Child Advocate reports 60% rise in complaints, urges changes to foster-care oversight

At a Public Health and Welfare committee briefing, Carrie Leonard of the Office of Child Advocates told legislators the office received 377 formal complaints in 2025 involving 491 children, a roughly 60% increase from 2024. Leonard said the rise likely reflects both increased public awareness of the office and ongoing concerns about the child-welfare system.

Leonard summarized the office’s mission and scope, saying OCA acts as a neutral, independent agency to ensure Kansas children and families receive coordinated services for safety and well-being. She said anyone may file a complaint, but that statute requires complainant identities be kept confidential unless disclosure is necessary for an investigation. She outlined the office’s triage approach — referrals/information, short-term assistance, or full investigations — and said the office issues supported or unsupported findings and makes recommendations ranging from case-specific remedies to policy changes.

Leonard highlighted examples of OCA work: mediating a joint subsidy-rate review for a foster parent whose case involved multiple case-management providers; helping secure mental-health access when inquiry revealed delays; and prompting transitions to keep siblings together where feasible. She said the office’s presence sometimes prompts rapid resolution without formal intervention.

Among system-level results Leonard described was a DCF policy clarification tied to OCA recommendations: policy 8400 was revised to require unannounced quarterly site visits by DCF regional staff and to clarify annual review scheduling. Leonard urged continued monitoring of that policy change and noted OCA’s recommendation that DCF and KDADS explore whether youth in foster care can access crisis respite centers when they experience behavioral crises, rather than denying access on the basis that respite resources are funded through foster care.

She also called attention to workforce issues, urging exploration of standardized pre-service training and competency requirements because differing education changes over time have left new workers with uneven skills. Leonard said OCA identified recurring problems with one CMP team that led to mandatory coaching and file audits after OCA tracked multiple concerns.

Leonard cited passage of HB 2075, which created a 24/7 pathway for law-enforcement referrals to DCF, and encouraged the committee to monitor whether that change meets responders’ needs. She also recommended that legislators review a Judicial Council report on the guardian ad litem system (report dated 12/05/2025) and consider interim steps suggested in that report.

During questions, lawmakers pressed Leonard on transitional costs after OCA’s move to independent status; she said unanticipated administrative, IT and space costs were the primary challenges and noted the office currently shares roughly 486 square feet. On the causes of the complaint increase, Leonard said outreach and growing awareness likely account for part of the rise but emphasized Kansans’ active interest in improving child-welfare and juvenile-justice outcomes. On language access, she said only a small number of complaints have referenced sign-language needs but recommended expanded outreach to ensure language barriers are not underreported.

Leonard said OCA’s annual report — which includes an appendix of recommendations and agency responses — has been distributed to committees and will be posted on the office website. She concluded by offering to take additional questions.

The committee did not vote on any measures during the briefing; Leonard’s presentation served as an informational update and a request that the committee watch DCF and KDADS implementation of recommended changes.