July 26, 2006 1
Improving Child Welfare Outcomes Through Systems of Care Grant Cluster – An Overview
Children’s Bureau “All-Hands” Meeting
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
July 26, 2006
Children's Bureau/ACYF1250 Maryland Avenue, SW, 8th Fl
Washington, DC 20024202-205-8618
Email: [email protected] 2
Presentation Goals To gain a greater understanding of
systems of care for children and families involved with child welfare
To hear lessons learned from the NC grantee on development of their SoC planning and infrastructure development
To learn information gleaned from the base-line evaluation and technical assistance support to grantees
National Technical Assistance and Evaluation Center on Systems of Care: Building Integrated Service Systems for Child Welfare
July 26, 2006
Children's Bureau/ACYF1250 Maryland Avenue, SW, 8th Fl
Washington, DC 20024202-205-8618
Email: [email protected] 3
National Technical Assistance and Evaluation Center on Systems of Care: Building Integrated Service Systems for Child Welfare
National Context for the Improving Child Welfare:
Outcomes Through Systems of Care Demonstration Initiative
Change in focus on results and outcomes of child and family services in state child welfare systems
Clear indication of needed change from first round of Child and Family Service Reviews Many states had difficulty achieving consistently
positive outcomes in areas of safety, permanency, and child and family well-being
Emphasis on system change and accountability for state child welfare and its partner agencies
July 26, 2006
Children's Bureau/ACYF1250 Maryland Avenue, SW, 8th Fl
Washington, DC 20024202-205-8618
Email: [email protected] 4
National Technical Assistance and Evaluation Center on Systems of Care: Building Integrated Service Systems for Child Welfare
Prime Objective of the Improving Child Welfare Outcomes
Through Systems of Care Demonstration Grant Program
This demonstration program seeks to answer one central question –
Does a system of care approach have merit in helping achieve positive outcomes for children and families involved with child welfare and its partner agencies?
July 26, 2006
Children's Bureau/ACYF1250 Maryland Avenue, SW, 8th Fl
Washington, DC 20024202-205-8618
Email: [email protected] 5
National Technical Assistance and Evaluation Center on Systems of Care: Building Integrated Service Systems for Child Welfare
Grantee Overview
In FY2003 the Children’s Bureau funded nine (9) grants through the Improving Child Welfare Outcomes Through Systems of Care Demonstration Grant Initiative
Sites are awarded up to $500,000/yr for five years Grantees were funded to do a year of strategic
planning Grant applicants focused on developing
intra-/inter-agency infrastructure to support and maintain a local system of care for children and families in child welfare
July 26, 2006
Children's Bureau/ACYF1250 Maryland Avenue, SW, 8th Fl
Washington, DC 20024202-205-8618
Email: [email protected] 6
National Technical Assistance and Evaluation Center on Systems of Care: Building Integrated Service Systems for Child Welfare
Family-to-FamilySystem of Care
Contra Costa, CA
Connecting Communities for KidsJefferson County,
CO
Family-Centered Systems of Care
KS(multi-county site)
Caring Communities Demonstration
ProjectClark County, NV
The Community Taking Responsibility
for Assisting in Developing Life and
EmpowermentBedford Stuyvesant,
Brooklyn, NY
Improving Child Welfare Outcomes
Through SoCNC
(multi-county site)
Medicine Moon Initiative (MMI) to Improve Tribal Child Welfare Outcomes
Through Systems of Care
ND (multi-tribal site)
Improving Permanency
Outcomes ProjectOR (multi-county
site)
Locally Organized Systems of Care for
Children in Pennsylvania
PA (multi-county site)
July 26, 2006
Children's Bureau/ACYF1250 Maryland Avenue, SW, 8th Fl
Washington, DC 20024202-205-8618
Email: [email protected] 7
National Technical Assistance and Evaluation Center on Systems of Care: Building Integrated Service Systems for Child Welfare
Defining a System of Care“A system of care approach is based on
the development of a strong infrastructure of interagency collaboration, individualized care practices, culturally competent services and supports, child and family involvement in all aspects of the system and measures of accountability.” Stroul, 2001
July 26, 2006
Children's Bureau/ACYF1250 Maryland Avenue, SW, 8th Fl
Washington, DC 20024202-205-8618
Email: [email protected] 8
National Technical Assistance and Evaluation Center on Systems of Care: Building Integrated Service Systems for Child Welfare
System of Care Guiding Principles/CFSR Practice Principles
Family Involvement Community-Based
Resources Individualized Strengths-
Based Care Cultural Competence Interagency
