Page images
PDF
EPUB

FOSTER CARE

Question. The Congress provided $520.9 million in funding for prior year claims under the foster care program. How much of that money has been paid to the states? Please provide a list, by state, of the amount of the claims and the amount paid and when paid.

Answer. On March 8, 1991 we awarded $317 million in payment of FY 1989 claims. Enclosed is a list of the undisbuted claims above amounts previouly paid. The amount paid is equal to that amount. The additional amounts owed states for FY 1990 have not yet been completed, since the calculation and preparation of the awards is a lengthy and complicated process.

[ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

FOSTER CARE/LEGISLATIVE PROPOSAL

Question. The budget indicates that a legislative proposal will be sent forward at a later date to preclude preplacement services as a reimbursable under Title IV-E administrative costs. Provide for the record your definition of preplacement services.

Answer. We are developing the details of the legislative proposal and will include language in the legislative proposal to clarify what costs are reimbursable administrative costs prior to placement.

Question. What other types of federal programs/dollars are used by the states for preplacement services to prevent placement in foster care?

Answer. Other Federal sources of funds that States use are title XX (Social Services Block Grant) and title IV-B (Child Welfare Services). In fact, those programs are the primary Federal sources of funds for preplacement services.

Question. If the Congress does not enact the legislative changes proposed for the foster care program, is the funding requested for foster care sufficient to meet the costs that will be claimed by the States in FY 1992?

Answer. If our legislative proposal is not enacted, we have estimated that the cost of the program under the current legislation would be $2.2 billion in FY 1992.

CHILD WELFARE SERVICES

Question. I note that the budget requests an additional $90 million for Child Welfare Services. Are these monies contingent on the enactment of the Administration's legislative proposals?

Answer. Yes, the request.for $90 million is contingent upon enactment of the legislative proposal.

Question. Given the severe pressures you cite on child welfare programs, do you feel that the $90 million increase is warranted irregardless of enactment of the Administration's legislative proposal?

Answer. No, the Administration's request for $90 million is contingent upon the enactment of the legislative proposal.

Question. How much of the proposed $90 million increase for child welfare services would be used for actual services, how much for research. In addition to research on family preservation services, how much of these additional monies would be used on research?

Answer. Of the requested $90 million $10 million would be used for family preservation evaluations; $2 million would be used for oversight demonstration projects; and the remaining $78 million would be alloted to the States for services.

Question. How does your budget and legislative package address the issue of drug abuse by parents, and the resulting effects on children and families?

Answer. Both the additional and the current amount of funds under title IV-B may be used for services to focus on those problems which we discuss with State staff in jointly developing a plan.

Question. Do you have any specific plans for coordination of child welfare activities and substance abuse programs within your Department to improve the level and quality of services available to drug affected families, and thereby protect the children in these families?

Answer. The Department has established and has functioning the Policy Committee on Substance Abusing Women and Their Children to assist in the exchange of information and coordination of programs within the Department. Other joint efforts include a memorandum of understanding between the Children's Bureau/Administration for Children, Youth and Families and the Office of Maternal and Child Health joint activities of the Children's Bureau and the Administration for Developmental Disabilities; and coordination with other parts of the Department regarding implementation of the Abandoned Infants Assistance Program, the new Emergency Child Protection Program, as well as other programs.

CHILD WELFARE SERVICES/DATA

Question. What information can you provide the Committee on activities under the Title IV-B program? For example, do you have information on State spending broken down by specific activities such as child protective services or preventive and supportive services?

Answer. The only information we have about State spending by activity varies from State to State and is incomplete.

Question. Do you have information on the population served under Title IV-B, such as income level, family status, etc?

Answer. No, we do not have that kind of information.

CHILD ABUSE CHALLENGE GRANTS

Question. Funding for Child Abuse Challenge Grants has been requested at $5,367,000 in FY 1992, the same level as provided in FY 1991. The purpose of these grants is to encourage States to establish and maintain trust funds or other funding mechanisms to support child abuse and neglect prevention activities. Your justification indicates that 50 States are expected to have established such trust funds or other funding mechanisms in FY 1991. Is there a continuing need for these funds, once States have established trust funds or other funding mechanisms?

