Why Texas CAN!?
Through Texas CAN!, Spaulding for Children can assist your agency with all aspects of the adoption process including child assessment and preparation, family preparation, case review and monitoring of records.

Spaulding for Children employs professional social work staff to develop the capacity of licensed child placement agencies that do not have their own TDPRS Open Enrollment Contracts. This work focuses on the preparation of children for adoption and facilitates adoptive placement of children with their foster parents. Spaulding for Children provides formal training and clinical supervision to child-placing agencies' staff, and adoption preparation and on-going education to adoptive parents.

With the Spaulding for Children Special Needs Adoption Curriculum, your staff is trained with the goal of gaining your own Open Enrollment Contract. As a result, you will work directly with TDPRS to help place the children in your care, as well as the thousands of other children who are legally free for adoption.

What is an Open Enrollment Contract?
An Open Enrollment Contract is a contract between TDPRS and a child placement agency. The contract allows your agency to place into adoption a child who is in the custody of the state of Texas with a family previously approved by your agency.

To gain an Open Enrollment Contract, your agency must complete at least twelve adoptive placements under the supervision of an agency that currently holds a contract. Each member of your staff that will be working in adoption must complete the Spaulding for Children Special Needs Adoption Curriculum.

Texas CAN! Results
During 2001, Spaulding for Children placed 40 children with adoptive families through its Texas CAN! partnerships. Some partnering agencies have gained adoption expertise working with Spaulding for Children and have obtained their own Open Enrollment Contracts from TDPRS. Others have chosen to continue this partnership with Spaulding for Children.

Fees
Spaulding for Children invoices TDPRS for payment of adoption fees under its Open Enrollment Contract and shares up to 50% of the collected fees with your agency. The fee division is based on the division of labor between the two organizations.

Contact Information
Manager, Texas CAN! Program
Spaulding for Children
8552 Katy Freeway, Suite 300
Houston, TX 77024
713.681.6991 (phone)
713.681.9089 (fax)
TexasCAN@spauldingforchildren.org