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January 20, 2005 - STATE OF KANSAS AWARDS NEW CHILD WELFARE CONTRACTS

Topeka - The State of Kansas announced it has awarded new contracts for services provided through the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services Division of Children and Family Services. Those include adoption, reintegration/foster care and family preservation. The State awarded the new contracts to:

Family Preservation

Regions Award Effective July 1, 2005
Region 1: Southeast and eastern portion of South Central Region DCCCA
Region 2: KC Metro DCCCA
Region 3: Northeast The FARM
Region 4: West and western portion of South Central Region St. Francis
Region 5: Wichita DCCCA

Reintegration/Foster Care

Regions Award Effective July 1, 2005
Region 1: Southeast and eastern portion of South Central Region The FARM
Region 2: KC Metro KVC Behavioral Health
Region 3: Northeast KVC Behavioral Health
Region 4: West and portion of South Central Region St. Francis
Region 5: Wichita United Methodist Youthville

Adoption

Region Award Effective July 1, 2005
Statewide
KCSL

SRS’s vision for children and families is to continue to build a child welfare system that is safe, secure and stable; family centered, connected to the community, and which relies on evidence based practice.“ We are excited to work with these organizations to ensure the well being of children in Kansas,” said SRS Secretary Gary Daniels. “The focus of these contracts is to provide as little disruption as possible in the lives of children and families in the child welfare system.”

There are some changes in the new contracts:
  • The need to transition children between Family Preservation, Reintegration/Foster Care and Adoption contractors has been eliminated.
     
  • The responsibility for the child/family’s case management and services will remain, throughout the life of the case, with the contractor who originally receives the referral.
     
  • The statewide adoption contractor will be responsible for recruiting and training a pool of families willing to adopt, providing matching services to the Family Preservation and Reintegration/Foster Care contractors when needed, and providing post adoptive support to the family.

The new contracts begin July 1, 2005. They will all be for a duration of four years with an option for one two-year renewal. The contract areas will match the five new SRS regional boundaries( West, KC Metro, Northeast, Wichita, South Central, Southeast), except the SRS South Central Region will be divided. The counties in the former Hutchinson SRS region will remain with the western contract area to provide a larger population base for the region. The remaining counties from the SRS South Central Region will join the Southeast contract area.

SRS contracted for community-based child welfare services in 1996 and is recognized as the first state in the nation to privatize child welfare services. The decision to contract for family preservation, reintegration/foster care and adoption services was driven by the belief that community based child welfare services would yield improved outcomes for children and families.

Prior to implementation of the Child Welfare Community Based Services contracts, family preservation services were available on a limited basis in only 45 counties. Today, family preservation services and community early intervention and family support services are available to at-risk families statewide.

Prior to entering into contracts with community based service providers, the agency could not ensure an adequate number of stable, family settings for children placed out of home. There was also a risk children in care would lose the connections with their family and community. Today it is likely that children will be placed in family foster homes, experience stability while in care and stay connected to their family and community.

Approximately 300 adoptions were finalized each year prior to contracting for adoption services. Today the average is closer to 500 adoptions per year.