For adoption, the contractor must meet five key outcome measures in order to have the contract renewed. One is shortening the length of time between foster care and adoption. Previously, the state was placing only one-fourth of the children in homes within six months of being freed for adoption. State officials want the private consortium to increase this rate to 70 percent within 180 days and 90 percent within a year. While a major challenge, the non-profits are confident that over time they will vastly improve on the state's performance.
Early results are encouraging.
Inquiries from potential adoptive parents have tripled in five months while the number of adoptions has risen by one-third. This is substantially higher than the 80 percent outcome goal. Virginia Rodman, a consultant with Lutheran Social Services, is convinced privatization represents the future of foster care and adoption in America. It may be different models than in Kansas but some kind of privatization is definitely coming to child welfare. The privatization push comes partly in response to a 1996 state law that encouraged the state human services department to contract out services to community-based agencies.