Board & Membership

By-Laws

Core Values

ED's Report

Public Policy

FY 2008

Child Welfare

Child Welfare Funding

State funding for child welfare services will be changing as the system shifts toward new ways of funding services through Medicaid. These will include not only the new PRTF residential services and the new state funded residential services, but also the growing role of community mental health providers in the child welfare system. Monitor the state budget proposal relative to child welfare services. (Legislative)

Emergency Shelter Case Management

The emergency shelter case management project will have to be reauthorized prior to July 1, 2007. Seek a hearing before the appropriations committees early in the session to advance understanding and exposure to the emergency shelter case management system as an important part of a continuum of prevention services. (Administrative and Legislative)

Preferred Futures

The Preferred Futures represents the modifications being proposed to the current levels of care system that will provide residential and foster care services to youth not meeting the medical necessity criteria. As indicated above, funding for these services will be from state funds only. Support planning for the preferred futures and assist in gaining funding support from the legislature. (Administrative and Legislative)

Police Protective Custody in Emergency Shelters

In order to continue to meet the needs of youth placed in emergency shelters through police protective custody orders, rates for these residential services must be more reflective of the actual cost of providing those services. Alliance members support a rate for emergency care that is consistent with the rates established for other residential services as a part of the “Preferred Futures” planning taking place currently in SRS. (Administrative and Legislative)

Child Advocacy Centers

Advocacy Centers serve children and families in cases involving child abuse. The centers help coordinate the teams of social workers, law enforcement personnel and prosecutors. Currently, there are nine advocacy centers in Kansas. The Governor has expressed interest in funding for Child Advocacy Centers. Currently, almost no state dollars are used to fund these services. Support for this funding will help to establish and develop advocacy centers in communities more broadly across the state. (Legislative)

Youth Empowerment Academy

The Youth Empowerment Academy works to provide leadership and mentoring opportunities for youth with disabilities. SRS has proposed funding for a pilot project that would assist youth with handicapped conditions to develop self confidence, utilize a mentoring model, and help the youth earlier to prepare for independence. Work with this group to expand funding for their Youth Leadership Forum and to expand participation of foster care youth in those forums. (Legislative and Administrative)

Foster Care Tuition Waiver

The Children and Family Policy division of SRS plans to work with the legislature this session to annualize the tuition waiver that was enacted last year. The legislation which passed last session extended tuition waiver services for an additional two years at which time it would again be up for authorization. The tuition waiver helps youth leaving the foster care system with funding for post secondary education. The Alliance supports the on-going authorization of this legislation. (Legislative and Administrative)

Juvenile Justice

Juvenile Justice Funding

At this time, the Juvenile Justice Authority is not planning to advance legislation other than supporting funding for the new systems of residential care and supporting an increase in the appropriations for community corrections. The Alliance supports efforts on the part of the department to ensure funding for residential care. The Alliance supports additional funding for intake and assessment services. (Legislative and Administrative)

Mental Health

Medicaid

The changes with Medicaid and the new Medicaid State Plan fundamentally shift how services will be provided. Probably nowhere are these changes more dramatic than in the child welfare field. In the future, the community mental health system will be increasingly responsible for screening children who enter residential care as well as providing community based service alternatives for youths and their families. Many of these changes are scheduled to begin in April with the balance becoming effective by July. It will be increasingly important to monitor implementation of this new system and advise policy makers and legislators of necessary mid-course corrections. (Administrative and Legislative)

KDH&E

Expedited KBI Records Checks

Last Session HB 2497 sought to expedite the process of getting KBI checks done on prospective foster families. The bill was supported by KDH&E, SRS, and Children’s Alliance, as well as several member agencies. The bill started late in the session and did not make the deadline for moving to the Senate. At this time, KDH&E plans to reintroduce this legislation during the upcoming session. The Children’s Alliance would once again be a supporter. (Legislative)

Child Placing Agency Regulations

Continue to work with member agencies, KDH&E and SRS to update the child placing agencies regulations. (Administrative)

Children’s Health

Health Policy Authority

Monitor and support those items on the Health Policy Authority’s legislative agenda that impact health care issues for at risk youth. (Legislative)

Oral Health Kansas

This group has been a leader in advancing issues of oral health for Kansans. Join with them in supporting initiatives directed at opening access to oral health care for the youth served by child welfare. (Legislative)