Kansas keeps its four DCF foster care contractors, adds a fifth to serve Wichita

The Kansas Department for Children and Families is sticking with its four existing contractors for foster care services while adding a fifth to serve the Wichita area.

DCF announced Monday that it awarded case management provider contracts to TFI, KVC Kansas, Cornerstones of Care and Saint Francis Ministries. They will continue in their current geographical territories, except in Sedgwick County, where new contractor EmberHope is replacing Saint Francis Ministries.

"During the bidding process, we were focused on the organizations' commitment to enhancing the quality of foster care, reintegration, adoption, ICPC (the Interstate Compact on the Placement of Children), and independent living services to Kansas children," DCF secretary Laura Howard said in a statement. "We believe our contracted partners are committed to a practice model that guides team members to engage families and create lifetime support networks."

Sedgwick County accounts for 20% of children in care statewide, DCF said, and switching to "this new contractor will enhance the services provided."

"EmberHope's focus will be to support children and families in Sedgwick County," Howard said.

Kansas was the first state to privatize most elements of the child welfare system, and both DCF and its contractors have frequently faced public criticism in the Statehouse from legislators and citizens alike.

The new contracts comes as DCF touts that the 5,895 children currently in foster care are the fewest since January 2014.

The new contracts also come after the state settled a lawsuit brought by advocates that resulted in a promise to meet key benchmarks.

The Center for the Study of Social Policy monitors progress and compliance by DCF and the outside contractors. Its report last summer showed that, despite improvement in some areas, the state's child welfare system continued to lag in others, such as the number of children sleeping in offices.

Copies of the new contracts were not immediately available from the state's supplier portal, but the document soliciting proposals included new language limiting how many foster care cases the contractors' staff can take on at a given time. Two of the old contractors, KVC and Saint Francis, had at least one staffer with over 45 cases despite requirements that they not exceed 25-30 cases.

More: Despite lawsuit settlement, key report says Kansas foster care system lags

In its statement, DCF said the new contracts adjust foster care caseload standards to align them with the Council on Accreditation Standards. That includes 12-15 children in foster care or kinship care and their families, eight children in treatment foster care and their families, adjustments for managing a blend of case types and an allowance for higher caseloads during temporary staff vacancies.

Saint Francis saw a scandal with two former leaders indicted on financial crime charges related to their time at the organization, and Nebraska cut ties with Saint Francis after it failed to meet that state's metrics. Cornerstones of Care has been under fire for its handline of high-profile cases, including a runaway who was later found dead.

Despite those and other criticisms, all four of the current contractors will get new contracts.

More: Despite Kansas foster care system struggles, same contractors bid to offer services

The new four-year contracts start July 1 and run through June 30, 2028. There is a renewal option for up to four additional years.

Saint Francis will now serve two regions, one for western Kansas and one for the north-central part of the state. EmberHope takes over Sedgwick County. KVC has two regions, which together cover most of northeast Kansas, including Topeka, Lawrence and Johnson County. Cornerstones of Care has one region in northeast Kansas that includes Kansas City, Kan. TFI has two regions, one for southeast Kansas and the other for south-central Kansas.

"The CMP (case management provider) partners will be expected to ensure families experience timely and effective services and interventions while keeping the children and their families at the center of the process," the agency said. "They will ensure placement minimizes trauma by, when possible, placing children with relatives and/or non-related kin, and keeping siblings together."

"Families remain to be at the center of the process," Howard said.

More: As DCF child welfare contracts come up for rebidding, Laura Kelly says problems are inherent

Jason Alatidd is a Statehouse reporter for the Topeka Capital-Journal. He can be reached by email at jalatidd@gannett.com. Follow him on X @Jason_Alatidd.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas DCF keeps its current foster care contractors and adds a fifth