An open letter to Kentucky government:
Dear Kentucky Legislator:
All private providers collaborating with state government appreciate what you and others did last year for Kentucky’s at-risk children. The reality is the dollars budgeted to begin this July are too little and much too late.
Private providers are not holding our hands out simply because we think there is extra money to pass out. We are in a state of crisis making the child welfare infrastructure in Kentucky vulnerable to increased cost for out-of-state placements, more hospital placements and the possibility of a federal consent decree or class action litigation. You can confirm our concerns with Secretary Birdwhistell.
Private providers care for almost one-half of Kentucky’s at-risk children living out-of-home. The Commonwealth must have our services for the children of Kentucky in state custody. Most of us serve this ever-increasing number of children whose levels of acuity have risen dramatically because it is our mission. We will care for them until our last dollar is gone. For some providers, that day has already come and if we have to wait until July 1, 2008, many others will not survive.
Think of our position in these terms. Which Kentucky University today is charging calendar 2000 tuition rates and is still in business? Private providers have not had a substantial rate increase since 2000 but the child to staff ratios’ have changed from 10:1 down to 6:1 increasing costs dramatically. Everything to provide care for these children has increased but our reimbursements. Last year, our allowable costs for residential care were $12M more than our combined reimbursements from the Commonwealth. Remember, these children are the legal responsibility of the state and not private providers.
We all agree responsible parents should pay child support. At best, the Commonwealth has paid 80% of the allowable costs as reimbursements to private providers. Today, due to increased costs and regulations, most of us receive about 65% of our allowable costs to care for children who are legally wards of the state and the deficit increases each year. We are not asking for back child support. We are asking the legislature to step up and be responsible today with a rate increase that comes closer to paying actual costs for the children in state care.
We know there is a budget process to follow. We also know this is not a budget year. But, that will not matter to a child who not only is removed from her home because of substantiated abuse or neglect but is then sent out-of-state because there is no bed for her in Kentucky. This will victimize the child again! Please do not let that happen. The children do not care if you open the budget or not. Please put politics aside and do what is best for Kentucky’s vulnerable and suffering children however you can. We cannot wait until 08!
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