Our View: Privatization of Adult Protective Services troubling

Yahoo

5 hours ago

Privatization has a role in helping governments reduce costs.
The Public Consulting Group, a Boston-based firm, has contracts across America to assist local governments with implementing health, human services and education programs.
In our state, PCG-Indiana, as it is known, has made millions — nearly $35 million from the Department of Education alone — by working with such agencies as Indiana's Family and Social Services Administration, the Department of Workforce Development and the state's Department of Child Services.
It is not unusual for PCG-Indiana to evaluate programs and offer a list of best practices to use.
In the past few years, the firm has worked with FSSA's Division of Aging, which has, as one of its missions, the goal of preventing adults 18 and older from being victims of abuse, neglect and exploitation.
That is the role of Adult Protective Services, which has investigators working out of 15 units based in the offices of county prosecutors through an agreement with the Indiana Prosecuting Attorneys Council.
The Madison County prosecutor's office covers a seven-county area with five investigators.
But the contract between FSSA and the Indiana Prosecuting Attorneys Council will expire at the end of June.
So, with familiarity of the Division of Aging's operation, it is little surprise that PCG was chosen to fulfill another Aging Division contract. However, the surprise is in the three-year, $19 million contract, which will shift the operation of Adult Protective Services to PCG.
Some local prosecutors are concerned about the loss of local control over Adult Protective Services.
The new contract, under which PCG will farm out responsibilities to a market research firm, a staffing firm and another consulting firm, came as the state faces a budget shortfall.
There were also signs of discord among prosecutors.
Prior to the 2024 legislative session, some prosecutors told FSSA they would not renew their Adult Protective Services commitment. In turn, legislators permitted FSSA to contract with groups that could provide protective services. But that arrangement didn't provide consistency around the state.
In 2023, Adult Protective Services units across Indiana received 20,990 service calls resulting in 11,635 cases. The remaining reports were resolved by phone or referred to other agencies. That year, there were 1,903 substantiated claims made for neglect or self-neglect.
There is a definite, critical need for government-funded Adult Protective Services.
It is unfortunate that prosecutors, perhaps at the misstep of only a few, have lost control and uniformity in the process.
Based on PCG's record of serving as an intermediary between funding sources and state programs, it also seems that PCG might better be suited to making assessments and recommendations.
PCG might not be equipped to field 20,000 calls, let alone respond with immediacy, compassion and competency in providing protections to local communities.
Privatization has a role in helping governments reduce costs; however, the responsibility of protecting Hoosiers would be better fulfilled by organizations trained to safeguard the vulnerable.