Children In the Balance: Good Intentions Are Not Enough

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Children In the BalanceGood Intentions Are Not
Enough
2
Floridas Budget Crisis Some Painful Realities

• The Budget Crisis is Real . . . BUT
• As the Economy Trends Down Child Abuse Neglect
  Trend Up
• Tough Economic Times Drive Proven Inflators of
  Child Abuse
• Substance Abuse Up
• Domestic Violence Up
• Service Reductions Children in Jeopardy

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Floridas Communities Have Stepped Up

• Community Based Care Became Law in 1996
• Community Based Care Became Fact in 2003
• Floridas Child Welfare System - once a national
  embarrassment - Now on the Road to Recovery

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What Did Florida Communities Inherit?

• Florida has the highest demand for child welfare
  services in the Nation
• Since 1993, Florida has had a substantially
  higher rate of child victims than any comparable
  states
• Floridas Rate 35.3 children per 1000
• Next Highest Ohio _at_ 25 children per 1000

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Floridas Rate of Child Victims Compared to the
Big 5
Source U.S. Dept of HHS/Childrens Bureau
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What Did Florida Communities Inherit?

• Floridas Child Welfare System is Substantially
  Underfunded
• Among Big 5 Florida has ranked Last every year
  since 1996
• Big 5 Average 349 per Child
• National Average 318 per Child
• Florida Average 224 per Child
• Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama South
  Carolina Outspend Florida

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Estimated Total Child Welfare Expenditures
Source U.S. Dept. HHS Childrens Bureau
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What Have Florida Communities Done?

• Floridas child welfare system performed better
  than National Average on 6 of 7 federal outcome
  measures
• Florida leads the nation in key categories such
  as Adoption and Child Visitation

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Performance in Perspective Child Family
Service Reviews

• 1. Children are first and foremost protected from
  abuse neglect
• Natl Avg 85 FL Avg 86
• 2. Children are safely maintained in their own
  homes whenever possible
• Natl Avg 78 FL Avg 78
• 3. Children have permanence and stability in
  their living situation
• Natl Avg 55 FL Avg 76

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Performance in Perspective Child Family
Service Reviews

• 4. The continuity of family relationships is
  preserved
• Natl Avg 75 FL Avg 90
• 5. Families have enhanced capacity to provide for
  child needs
  Natl Avg 55 FL Avg 62
• 6. Children receive services to meet their
  educational needs
• Natl Avg 84 FL Avg 79
• 7. Children receive services to meet physical
  mental health needs
• Natl Avg 70 FL Avg 74

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What Did Florida Communities Inherit?

• CBCs set up without DCF Administration Funds
  which were retained in the Department
• Exponential Increases in Administrative Oversight
  Accountability Measures
• Dashboard Measures
• Contract Oversight Units
• Quality Assurance Units

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What Have Florida Communities Done?

• Reduced Frontline Caseloads from Avg 40-50 to Avg
  26 (National Standards 15)
• Reduced of children in foster care
• Reduced mental health waiting lists
• Pursuit of National Accreditation
• Shifted investment from Deep End to Front End
  Prevention/Diversion

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RISK The 900 Lb. Gorilla In The Room

• CBC Communities assume 100 financial liability
  risk BUT control only 1/3 of the System!
• CBCs accept full risk
• DCF has sovereign immunity
• CBCs have fixed price contracts BUT cannot turn
  anyone away or have waiting lists
• CBCs rely on DCF Legal and the Courts to close
  cases

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The Bottom Line Frontline Workforce

• Performance Outcomes have improved because
  conditions on the frontline have improved
• Caseloads Down
• Mental Health Services Available
• Technology Investments
• Prevention/Diversion Investments

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Budget Reductions Mean Service Reductions

• CBCs were created without Administration funds -
  there are no CBC turkeys or empty FTEs
• Oversight Accountability measures are
  increasing
• Reductions will have to be shared with provider
  Partners who already subsidize services with
  fundraising and local funding

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Budget Cuts Punish Success Put Children in
Jeopardy

• We Cannot Go Back to the Bad Old Days
• Florida is currently at 70 of the national
  average in child welfare spending
• As the economy trends down communities are in a
  double bind of increased demand for services and
  increased cost