Baptist homes downsizing, but standing firm
Ironically, it may be the result of state discrimination
From, The Kentucky Citizen Digest, Novemer/December, 2001.

Kentucky Baptist Homes for Children (KBHC) closed two of its cottages at its facilities and laid off nine workers in early August amid reports that the agency is suffering a backlash from its policy against hiring homosexuals.  Down sizing appears to be one more bump in the road for the agency which has seen more controversy in the last three years than in its entire 132 year history combined.
   
In an August 11 article, the Louisville Courier-Journal  raised the question of whether reaction to KBHC’s pro-family policies was responsible for their smaller enrollment. Vicki Grassman, Communications Director for KBHC, was quoted by the Courier Journal saying there was an “organized effort” against the agency.  However, in an interview with the Kentucky Citizen she said her comments were “taken out of context and blown out of proportion.” 
   
Grassman said although there is no way to accurately determine how many kids are being diverted from their programs, she maintains that referrals are down in part because of social worker bias against KBHC policy.
   
While it may be difficult to prove claims of widespread discrimination against KBHC, organized efforts targeting the organization clearly existed in the past. Both the University of Louisville and Spaulding College severed ties with KBHC in 1999 and refused its social work students internship and practicum experiences with Baptist Homes.
     
According to Nelson Knight, Service Region Clinical Associate for Jefferson County, a petition drive aiming to cease referrals to KBHC was widely circulated among Jefferson County social workers after KBHC fired a lesbian, Alicia Pedreira, in 1998. “I guess we have an activist staff,” Knight said.
   
The Baptist Home employment policy was recently vindicated by U.S. District Judge Charles Simpson, when he dismissed a suit by Pedreira claiming her civil rights were violated when KBHC fired her. However, enrollment has continued to slip.
   
Immediately following the petition drive there was a 50% drop in Jefferson County childcare referrals.  In addition, Viola Miller, Secretary of Kentucky’s Cabinet for Families and Children, threatened to stop sending any Kentucky children to Baptist Homes unless they reversed their hiring policy.
   
Miller’s threat was later overruled by Governor Patton who refused to cancel the  contracts and last year wrote a letter to all state social service workers imploring them to  consider only a child’s best interests in placement decisions.  However, the Governor did not mandate his position and left agency referral decisions to individual social workers.
   
KBHC employs 392 people and is the state’s largest single provider for abused and neglected children. Referrals were down 30 percent earlier this year compared to the same period in previous years.
   
Knight openly admits that KBHC’s policy has negatively impacted referrals.  “I think that social service workers dealing [with children] with sexual identity issues are careful not to send their kids to KBHC,” Knight said.  He further explained that KBHC’s decision to not hire homosexuals violates the National Social Service Worker Code of Ethics. “The code says you’re not supposed to collaborate with those who discriminate based on sexual orientation,” Knight said.
   
It should be noted that the Code of Ethics is non binding and not a legal mandate to individual social workers.
   
Other factors have also played a part in declining referrals.  The Adoption and Safe Families Act passed by Congress in 1997 encourages states to reunite families when possible, and expedites adoptions—which have doubled within the past 18 months.  Additionally, nearly 3,000 children who would have been placed in foster care or private agencies such as KBHC have been sent to relatives under a program called Kinship Care.           Despite its financial woes, when asked if they’d KBHC would consider changing their its employment policy to increase enrollment, Grassman said no way.  “We’re standing firm on our principles.”
 


 

Key Family Foundation Contacts: Kent Ostrander , Executive Director Martin Cothran , Senior Associate Policy Analyst