and paralegals in the specialty fields of Child Welfare Law and Family Law.

On February 9, 2024, Mark Briggs, Attorney at Law and Child Welfare Law Mediator, Michael Hull, Assistant County Attorney at the Harris County Attorney’s Office Appellate Division, and Lauren James, Chambers Attorney for the Texas First Court of Appeals in Houston, Texas discussed the obligations and duties of a trial attorney post-judgement and how to provide a smooth and successful handoff from trial to appellate counsel.

Recording: Navigating the Transition from Trial to Appellate Counsel

PowerPoint: Navigating the Transition from Trial to Appellate Counsel PowerPoint

Additional Materials: Navigating the Transition from Trial to Appellate Counsel Webinar Q&A

MCLE/TBLS Information: The recorded webcast was approved for 1.0 hour of MCLE credit. This course has also been approved by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization for 1.0 hour of certification and recertification continuing legal education requirements for attorneys and paralegals in the specialty fields of Child Welfare Law, Civil Appellate Law, and Family Law.

On Friday, November 22, 2024, Leslie Capace, Managing Attorney of the Appellate Section for the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, and Mark Zuniga, Staff Attorney for the Texas Justice Training Center, provided an overview on how trial attorneys can preserve issues for appeal by securing rulings on the record, making offers of proof, and filing bills of exception.

Recording: Trial Skills for Child Welfare Cases: Preserving the Record for Appeal

PowerPoint: Preserving Your Record for Appeal

Supplemental Paper: Preserving Your Record for Appeal

MCLE/TBLS Information: The recorded webinar was approved for 1.0 hour of MCLE credit. This course has also been approved by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization for 1.0 hour of certification and recertification continuing legal education requirements for attorneys and paralegals in the specialty field of Child Welfare Law.

This first of its kind virtual Texas Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) Summit provides the judicial and legal communities, caseworkers, and other child welfare stakeholders with in-depth training on the history of ICWA, critical legal components of ICWA, related case law updates, and the important impact of ICWA for Tribal communities.

Presented live on January 22, 2021, the Summit was hosted by the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas, Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas, and Ysleta del Sur Pueblo, in partnership with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services and the Supreme Court of Texas Children’s Commission.

Video replays and conference materials can be accessed on the Texas ICWA Summit webpage. The video replay has been approved for 5.5 MCLE hours. 

On October 22, 2022, the Hon. Delia Gonzales, Associate Judge of the Dallas County Child Protection and Permanency Court led a panel discussion focused on the importance of youth voice and best practices for preparing a child client for a court appearance, including speaking with the judge about their needs and goals. The panel included:

• Lori Duke, Co-Director and Clinical Professor at the Children’s Rights Clinic at the University of Texas School of Law; 
• Betty Bajika, former Young Adult Leadership Council Member, Texas Network of Youth Services;
• Leroy Berrones Soto, Project Coordinator, Child Welfare Reviews Project, JBS International, Inc.; and
• Ryan Harris, former Conservatorship Caseworker, Department of Family and Protective Services.

Recording: Enhancing the Experience of Children & Youth in Court: How Judges and Attorneys Can Prepare and Support Youth Attending Court

MCLE/TBLS Information: The recorded webcast has been approved for 1.0 hour of MCLE, with 0.25 hours of ethics credit. This course has also been approved by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization for 1.0 hour of certification and recertification continuing legal education requirements for attorneys and paralegals in the specialty field of Child Welfare Law.

On October 19, 2023, the Hon. Robert Falkenberg, Associate Judge of the Child Protection Court of South Texas, led a panel discussion highlighting the importance of attorney-client communication, best practices in preparing clients for court appearances, and legal advocacy inside and outside of the courtroom with Cynthia Dyar, Special Director of the Texas RioGrande Legal Aid Family Defense Project; Janet Vanderzanden, Staff Attorney at the Travis County Office of Parental Representation; and lived experience parents Kameryn Townsend and Jacqueline Reyna.

Recording: Enhancing the Experience of Parents in Child Welfare Cases

MCLE/TBLS Information: The recorded webcast was approved for 1.5 hours of MCLE and .25 hours of ethics credit. This course has also been approved by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization for 1.5 hours of certification and recertification continuing legal education requirements for attorneys and paralegals in the specialty fields of Child Welfare and Family Law.

On Friday, May 30, 2025, the Children’s Commission hosted a live webinar entitled “Representing Children with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in Child Welfare Cases.” During this webinar, Dr. Mackenzie Hughes, Clinical Psychologist and Assistant Project Children’s Hospital; and Kate Black, Attorney, Disability Rights Texas, discussed the diagnosis, testing, and treatment for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and considerations for judges and attorneys in child welfare case.

