DCF privatizing foster care, adoption in Miami-Dade, Monroe

DCF privatizing foster care, adoption in Miami-Dade, Monroe

The Associated Press

April 16, 2005

Florida will be the first state in the nation to fully privatize its
child welfare programs, after agreeing with a company that will take
over those responsibilities in the two remaining counties that a
government agency oversees.

The $75 million contract was signed Friday with Our Kids of Miami-Dade
and Monroe counties, which will handle all foster care, adoption, and
child welfare licensing operations.

"The entire state will now benefit from qualified experts that are
equipped to know and meet the needs of their communities," DCF
Secretary Lucy Hadi said.

The effort has been a cornerstone of Gov. Jeb Bush's plan to improve
the state's troubled child protection system and it has generated its
share of controversy.

The Miami-Dade and Monroe contract is the 23rd community-based care
agreement between the state and a privately run agency.

The contract had been under negotiation for about two years, because
it varies considerably from other contracts between the state and the
so-called Community-Based Care agencies, or private foster care
providers

Only Hillsborough Kids in Tampa is expected to serve nearly as many
children as Miami's group; about 5,000 children are under state care
in Miami-Dade and Monroe.

If the number of children in care rises by more than 3 percent, the
state agreed to pay Our Kids more money, officials said.

The 22 other private child welfare contracts in the state contain no
provision allowing the agencies to receive more funding if their
caseloads unexpectedly rise. One agency, Family Continuity in Pinellas
County, claimed their highly publicized failure last year was
attributed, in part, to higher-than-anticipated caseloads.

"The board made it very clear to DCF that we will not redirect
services from existing kids in order to take on new kids," said Hank
Adorno, a Miami attorney and chairman of the Our Kids board of
directors.

The DCF has been rocked by a series of high-profile child-abuse
incidents, including the disappearance of
5-year-old Rilya Wilson. The Miami girl was placed in the care of a
woman with a lengthy criminal record. Her disappearance went unnoticed
until April 2002 because caseworkers did not make required checks on
her.

A caregiver has been charged with murder, but Rilya's body hasn't been
found.
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