Collaboration Accountability
Family-Centered Practice Strengthen and empower families to protect and nurture their children
Community-Based Practice Support the needs of children within the context of their families and communities
Individualizing Services Tailor interventions to meet specific needs of children & families served
Strengthening Parental Capacity Promote parent’ strengths and self-esteem by emphasizing partnership with service providers
July 26, 2006
Children's Bureau/ACYF1250 Maryland Avenue, SW, 8th Fl
Washington, DC 20024202-205-8618
Email: [email protected] 9
National Technical Assistance and Evaluation Center on Systems of Care: Building Integrated Service Systems for Child Welfare
System of Care Concept
Philosophy
Infrastructure
Services
&Support
s
July 26, 2006
Children's Bureau/ACYF1250 Maryland Avenue, SW, 8th Fl
Washington, DC 20024202-205-8618
Email: [email protected] 10
National Technical Assistance and Evaluation Center on Systems of Care: Building Integrated
Service Systems for Child Welfare
Infrastructure Components Planning Governance System Management Coordination of Services and Service
Array Communication Policy Finance Continuous Quality Improvement Human Resources and Staff Development
July 26, 2006
Children's Bureau/ACYF1250 Maryland Avenue, SW, 8th Fl
Washington, DC 20024202-205-8618
Email: [email protected] 11
National Technical Assistance and Evaluation Center on Systems of Care: Building Integrated Service Systems for Child Welfare
Alamance County, NC Child and Family Team
One Family, One Team, One Plan
July 26, 2006
Children's Bureau/ACYF1250 Maryland Avenue, SW, 8th Fl
Washington, DC 20024202-205-8618
Email: [email protected] 12
Reorganization of Alamance Child-Serving Committees
Children’s Executive Oversight Committee
School CFT Support Team
Community Collaborate
Juvenile Crime Prevention Council
Partnership for Children
Com Child
Protection
Care ReviewSubcommittees
Education Publicity Events
Monitoring
Needs Assessment
Membership
Funding
National Technical Assistance and Evaluation Center on Systems of Care: Building Integrated
Service Systems for Child Welfare
July 26, 2006
Children's Bureau/ACYF1250 Maryland Avenue, SW, 8th Fl
Washington, DC 20024202-205-8618
Email: [email protected] 13
Lessons Learned in Alamance County, NC IV-B Training funds do not support SOC
framework Have to have dedicated staff Creating a culture of family centered practice is a
long term accomplishment Must get it “right” in own agency before moving
into community Cannot be another “initiative” has to be a change
in philosophy Use data and be clear on outcomes
National Technical Assistance and Evaluation Center on Systems of Care: Building Integrated
Service Systems for Child Welfare
July 26, 2006
Children's Bureau/ACYF1250 Maryland Avenue, SW, 8th Fl
Washington, DC 20024202-205-8618
Email: [email protected] 14
Lessons Learned Continued…
Waivers like IV-E Waiver provide flexible funding that supports SOC culture
Engage schools early, they are a key partner
Child and Family Teams are such a positive vehicle for families
Must work on all four levels in the system: State, within local agency, interagency collaboration, and family level
National Technical Assistance and Evaluation Center on Systems of Care: Building Integrated
Service Systems for Child Welfare
July 26, 2006
Children's Bureau/ACYF1250 Maryland Avenue, SW, 8th Fl
Washington, DC 20024202-205-8618
Email: [email protected] 15
North Carolina is Building a SOC Infrastructure
Mental Health has committed a full time person for each office dedicated solely to SOC
Social Services has implemented Multiple Response which incorporates CFT’s statewide
State Legislative Study Commission has identified seven Legislative Responsibility Goals concerning SOC and child safety, permanence and well being
Governor has developed and implemented a School-based Child and Family Team Initiative in 100 schools
National Technical Assistance and Evaluation Center on Systems of Care: Building Integrated
Service Systems for Child Welfare
July 26, 2006
Children's Bureau/ACYF1250 Maryland Avenue, SW, 8th Fl
Washington, DC 20024202-205-8618
Email: [email protected] 16
Center – combines technical assistance and evaluation Provides “full service” support for
grantees Evaluation and TA inform each other Strengthens ability to learn and
disseminate Presentation draws on both
National Technical Assistance and Evaluation Center on Systems of Care: Building Integrated
Service Systems for Child Welfare
July 26, 2006
Children's Bureau/ACYF1250 Maryland Avenue, SW, 8th Fl
Washington, DC 20024202-205-8618
Email: [email protected] 17
National Technical Assistance and Evaluation Center on Systems of Care: Building Integrated Service Systems for Child Welfare
