Delay of child welfare consolidation proposed

Thursday, May 17, 2001 | 10:28 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Looking for ways to deal with a $121.5 million shortfall, a legislative budget subcommittee today proposed delaying consolidation of the state's child welfare services program with Clark and Washoe counties.

Sen. Ray Rawson, R-Las Vegas, chairman of the Senate-Assembly subcommittee, said the six-month delay would save $8 million. Gov. Kenny Guinn had allocated $20 million in his budget for the transfer of state services to the two counties.

Adrienne Cox, assistant director of Family and Youth Services for Clark County, said the delay would mean the county would start taking the children into a unified system in January 2003.

At that time, 98 employees of the state Division of Child and Family Services will be transferred to Clark County, which would hire an additional 25 workers.

Between July 2001 and January 2003, Cox said, the county would be converting its computer to connect with the state; getting an eligibility plan going to qualify for federal funds; and doing other things to make the switch.

Steve Shaw, director of the state agency, said this was the biggest change in child welfare in the past 50 years. "These are radical shifts," he told the subcommittee. The state now plans to spend $86 million on child welfare over the next two years.

The average time for a child in a foster home is 34 months. In Utah, he said, it's 12 months. "If we can shrink that by one-third, it will pay for itself."

"It's good for kids. it's good for families, and it's cheaper," Shaw said of the consolidation plan. The state would still run services in rural Nevada.

At present a youngster is taken into the Clark County system, where a case management plan is developed and other services given the child. After 120 days the child is switched to the state. The consolidation would eliminate that.

Programs being transferred include foster care, adoptions and independent living. In the next two years mental health services for the children will be addressed.

Part of the switchover includes raising the rates for foster care now paid by the state. Both Clark and Washoe counties pay higher amounts to foster parents.

One possible sticking point to the transfer may be the continuing responsibility of the state to fund part of the unified system in Clark and Washoe counties.

Jim Baumann, administrative service officer for the Child and Family Services Division, said initially the state would provide 39 percent of the funding and Clark County would chip in 61 percent.

As more of the state programs are transferred, he said, that percentage would shift to 55 percent state support and 45 percent county.

Sen. Bill Raggio, R-Reno, said he was concerned the state would be funding the majority of the money but would have little control over the program.

"This is pretty one-sided," he said.

The subcommittee was told the sharing formula could be worked out later. It did not take a vote on the possible delay and the plan for consolidation.