OPEN MINDS, The Behavioral Health & Social Service Industry Analyst Cover Story Privatization occurs when the government transfers or contracts services to private agencies. In recent years many states have jumped on the privatization bandwagon for child welfare. Privatization of child welfare is not a new initiative. State spending has increased at a higher rate than state tax revenues in recent years, thus generating more interest in privatization throughout the United States and causing considerable variation in both the range of services and rates of implementation. In the past five years, 15 states have passed privatization legislation. Florida has been . . .