Child Welfare Transformation Committee

State workers provide the majority of services for children in Washington State's child welfare system, and manage about 1,800 contracts with private agencies for additional support. These contracts are based on specific services delivered, not on outcomes for children.

In 2009, the Washington State Legislature passed a law (HB2106) to link child welfare contracts to positive outcomes for children, and to evaluate the best way to structure how services are delivered so that outcomes improve.

How it works

The new law requires DSHS to convert its approximately 1,800 child welfare services contracts with private providers into performance-based contracts by 2011. The Washington State Institute for Public Policy will report to the Governor and the Legislature regarding the conversion of existing contracts for child welfare services to performance-based contracts.

The law also formed a Child Welfare Transformation Design Committee to develop two demonstration projects by mid-2012 to determine if contracting out all case-management services with independent providers measurably improves outcomes for foster children. (DSHS workers would continue to provide child-protective and investigative services, and administer the performance-based contracts.) The Washington State Institute for Public Policy will evaluate project results. In 2015, the governor will decide to expand or terminate the program based on this evaluation.

What we're doing

The state legislature asked POC to help provide staff support for the Child Welfare Transformation Committee, which includes Indian tribes, unions, private child-welfare providers, judges, DSHS staff, experts in performance-based contracts, and foster care and birth parents.

The committee is open to the public and welcomes input from stakeholders and concerned individuals.