‘Everyone’s nervous’: Foster parents on edge as Central FL foster care provider terminates contract

ORLANDO, Fla. — On any given day as many as 2,700 children are in foster care across Orange, Seminole, and Osceola County. Some foster parents are now concerned about their future.

We first reported Tuesday that Embrace Families, the organization which oversees foster care in the tri-county area is ending its contract with the state early.

On Wednesday, Channel 9 interviewed Embrace Families CEO about how they got to this decision.

The organization cited financial hurdles and a broken relationship with the Florida Department of Children and Families.

Meanwhile, in the State’s response, DCF cited their own issues with the organization including mismanagement of resources.

All of the back and forth is leaving foster parents who were already on edge concerned.

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“We’re trying to figure out as foster parents where and how this occurred?” one Osceola Foster mother.

That mother wanted to remain anonymous, but said the decision is forcing her to think hard about whether she’ll keep her home open to the region’s most vulnerable. She currently cares for two foster children under two-years-old.

According to foster parents who spoke with Channel 9, the downward spiral began earlier this year.  Embrace Families had to fill a $13 million funding gap and DCF refused to cover the whole.

It forced the organization to cut extra support programs for foster parents.

One foster parent told Channel 9 the next 180 days will be critical as they decide if they will keep their homes open.

“We don’t know what a new company is going to bring.  Can they bring back our support networks? Will they be worse than what we have already,” said the foster mother.

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A letter mailed to the state November 16th initiated a 180-day termination period.

Bids are already out for whoever wants to take Embrace’s place as the regions foster care provider and are due by January 15th.

Once a decision is made Embrace families said there will be a transition period before their contract officially ends on May 14th.

On Wednesday Channel 9 sat down with Embrace Families CEO Gerry Glynn about why the company decided to terminate the contract.

The CEO told Channel 9 this was an extremely difficult decision for the organization which has overseen Central Florida Foster care for the last 2 decades.

“We believe that another agency that has a better fit with the Department’s philosophy is the best thing for the children,” said Glynn.

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Glynn explained Embrace Families slowly came to the realization there was no repairing their fractured relationship with the Department. A major flashpoint was the financials of the organization.

Embrace Families has sounded the alarm on a broken funding formula for years.

According to Glynn, the company was forced to operate with just 7 percent of state funds despite caring for 12 percent of the children.

That plus rising costs and more children with complex needs lead to the $13 million deficit.

Embrace tried to fill the gap with budget cuts and filed an emergency request for ‘Back of the Bill’ funding with the legislature to cover the FY22- FY23 budget deficit.

“The legislature approved $12.1 million to fill that $13 million hole, but gave the department discretion, and they gave only gave us $6.5 million,” said Glynn.

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Embrace Families said withholding the full funding amount created a critical financial emergency that became a breaking point.

Meanwhile DCF said in its response to the news that they have had serious concerns about how the organization operated for the last year.

In a statement, a Department spokesperson accused the organization of mismanaging resources, failing to provide oversight to case management organizations that they contracted with, and placing children in unlicensed settings.

“Given no substantial improvements have been made, we appreciate Embrace CBC stepping aside so another organization that is more capable can step in and provide the level of service the children in these counties deserve,” said a DCF spokesperson.

Embrace has said they’re committed to a successful transition for the children in care.

DCF stated it’s experienced in transitioning Community Based Care services. The Department added that in all the times they have previously transitioned between agencies, new organizations are performing better.

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