THE Department of Human Services (DHS) is in the final stages of appointing a new agency to run programs previously operated by Community Connections Victoria (CCV).
"Until the process is fully completed, the department is unable to advise the name of the successful provider," a DHS spokesman told
Agencies were invited to lodge expressions of interest in running the DHS-funded programs in the south-west from July 1.
They include the foster care and residential care services which were stripped from CCV in November after DHS launched an independent investigation highlighting a number of areas of concern.
MacKillop Family Services has been managing Warrnambool's three residential units for the last six months while Brophy Family and Youth Services took over the district's foster care program.
CCV continues to operate ChildFirst, integrated family services, disability and housing services and will do so until June 30.
Melbourne-based OzChild confirmed it had applied to run a number of the DHS-funded services as well as programs funded by the federal Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs.
CCV is planning to wind up its operations in favour of OzChild with all assets, liabilities and activities transferred as part of the deal.
But OzChild chief executive officer Tony Pitman revealed this month there would be no merger between the agencies and that OzChild had applied to run the programs "independent of CCV".