Recording: Representing Children with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in Child Welfare Cases

MCLE/TBLS Information:

The course has been approved for 1.0 hour of MCLE credit. It has also been approved by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization for 1.0 hour of certification and recertification continuing legal education requirements for attorneys and paralegals in the specialty fields of Child Welfare Law. Individuals watching the replay may email CCTraining@txcourts.gov for MCLE self-reporting information.

On April 24, 2024, Hon. Katrina Griffith, Associate Judge of the Harris County Child Protection Court, and Sarah Worthington, Director of the Texas Foster Youth Justice Project at Texas RioGrande Legal Aid discussed how to address the unique needs and interests of older youth in foster care, such as navigating issues with identification documents, connecting youth to benefits and educational opportunities, and supporting youth with disabilities.

Recording: Representing Older Youth in Care

PowerPoint: Representing Older Youth in Care

MCLE/TBLS Information: The recorded webcast was approved for 1.0 hour of MCLE credit. This course has also been approved by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization for 1.0 hour certification and recertification continuing legal education requirement for the specialty fields of Child Welfare Law and Family Law. 

On September 20, 2024, DFPS Education Specialists Felicia Penn, State Office, moderator; Jennifer Heimbach, Region 6B; Kathy Thurman, Region 4; and Keri Louviere, Region 5 explored the role and how to best utilize them to ensure that the educational needs of child clients are met.   

Recording: Supporting School Aged Children in Care 

PowerPoint: Supporting School Aged Children in Care 

MCLE/TBLS Information: The recorded webcast was approved for 1.0 hours of MCLE and TBLS. This course has also been approved by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization for 1.0 hour of certification and recertification continuing legal education requirements for attorneys and paralegals in the specialty field of Child Welfare Law.

On February 25, 2025, Hon. Charles Griffin, Judge of the Gulf Coast Children’s Court, panelists Leo Perales, Court Services Manager for Court Reporters & Interpreters at the Office of Court Administration, and Damaris Chavez, Attorney at Law at the Law Office of Damaris A. Chavez, shared best practices for including court interpreters throughout a child welfare case. The presentation covered legal requirements, logistics, client communication, and courtroom dynamics.   

Recording:

PowerPoint: Utilizing Court Interpreters in Child Welfare Cases

MCLE/TBLS: The recorded webinar was approved for 1.0 hour of MCLE credit. This course has also been approved by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization for 1.0 hour of certification and recertification continuing legal education requirements for attorneys and paralegals in the specialty fields of Child Welfare Law.

On April 29, 2025, the Children's Commission hosted a webinar entitled "Utilizing Day Care to Support Children and Families." Carol Morin, DFPS Day Care Program Director, Jennifer Cochran-Green, DFPS Managing Attorney for Regions 4 and 7, and Julie Rivera, Program Director of Child Care Services Workforce Solutions Capital Area, discussed how daycare services can support biological, kinship, and foster families and encourage child safety in various stages of a child welfare case, including prevention efforts. DFPS policies and procedures related to daycare and funding, the role and duties of the DFPS daycare coordinators, and practice tips for judges and lawyers were also covered.

Recording:

PowerPoint: Utilizing Day Care to Support Children and Families

MCLE/TBLS: This course has been approved for 1 hour of MCLE by the State Bar of Texas. It has also been approved by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization for 1 hour of certification and recertification continuing legal education requirements for attorneys and paralegals in the specialty field of Child Welfare Law. Individuals watching the replay may email CCTraining@txcourts.gov for MCLE self-reporting information.

On November 17, 2023, Michele Surratt, Managing Attorney for DFPS Region 9, and Tiffany Reedy, Managing Counsel for the Child Protection Services and Disability & Elder Law Divisions at the Harris County Attorney’s Office, discussed the foundations necessary to introduce exhibits commonly used in child welfare cases such as business records, certified copies, photos, video clips, outcry statements, and drug test results. Potential objections and foundational issues that may be encountered by attorneys attempting to lay their evidentiary foundation were also covered.

Recording: Laying Your Evidentiary Foundation

PowerPoint: Laying Your Evidentiary Foundation

Additional Materials: Laying Your Evidentiary Foundation Webcast Q&A

MCLE/TBLS Information: The recorded webcast was approved for 1 hour of MCLE. This course has also been approved by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization for 1 hour of certification and recertification continuing legal education requirements for attorneys and paralegals in the specialty field of Child Welfare Law.

