Child Welfare Reform – Nebraska

Report: Reverse child welfare privatization, By Martha Stoddard and Paul Hammel, December 16, 2011, Omaha World-Herald: “Saying Nebraska is failing in its responsibilities to children, a panel of state lawmakers called Thursday for pulling back on the controversial privatization of child welfare services. In the final report from a months-long investigation, the Health and Human Services Committee proposed sweeping changes aimed at creating better outcomes for children and better financial oversight for the state. The report could mark the beginning of the end for Nebraska’s two-year-old experiment in turning over to private contractors the bulk of duties for ensuring the safety and well-being of abused and neglected children in the state. But it also sets up a potential conflict between lawmakers and Gov. Dave Heineman, who has resisted previous calls to slow or halt his administration’s privatization effort…”