A Court has approved DFPS’s request to appoint a receiver for the EMPOWER operations of Texas Family Initiative that serves as the Community-Based Care (CBC) Single Source Continuum Contractor (SSCC) in Region 3E. The Court appointed George Cannata to serve as receiver and provide oversight of case management and executive operations. By May 18,  DPFS will submit its statutorily required report to the Court and EMPOWER agrees to a 60-day extension of the receivership to allow additional time for assessment.

A receiver is an individual appointed by the Court to oversee certain operations of an organization when additional oversight and stabilization are needed. In this case, the receiver will oversee EMPOWER’s case management and executive operations in Region 3E to help stabilize services and help ensure children and families continue receiving safe and consistent support.

DFPS requested the appointment of a receiver following ongoing monitoring and assessment that identified safety concerns and areas where additional oversight and operational support are needed to strengthen case practice and help ensure the safety and stability of services for children and families.

The receiver’s responsibilities include:

• Assessing safety
• Providing oversight of case management operations
• Assessing current practices and operational structure, including managing the workforce and contracts/grants
• Acting as a fiduciary for the operation, including accessing financial accounts and data
• Implementing improvements where needed
• Helping ensure continuity of services for children and families
• Working with DFPS and community partners to stabilize operations
• Helping ensure the success of the CBC model

The receiver may also develop plans to strengthen operations moving forward.

Texas Family Initiative d/b/a EMPOWER remains the Single Source Continuum Contractor for Region 3E. The receiver has been appointed to oversee certain operations while stabilization and assessment occur.

Day-to-day work continues. Staff should continue working with their supervisors and leadership while the receiver begins assessing operations. Additional guidance will be shared if operational changes are needed.

The goal of receivership is to maintain continuity of services while strengthening operations. Children and families will continue receiving services.

DFPS staff should continue their regular work supporting children and families. DFPS will work closely with the receiver and community partners to maintain stability and support operations in the region.

No. This action applies only to EMPOWER’s operations in Region 3E.

Although EMPOWER and another CBC provider, 2INgage, operate under the same parent organization, this receivership does not apply to 2INgage’s contract, operations, or services.

The duration of receivership depends on the Court and the progress made toward stabilizing operations; however, the first receivership term is set to last 90 days. DFPS can request 60-day extensions with the court as needed. The receiver will assess operations and provide recommendations regarding next steps.

Yes. DFPS and the receiver will share updates as appropriate as the process moves forward.

Staff should direct questions through their normal supervisory chain. Additional information will be shared as it becomes available. If there are questions not answered in the FAQs above, please email DFPS3EQuestions@dfps.texas.gov.

No state employee benefits from the receivership. The cost in the court order provides direction on how EMPOWER will reimburse the state for the cost of the receiver.

By May 18, DFPS will submit its statutorily required report to the Court. The report includes initial observations from the assessment of operations, including safety, case management practices, and organizational structure.  Since the receivership is filed under the Texas Family Code and is based on confidential sensitive child information, DFPS and EMPOWER requested the required report be filed under seal.

The request allows additional time for the receiver to complete a thorough assessment of operations and ensure that any recommendations or next steps are well-informed and focused on safety and stability for children and families. The parties agreed to a 60-day extension of the receivership from June 16.  During this extension period, while the Receiver continues a comprehensive assessment of operations and safety, the Department remains fully committed to maintaining stability and continuity. We will actively support EMPOWER by ensuring staff have access to ongoing training, addressing workforce needs, and reinforcing the resources necessary to effectively serve children and families. Our focus during this time is to sustain a strong, responsive environment that prioritizes both staff support and the well-being of the families we serve.