Child welfare changes called a start

Sandy Thompson

Wednesday, April 26, 2000 | 10:41 a.m.

A proposed model system that would transfer the bulk of child welfare services from the state to Clark and Washoe counties is only a starting point, not the "end-all."

That was the assessment of Thom Reilly, professor in the School of Social Work at UNLV, who testified Tuesday before the legislative subcommittee studying the integration of Nevada's bifurcated child welfare system.

Reilly has been working with Clark and Washoe counties and the state Department of Children and Family Services on the model, which would shift foster care, adoptions and emergency care services to the two counties.

The state agency would continue to administer those services in the rural counties.

The state also would have regulatory oversight, set program standards and oversee foster/group home licensing and child welfare eligibility.

Under the present system, Clark and Washoe counties handle Child Protective Services, then transfer the cases to the state for foster care and adoption. The result is children languishing in foster care, sometimes for years, and the state "starting over" in a case, causing further delays in family reunification or finding a permanent place for the child.

Under the federal Adoption and Safe Families Act, permanent homes for children in foster care must be found in 12 months, a deadline officials say Nevada's bifurcated system can't meet.

Kirby Burgess, director of Clark County Department of Youth and Family Services, said neither the county nor the state is working at its optimum best. More efforts are needed at the front end to keep kids out of the system, he said.

Adrienne Cox, assistant director of Youth and Family Services, added that merging two ailing systems won't improve services.

She cited these issues that must be resolved before Clark County can take over child welfare responsibilities from the state:

Assemblywoman Barbara Buckley, D-Las Vegas, who chairs the subcommittee, said staff from Washoe, Clark and the state are trying to come up with figures on how much it will cost to transfer services.

Subcommittee members stressed the need for a fiscal analysis before they can make recommendations to the Legislature on a new child welfare system.

A state official estimated that 50 percent of its program funds are federal.

Bryan Link, a licensed independent social worker and former director of Specialized Alternatives for Youth in Las Vegas, expressed concern about the system being totally dependent on public dollars.

"That's not in the best interests of the people we serve," he said. "We need access to local corporate dollars."

Link added that some federal title funds and Medicaid dollars given to for-profit and non-profit therapeutic foster care programs don't stay in Nevada. He estimated that 15 to 23 percent of the funds are administrative fees given to the programs' out-of-state headquarters to provide accounting and other support services to Nevada programs.

He suggested creating performance-based contracts with care providers.

Reilly and others suggested that the legislative subcommittee continue its oversight of the child welfare system or that another legislative panel be established to assist in the transition.

State Sen. Bob Coffin, a subcommittee member, said they should look at all components of a responsive, efficient system, including reopening the Boulder City Children's Home, which the Legislature voted to close despite a lack of foster homes. That resulted in many siblings being split up . Reilly estimated that 48 percent of the sibling groups in the state's care are placed in different facilities or homes.

There also is concern over who would oversee mental health services for children. Reilly said 37 percent of children in Nevada's child welfare system have severe emotional disorders.

A major issue yet to be resolved is which entity would handle and be fiscally responsible for the mental health services component.