Child-welfare agency shaken up
Source: By JENNIFER BOOTH REED, News Press (FL), August 23, 2006
The Southwest Florida agency that oversees foster care and works with troubled families has created a new company, established a new board and wants to shake up the way it handles cases of abused and neglected children. ........ But the organization's proposal means breaking contracts with three agencies that work with the families and hire their caseworkers as Children's Network employees.
...... To understand what's going on, one must jump back six years to the state's privatization of foster care and other family services that the Department of Children and Families once provided. State officials chose agencies to direct foster care and related services in 22 districts. Camelot Community Care, a nonprofit social services provider operating in five states, won the contract to manage the services in Southwest Florida. In its new role, Camelot became known as The Children's Network.