A Parenting & kids forum. ParentingBanter.com

If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Go Back   Home » ParentingBanter.com forum » alt.support » Foster Parents
Site Map Home Authors List Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read Web Partners

Privatizing welfare / CPS services would put profit above children...



 
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old March 27th 07, 12:48 AM posted to alt.support.child-protective-services,alt.support.foster-parents,alt.dads-rights.unmoderated,alt.parenting.spanking
fx
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 2,848
Default Privatizing welfare / CPS services would put profit above children...

http://www.statesman.com/opinion/con...oper_edit.html


Roper: Privatizing welfare services would put profit above children
Tiffany Roper, CENTER FOR PUBLIC POLICY PRIORITIES

Monday, March 19, 2007

Texas recently announced the termination of its contract with Accenture,
the private company the state hired to enroll Texans in health care,
food stamps, and other social services. Though privatization was
supposed to save the state money and improve services for families,
thousands of the most vulnerable Texans were wrongly denied benefits and
the state didn't save a dime.

Despite the failure of this privatization experiment, legislation is
still in the works to privatize another essential state service — Child
Protective Services, the child welfare arm of the Texas Department of
Family and Protective Services. CPS investigates reports of child abuse
and neglect and works to protect these children.


The first opportunity for the Legislature to discuss what to do about
privatization will be this week when the Senate Health and Human
Services Committee considers Senate Bill 758 by Chairwoman Jane Nelson,
R-Lewisville. The bill calls for less privatization, but still moves
Texas toward a privatized CPS system.

Historically an underfunded agency, there is no question that CPS needs
more funding to hire additional staff and improve services for families.
For 10 years, I represented CPS as a prosecutor and children in the
foster care system as an attorney ad litem. I saw CPS' challenges
firsthand. However, privatization won't solve the problem any more than
it helped enroll Texans in public benefits.

A few weeks ago, I went on a fact-finding mission to Florida, which
privatized its child welfare system over the past 10 years.

I talked with many of the people who are directly involved in the
system, including lawyers, judges, service providers, community-based
care agencies, state agency staff members and the guardians ad litem
appointed to represent the best interests of the children in foster
care. It became clear that privatization is not the solution.

For one thing, privatization is costly. In Florida, child welfare costs
have risen. And despite the fact that the private companies promised
more competition, better and more innovative services for children and
families, more community involvement, more accountability and better
outcomes for children, Florida has not seen substantial improvements. In
fact, the rate of re-abuse after children have been returned home has
risen since private entities took over.

In addition, privatization has failed to prevent the same problems in
Florida that plague Texas' current child welfare system — high
caseworker turnover and caseloads as well as inadequate resources for
services for families. I heard many stories of inexperienced caseworkers
who don't know what they are doing and who don't return phone calls.
Even some initial proponents of privatization admitted to me that
Florida has made a huge mistake.

Privatization in Florida also has resulted in conflicts of interest.
Back here in Texas, pressure to reform CPS by privatizing isn't coming
from child advocacy groups or even CPS itself, but from those in the
private sector who would make more money in a privatized system.

Inevitably, the desire to make the most money will lead to financial
decisions that could trump the best interests of children.

Privatization is risky business. There are no guaranteed results — which
is dangerous in a child welfare system that makes life or death
decisions regarding children. Decisions made by CPS — whether abuse has
occurred, whether to take a child from a parent, whether to return a
child to a parent or whether to place the child with a relative or in
foster care — should be made by public employees who don't have a
conflict of interest.

Those in the child welfare system are the victims of bad choices made by
grownups. Texas must make careful, thoughtful choices in the best
interest of the children in the state's care. Privatization isn't one of
them.
  #2  
Old March 29th 07, 01:23 PM posted to alt.support.child-protective-services,alt.support.foster-parents,alt.dads-rights.unmoderated,alt.parenting.spanking
Greegor
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 4,243
Default Privatizing welfare / CPS services would put profit above children...

privatization does nothing but cost money, and produce
poor results. And is dangerous to children and families.


The BUREAUCRATIC NIGHTMARE before had the same problems!

 




Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Privatizing welfare / CPS services would put profit above children... fx Spanking 1 March 29th 07 01:23 PM
Nonprofit agency secures DCF deal for child welfare services in Broward wexwimpy Foster Parents 0 February 9th 06 05:36 PM
Children Services.. IN home Services. idontknowanymore Child Support 2 December 8th 04 04:36 AM
YMCA to oversee child welfare services wexwimpy Foster Parents 0 March 12th 04 05:53 PM
No magic formula Problems with Family Continuity Programs offer proof that privatizing child welfare isn't child's play. wexwimpy Foster Parents 0 January 26th 04 08:34 PM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 03:39 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 ParentingBanter.com.
The comments are property of their posters.