Maine’s Child Welfare Provider Fails to Meet Visitation Standards

Maine has faced significant challenges in its child welfare system as its primary contractor for visitation services, Community Care, managed to schedule only 10% of required visits within the mandated seven-day timeframe. According to a report by The Maine Monitor, this performance is far below the 90% benchmark set by the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) for 2024.

For families involved in child welfare cases, timely visits are critical. Under Maine law, the state must arrange visits between parents and children within seven days of removal due to abuse or neglect concerns. These visits are supervised to ensure the safety of the child and to maintain the essential bond between parent and child necessary for future reunification.

Last year, Community Care, which expanded its service areas in 2023, received a total of 276 referrals but scheduled only 30 visits within the required timeframe. The median wait for a visit was 29 days, significantly impacting the well-being of families during a traumatic period.

Despite this poor performance, DHHS renewed its contract with Community Care in December 2023, increasing the agency’s potential monthly earnings to $292,791, or approximately $3.5 million annually. Alisa Morton, a spokesperson for DHHS, acknowledged the concern regarding the contractor’s performance but did not provide specific details about steps taken to improve the situation or about accountability measures.

Many experts and child welfare advocates have expressed alarm over the delays in scheduling visits. The ongoing failure to meet the seven-day requirement not only hampers parental bonding but also prolongs the time it takes to resolve cases, adding to the burden of DHHS caseworkers who often resort to arranging visits themselves.

In cases where Community Care failed to schedule visits, DHHS has employed its own caseworkers and resource parents to ensure that families receive timely visits. However, it remains unclear how effective these efforts are, as DHHS has not provided statistics on the overall success rate of alternative arrangements.

Tom Farkas, a representative from the Maine Service Employees Association, highlighted the impact on caseworkers, noting that the situation exacerbates an already overwhelming workload. “Supervised visitation providers often tell caseworkers they don’t have any openings, or they will only drive certain distances,” he explained.

The Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability has also voiced concerns, indicating that inadequate visitation services are adding to the workload of DHHS staff and potentially extending the timeline for family reunification.

Other visitation providers in the state have performed markedly better. For instance, AMHC, which serves more rural areas, scheduled visits within the required timeframe 48% of the time. In contrast, Penquis Community Action Agency achieved an impressive 93% compliance rate, scheduling 197 of 212 referrals within seven days. This disparity raises questions about the operational effectiveness of Community Care compared to its peers.

Fair Shake, another provider, has also shown strong performance, scheduling visits within seven days 95% of the time. The company, which offers monitored rather than supervised visits, operates with a model that includes video monitoring, requiring fewer staff members compared to traditional supervision.

As of September 30, 2024, the state is in the process of extending contracts with Community Care, AMHC, and Penquis while preparing to issue a request for proposals for future visitation services. This opportunity may allow the state to reassess its partnerships and improve outcomes for families in the child welfare system.

The urgent need for reliable visitation services underscores the importance of accountability and effective management in Maine’s child welfare system. Ensuring that families can maintain critical connections during difficult times is essential for the emotional health of both children and parents.