Evaluation framework
SoC activities:
• Collaborative partnership
• Practice, policies & procedures
• Case management
Changes in the safety, permanency & well-
being of the child welfare population
Changes in case planning for the
target population
Changes in service receipt for the target
population
Changes in the safety,
permanency & well-being of the target population
July 26, 2006
Children's Bureau/ACYF1250 Maryland Avenue, SW, 8th Fl
Washington, DC 20024202-205-8618
Email: [email protected] 18
National Technical Assistance and Evaluation Center on Systems of Care: Building Integrated Service Systems for Child Welfare
Baseline data collection Site visits conducted at the
conclusion of the sites’ planning phase
Baseline findings based on Collaborative member interviews Supervisor interviews Focus groups with child welfare and
partner agency staff
July 26, 2006
Children's Bureau/ACYF1250 Maryland Avenue, SW, 8th Fl
Washington, DC 20024202-205-8618
Email: [email protected] 19
National Technical Assistance and Evaluation Center on Systems of Care: Building Integrated Service Systems for Child Welfare
Baseline evaluation findings: Interagency collaboration
Key stakeholders Grantees (Project Director,
Project Coordinators) Local Evaluators Family Partners System Partners Community Partners Youth
Locally Organized Systems of Care (Dauphin County, PA)
Awakening a sleeping giant in the community – bringing the faith-based community to the table.
The faith-based sub-committee raised money to support a summer youth camp. Local school system and local organizations support the summer camp.
Co-chair of the youth sub-committee is on the implementation team.
July 26, 2006
Children's Bureau/ACYF1250 Maryland Avenue, SW, 8th Fl
Washington, DC 20024202-205-8618
Email: [email protected] 20
National Technical Assistance and Evaluation Center on Systems of Care: Building Integrated Service Systems for Child Welfare
Baseline evaluation findings: Interagency collaboration
Needs Divergent philosophies makes
collaboration challenging Large caseloads and
administrative duties are barriers to being able to collaborate (lack of resources)
Key decision-makers at the table
Assets Prior SoC Experience Pre-Existing Collaborations
and History of Interagency Collaboration
Committed and Motivated Staff
July 26, 2006
Children's Bureau/ACYF1250 Maryland Avenue, SW, 8th Fl
Washington, DC 20024202-205-8618
Email: [email protected] 21
National Technical Assistance and Evaluation Center on Systems of Care: Building Integrated Service Systems for Child Welfare
Baseline evaluation findings: Interagency collaborationCross-site Activities Strategic Planning: An
Interagency Effort Collecting county-wide
statistics to better understand the needs of the target population
Conducting needs assessments to evaluate project progress, identify emerging trends, gaps in service delivery
Extending Outreach Social Marketing (KS) Engaging Public Officials
Connecting Communities for Kids (CO)
Data-driven service integration using geo-mapping technology to map service providers and foster home families to see if they correspond with the high need areas. Maps to be shared with agency partners.
Spring 2006 Resource Fair: 45 different child and family serving agencies/organizations presented. Enhanced relationships among agency partners.
SoC grant funds have helped to offset the
costs of this service to better identify the
needs of families involved in the child welfare system.
July 26, 2006
Children's Bureau/ACYF1250 Maryland Avenue, SW, 8th Fl
Washington, DC 20024202-205-8618
Email: [email protected] 22
National Technical Assistance and Evaluation Center on Systems of Care: Building Integrated Service Systems for Child Welfare
Baseline evaluation findings: Family involvement
Needs Workers felt that family
involvement was sometimes token and not always appropriate in certain cases
Sustainability of family involvement in collaborative work
Training for family members
Assets Family involvement at the
case planning level Parent partners help
families negotiate the system
Engagement of extended and non-traditional family members
July 26, 2006
Children's Bureau/ACYF1250 Maryland Avenue, SW, 8th Fl
Washington, DC 20024202-205-8618
Email: [email protected] 23
National Technical Assistance and Evaluation Center on Systems of Care: Building Integrated Service Systems for Child Welfare
Baseline evaluation findings: Family involvement
Cross-site Activities Family involvement
in collaborative committees and workgroups
Expanded role of parent partners and advocates
Family Involvement Summit
Improving Permanency Outcomes Project (OR)
Parent partners are key leaders and role models for parents involved in the system.
