Contractors in charge of handling foster care in Kansas have been investigated dozens of times during the past three years, in some cases leading to changes to protect children they serve.
Records obtained by The Star show that in multiple situations foster children’s mental health needs were not met and contractors fell short in ensuring some kids were placed in appropriate homes or facilities.
The records, which detail complaints investigated by the Department for Children and Families’ licensing unit, offer a rare glimpse into reported problems at the state’s four contractors. And they provide insight into Kansas’ troubled system, which was the first to be fully privatized in the mid 1990s.
