Gov. Heineman & Chief Justice Heavican Highlight
Child Welfare Reform Progress; Outline Next Steps

(Lincoln, Neb. - Photos ) Gov. Dave Heineman and Nebraska Chief Justice Michael Heavican today reviewed progress being made to address child welfare reform in our state.  The Governor provided an update on several directives he issued in 2006 with the goal of resolving more of the state’s child welfare cases. He also announced a new partnership with the potential to help an additional 550 children be reunited with their families.

“Our first progress report was back when 20 percent of the cases involved in this reform had been closed,” Gov. Heineman said. “Today, more than 80 percent of the cases involved in this reform effort have been completed. The focus on resolving some of the most important cases has helped us reduce the number of state wards.”

Speaking on behalf of Nebraska’s judicial branch, Chief Justice Heavican said, “I am very proud of the hard work of the judges, attorneys and court staff who have dedicated many hours to improving our system for abused and neglected children. The court officers are responsible for the progress of our Through the Eyes of a Child initiative, the goal of which is to ensure that children and families in the Nebraska court system are provided with justice and permanent, safe placements.

Of the 1,184 cases involving state wards that were part of the Governor’s reform initiative, more than 80 percent of all cases have been closed. Of the 961 cases successfully resolved, more than 317 were adopted and 644 safely returned home or were placed with a relative or other guardian.

In April 2006, Nebraska’s child welfare system 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. As a result, the total number of children in Nebraska’s foster care and child welfare systems has decreased by more than 12 percent during the past two years.

Gov. Heineman said, “During the last two years, more children have left our child welfare system than have entered it. That’s unprecedented and it’s a major accomplishment.

On June 21, 2006, the Governor directed the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to reduce the number of state wards by focusing on the following areas:

• Resolving the cases of children ages zero to five.
• Working with other partners to close cases of children who had never been removed from their homes or who were back living safely at home but whose cases were still active.

DHHS staff identified 1,184 cases that fit these criteria. Every case was reviewed within the first few months, and caseworkers and supervisors developed a plan for permanency for each child. The 223 remaining cases involve primarily older children that have chosen not to pursue adoption or others not yet ready for adoption.  View Chart

“In addition to resolving these high-priority cases, the staff with Health and Human Services has created other very positive results,” Gov. Heineman said.

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. Between 2003 and 2007, there was a 52 percent increase in the number of children placed safely with a relative. view chart

The Governor was also joined in providing an update on the state’s child welfare reform efforts by Georgina Scurfield, chairwoman of the Nebraska Foster Care Review Board (FCRB).

This summer, caseworkers and supervisors within DHHS’s Division of Children and Family Services will partner with the FCRB to help reach a permanent resolution in an additional 550 cases. This group involves children and young people who have been in state care for two years and whose cases have a plan for reunification with their families.

 Gov. Heineman said, “We’ve addressed the cases involving some of our youngest children during the last few years, and this new partnership provides the opportunity to make a difference for a significant number of young people. In addition to finding permanent resolutions for more children and families, we’ve made a concerted effort to develop stronger relationships with others involved in child welfare. This new partnership is evidence of the progress we’ve made.”