Tennessee Has Yet To Implement Strategies That Would Save Taxpayers Money And Reduce Trauma To Children

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The Tennessee Conservative [By Paula Gomes] –

According to sources, Tennessee has yet to recognize or implement strategies of the federal Family First Act which would save taxpayers money and reduce the trauma of family separation.

As we have reported before, the state’s Department of Children’s Services (DCS) continues to ask for more money every year even as the number of children in state custody decreases.

Before the agency dives once more into the pockets of Tennessee taxpayers, conservatives say we need to ask some questions: 

1. Is DCS promoting family stabilization with in-home services?
2. Is DCS encouraging the working with kinship placements to minimize family separation and rehoming children?
3. How long are children separated from parents who are rehabilitating?
4. Why have the operational expenses continued to rise, while the statistics of children in need of DCS intervention have decreased?

The reason these questions are important is because of the 2018 Family First Preservation and Services Act which requires the states to provide 12-months of in-home services for non-emergency family support needs. The law also provides a new funding apparatus for kinship care which allows children to go to a family member instead of into foster care. 

Signed into law on February 9, 2018, as a part of the Bipartisan Budget Act (HR. 1892), the Family Preservation and Services Act (now called the Family First Act) includes long-overdue historic reforms to help children remain safely with their families, avoiding the traumatic experience of entering foster care. Congress recognized that too many children are separated unnecessarily from their parents who could provide safe and loving care if given access to needed mental health services, substance abuse treatment or improved parenting skills. 

For example, if there is an incident of domestic violence, DCS is likely to remove the child to an out-of-home placement and the parents may be entangled in the system for two years or more while their child is in a continued state of separation trauma. With Family First, the state can provide services to the family or single parents in lieu of removal. Not only does this save taxpayers thousands, it minimizes the trauma of family separation.  

According to a Child and Family Service Review (CFSR) in 2017, the state reported that they were not meeting their goal to make concerted efforts to provide services to families in order to prevent childrens’ entry into foster care. 

“Safety Outcome 2” of DCS’s Child and Safety Plan states that “children are safely maintained in their homes whenever possible and appropriate.”

The 2017 CFSR asked, “Did the agency make concerted efforts to provide services to the family to prevent children’s entry into foster care or re-entry after reunification?” The full review as of September 30th, 2018 states that DCS conformed to their goal in only 40% of cases, with the “measurement plan goal” being only 48.5%.

Sources tell us that parents in Tennessee continue to report that DCS seeks removal orders of their children and denies them basic due process prior to removal.  

Tennessee DCS is largely operated with the use of for-profit private agencies such as Omni Visions and Youth Villages who provide foster care and case management. Payments to both private contractors continue to increase annually.

One source told The Tennessee Conservative that these private contractors put pressure on DCS and the agency wants to keep those private contractors happy. DCS Commissioner Margie Quin said last week that many private facilities who can care for Tennessee children put in the state’s custody are taking other children from out of state because they can make more money.

About the Author: Paula Gomes is a Tennessee resident and reporter for The Tennessee Conservative. You can reach Paula at paula@tennesseeconservativenews.com.