Answer. Children's Trust funds are dedicated to child abuse and neglect prevention programs. Although these funds have been established in almost every State, they remain subject to legislative action to abolish the fund or change its purpose. In the ongoing battle over scarce resources, States may be tempted to

forgo these important prevention programs to meet the demand for treatment and other direct services. The Challenge Grant program provides an incentive for States to maintain the children's trust funds for prevention programs.

NEGLECTED AND ABUSED CHILDREN

Question. What steps are being taken to address such issues as neglect and abuse of children in institutionalized care?

Answer. Since 1978, the National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect has been undertaking efforts in the area of child maltreatment in residential institutions. The focus of these efforts includes:

[merged small][ocr errors][merged small]
[ocr errors][ocr errors]

Demonstration of improved systems for insuring child
protection in institutions; and

Research on the needs and resources for child protection in institutions.

As part of its eligibility for a Child Abuse and Neglect Basic State Grant, each State must provide for the reporting of known or suspected incidents of child abuse and neglect in residential facilities in such a way that legally authorized investigative

agencies may not be made responsible for investigating themselves if they also happen to be responsible for administering such residential programs for children. In addition, to maintain their eligibility for Basic State Grant funds, States are required to certify annually that their reporting statutes or administrative procedures remain in force and effect. The National Center continues to assist States in the development of statutes, regulations, or policy issuances to ensure continued compliance with the eligibility requirements.

The National Center also developed and widely distributed a draft "Model Child Protection Act". The Model Act addresses institutional child maltreatment and, while not a requirement, it has served as a guide for States in developing their policies and procedures. The Model Act continues to be distributed, upon request, by the National Center's Clearinghouse.

The National Center is currently in the process of updating its series of User Manuals first published in the early 1980's. The revision of the Manual entitled "Preventing Child Abuse and Neglect: A Guide for Staff in Residential Institutions" will incorporate the most recent information from practitioners as well as information developed through a number of research and demonstration efforts funded by the National Center, including:

[merged small][ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

Institutional Abuse Prevention Project, Boston, MA

Investigation and Correction of Institutional Child
Maltreatment Project HANDS, Washington, DC.

The Investigation and Correction of Child Abuse and
Neglect in Residential Institutions, Trenton, NJ

A Project for the Investigation and Correction of
Child Abuse and Neglect in Residential
Institutions, Logan, UT.

Research Projects

[ocr errors][ocr errors]

Identification, Management, and Prevention of Child
Child Abuse and Neglect [in residential
facilities, Columbus, OH.

Organizational Factors in Child Protection in
Residential Institutions, Indianapolis, IN.

Child Abuse in New York State Foster Care
Institutions, Albany, NY.

In addition to the discretionary funding efforts described above, the funds available under the Basic State Grant Program have been used by States to initiate and continue a number of projects and activities designed to address child abuse and neglect in institutional settings.

CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION

Question. Although the number of abused children is on the increase, funding for specific programs to prevent child abuse and neglect has remained relatively stable. Given the fact that we are spending billions of dollars on children in the foster care system, would it not make sense to provide increased funding for those programs that are designed to prevent child abuse and neglect?

Answer. We have requested an additional $90 million for the Title IV-B Child Welfare Services program which States can use to help prevent child abuse. In addition, the National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect (NCCAN) is mandated by the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) to spend a majority of its funds on prevention related activities, and has done so to the extent possible. NCCAN's most recent major prevention undertaking was the funding of nine model projects which were funded in September 1989 at a total projected cost of $9.5 million for five years. The objective of the demonstration is to mobilize and realign community based resources to prevent child abuse and neglect. A third party evaluation will be conducted and will provide information on program replicability and the effectiveness of specific models and interventions.

« PreviousContinue »