The third report from a neutral third party is showing continued progress in the state’s child welfare system, according to the office of Kansas Governor Laura Kelly.
The report by The Center for the Study of Social Policy (CSSP), the independent Neutral Third Party, covers data from calendar year 2023. It shows that 69% of children and youth in DCF custody received timely mental health and trauma screenings. That’s a 35% improvement since 2021. It also showed that in 52% of the cases reviewed, children and youth had their mental and behavioral needs addressed. Additionally, of the children who needed mental health or behavioral health services, 80% did not see a delay in mental health treatment being provided due to placement instability.
The report listed several other findings:
- Nearly 99% of family foster homes and nearly 100% of relative or kin placement did not exceed licensed capacity without an approved exception.
- In 2023, the number of children and youth experiencing temporary overnight placement or failure to place went down from 141 instances in 2022 to 68 instances in 2023.
- Regarding the goal that 85% of children in care have one or fewer moves in a 12-month period, CY 2023 reflects the State is just shy of that goal at 83%.
The report said while the state has made some improvements, it is still not meeting all expectations.
In a press release, Governor Kelly responded to the latest report, saying, “The latest Neutral Report shows we have made great progress on our child welfare system, but there is more work to be done to improve access to mental health services. I am encouraged that we have reduced the need for traditional foster care as more children are living with relatives or kin. We will continue to find ways to address the needs of our most vulnerable children.”
This is the third report resulting from the McIntyre class action lawsuit settlement. The lawsuit was filed in 2018 under the Colyer Administration by Kansas Appleseed, Children’s Rights, and the National Center for Youth Law against the Governor, Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF), Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services, and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. The Governor was later dismissed from the case.
The parties agreed to a settlement in 2020. The settlement was structured to ensure Kansas would achieve substantial progress and compliance in key performance areas over a multi-year period.
