By ROBERT B. RALLS, M.S., Executive Director, Child Care Association of Illinois

Public/private partnership: Rhetoric or reality?

NOW is a time of unprecedented change in the human services field. It is clear that the president's economic recovery program will bring about a major reexamination of not only the federal-state relations in social services, but also of the relations of states and voluntary agencies. In Illinois, such a pivotal partnership exists between the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) and voluntary child welfare agencies.

The recent, sizable reductions in federal support of social services programs, the expansion of block grants and the generally poor condition of the economy all point to the need for careful reflection on the condition of the partnership between the public sector and the voluntary child welfare sector. A good partnership in this sense implies the firm commitment of both parties to provide a comprehensive, integrated system of quality child welfare and youth services. If we are to be candid about the status of past and current relationships between the two sectors, we can only conclude that a working partnership has eluded us.

There has been and continues to be important work being done by members of the Illinois Child Care Association, other similar organizations and DCFS leadership. It would be misleading not to acknowledge these accomplishments and others over the past few years, especially several joint public-private projects and committees which have been notably effective. Examples are the successful statewide effort to increase adoption for special needs children, joint training endeavors and negotiated improvements in the department's contractual process and rates for fiscal years 1982 and 1983. Although DCFS officials and leaders in the voluntary sector can cite these and other examples of cooperation, the links of the partnership are weak at best. There is continued turmoil in the public agency and disagreement between the public and voluntary sectors.

There are a number of reasons why a solid public agency/voluntary agency relationship does not exist: ideological and policy differences, turf interests, the lack of adequate voluntary sector input into planning and priority setting by the state, and the continued failure of the state to honor its statutory obligations (P.A. 79-1481) to reimburse private contractors for 100 percent of their reasonable costs. Most importantly, full cooperation has been hampered by the annual uncertainties about whether DCFS should continue its rapid expansion or whether voluntary agencies should be called upon to meet increasing community service needs.

Gov. James R. Thompson and his administration rightly emphasize the need for a better partnership between the two sectors, and continue to speak of "reprivatization" of child welfare services. Speaking before a crowd of a thousand human service leaders at a United Way of Illinois breakfast in early December, the governor, in reference to the need to develop a strong public/private sector partnership, emphasized that "philosophy breaks no bread." The voluntary child welfare sector agrees wholeheartedly, and encourages the state's policymakers to make good on their professed emphasis on "partnership" by nurturing that relationship.

Two-thirds of the DCFS appropriation is designated for purchased service and grants to voluntary agencies. Because of budgetary contraints and increased competition for already limited tax dollars, there will be mounting pressure in the coming months to reduce the funds for voluntary agencies. This pressure must be resisted. It will be a time when leaders of both sectors should resist the temptation to dwell on past failures and instead should look to the future. If we fail to do so, the consequences will be enormous.

Voluntary child welfare programs and family and youth service programs are community-based. Most commit vast sums of charitable dollars to build facilities for state-referred children and youth and to subsidize insufficient state contracts. All are governed by lay board members representing a cross-section of their communities. These thousands of lay leaders serve as advocates for the needs of vulnerable children and youth. The agencies which they assist deliver services to tens of thousands of children, youth and families and represent a viable alternative system to government programs. In recognizing this valuable resource, the state must improve its efforts to support these programs. If this is to occur, several actions must be taken:

•  New and innovative methods must be developed to help settle disagreements between DCFS and the voluntary sector.

•  There must be a joint effort on the part of the voluntary sector and DCFS to determine needs, evaluate resources, establish priorities and make programming decisions. Such an effort will enable the voluntary sector to understand the realities of the state fiscal constraints (and the opportunities).

•  The voluntary sector must develop flexibility in outlook, organization and programming as community needs change. On the other hand, DCFS must reexamine its own role. Specifically, it should reconsider which direct services it should deliver itself and which it should purchase. DCFS must also develop more coherent policies, establish more effective standards, provide better technical assistance and develop its abilities to evaluate the quality of service delivery by all its service providers — public and private.

Gov. Thompson has stated repeatedly that children are our most valuable resource and his No. 1 priority. His administration and the General Assembly have worked hard to demonstrate their commitment to this particularly vulnerable group. But the needs of these children will be met only by employing all available resources — public and private. The rekindling of the spirit of partnership of the public and voluntary child welfare sectors — a partnership of substance — must be a strong and clear commitment. It cannot be left to chance. It will take improved two-way communication and dedicated resolve to make it occur. The welfare of Illinois' most fragile citizens hangs in the balance. □

March 1982/lllinois Issues/39