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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.
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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, and gender identity; and
WHEREAS, Any agency which violates City contract rules in addition to the Fair Practices Ordinance should have their contract with the City terminated with all deliberate speed; and
WHEREAS, The Department should also conduct a thorough review of its contracts with all of its 26 foster care agencies to ensure that providers are adhering to anti-discrimination policies as they pertain to the City’s protected classes, now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That it hereby authorizes 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 and allow non-LGBTQ foster parents to discriminate against children.
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