Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services (SRS) Secretary Janet Schalansky today announced that contracts to provide foster care/reintegration services have been offered to private, non-profit child placing agencies in three of the five regions of the state.

Negotiations on contracts for the two remaining foster care/reintegration regions and the statewide adoption services contract continue.

The one-year contract agreements are renewable annually for three additional years. Secretary Schalansky confirmed that in two of the regions, new private partners have been offered contracts in the public/private partnership created four years ago to provide services for children in foster care in Kansas.

The new contracts become effective July 1. All current contractors have submitted plans for the transition of the children in their care to a new contractor if that situation developed. SRS and the contractors will work to ensure children are not disrupted in their current placements because of a contractor change.

For region 1, which includes the Olathe, Chanute and Emporia SRS Areas, a contract was awarded to the Farm, Inc., based in Emporia,. The counties included in these regions are in eastern and southeastern Kansas, although the Olathe Area also reaches into Leavenworth County in northeast Kansas. Kaw Valley Center, Inc., based in Kansas City, currently is under contract for foster care/reintegration for this region.

For region 4, which includes the Hutchinson, Garden City, and Hays SRS Areas, a contract was awarded to St. Francis Academy, Inc., based in Salina. The counties included in these regions are in south central, southwest, and northwest Kansas. United Methodist Youthville currently is under contract for foster care/reintegration in this region.

The contract for region 5, Sedgwick County, was awarded to United Methodist Youthville, Inc. The same agency currently serves this region.

Negotiations on contracts for foster care/reintegration in regions 2 and 3 and for statewide adoption services continue. Region 2 includes the Kansas City and Lawrence SRS Areas and region 3 includes the Topeka and Manhattan SRS areas.

Secretary Schalansky said the agency continues to work to develop agreements in the best interests of children in the foster care system and Kansas taxpayers. She said the foster care system continues to stabilize since it was privatized in 1996.

"The goal of contract negotiations is to provide the necessary array of services for children and families at an appropriate cost," Secretary Schalansky said. "This selection process has been a well-structured effort aimed at establishing a partnership with private, non-profit child placing agencies."

Secretary Schalansky praised the work of the current contractors and the SRS staff who have worked through the first four years of the new system in the state.

"They are the pioneers of the first in the nation statewide public/private partnership for foster care and adoption," she said. "They have built a stronger, more stable system for our children. With the millions of dollars in private support each contractor brought to the system and with the resources added by the Governor and the legislature, we know children in Kansas are safer and better-served that ever before."

The new contracts are being set on a per child per month rate payment system, rather than the one-time case rate paid under current contracts. Details of the rates will not be available until contracts have been signed by all parties involved.

SRS Assistant Secretary for Children and Family Policy Joyce Allegrucci said the new contracts involve an increased use of family foster homes and kinship care.

"Family foster care or placement with relatives is best for most children who are in state custody because of abuse or neglect," Allegrucci said. "We are working with the contractors to find the best ways to keep children safe, move them quickly through the system, and, when possible, get them back home.

"We look forward to working with our extended circle of private providers to continue improvements in the child welfare system in Kansas," Allegrucci said.

Page Last Updated: May 29, 2001