Child Welfare Progress Report

Press Release

Child Welfare Progress Report

By Governor Dave Heineman

Dear Fellow Nebraskans:

I want to share with you the positive progress that's occurring with our child welfare reform efforts in Nebraska. Two years ago, I issued several directives to the leaders of the Department of Health and Human Services challenging them to find ways of resolving more of the state's child welfare cases involving foster children and other young people in need.

On June 21, 2006, I asked Health and Human Services to focus on finalizing cases of children ages zero to five, and to work with other partners in the judicial system to close cases where children had never been removed from their homes or had been living safely at home but whose cases were still active.

Health and Human Services staff identified 1,184 cases matching these criteria. In the first few months, caseworkers and case supervisors developed a plan for permanency for each child. In the two years since this reform effort began, each remaining case has been reviewed each month for progress.

Our first progress report was back when 20 percent of these 1,184 cases had been closed. Today, more than 80 percent of these cases have been completed.

Of the 961 cases successfully resolved so far, 317 resulted in adoption with another 644 children being safely returned home or placed with a relative or other guardian. The 223 remaining cases in this initial reform initiative involve primarily older children who have chosen not to pursue adoption or others not yet ready for adoption.

Resolving high-priority cases of young children and those whose cases were lingering too long in the system has had the desired effect of reducing the overall number of state wards.

In April of 2006, Nebraska's child welfare system had reached an all-time high of 7,803 state wards. At the end of June, the number of state wards was down to 6,829, which represents a 12 percent decrease.

Even more significant is the fact that more children have left our child welfare system than have entered it during these past two years. That is unprecedented progress for Nebraska and it is a major accomplishment for all those who are part of our child welfare system.

This reform has had other positive results. Adoptions in Nebraska have increased during the past few years, from 291 in 2003 to 456 in 2006 and a record high of 467 last year. From 2003 to 2007, there was a 52 percent increase in the number of children placed safely with a relative.

These numbers are evidence that the emphasis on family-centered practices is having an impact. In any situation, our first priority is to ensure the safety of the child in need and that has not changed. Our children and family services team also puts a high priority on finding permanent placements for children and making decisions that are best for a child's well-being. Reuniting families is the first choice. Next placements with other relatives are sought out before going the route of traditional foster care. This focus on safety, permanency and child well-being are the principles that have helped produce this turn around. They will guide our decisions as we continue our reform efforts.

The success of this first initiative has helped us build stronger relationships with other partners with a role in our child welfare system. As a result, we are now in a position to explore a new partnership that has the potential to help another 550 children be reunited with their families.

This summer, caseworkers and supervisors within Health and Human Services' Division of Children and Family Services will partner with the Nebraska Foster Care Review to begin a permanent resolution in cases involving children and young people who have been in state care for two years and who have a plan in place to be reunified with their families.

This partnership will help us better understand the challenges that led to these cases remaining active for so long and that knowledge will help us continue to improve as we find better ways to serve children and families in need.

I offer my heartfelt thanks to everyone who has helped us reduce the number of state wards. Their work has made a real difference for hundreds of children in our state.

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