Governor Rick Snyder says the state could do a better job protecting foster children if it changed the way it paid for the service.
As The Michigan Public Radio Network’s Jake Neher reports, the governor unveiled a report Thursday that says the state should pay foster care agencies based on their performance.
Right now, those agencies all get paid the same regardless of their track records or the needs of individual foster children.
Governor Snyder is urging state lawmakers to adopt the report’s recommendations and overhaul the system.
“We have a chance to positively impact their lives and make a real difference,” he says. “So, this isn’t about a report. This is not about just process. This is about the kids of Michigan.”
Michigan has been trying to comply with a court-ordered reform of its foster care system for more than five years. It stemmed from a lawsuit claiming the state wasn’t doing enough to prevent abuse and neglect of foster children.