Phyllis Gilmore: Politicians slanting message about Department for Children and Families

Kansas has one of the safest child welfare systems in the country, according to the federal Child and Family Services Review. Recently, politicians more interested in making headlines and scoring political points than solving problems have generated false news stories about the way the agency is handling teenagers in foster care who run away. The public deserves to know the truth about the Kansas Department for Children and Families’ handling of these cases.

The statistics are not new. An estimated 92 percent of youth who run away from foster care are 12 and older. In some cases, they may have a history of running away. Often, they are running to get back to their family and friends. None of these factors negate the urgency in locating them. That’s why DCF has strict policies and procedures in place that require our foster care contractors to notify law enforcement within two hours that the teens’ whereabouts are unknown.

Youth in foster care are not confined. They go to school, participate in extra-curricular activities, and hang out with friends. Our agency and contractors strive to place them in the least-restrictive, most family-like setting when appropriate, so trauma is minimized.

In FY 2009, under the Sebelius Administration, 1.5 percent of children ran away from foster care. Today, it’s 1.1 percent, which is consistent with the national average. That’s a 26-percent reduction since the previous administration. There is still work to do. This is a problem we have always prioritized, and that’s why the outraged cries of politicians who have been in office for years and are just now comprehending this challenge are disingenuous.

Here is some reassurance for those who are genuinely interested in the well-being of youth in foster care. The agency has initiated a number of improvements to safety and accountability in the child welfare system. These improvements came as part of a constant vigilance to ensure we are using best practices, such as instituting new policies for the Foster Care Licensing division, so we can further ensure foster families have adequate resources and space to accommodate children in their care. We now fingerprint anyone in the home 10 and older and run those prints thorough background checks. We also have taken over home inspections to remove conflicts of interest. Our child welfare staff members receive extensive training before they have contact with families, so they are fully prepared to address whatever needs arise—including crises. We have reinforced our Kansas Protection Report Center, the hotline to report abuse and neglect, so calls are answered quickly and are thoroughly assessed.

Scrutiny of an agency charged with protecting the state’s most vulnerable residents is warranted and welcomed. But we ask the public to know the facts before accepting assumptions reported in the media. Kansas has one of the safest child welfare systems in the country, and that is because of the hard work and collaborative efforts of DCF staff, our foster care contractors and the many other entities that make up the child welfare system.

This story was originally published October 25, 2017 at 5:10 AM with the headline "Phyllis Gilmore: Politicians slanting message about Department for Children and Families."