In 2009, the Washington State Legislature passed 2SHB 2106, relating to the accountability for performance in providing child welfare services to children and families. The act is intended to improve child welfare outcomes through a phased implementation of strategic and proven reforms.
The act acknowledges that the safety and well-being of children and families is essential to the social and economic health of Washington. It further states that it is the duty of the state to provide children at risk of being removed from their homes and families with reasonable opportunities to access supportive services that are proven to enhance their chances to be safe and secure. There is also growing evidence that, if done in a carefully planned, collaborative manner, performance-based contracting - the process of structuring a service around outcomes instead of just services to be performed - can improve the prospect of children being safer and having a greater sense of well-being.
The Act:
- Requires DSHS to consolidate and convert current contracts for child welfare services to performance-based contracts by July 1, 2011.
- Establishes the Child Welfare Transformation Design Committee to select two demonstration sites in which DSHS must contract out for all child welfare services, and developing a transition plan for implementing the performance-based contracts.
In June 2015, the Governor would decide whether to expand or terminate the program based on measurable results of the demonstration projects.
Information from DSHS
General Information:
- Click here to go to the DSHS site and learn more about plans and upcoming informational sessions conducted by DSHS Children's Administration regarding performance-based contracts.
- Click here to view a list of all current DSHS Children's Administration state contractors.
- Click here to view Children's Administration's data book on expenditures and services.
Updates:
December 8, 2011 - These are the final East and West demonstration site recommendations for Part II of 2106 as voted upon by the Transformation Design Committee on November 8, 2011.
November 13, 2011 - On November 8, 2011, the Child Welfare Tranformation Design Committee voted on the location of two demonstration sites in which child welfare services will be provided by supervising agencies. The Committee voted in favor of East Side A and West Side A shown here.
October 14, 2011 - Meeting materials and audio from the October 7, 2011 are now available here. If you have comments regarding any of the content or materials from this meeting, you may submit them in our Comments section.
March 29, 2011 - The DSHS procurement office released a document called "Potential Responder Written Questions and DSHS Answers." This document contains department responses to questions regarding the PBC RFP submitted by potential responders.
March 15, 2011 - The DSHS procurement office released a list of organizations that submitted a Letter of Intent to bid on the Performance-Based Contracting Request for Proposal.
March 14, 2011 - At 3:00 pm, this is the last day for potential responders to submit questions to Children's Administration regarding the Performance-Based Contracting Request for Proposal. Children's Administration will provide written responses to these questions no later than March 29, 2011.
March 10, 2011 - The Washington State House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee held a hearing (embedded below) on the Request for Proposal for Performance-Based Contracting for Services for Children's Administration. The Office of Financial Management also presented a report called the Child Welfare Reform Savings Reinvestment.
March 8, 2011 - Children's Administration held a bidders' conference to discuss the Performance-Based Contracting Request for Proposal.
February 18, 2011 - Children's Administration releases the Request for Proposal for Performance-Based Contracting for Services for Children's Administration.
January 11, 2011 - Children's Administration held meetings on the performance-based contracting financial model.
November 18, 2010 - Children's Administration released a summary report compiled by Partners for Our Children based on the statewide market scan of service providers. The purpose of the scan was to identify service capacity, access to services, strengths and financial capabilities of proivders, and service gaps.