Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability
Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability

Child Welfare Transition Nearly Complete; Budget Allocation and Oversight Systems Need Strengthening

Report 05-12, March 2005

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Report Summary

The Department of Children and Families has nearly completed the transition to community-based care. As of January 31, 2005, the department had signed 21 services contracts with 19 lead agencies to provide child protective services in 65 counties. It plans to sign a services contract with one additional lead agency in 2005.

The department has taken recommended steps to improve the transition process, and it is in the process of implementing a system to monitor lead agency viability. However, the department has experienced continuing delays in completing the HomeSafenet system and has not yet implemented a process for tracking technical assistance requests from lead agencies.

Also, to help ensure that the community-based care initiative is successful, the department needs to

  • improve its methodology for allocating funds to lead agencies and strengthen oversight of eligibility determination for federal Title IV-E funding, and
  • further refine its contract monitoring system.

Related Reports
  1. Department of Children and Families Has Strengthened Its Contract Oversight System
    Report 08-32 May 2008
  2. Improved Fiscal and Quality Oversight Is Needed for the Independent Living Program
    Report 07-11 February 2007
  3. CBC Pilot Project Implementation Delayed But Proceeding; Other Initiatives Implemented
    Report 07-03 January 2007
  4. OPPAGA Report: Child Welfare System Performance Mixed in First Year of Statewide Community-Based Care
    Report 06-50 June 2006
Copies of this report in print or alternate accessible format may be obtained by email OPPAGA@oppaga.fl.gov, telephone (850) 488-0021, or mail 111 W. Madison St., Room 312 Tallahassee, FL 32399-1475.
Copies of this report in print or alternate accessible format may be obtained by email OPPAGA@oppaga.fl.gov, telephone (850) 488-0021, or mail 111 W. Madison St., Room 312 Tallahassee, FL 32399-1475.
social services, health, child welfare services, child abuse, child neglect, community-based care, lead agencies, privatization, quality assurance monitoring, technical assistance, contract monitoring, contingency planning, readiness assessment, readiness instrument, foster care, child welfare, community based care, quality assurance monitoring, adoption, child care, child abuse, neglect, child protection, family services, foster care, abuse hotline, privatization, community based care protective services, program monitoring, children, foster homes, foster children, lead agencies, technical assistance, contract monitoring, contingency planning, readiness assessment, readiness instrument, families