Spokane7
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May 7, 2011 in City
State workers union sues DSHS, claims ‘effort to privatize child welfare’
The largest union representing Washington state workers has filed a lawsuit in Thurston County Superior Court seeking to stop the Department of Social and Health Services from privatizing child welfare.
DSHS maintains it is merely implementing a law that requires the department’s Children’s Administration to consolidate its numerous state contracts based on performance standards and measurable outcomes.
In 2009, the Legislature enacted House Bill 2106, mandating increased accountability in the state child welfare system.
The law has two parts: It requires the department to convert its roughly 1,600 child and family services contracts into performance-based contracts. Secondly, it calls for a pilot project to be completed and evaluated by 2015 to determine whether child welfare is best handled by state or private agencies.
In its lawsuit filed Thursday, the Washington Federation of State Employees, which represents about 40,000 state workers, including at DSHS, claims that the way the department is consolidating contracts is rendering the pilot project irrelevant.
In its request for proposals from private contractors, the state has called for “a lead agency model” for delivery of child welfare services.
The union says this exceeds the law’s mandate by seeking proposals for contracts from private organizations to perform functions now done by state case managers represented by WFSE, who would be displaced.
“We have identified the elements in the request for proposal that are very clearly case management that they are contracting out prematurely,” said Jeanine Livingston, WFSE contract compliance manager. “This is a very clear effort to privatize child welfare.”
Because union employees have not been allowed to compete for these contracts, the lawsuit said, “DSHS has refused to bargain in good faith with the WFSE.”
Last month, the union filed an unfair labor practices complaint with the Public Employment Relations Commission over the same complaints alleged in the lawsuit.
Children’s Administration spokeswoman Sherry Hill said she could not comment on the lawsuit, but said the agency is complying with requirements of the new law.
“We are consolidating and converting existing contracts,” Hill said.
The lawsuit asks the court to enjoin the state from contracting out case management services during the litigation and until the unfair labor practices complaint is decided.
Rights panel poorly understood 
eagleproducer on May 09 at 10:43 a.m.
Cue the baggers and the following complaints:
Hawken: Another group of liberals bringing frivolous lawsuits that drive up the price of everything from peach crates to white sheets.
Dazedone: The commies were urged to file suit by Mary Verner and Barrack Obama.
Kalimari: My guess is the DSHS is filled with Islamic fanatics bent upon destruction of the Western Civilization they are largely responsible for helping build. Who cares if words and concepts like “algebra” and advanced math were preserved by the Caliphate?
gmorton: This is just like the railroad strike in Atlas Shrugged. Where is the Hank Rearden of our days to use his superior talents and metal to build the private orphanages these children require?
richard: These kids just need to get jobs like we did when we were their age. Aren’t there any coal mines to muck or chimneys in need of cleaning?
manlypunter: Don’t worry, folks. Me and my evangelical Xtian cohort will step up to the plate and adopt most of these kids, at least the white skinned ones.