Lawrence County approves five Children & Youth contracts, adds new screening tool for foster and kinship applicants

At its July 1 meeting the Lawrence County Board of Commissioners approved five contract resolutions from the county Children & Youth Services department, including a new contract for a computer‑based screening program for foster and kinship applicants.

Mike Rippo of Lawrence County Children & Youth Services told commissioners the new vendor, Able Screening Inc. of Alameda, California, provides the Diana Screen, a validated, computer‑based assessment intended as "an extra layer of protection" to help identify applicants who might present risks to children. "It's scientifically backed over 20 years of research and it's a computer based program," Rippo said. The screening is at a fourth‑grade reading level and can be used for new foster and kinship applicants and sometimes for recertification.

The board also renewed contracts for four placement or backup providers: Adoption Connection (Beaver County), Family Care for Children and Youth (Milton, Northumberland County), Keystone Adolescent Center (Greenville, Mercer County), and KidsPeace National Centers (Schnecksville). Rippo said negotiated rate increases were modest: Adoption Connection had initially proposed increases above 11 percent but the county negotiated provider rates down to about a 3 percent increase; Family Care and Keystone also had increases under about 3 percent; KidsPeace held its rates flat from the prior year.

Rippo said demand for residential placements has fallen in recent years — several vendors were described as backup providers with few or no placements in the most recent contract year — and the renewal terms reflect that lower utilization.

The board approved resolutions 145 through 149 in a single vote; commissioners voted unanimously by roll call to carry the motions.