Mid-Michigan judges encourage Granholm to foster care veto bill

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Mid-Michigan probate judges are criticizing a state Senate bill that would require counties to pay additional administrative fees to private foster care and adoption agencies.

The money would not go to foster parents, and the legislation would require Isabella County to pay an extra $44,000 per year. Midland, Saginaw, Tuscola and Bay counties also would see increases.

“It goes to the agency for any expenses they may have,” said Midland County Trial Court Administrator Jerome Cole.

Probate judges from each county have organized in an effort to urge Gov. Jennifer Granholm to veto the bill.

Isabella County Judge William Ervin said the state pays 50 percent of the $27 per child, per day administrative fee while the county pays the other 50 percent. If the proposed bill is approved, the state will pay 75 percent and the counties will pay 25 percent.

However, the counties also would be required to pay an additional $10 administrative fee per child to the Department of Human Services.

“We’re actually going to have to pay more money,” Ervin said. “Those fees do nothing to improve the services to children. It just fattens the pockets of the agencies.”

Costs for foster care have increased in the past. In 2007, fees were $14 before they increased to $27. The newly proposed fees would mean a 164 percent increase, Ervin said.

Midland County Probate Judge Dorene Allen said she sees no advantages associated with the bill, and that no state revenue will be made.

The money the agencies take in would not be used appropriately, she said.

“We have some abuses within that system,” Allen said. “The foster parents are only receiving an average of $21 a day.”

Judges in the area have criticized the intentions of the bill’s sponsor, State Sen. Bill Hardiman, R-Kentwood. Ervin said the legislation would only benefit two counties — Kent and Grand Traverse. Hardiman’s Senate district includes Kent County.

The two counties mainly use private adoption placements, which means they would be largely unaffected by the additional DHS fees, Ervin said.

At the same time, most other counties in the state, such as Isabella County, rely more on the DHS placements, he said.