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Milwaukee County Child Welfare

Legislative Audit Bureau

September 2007

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Audit Overview DHFS began administering the program in January

1998, following a class-action lawsuit. LAB released two reports in February 2006:

– program issues (report 06-1); and– finances and staffing (report 06-2).

The Joint Legislative Audit Committee has held two prior hearings on Milwaukee County Child Welfare in March 2006 and March 2007.

DHFS reported to the Audit Committee on March 1, 2006, October 2, 2006, and February 1, 2007.

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Key Facts and Findings From January 2001 through June 2005, program

expenditures totaled $493.7 million. In June 2005:

– services were provided to 3,188 children who had been removed from their homes to ensure their safety; and

– 266 families received safety services without having a child removed. From January 2004 through June 2005, 30.9

percent of investigations of abuse and neglect exceeded a 60-day statutory time limit.

Early in 2005, only 27.4 percent of court-ordered services for families were provided in a timely manner.

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Key Facts and Findings In 25 of 48 cases in which children were removed

from their homes, we found problems in achieving permanent placements.

20.1 percent of children reunified with their parents reentered out-of-home care within 24 months.

Coordination of service delivery between child welfare, Medical Assistance, and other support programs needed improvement.

We found $677,694 in unallowable and questioned costs charged to the program by six contractors.

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Audit Recommendations Improve the timeliness of investigations and

the delivery of court-ordered services.

Reduce the time children spend in out-of-home care.

Ensure the adequacy of safety services.

Improve service coordination with Medical Assistance, W-2, and other social services providers.

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Audit Recommendations Monitor families who return for additional

safety services.

Monitor families who have children placed in out-of-home care in the 12 months following receipt of safety services.

Ensure that all children in out-of-home care receive annual medical and dental examinations.

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Audit Recommendations Continue to work to improve the retention of

child welfare staff.

Appropriately calculate compliance with performance standards specified in the settlement agreement.

Collect and analyze information on services that contractors provide to families.

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Audit Recommendations Monitor and assess La Causa’s financial

condition and debt.

Require contractors to repay unallowable costs and either repay or provide additional documentation for questioned costs.

Ensure that new staff complete pre-service training before managing cases.

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Milwaukee County Child Welfare

Legislative Audit Bureau

September 2007