'Came as a surprise': New legislative bill threatens Foster Care Review Office's independence

BIT OF A CHILLY START. JONAH. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU CAITLIN. THE FOSTER CARE REVIEW OFFICE SAYS ITS INDEPENDENCE IS BEING THREATENED BY A NEWLY INTRODUCED LEGISLATIVE BILL. SHELBY 14, 17 AIMS TO CONSOLIDATE NUMEROUS BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS ACROSS THE STATE. KETV NEWSWATCH SEVEN’S MADDIE AUGUSTINE SPOKE WITH THE FOSTER CARE REVIEW OFFICE, WHO SAYS THEY WERE BLINDSIDED BY THE NEW BILL. THIS BILL CAME AS A SURPRISE TO US. WE HAD NO ADVANCE NOTICE OR WARNING NO ONE FROM THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE OR FROM THE LEGISLATURE TALK TO US ABOUT THIS LEGISLATIVE BILL. 1417, INTRODUCED ON JANUARY 18TH BY

TOM BREWER ON BEHALF OF THE GOVERNOR, IS 101 PAGES LONG. OF PROPOSED CHANGES TO NUMEROUS BOARDS, COMMITTEES AND COMMISSIONS THROUGHOUT THE STATE, INCLUDING THE FOSTER CARE REVIEW OFFICE. THE SECTIONS THAT PERTAIN TO THE FOSTER CARE REVIEW OFFICE WOULD PLACE THE FCSO UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE NEBRASKA CHILDREN’S COMMISSION. A GROUP, THE FCSO, CURRENTLY OVERSEES. WE PROVIDE ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT TO THE CHILDREN’S COMMISSION, AND I’M THE DIRECT SUPERVISOR OF THE TWO COMMISSION EMPLOYEES. SECTION 25 OF SB 1417 ALSO GIVES THE NEBRASKA CHILDREN’S COMMISSION THE POWER TO SELECT THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CRO AND THE FCDO ADVISORY

COMMITTEE. BOTH ARE CURRENTLY APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR AND APPROVED BY THE LEGISLATURE AFTER A PUBLIC HEARING. IT WOULD LOSE THAT CHECK AND BALANCE OF HAVING

THE LEGISLATURE KIND OF BE A CHECK AND BALANCE TO THE GOVERNOR. ESSENTIALLY IT IT CUTS, UM, THE, THE NEBRASKA CITIZENS OUT OF THAT DECISION MAKING. MONIKA GROSS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE FCSO, SAYS AS THE BILL STANDS, THE FCRA WILL LOSE ITS INDEPENDENCE. IT KIND OF NEUTRALIZES THE IMPACT OF THE FOSTER CARE REVIEW OFFICE AND OUR CITIZEN REVIEWERS, IMPACTING THE OFFICE’S ABILITY TO PROVIDE INDEPENDENT OVERSIGHT OVER THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND

HUMAN SERVICES AND THE COURT SYSTEM. WE ARE AN AUTHORITATIVE VOICE FOR THE CHILDREN AND AND WITHOUT THAT, THAT INDEPENDENCE, YOU’RE LIKELY TO GET, UM, COOKIE CUTTER RECOMMENDATIONS OR COOKIE CUTTER CASE PLANS FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES. IN AN EMAIL TO NEBRASKA’S LAWMAKERS, RONALD DEUEL. A 16 YEAR LONG BOARD MEMBER, SAYS, QUOTE, THE FCRA NEEDS ADDITIONAL INFLUENCE TO OVERSEE THE FOSTER CARE SYSTEM, NOT REDUCE THAT ABILITY. GROSS SAYS THE CHANGE IN OVERSIGHT WILL LEAVE A LASTING IMPACT. CHILDREN ARE LIKELY TO LINGER IN FOSTER CARE LONGER AND NOT ACHIEVE PERMANENCY, COSTING TAXPAYERS MORE, AND THOSE INDIVIDUALS NOT BEING

ABLE TO REALLY, UM, YOU KNOW, ACHIEVE THEIR POTENTIAL, LEAVING GROSS. IN THE REST OF THE FCRA WORKING TO PROVE HOW VITAL THEIR INDEPENDENCE AND TRANSPARENCY IS. I HAVE CONTACTED THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE AND HAVE NOT HEARD BACK. MADDIE AUGUSTINE KETV NEWSWATCH SEVEN. GROSS SAYS SHE WOULD LIKE TO WORK WITH THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE TO REVISE THE PROPOSED CHANGES IN THE BILL. KETV INVESTIGATES DID REACH OUT TO THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE BUT HAS NOT HEARD BACK. SHOULD THE BILL PASS AS IS