In the field of child welfare, safety and permanency for children are paramount, together with fiscal responsibility to taxpayers. New methods of meeting these goals highlight year four contracts that went into effect this month between private, not for profit child welfare agencies and the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services (SRS).

In announcing the contracts with agencies providing the state's foster care, family preservation, and adoption programs, SRS Secretary Rochelle Chronister said negotiations have brought together what's best for children and what's best for taxpayers in meaningful ways.

These contracts begin the last year of the original contract with each of the private agencies; within the next few months, SRS will issue a new Request for Information to begin a new contact period beginning July 1, 2000.

To achieve both what's good for children and to achieve fiscal integrity of the child welfare system, the contracts this year contain fiscal incentives for contractors that provide safety and achieve permanency for children in a timely manner. Contractors receive a base rate per case for their work, and the incentives provide additional operating funds if specific goals are met.

"Contractors are expected to live within their business plan concerning both expenditures as well as achieving safety and permanency for children," said Chronister. "There are positive incentives, as well as fiscal consequences for not following their business plan."

For foster care, the contractors and their base case rate are as follows:

*Kaw Valley Center, Inc. for the Chanute, Emporia, Olathe, Kansas City and Lawrence SRS areas, $14,060 per case;

*The Kansas Children's Service League for the Topeka, Salina and Manhattan SRS areas; $13,564 per case;

*United Methodist Youthville Inc. for the Wichita, Hays, Garden City and Hutchinson SRS areas, $14,763 per case.

For adoption, Lutheran Social Service of Kansas and Oklahoma is the lead contractor for the entire state with a base case rate of $16,168.

One of the methods of achieving quicker permanency at less cost in child welfare is increased use of family foster homes for children ordered into state custody by a judge because of abuse, neglect or abandonment.

Joyce Allegrucci, commissioner of Children & Family Services for SRS, explained that the business plans developed by foster care contractors with SRS's help include a movement toward more use of family foster homes and less use of more expensive and restrictive group homes.

"This is where good child welfare practices and good fiscal practice come together," Allegrucci said. "Family foster homes are the best place for most children in state custody, and using these homes is also less expensive.

"And obviously, another practice of financial and social benefit is moving children safely and quickly through the system and, when possible, getting them back home," Commissioner Allegrucci added. "That is what's best for the children, best for the contractors, and best for taxpayers. The incentives in the contracts this year move us in that direction."

For family preservation, the contractors and their base rate are as follows:

*Kaw Valley Center for the Olathe, Chanute, and Emporia SRS area, $3,630 per case;

*Wyandot Mental Health Center for the Lawrence and Kansas City SRS areas, $3,790 per case;

*The Kansas Children's Services League for the Manhattan, Topeka, and Salina SRS areas, $4,023 per case;

*St. Francis Academy for the Hays, Garden City, and Hutchinson SRS areas, $4,342 per case; and

*DCCCA for the Wichita SRS area, $3,490 per case.

Allegrucci said the Family Preservation contractors continue to do impressive work, and it is an area SRS is looking to expand in the future. With family preservation, the goal is keeping families together and children out of state custody. The program involves short-term home-based therapy for families in crisis.

Family preservation not only keeps children at home, saving families from the trauma of separation and, of course, saving money because the children never fully enter the system," she said.

Page Last Updated: May 29, 2001