City of Philadelphia - File #: 180252

• File #: 180252
• Version: 0
• Type: Resolution
• Status: LAPSED
• File created: 3/15/2018
• In control: Committee on Public Health and Human Services
• Title: Authorizing the Committee on Public Health and Human Services to investigate Department of Human Services' policies on contracting with social services agencies that either discriminate against prospective LGBTQ foster parents or allow non-LGBTQ foster parents to discriminate.
• Sponsors: Councilmember Bass, Councilmember Green, Councilmember Gym, Councilmember Parker, Councilmember Reynolds Brown, Councilmember Jones, Councilmember Blackwell, Councilmember Greenlee, Councilmember Squilla, Councilmember Oh, Councilmember Johnson

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result	Tally
3/15/2018	0	CITY COUNCIL	Introduced and Ordered Placed on This Week's Final Passage Calendar	Pass
3/15/2018	0	CITY COUNCIL	ADOPTED & REFERRED

Title
Authorizing the Committee on Public Health and Human Services to investigate Department of Human Services' policies on contracting with social services agencies that either discriminate against prospective LGBTQ foster parents or allow non-LGBTQ foster parents to discriminate.

Body
WHEREAS, Currently, approximately 700 children in Philadelphia are residing in group home placements, and according to the Philadelphia School Notebook more than 8,000 children were in foster care at some point during 2016; and

WHEREAS, In March 2018 the Department of Human Services announced its first major recruitment of foster parents in more than a decade-putting out an urgent call for 300 parents which included specific appeals to the LGBTQ community-to help move children from group homes into family settings; and

WHEREAS, The Department of Human Services currently has contracts with several social service providers for foster care placement and adoption services which were collectively reimbursed by the City for $3 million in 2017; and

WHEREAS, According to Section 14.1 of the City of Philadelphia Professional Services Contract, providers "shall not discriminate or permit discrimination against any individual because of race, color, religion, ancestry or national original, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age or disability"; and

WHEREAS, At least two of these providers have policies that prohibit the placement of children with LGBTQ people based on religious principles, although the City of Philadelphia has laws in place to protect its people from discrimination that occurs under the guise of religious freedom; and

WHEREAS, The Fair Practices Ordinance is the City's local anti-discrimination law, enacted in 1963 to prohibit discrimination in Philadelphia in employment, housing, and places of public accommodation in addition to covering over 16 protected categories such as race, religion, national origin, age, sex, disability, sexual orientation...