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Level of Care
Statement of Provider Intent
September 22, 2003
Over the past five years, the State, through the
Departments of Human Resources and Juvenile Justice, the Georgia
Association of Homes and Services for Children, and other advocates, has
been working to develop a system of care for Georgia's foster children
that will:
- Ensure that children are safe and protected from harm
- Ensure that children are assessed properly for their treatment
needs
- Ensure that children are placed in settings that provide the
services that achieve their treatment needs.
- Ensure that children have the permanency in their young lives that
they need and the government demands
This new system is called Level of Care (LOC). First piloted in Fulton
County in 2002, it successfully allowed Fulton County to close its
inadequate and unsafe facility. The county owned and operated facility,
was overcrowded, poorly staffed, and poorly maintained. It was no place
for a child to live and thrive. LOC built the placement capacity that the
children of Fulton County needed.
As a result, turnover in professional staff has been halved and every
child since last November has been placed in an appropriate and timely
placement. This pilot allowed for many of the procedural issues to be
worked out in anticipation of a statewide rollout.
Today, thanks to the Level of Care system, Fulton County system has been
alleviated. It has been replaced by the Fulton Family Resource Center.
Foster children who enter care now are assessed and appropriately placed.
Georgia had originally planned to roll out Level of Care statewide in the
fall of 2002. Since then, the schedule for implementation has been pushed
back on three separate occasions. The new date is now February 1, 2004.
Providers are ready to implement Levels of Care for Georgia's children.
They cannot do it based on a tentative commitment for implementation and
resources. They need solid dates and solid commitments with real
resources. Services and budgets of most agencies have been in a state of
instability waiting for the release of resources for Levels of Care.
Childcare providers and advocates know this new system provides children
with the safety and services they need. Therefore, further delay is
unacceptable.
Based on the lack of commitment by the State to fully implement and
resource the services of Levels of Care, providers have taken a necessary
step to insure that children receive the services they need. Providers
cannot continue to take care of children with high levels of need based on
resources that are admitted by all to be insufficient for these levels of
care.
Providers intend to move to a level of care system for determining which
children are appropriate for their agencies. Providers also intend to
require the necessary resources to fulfill their commitment to foster
children. These requirements will begin on February 1, 2004.
The level of resources will be based on the Fulton County rates for levels
of care as determined in the fall of 2002 including two residential
assessment levels. These resource levels will increase by 5% on July 1,
2004. Providers felt that it was necessary to inform Georgia of the
resources necessary in anticipation of the budget preparation process.
Providers desire to move in concert with Georgia in the care of its
children. We fully support continuation of the LOC Implementation
Workgroup and the joint planning that we are doing together. As full
partners in the process, we must work together where possible for the
benefit of Georgia's foster children. Providers have a moral
responsibility to the children we serve and can only support a system that
truly serves the children in its custody.
For more information contact:
Normer Adams, GAHSC, 404 572 6170, normer@gahsc.org
Or the LOC Website at: http://www.gahsc.org |
