Communication between contractors in the field and DHS caseworkers in the office is critical because DHS staffers do not normally provide direct services. They oversee the contractors who do.
Evans said the agency is scrutinizing contractors more carefully. It has ended new cases for four contractors who provide services to children in their own homes, terminated one foster-care contract, and stopped sending new cases to another.
In the Kelly death last summer, DHS had hired a service provider who it now says was falsifying paperwork to indicate home visits that were never made. To prevent this in the future, DHS is hiring five additional staff to oversee contractors.
"We need to work better with providers to make sure they are doing a better job," said Evans.
He said the agency needs to develop the capability to conduct yearly evaluations of contractors and perform random audits. Currently, reviews are done once every two years.
Evans said DHS is upgrading training and computer systems, continuing changes started under previous commissioners.
One system, for example, will allow supervisors to oversee and track every decision a caseworker makes.
So what will it all cost? Evans said that it's too early to tell, but that the agency has most of the money it needs, and that the state has committed to help. One key question is how both the city and state will make sure the changes continue under the next mayor.
"My intention is to get so much momentum behind these reforms that they will keep moving forward," Evans said.
Read continuing coverage of the city child-welfare agency at
Contact staff writer John Sullivan at 215-854-2473 or johnsullivan@phillynews.com.
