First National Study of Effects of Privatization on Child Welfare Services Undertaken by Children's

PRESS RELEASE

Children Rights, a non-profit advocacy organization for children, announced today that it will conduct the first national study on the effects of privatization on child welfare services. The study comes at a time when more and more public child welfare agencies are contracting with private, for-profit agencies to provide services and benefits to children. The growing privatization of child welfare has been embraced in some quarters, but evaluation of the effectiveness of these efforts largely has been limited to self-studies that lack the necessary objectivity for solid assessment. This first-of-its kind study is made possible by a $100,000 grant to Children's Rights from the Annie E. Casey Foundation.

The Policy Department of Children's Rights will conduct the study with the assistance of a special advisory committee of experts from the public and private child welfare sectors who have broad experience in social service design and delivery and government contracting issues. The group will assist Children's Rights in identifying and analyzing efforts across multiple jurisdictions that have privatized services for children served through child welfare agencies, in such areas as family preservation, foster care, and adoption. Using a case study approach, the study will analyze the quality of practice, the effectiveness of management structures, fiscal accountability, legal considerations, and consumer satisfaction. At the heart of the study will be an assessment of whether and to what extent privatization should be included in future policy and planning efforts.

"This study is designed to look carefully at several initiatives that are attempting to improve the quality of services for children and families who become involved with child welfare systems," said Madelyn Freundlich, director of policy for Children's Rights. "The question essentially is whether the changes being made in the relationships between public and private agencies translate into real differences for children and families."

Children's Rights has gained extensive knowledge of child welfare systems through the dozen class action lawsuits it has brought over the last 20 years that have been instrumental in reforms in states and counties, including Kansas, Tennessee, Florida, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. These jurisdictions have developed different types of privatization approaches and Children's Rights' reform work has provided the opportunity to observe first-hand the impact of these privatization efforts. This study will consider privatization efforts in three jurisdictions in which Children's Rights is currently involved -- Kansas, Florida, and Milwaukee; efforts in two jurisdictions which have no relationship with the organization -- Maine, and Hamilton County, Ohio; and a statewide initiative for children with severe needs in Missouri (Children's Rights has been active in Kansas City, MO). This diverse range of jurisdictions will provide an opportunity to compare different privatization models, implementation and financing strategies, and, most importantly, outcomes.

The research and analysis accomplished in the course of the privatization study will result in a monograph designed to educate child welfare policy makers and practitioners, legislators, the media, and other constituencies that are influential in shaping child welfare services and policy. The monograph-- to be completed by the summer of 2002-- will be published and widely distributed, with presentations of the results at major child welfare and legal conferences across the country.

Children's Rights works throughout the United States in partnership with national and local experts, advocates and government officials to document the needs of children in the care of child welfare systems. Children's Rights helps develop realistic solutions and, where necessary, uses the power of litigation to ensure that reform takes place.