young child with a drawing of a rainbow

What We Do

Healthy Outcomes through Prevention & Early Support (HOPES) is a flexible community grant that funds a wide variety of innovative initiatives and supports for families with children 0-5 years of age. Supports typically include home visiting services, as well as other supports that build protective factors, such as parent support groups, maternal depression screening, early literacy promotion, case management, and parent education. HOPES grants also include local collaborations with health care, faith-based organizations, child welfare, early childhood education, and other child and family services in the community.

Beginning in FY 2023, DFPS will reallocate Helping through Intervention and Prevention funding to HOPES programs to strengthen programming and increase statewide access to supports for pregnant and parenting youth in care.

Who We Serve

Families with children ages 0-5 years old who are considered at risk for abuse and neglect.

Map of Providers and Communities

Map of Texas, showing providers across the state. For a text version of HOPES providers, check the PEI Provider Directory.

*Denotes provider counties
‡ Denotes sites which received HIP funding in FY23
For additional provider details, see the 2023 provider directory.

How We Measure Success

  • Children remain safe during services, within 1 year (96.0% in FY21) and 3 years (87.0% in FY21).
  • Increase in protective factors, such as family functioning and resiliency, social supports, and nurturing/attachment (90% of caregivers in FY21).

Program Data

  • Program Start Date: 2014
  • Target Number of Youth/Families Served Annually, FY23: 9,426
  • Average Number of Youth/ Families Served Per Month, FY21: pending
  • Counties Served: 28 Primary Counties
  • Annual Budget for Community Contracts: $24,758,964
  • Total Number of Community Grantees: 28 Grantees, 29 Subgrantees
  • Average Grantee Budget: $853,757

HOPES Success Story

SAFE Alliance (Travis County)

Martin chose SAFE Alliance’s parent support programming to assist him in his new role as a stepfather of two. Martin was in the foster care system as a child due to suspected abuse in his home. At the beginning of the parenting program, Martin justified the physical punishment he received as a child since he was “just a bad kid”. The parent educator was able to help Martin unpack his childhood and realize there is no such thing as a “bad kid.” Martin was also able to identify alternatives that could have been used instead of the physical punishment he received as a child. After discussing physical punishment during various Nurturing Parenting lessons, Martin has learned alternatives to physical punishment and how to connect with his young children and actively support their well-being and happiness.