On March 12, 2024, Rob Galvin, Attorney at Law, and William “Drake” Mikeska, Managing Attorney for DFPS Region 8, discussed the importance of making proper objections under the Texas Rules of Evidence. Strategies for when and how to object, how to respond to an objection, and what to do after a receiving a ruling on  an objection were also covered.

Recording: Trial Skills for Child Welfare Cases: Making and Responding to Objections

PowerPoint: Making and Responding to Objections PowerPoint

Additional Materials: Making and Responding to Objections Q&A

MCLE/TBLS Information: The recorded webcast was approved for 1.0 hour of MCLE credit. This course has also been approved by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization for 1.0 hour of certification and recertification continuing legal education requirements for attorneys and paralegals in the specialty fields of Child Welfare Law and Family Law.

On Friday, November 22, 2024, Leslie Capace, Managing Attorney of the Appellate Section for the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, and Mark Zuniga, Staff Attorney for the Texas Justice Training Center, provided an overview on how trial attorneys can preserve issues for appeal by securing rulings on the record, making offers of proof, and filing bills of exception.

Recording: Trial Skills for Child Welfare Cases: Preserving the Record for Appeal

PowerPoint: Preserving Your Record for Appeal

Supplemental Paper: Preserving Your Record for Appeal

MCLE/TBLS Information: The recorded webinar was approved for 1.0 hour of MCLE credit. This course has also been approved by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization for 1.0 hour of certification and recertification continuing legal education requirements for attorneys and paralegals in the specialty field of Child Welfare Law.

On October 8, 2024, the Hon. Aurora Martinez Jones, Judge of the 126th District Court, moderated a discussion with panelists Dr. Eloise Sepeda, Founder of Harmony One Restorative Justice, Lisa, Survivor Leader, and Maricarmen Garza, Attorney at the Tahirih Justice Center, on best practices for client and courtroom interactions when domestic violence is present in a child welfare case. Keeping safety and the best interest of the child at the forefront, the panel covered topics such as client communication, and courtroom and mediation dynamics in child welfare cases.

Recording: Domestic Violence in Child Welfare Cases: Best Practices for Judges and Attorneys

PowerPoint: Domestic Violence in Child Welfare Cases: Best Practices for Judges and Attorneys

Additional Materials:

• • Children’s Commission Bench Book
  • Trauma Informed Lawyering Updates Notifications Sign-up
  • Nicholson's Four Factors for Judicial Consideration in Cases Involving Domestic Violence and Children
  • National Council on Juvenile and Family Court Judges Bench Cards:
    • Checklist to Promote Perpetrator Accountability in Dependency Cases Involving Domestic Violence
    • Navigating Custody & Visitation Evaluations in Cases with Domestic Violence: A Judge's Guide
    • Reasonable Efforts Checklist for Dependency Cases Involving Domestic Violence
    • A Judicial Checklist for Children and Youth Exposed to Violence

MCLE/TBLS Information: The recorded webinar was approved for 1.0 hour of MCLE credit. This course has also been approved by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization for 1.0 hour of certification and recertification continuing legal education requirements for attorneys and paralegals in the specialty fields of Child Welfare and Family Law.

Family Violence Credit Information for Judges: This webinar has been approved for 1.0 hours of Family Violence credit.

On September 7, 2023, the Hon. Delia Gonzales, Associate Judge of the Dallas County Child Protection and Permanency Court led a discussion with panelists Dr. Anu Partap, Medical Director of Health Equity and Children's Rights at Cook Children’s Health Care System; Tiffany Crouch Bartlett, parent and child’s attorney in Central Texas, and Michelle Latray, parent and child’s attorney in Groesbeck, Texas on the importance of having a patient’s complete trauma history to assist health professionals with providing proper medical diagnoses and treatment plans. Duties, responsibilities, and best practice tips for attorneys representing parents and children in child welfare cases when psychotropic medications are or may be prescribed to a child were also covered.

Recording: Trauma History and Psychotropic Medications: What Judges and Attorneys Need to Know

Additional Resources:

• Sample Questions to Help Child Welfare and Court Teams Catch Moments to Protect Children and Support Forever Families (excerpt from Catching Moments to Promote Health Equity and Safety from the Bench presented by Dr. Anu Partap)
• Examples of Red Flags Signaling Potential Gaps in Health Care-Child Welfare Systems Collaboration (excerpt from Catching Moments to Promote Health Equity and Safety from the Bench presented by Dr. Anu Partap)

MCLE/TBLS Information: The recorded webcast was approved for 1.5 hours of MCLE and .25 hours of ethics credit. This course has also been approved by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization for 1.5 hours of certification and recertification continuing legal education requirements for attorneys and paralegals in the specialty field of Child Welfare Law.

