A bill advanced from general file April 10 that would create a pilot project to establish family connections for wards of the state.<\/p>\n
Lincoln Sen. Kate Bolz, sponsor of LB243, said research shows that children have better outcomes in kinship placements. Nebraska needs to do a better job of searching for family and engaging them in the decision-making process for state wards, she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cExtended families are a solution to many of the challenges that we see in our child welfare system,\u201d Bolz said. \u201cIn other words, when families step up, children benefit.\u201d<\/p>\n
As introduced, LB243 would create a four-year statewide pilot program to provide family finding services in each service area. The state Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) would contract with providers to carry out the program and would provide oversight.<\/p>\n
The department also would be required to establish a data collection system and contract with an academic institution to complete an independent evaluation of the pilot project\u2019s effectiveness.<\/p>\n
A Health and Human Services Committee amendment, adopted 26-0, limits the pilot project to two or more service areas.<\/p>\n
Lincoln Sen. Kathy Campbell, chairperson of the committee, said the change would reduce the bill\u2019s fiscal impact from $3 million to $1.5 million. She said a current pilot program being conducted in the southeast service area has been successful, but that a larger pilot should be implemented before taking the program statewide.<\/p>\n
\u201cI believe that once we have the program and it shows its worth, the department will make it part of what they do,\u201d Campbell said.<\/p>\n
Sen. Colby Coash of Lincoln said the bill might be seen as the Legislature \u201cmicromanaging\u201d DHHS. He questioned why the department had not asked for funds to provide family finding services if the program is considered a best practice.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis body has taken on the task of picking and choosing programs and I think that\u2019s a dangerous road that we are heading down,\u201d Coash said.<\/p>\n
Campbell said she is confident that new leadership at DHHS will improve relations between the Legislature and the department.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut, we still need to protect our kids and find them a home with a relative, or good friend or neighbor that\u2019s willing to step in. That\u2019s how we got to this bill,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Bellevue Sen. Sue Crawford agreed, saying DHHS has expressed interest in the program and that the Legislature needs to provide funding to keep the pilot project going until new leadership is established.<\/p>\n
\u201cI agree that in this transition over the next two years or so we\u2019re going to have an important new negotiation on roles,\u201d Crawford said. \u201cHowever, this is still a critical transition year.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sen. Beau McCoy of Omaha expressed concern with the bill\u2019s inclusion of the terms \u201cdomestic partner\u201d and \u201cfictive kin,\u201d saying they are ambiguous and open to differing interpretations.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think we\u2019re opening ourselves up to a great deal of speculation,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Bolz said she would work on an amendment before select file debate to address McCoy\u2019s concerns. LB243 advanced from general file on a 26-0 vote.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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