The Improving Permanency Outcomes Project (IPOP) offers parent leadership training and the family’s guide to CW training. These trainings provide parents with the tools to be able to communicate more effectively with professionals from other partner agencies.
Family partners are co-presenting with project team members at professional conferences and PIP trainings.
SoC grant funds have helped to offset the costs ofthese trainings and conferences as well as
highlightsthe importance of the family voice in such system-change initiatives.
July 26, 2006
Children's Bureau/ACYF1250 Maryland Avenue, SW, 8th Fl
Washington, DC 20024202-205-8618
Email: [email protected] 24
National Technical Assistance and Evaluation Center on Systems of Care: Building Integrated Service Systems for Child Welfare
Baseline evaluation findings: Cultural competency
Needs Language barriers Staff culturally reflective
of community served Multiple underserved
communities Link training to practice
Assets Introductory Training Leadership recognition
of cultural competence needs and willingness to address them
Recruitment methods for new staff
July 26, 2006
Children's Bureau/ACYF1250 Maryland Avenue, SW, 8th Fl
Washington, DC 20024202-205-8618
Email: [email protected] 25
National Technical Assistance and Evaluation Center on Systems of Care: Building Integrated Service Systems for Child Welfare
Baseline evaluation findings: Cultural competency
The CRADLE (NY)
Partnership with the NY chapter of the National Association of Social Workers and the People’s Institute to provide TA and develop training
Training will focus on cultural competency and racism
Training designed to develop more analytical, culturally-rooted and effective community organizers
Goal is to provide quarterly training for all child welfare staff
SoC grant funds have helped to offset the costs of these trainings and provide an incentive for key partnering agencies.
Cross-site Activities Training Agency-wide
cultural competence assessments
July 26, 2006
Children's Bureau/ACYF1250 Maryland Avenue, SW, 8th Fl
Washington, DC 20024202-205-8618
Email: [email protected] 26
National Technical Assistance and Evaluation Center on Systems of Care: Building Integrated Service Systems for Child Welfare
Baseline evaluation findings: Individualized strengths-based care
Needs Staff report the approach can be
challenging with some cases Balancing strengths-based
approaches with child safety Modeling strengths-based
approaches at all levels within the agency
Limitations of strengths-based assessment tools
Assets Staff have experience providing
services from a strengths-based approach
Staff assignments based on staff strengths
Dialogue with clients begins with a discussion of strengths
Data systems and assessment tools focus on strengths
July 26, 2006
Children's Bureau/ACYF1250 Maryland Avenue, SW, 8th Fl
Washington, DC 20024202-205-8618
Email: [email protected] 27
National Technical Assistance and Evaluation Center on Systems of Care: Building Integrated Service Systems for Child Welfare
Baseline evaluation findings: Individualized strengths-based care
Cross-site Activities Forms updated to
capture family strengths
New assessment tools
Training
Caring Communities (NV)
DFS hired a consultant who has been working with the Child and Family Teams and DFS caseworkers to develop strengths-based case plans.
The consultant also models strengths-based approaches that are both hands-on and skills-based.
Trainings at joint collaborative meetings are organized around individualized-strengths-based approaches.
The SoC initiative has been linked to a culture change within DFS toward more strengths-based approaches in how staff work with each other and with families.
July 26, 2006
Children's Bureau/ACYF1250 Maryland Avenue, SW, 8th Fl
Washington, DC 20024202-205-8618
Email: [email protected] 28
National Technical Assistance and Evaluation Center on Systems of Care: Building Integrated Service Systems for Child Welfare
Baseline evaluation findings: Community-based resources
Needs Community-based resources
often lacking, particularly in neediest areas
Need centralized and comprehensive effort to identify community-based resources
Inconsistency in knowledge among frontline workers
Assets Relationships with
community providers More community-based
resources available in some areas
Existing practices for identifying community-based resources
July 26, 2006
Children's Bureau/ACYF1250 Maryland Avenue, SW, 8th Fl
Washington, DC 20024202-205-8618
Email: [email protected] 29
National Technical Assistance and Evaluation Center on Systems of Care: Building Integrated Service Systems for Child Welfare
Baseline evaluation findings: Community-based resources
Cross-site Activities Increased interagency
collaboration has helped identify community-based resources
Presentations to agency staff
Development of resource guides
SoC in Mecklenburg County (NC)
Development of an on-line resource tool focusing on grassroots and non-traditional services.