The Community-Based Care 101 provides an overview of the community-based care model in Texas, including the stages of implementation and an update on the current status of rollout throughout the state. The training includes key terms and concepts for attorneys, judges, advocates, and other child welfare stakeholders to develop a basic understanding of the goals and structure of community-based care.

Recording: Community Based Care 101

PowerPoint: Community Based Care 101

On May 22, 2020, the Children's Commission hosted a 90-minute webcast, “Effective Advocacy in the Virtual CPS Courtroom,” designed for all practitioners on the CPS docket to share best practices when preparing cases and clients for a virtual hearing.

Moderated by Hon. Rob Hofmann, Judge of 452^nd District Court and Jurist in Residence for the Children’s Commission, the panel discussion includes Dennis Arriaga, Managing Attorney for Region 8, DFPS; Jana Clift-Williams, court-appointed attorney in Caldwell, Comal and Guadalupe Counties; and Ann Marie Smith, court-appointed attorney in Bexar, Comal, Hays, Guadalupe, and Caldwell counties. Topics include how to facilitate the client’s meaningful participation in a virtual hearing; how to properly elicit testimony on Zoom; how to properly enter evidence on Zoom; and how to review orders in a virtual setting. 

Recording: Effective Advocacy in the Virtual CPS Courtroom.

On May 17, 2022, the Children’s Commission hosted a virtual presentation designed for judges and attorneys entitled “Overview of Qualified Residential Treatment Program Legal Requirements.”

Children’s Commission Executive Director, Jamie Bernstein, Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) Qualified Residential Treatment Program (QRTP) Lead, Texas Flowers-Moffett, and DFPS QRTP Specialist, Tiffani Tillman provided an overview of the QRTP model, the QRTP placement review process, and the required legal findings that must be made in court in relation to QRTP placements. Additionally, a sample case scenario was discussed to provide practical information to participants.

Judges are especially encouraged to view this webcast as it includes specific information about the court review requirements for placement of a child or youth in a QRTP and the related timelines required by the Texas Family Code.

The recorded webcast was approved for 1.0 hour of MCLE credit. The video replay, accompanying PowerPoint presentation, QRTP Referral Example, and responses to the questions posed in the live broadcast are now available below.

Recording: Overview of Qualified Residential Treatment Program Legal Requirements

PowerPoint: QRTP Webcast PowerPoint

Additional Materials:

• QRTP Referral Example
• QRTP Webcast Q&A

On Thursday, January 20, 2022, the Children’s Commission’s Judicial Workgroup on the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC) presented a free, 1.5-hour webcast entitled “The Texas Response to the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children.” Panelists from the Office of the Texas Governor, the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, the Texas Alliance of Child and Family Services, Texas CASA, and Texas Juvenile Justice Department provided insight into their efforts to prevent, identify, and support children at risk and survivors of commercial sexual exploitation. 

The recorded webcast, accompanying PowerPoint presentation, and handouts are available below. 

Recording: The Texas Response to the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children

Additional Resources:

• PowerPoint: The Texas Response to the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children
• CSEC Reference Materials
• TACFS Fact Sheet
• Attorney General of Texas: Be the One

On March 11, 2022, the Children’s Commission prerecorded training material for the Trial Skills Training Course entitled to “How to Build a CPS Trial Notebook.” Michele Surratt, Managing Attorney of DFPS Region 9, and Rob Galvin, Attorney at Law, discussed the importance of preparing for the final hearing from the outset of the case and provided best practice tips on building a trial notebook for child welfare cases.

Recording: Trial Skills Training: How to Build a CPS Trial Notebook

Additional Resources: Trial Skills Training: How to Build a CPS Trial Notebook PowerPoint

The Judicial Trauma Institute was presented live on April 22-23, 2021, via webcast. The content was designed by Commission staff in partnership with the Statewide Collaborative on Trauma-Informed Care (SCTIC) Training Workgroup and hosted by the Texas Center for the Judiciary. The goal of the conference was for judicial teams to gain information and discover practical tools and resources about how to become a trauma-informed and trauma-responsive court in CPS cases. Judicial teams were composed by judges who invited the following members from their jurisdictions: a court coordinator; a prosecutor; an attorney who takes appointments for parents and for children in CPS cases; a senior-level Caseworker or Supervisor at DFPS; and a CASA Executive Director or Program Director. Due to the virtual format, additional child welfare stakeholders also attended.

Video replays and conference materials can be accessed on the Judicial Trauma Institute webpage.