Some State Senators are in a huff because KVC requested extra funds -- to the tune of $1.8 million -- or it was going to put in its 90 days notice as one of Nebraska's lead child welfare providers. Sen. Bob Krist says that's extortion. I say his ire is misdirected.
What Krist calls extortion I call a bribe from HHS to keep the Department out of the deepest pile of poo it has ever been in. After all, although KVC has done a lot of things wrong in the child welfare reform debacle, it's not like they were given a great foundation to work from. Frankly, I'm shocked they've stayed around as long as they have. It won't surprise me in the least if they don't survive through the end of 2012, whether because they leave on their own or because the Unicameral gives them the boot.
Buried at the bottom of the World-Herald's version of this story is a bit about how HHS actually started working on a change to how KVC is paid "a year ago", yet HHS head Kerry Winterer doesn't know why no changes have been made. Could swifter action on HHS's part have prevented this? Could it have prevented some of the hiccups experienced in 2011? Considering how quickly HHS is moving to enact changes now -- they want a new system in place by the end of January -- one has to assume the answer to those questions is yes.
It's hard to believe how Kerry Winterer still has a job. And don't get me started on Governor Dave Heineman, who ultimately is the primary driving force behind all of this yet who has managed to escape almost all accountability.
The timing of this announcement is horrible for HHS. They already had an uphill battle to try to convince the Unicameral to butt out and leave Families Matter alone. This may be the 1.8 million straws that broke the camel's back.
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