INCOLN- State Senator Machaela Cavanaugh is proposing a special investigative committee that will include members from legislative committees. This committee will have the power to subpoena documents and testimony. The group will be tasked with looking into why and how the state signed another contract with St. Francis Ministries. During a hearing on the measure in the Health and Human Services Committee it was reported that three key measures of child welfare have worsened since the ministry took over management of Douglas and Sarpy Cases. These measures include 'children being reunited with their parents in a timely and permanent manner, children getting adopted in a timely manner and children leaving foster care for permanent homes.
A spokeswoman for St. Francis Ministries says the non-profit has had success. She also said that many issues the organization is being blamed for were happening before they took over. St. Francis has failed to meet federal expectations on many different issues. HHS officials have held back almost $2 million in payments to the non-profit for failing to meet contract goals. The original Nebraska and St. Francis contract was negotiated by two St. Francis executives who were removed following the whistleblower report from months ago.
Despite these clear issues, Nebraska officials signed another contract with the ministry at the end of last month. The contract is wroth an estimated $147.3 million and will continue through February 2023. The new agreement boosts payment to St. Francis by 72%.