Trust and communication are key.

Both those are in place in Pottawatomie County. It shows in the low number of children being taken into state custody and away from their homes and communities.

Recent studies by the Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services (SRS) suggest that up to one-fourth of the Kansas children being placed in foster care have not been abused or neglected. Oftentimes these children have major problems, but not problems that call for state custody and out-of-home placement.

In Pottawatomie County, the number of intakes – unverified reports of abuse and neglect of children – climbed from 185 in 1995 to 241 in 1999, according to SRS statistics. Yet the number of children taken into state custody has stayed low, from just 10 in 1995 to 13 in 1999.

"It goes back to working with the same folks consistently," Pottawatomie Magistrate Judge Steven Roth said about the county’s low numbers. "When you are dealing with people you know have the best interest of the child at heart, you don’t have to come out with all guns blazing. It’s experience and consistency and building a rapport.

"And we know nobody here has a hidden agenda," Judge Roth added.

In any county, there are a number of important players who need to coordinate their work in making a determination about what is best for a troubled child or juvenile. The cases they deal with cover a wide range, and could include children acting aggressively at school or at home, truancy, substance abuse, or juvenile crime. The players most often involved in determining what happens to these children and youth include police or sheriff’s department personnel, SRS social workers and supervisors, and court personnel, including juvenile justice officials, the county or district attorney and judges.

Because of the excellent record in Pottawatomie County of keeping families together and children out of state custody, SRS asked these players to come together to talk about how they have kept the number of children placed in state custody so low. Their answers: consistency, experience working together, and trust, along with some specific programs that helped keep families intact and children out of state custody and foster care, including a program called Family Preservation and one known as the 3113 Council.

"If a child’s in out-of-home placement in Pottawatomie County, you can rest assured it’s absolutely needed," said Melinda Handley. "Otherwise, it’s not going to happen." Handley is the SRS child welfare supervisor for Pottawatomie, Wabaunsee, and Nemaha counties.

Joyce Allegrucci, SRS Assistant Secretary of Children and Family Policy, commended officials in Pottawatomie County for their team approach to children and family issues. She said evidence is mounting that removing children unnecessarily from their homes, schools and communities can do serious damage, and removal should only be used when the child needs protection.

But Allegrucci said it takes community involvement and coordination between agencies to find solutions for troubled children where they live.

"People who are truly committed to children rise above personal differences and figure out how to work together," she said. "They do this because children depend on us to do that."

Allegrucci said in some jurisdictions, removal is ordered because those involved don’t know what else to do.

"For children who do not need protection from abuse or neglect but are nonetheless facing difficulties, to remove them from their families and communities is often the worst thing we can do," she said. "We need to build up a system of services in local communities so children and youth can get what they need at home, at school, and in their communities. It appears agencies and officials in Pottawatomie County are doing that."

Judge Roth said coordination between SRS social workers and the sheriff’s department on investigations is one key. He said the SRS social worker covering Pottawatomie County, Beverly Ebert Rosell, and Chief Investigator Gerald Schmidt of the Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Department, work well together.

"We know whether it is a JO (Juvenile Offender) case or a CINC (Child in Need of Care) case right from the get-go," the judge said. "Bev and Gerald are right there, discussing how the family will get better services."

In fact, talking about cases from the "get-go" is a key in Pottawatomie County, said Handley, the SRS supervisor.

"Most kids cases that come across Mr. Elder’s (County Attorney Jeff Elder) desk – informal conversations have already taken place between SRS and services providers about what needs to happen to avoid out-of-home placement," said Handley. "People are so willing to put forth what services they can offer. People are willing to step up."

Elder, the Pottawatomie County Attorney, said he defers to child welfare experts on child welfare cases.

"I’m not out there working with children and families or with schools," he said. "When a report comes to my desk, I get direction from SRS – they are the ones that know. They are the ones that work with children and families. And usually, there is a consensus, particularly with a CINC case."

Specific programs mentioned that are used to help keep families intact and children out of state custody were Family Preservation and what is known as the 3113 Council. Pawnee Mental Health Services is often involved in working to keep children out of custody and with their family.

Family Preservation is an intensive in-home service program for families at risk of having a child come into state custody. It is run by private, not-for-profit agencies under contract with SRS. The 3113 Council is a group that meets as needed to bring families together with multiple agencies to provide services that are beyond the level of one agency to provide. Often, mental health services are involved here too. The 3113 Councils, also known as Regional Interagency Councils, were named after the House Bill that created them in 1992.

Rick Doll, superintendent of Rock Creek School District 323, has chaired the 3113 Council in Pottawatomie County since the council was formed six years ago. He said meetings are called for a wide variety of reasons, and a major reason for their success is that you get everyone at the same table, including the parents and the children.

"Seventy-five percent of our referrals are from schools, truancy or acting out behaviors," he said. "We meet on everything. It could be a pregnancy in a low-income family. It’s up to the agency that makes the referral to get the parents to sign permission. We want them to feel comfortable; they choose whoever they want to come. Frequently, we’ll have family friends, ministers.

"But if you don’t have people at the table, you can’t make decision," Mr. Doll added. "And the agencies in this county get their people to the table."

Page Last Updated: May 29, 2001