If you've read this blog from the beginning or if you are a foster parent, you know just how bad "the system" really is. Focusing on the state of Michigan alone, workers have been underpaid, carry unmanagable case loads, and face so much beurocracy and red tape that its a wonder any one involved with DHS can do their job.
A slight glimmer of hope or at least a step in the right direction comes this year as Governor Snyder takes office and actually adheres to the settlement which this state agreed to and implements reform!
Finally!!! As many or you are aware, the state of Michigan (along with a number of others past, present, and future) was sued by a children's rights organization in 2006. The state did agree to settle and implement reform to overhaul the failing system. Well, in 2006, the average case load for a DHS worker was about 22 which is 8 children more than the maximum managable amount. On the news yesterday, I heard that in 2010, there were caseloads as high as 57. 57!!! 57 kids to one worker. I was in disbelief.
One of two things happened since this lawsuit in 2006. Either the administration of this state (Governor Granholm leading) did not want to be bothered with this settlement or she didn't care whatsoever about children in foster care. I think it was a combination of both. If you look back through my posts, I have Governor Granhom quoted as saying she welcomes reform to this state. Her welcome is a little different than mine ;)
Regardless, the current leaders of this state are surging ahead and are hiring hundreds of new workers and actually implementing reform. I can't say the system will be fixed because I know that is not the case, but my hope is that each foster child gets the right amount of help, supervision, and care that he deserves.
Here's food for thought...is the underlying problem with parents??? The number of kids going into foster care is increasing...will the new fleet of workers again be insufficient to meet the demands because the volume of kids entering care continues to increase? What do you think?
Micah 6:8 What does the Lord require of you? To do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
Blessings!!!
Below is an article that I found that talks about this exact topic from the Detroit Free Press:
Michigan's Foster Care Reforms Appear Back On Track
In a startling change in tone and direction, the State of Michigan and the child advocacy group that sued the state over its child welfare system met Monday before a federal judge not to fight but to congratulate each other, even crack jokes.
In December, the Michigan Department of Human Services had repeatedly failed to meet benchmarks in its court-ordered overhaul of its foster care system.
More than two years into an agreement, the state had faced an increasingly impatient Children's Rights, a New York children's advocacy group that had sued the state in 2006 over its child welfare system.
With Gov. Rick Snyder taking office this year and a new DHS administration, there was a fresh commitment to fix the system, all sides said Monday.
DHS hired 800 workers and began installing a computer system to better track cases and allow staff more time in the field.
Even U.S. District Judge Nancy Edmunds and a federal court monitor lauded the work from both sides -- an about-face from just six months ago. She called it "fabulous."
On Monday, Edmunds signed off on a new 63-page consent agreement for the state, negotiated with Children's Rights and the court-appointed monitor, the Public Catalyst Group.
The new pact relaxes some parts of the schedule for improvement, but better engages families, improves training for new employees, and gives DHS greater flexibility to make reforms while also taking more responsibility when things go wrong, said DHS director Maura Corrigan.
What remained unchanged are crucial milestones for reducing caseloads -- a major issue for Children's Rights, which said Michigan's caseworkers were overloaded to the point of endangering those in their care.
Kevin Ryan of Public Catalyst told Edmunds: "This will not be easy, and the arc of reform remains ambitious." -By Robin Erb, Detroit Free Press, July 19, 2011
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