Voices for Children in Nebraska

  The Children’s Commission’s first meeting had only just begun yesterday afternoon when Governor Heineman mentioned his concern over how much child welfare services were costing the state. He talked about the need for reform within existing resources and also mentioned that the dollars Nebraska spends on child welfare are dollars that we can’t spend [...]

As Introduced: The bill created the Nebraska Children’s Commission with voting membership from all three branches of government and a variety of stakeholders. It also required DHHS and the Children’s Commission to prepare legislation that would create a Department of Children’s Services by January 1, 2013. In addition, LB 821 authorized a study and evaluation [...]

For over two years Nebraska’s vulnerable children and families, social workers, service providers, and court stakeholders have been stuck. They’ve been stuck in a constantly changing system, enduring sudden transition after sudden transition, newspaper story after newspaper story, contract amendment after contract amendment. Nebraska’s child welfare system was struggling long before privatization began, but with [...]

For years, Nebraska’s child welfare system has been broken and underfunded. Children and families have been repeatedly let down, and over the past few years of privatization have faced increased instability and turmoil in their already uncertain lives. Yesterday, Nebraska’s Legislature took leadership and advanced a number of bills aimed at charting a solid, stable course [...]

  Voices for Children testified in support of LB 821, a bill which creates a Children’s Commission and a Department of Children’s Services.  Here is our written testimony for the Health and Human Services Committee: February 1, 2012 To: Members of the Health and Human Services Committee From: Carolyn D. Rooker, MSW – Executive Director [...]