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.parenting » Spanking
Site Map Home Authors List Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read Web Partners

FOR SALE Your Children: Agency for foster children cancels $6.6Mcontract...



 
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old March 31st 07, 06:55 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 FOR SALE Your Children: Agency for foster children cancels $6.6Mcontract...

http://www.sptimes.com/2007/03/31/Ci...ster_chi.shtml

Agency for foster children cancels $6.6M contract

By ASJYLYN LODER
Published March 31, 2007


The private agency that supervises nearly 3,000 foster children in
Hernando and surrounding counties, canceled its contract with a
Brooksville subcontractor this month, giving it 60 days to find new case
managers for 1,200 children.

Kids Central Inc., the community-based provider hired by the Division of
Children and Family Services to oversee foster care and adoption,
canceled its $6.6-million contract with The Harbor Behavioral Healthcare
Institute in Brooksville.

As a result, the Grove Road facility, part of the Bay Care Health
System, will lay off approximately 80 people, said John Sheehan, vice
president of behavioral health services for BayCare.

Sheehan said Kids Central's financial problems led to the cancellation.

But Lynn Routh, spokeswoman for Kids Central, said, "It is not about
money. That is not true." Routh said performance issues led to the
cancellation.

In 2004, DCF moved to privatized foster care, and established Kids
Central Inc. as the lead agency in District 13, which includes Citrus,
Hernando, Lake, Marion and Sumter counties.

The Department of Children and Family Services paid Kids Central
$43.8-million this year to oversee the 2,946 children in state care in
District 13. Kids Central then subcontracts to a network of local
providers, like The Harbor.

The Harbor supervised foster care and protective supervision in Hernando
County since 2004, and in Citrus County since 2005. In 2006, The Harbor
took over foster care recruitment and foster home supervision for Citrus
and Hernando counties, which Kids Central brought back in-house in January.

Sheehan said that in mid February Kids Central asked The Harbor to lay
off 55 of its approximately 81 staffers, so Kids Central could reduce
the cost of The Harbor's contract and help Kids Central avert a
"financial crisis."

If The Harbor said no, Kids Central threatened to cancel its contract,
Sheehan said.

Sheehan said cutting two-thirds of The Harbor staff would have left
caseworkers handling 35 to 40 cases each, nearly double the standard of
18 to 20 cases. That would have put children and families at risk, he
said. The Harbor refused the cuts, and countered with an offer of 19
layoffs. Kids Central offered a compromise of 35, but that still left
The Harbor dangerously short staffed, and The Harbor said no.

"We kind of drew a line," Sheehan said.

The negotiations reached an impasse until The Harbor said that an
unexpected infusion of cash from the state meant Kids Central could
accept the cut of 19 positions. Kids Central sent a contract amendment
to The Harbor that would have saved it approximately $350,000, Sheehan said.

But as soon as The Harbor received the amendment, Kids Central canceled
The Harbor's contract on March 19. Sheehan said it had nothing to do
with case management performance.

Routh disagreed. Care agencies throughout the district had been asked to
cut some costs as early as last August because they were over budget.
But that was not the reason Kids Central severed its relationship with
The Harbor.

"We canceled the contract because we were having concerns about the case
management performance at The Harbor, so we decided to cancel the
contract in the best interests of the children and families we serve,"
she said. "Our first concern is always for the families."

She declined to go into detail, saying she didn't want to see the
situation get "ugly."

The Harbor has until May 18 to transition its cases to Camelot Community
Care in Hernando County and The Centers in Citrus County, Routh said.

Kids Central, as the lead agency, handles its contract obligations
without intervention of DCF, said spokesman Tim Bottcher.

"KCI alone decides who provides the services. Again, our concern is that
the children receive quality care."

Kids Central's early tenure was plagued with problems, including some
notorious cases of abuse. In 2004, Arthur "Tommy" and Lori Allain were
accused of starving and abusing their foster children. They were
convicted of starving one child in 2006. Two years ago, DCF expressed
concerns about mounting case loads, limited funds and falling adoption
rates. Those problems were remedied, officials said later.

In January, Kejerald Jackson, another foster parent, was charged with
molesting several boys in his care.

Sheehan said the incident had nothing to do with the contract cancellation.

Bottcher expressed confidence in Kids Central. "We are pleased with
KCI's performance in caring for children. Their performance has greatly
improved over the past year and continues to improve."

Times researcher John Martin contributed to this report. Asjylyn Loder
can be reached at or 352754-6127.


CURRENTLY CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES VIOLATES MORE CIVIL RIGHTS ON A
DAILY BASIS THEN ALL OTHER AGENCIES COMBINED INCLUDING THE NSA/CIA
WIRETAPING PROGRAM....

BE SURE TO FIND OUT WHERE YOUR CANDIDATES STANDS ON THE ISSUE OF
REFORMING OR ABOLISHING CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES ("MAKE YOUR CANDIDATES
TAKE A STAND ON THIS ISSUE.") THEN REMEMBER TO VOTE ACCORDINGLY IF THEIR
"FAMILY UNFRIENDLY" IN THE NEXT ELECTION...
 




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
All Children Deserve a Permanent Home: Subsidized Guardianship as a Common Sense Solution for Children in Long-Term Relative Foster Care wexwimpy Foster Parents 0 May 3rd 06 09:19 PM
Black Children in Texas’ Foster Care Fare Worse than Others, Study Says,,Date: Tuesday, January 17, 2006,By: Michael H. Cottman ,,Black social workers said last week that a new study about black children and foster care is troubling and raises seriou wexwimpy Foster Parents 0 January 18th 06 04:33 PM
Foster Care Month Spotlights Year-Round Needs of 523,000 U. S. Children; Public Urged to Help Change a Lifetime for Children in Foster Care wexwimpy Foster Parents 1 April 27th 05 09:34 PM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 08:00 AM.


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.