Extension of child welfare pilot project passed

A pilot project authorized as part of the Legislature’s response to the state’s troubled child welfare reform effort may be extended under a bill passed March 27.

Efforts undertaken by the 2012 Legislature to address child welfare reform included returning child welfare case management to the state Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) except in the eastern service area, where the department was allowed to contract for lead agency case management as a pilot project.

LB660, introduced by Omaha Sen. Bob Krist, allows DHHS to extend the pilot, which is currently under contract with the Nebraska Families Collaborative (NFC). The bill also requires an evaluation of the pilot project to determine whether case management should be returned to DHHS and whether private contractors should be used in the case management process.

Evaluation results will be reported to the Legislature, DHHS and NFC by Dec. 31, 2015.

The bill passed on a 43-0 vote.