State recognized for achievements, is on path toward exiting court oversight
Michigan can sharpen its focus on improving the safety and well-being of vulnerable children as part of a new agreement made possible by great progress that has already occurred in the state.
The agreement approved by a judge Tuesday, Feb. 2, sets the state on a path toward exiting federal court oversight of its child welfare system.
Through years of successful reform efforts by Gov. Rick Snyder’s administration, Michigan has improved services to the 13,000 children in the state’s foster care system who have been removed from their homes due to abuse or neglect.
U.S. District Court Judge Nancy G. Edmunds, Eastern District of Michigan, approved the Implementation, Sustainability and Exit Plan, which takes the place of the Modified Settlement Agreement approved in 2011 that came after a lawsuit filed by the advocacy group Children’s Rights in 2006.
There is now a significant reduction in the number of child welfare system goals that will be tracked by the court, which will monitor the state for compliance with 71 commitments – down from nearly 240 in the previous agreement.
“This is a momentous day for Michigan and for children and families involved in the state’s Children’s Protective Services, foster care and adoption systems,” said MDHHS Director Nick Lyon.
“I’m proud of the tremendous strides the state has made in meeting the needs of vulnerable children, as evidenced by the federal government’s recent recognition that Michigan has satisfied its program improvement plan for child safety. We understand we have more work to do. Now we can devote additional resources to improving safety and well-being outcomes for children and less on continuing to monitor issues that we have already addressed.”
MDHHS’s goal is to exit from federal court monitoring within the next few years.
The state and the plaintiffs began renegotiating the agreement last May – shortly after the former Michigan departments of Community Health and Human Services merged.
“The merger of the two departments through Governor Snyder’s leadership has allowed us to provide even better and more coordinated health and human services to children,” Lyon said
“This is very beneficial for youth in the child welfare system.”
For example, said Steve Yager, executive director of the MDHHS Children’s Services Agency, Michigan is now better positioned to address mental health issues that can profoundly affect children who have suffered trauma due to abuse or neglect.
“We appreciate the cooperative spirit of Children’s Rights and the support from Judge Edmunds and the federal monitors,” Yager said. “I’m proud of the improvements made through the hard work of MDHHS child welfare staff and our private agency partners. They have stepped up because they care deeply about the safety and well-being of children and about finding them permanent homes.”
Under the Modified Settlement Agreement, the state had to comply with all 240 commitments at the same time for at least 18 months before federal court oversight would end. Under the new plan, many of the remaining commitments will no longer be court-monitored after the state has successfully maintained a specified level of performance.
To view the full Implementation, Sustainability and Exit Plan, along with earlier reports and the original Modified Settlement Agreement, visit www.michigan.gov/ChildWelfareAgreement.
