Republican State Senator Corey Simon says he’s troubled that children have been staying overnight in the offices of Florida’s community-based care agencies. He raised questions in the Senate committee that oversees the Department of Children and Families, known as DCF. Department Secretary Shevaun Harris responds to his concerns in an interview with WFSU.
Simon was reacting to a DCF presentation about young people for whom it’s difficult to find placements if they aren’t safe with their biological parents. These include kids with behavioral or other severe problems that can make the home unsafe for the foster family.
DCF has a new treatment program for these children. The Behavioral Qualified Residential Treatment Program has 12 residents statewide and more facilities in the pipeline. But Simon says he’s hearing from foster families that are struggling to get help for their troubled kids.
“What parents are calling and telling me is that, ‘We’re calling, but nobody is picking up, or they’re leaving me on hold for long periods of time and then they’re hanging up,’" he said. "And so, I want to understand just how many positions do you have vacant?”
A DCF representative didn’t have an answer right away, so Simon went on to his questions about community-based care agencies, known as CBCs. These are privatized agencies with whom the state has contracted to handle adoptions and foster-care placements. These often involve children who are troubled due to years of abuse or neglect.
“Our CBCs have no clue what to do with them," said Simon. "They are sometimes just sitting in the offices of our CBCs, overnight in many instances, because there’s no placement for them. And so, I think there needs to be a real sense of urgency in taking care of this problem. And I know that wasn’t a question, but the magnitude of the problem is frustrating.”
The following day, DCF Secretary Shevaun Harris said the department’s hotline staff vacancy rate is at an all-time low: 8 percent. And that the department has been “aggressively hiring for those positions.”
Harris also says DCF’s hotline for reporting abuse and neglect is different from the calls Simon was describing. He was talking about children and youth in foster care. Harris explains that the community-based care agencies are responsible to those foster children and parents, while DCF is responsible for calls to the abuse hotline.
“We really want individuals using the hotline to report abuse and neglect. If you are a parent … If you are a foster or adoptive parent in need of assistance, our contract with the community based care lead agencies requires them to be the first line of defense. So, they’re really the first entity that you should be calling because their contract requires them to support you.”
Harris says DCF and the community-based care agencies are partners. For instance, Florida doesn’t have enough foster parents. So, the department works with the CBCs to recruit them. But if the parents Simon describes can’t get their calls answered by the CBC, who is responsible?
“WFSU: I know you say you’re partners, but are they primarily responsible?
Harris: Yes, that is a core part of their contract.
WFSU: Are they primarily responsible for kids sitting in their offices?
Harris: They are responsible for ensuring that children have a safe home, so if a child does not, it is their responsibility as well.”
Harris says there are other ways to get a call returned. One is a “call-back assist,” in which you leave your contact information; Harris says your call is typically returned within 25 minutes. There’s also an option, offered when you call the hotline, to use an online reporting tool; that way there’s no wait time. She says someone will call back the same day and provide confirmation that the report was submitted.
Simon, who is a former football star and has worked with youth in sports activities, hopes the connections will improve for foster families.
“It’s troubling, to say the least. I don’t think kids should be treated that way. It’s not their fault.”
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https://www.myflfamilies.com/contact-us
This is the link to the abuse hotline, suicide prevention line, domestic violence hotline and the line to arrange for a background screening.
(850) 300-4323
This is the customer call center — not the abuse and neglect hotline.
https://www.myflfamilies.com/services/public-assistance
This is to access food, cash and Medicaid.
https://www.myflfamilies.com/foster-care
This is to become a foster parent.
This is for adoption services.
This is for community based care.