Community social workers identifying gaps in services and working with communities to fill the gaps.
Open houses held with agency staff to orient them to community partners and services available.
Interagency collaboration with non-traditional partners may help identify more community-based resources.
July 26, 2006
Children's Bureau/ACYF1250 Maryland Avenue, SW, 8th Fl
Washington, DC 20024202-205-8618
Email: [email protected] 30
National Technical Assistance and Evaluation Center on Systems of Care: Building Integrated Service Systems for Child Welfare
Baseline evaluation findings: Accountability
Needs Balancing performance-
based indicators with spending quality time with families
Information feedback from data collection is lacking
More knowledge of the “value added” from data collection needed
Assets Data used to develop new
policies and address deficiencies
Data provide information on placements, resources and meetings with multidisciplinary partners
July 26, 2006
Children's Bureau/ACYF1250 Maryland Avenue, SW, 8th Fl
Washington, DC 20024202-205-8618
Email: [email protected] 31
National Technical Assistance and Evaluation Center on Systems of Care: Building Integrated Service Systems for Child Welfare
Baseline evaluation findings: Accountability
Cross-site Activities Local evaluation plans mapped to project goals Plans to develop an online documentation system Local evaluation involvement with strategic
planning and implementation activities
July 26, 2006
Children's Bureau/ACYF1250 Maryland Avenue, SW, 8th Fl
Washington, DC 20024202-205-8618
Email: [email protected] 32
National Technical Assistance and Evaluation Center on Systems of Care: Building Integrated Service Systems for Child Welfare
Family-to-Family SoC (CA) Multidisciplinary
evaluation committee Evaluation activities
mapped to each project goal and implementation activity and continuously updated
Local evaluation data regularly presented to county districts and key stakeholders
Local evaluation activities provide regular
updates to monitor progress and re-evaluate
initiative priorities and activities where
indicated.
Medicine Moon Initiative (ND) Primary Goal: All ND
Tribal child welfare agencies will have an adequate management information system (MIS) to automate case filing.
Local ND SoC staff have been involved in all stages of implementation of this MIS with the four participating tribal child welfare agencies
Trouble-shooting Training Sustainability
The local evaluator provides training and
support as well as provides a booster training to
tribal child welfare staff during theimplementation of the MIS system.
July 26, 2006
Children's Bureau/ACYF1250 Maryland Avenue, SW, 8th Fl
Washington, DC 20024202-205-8618
Email: [email protected] 33
National Technical Assistance and Evaluation Center on Systems of Care: Building Integrated Service Systems for Child Welfare
Baseline evaluation findings: Implications for ongoing work in the demonstration communities
Strategic planning and needs assessment activities have helped guide planning and implementation in many sites.
Previous collaborative work has established strong practices around family involvement, strengths-based approaches and cultural competency in several demonstration sites.
Fewer accountability activities were identified at baseline as compared to other SoC principles and some sites identified gaps in community-based approaches and cultural competency.
A key finding across sites was the perceived gap between frontline workers and supervisors/administrators and challenges to effective collaboration.
July 26, 2006
Children's Bureau/ACYF1250 Maryland Avenue, SW, 8th Fl
Washington, DC 20024202-205-8618
Email: [email protected] 34
National Technical Assistance and Evaluation Center on Systems of Care: Building Integrated Service Systems for Child Welfare
Information Dissemination: Sharing Lessons and Innovations with the Child Welfare
Field NTAEC on Systems of Care is in the process of finalizing a
three-booklet Systems of Care for Child Welfare Toolkit* based on lessons learned from the demonstration sites. It includes:
1. Improving Child Welfare Outcomes Through Systems of Care: A Strategic Planning Guide
2. Building the Infrastructure to Support Systems of Care in Child Welfare and
3. The Good Fit: Selecting the Best Evaluation Partner for Your Program
NTAEC is sharing this work with the CB TTA network, the Federal Interagency Workgroup Systems of Care Subcommittee, and other entities connected to the Children’s Bureau to get this knowledge out to the field.
*Documents will be available for download through the Child Welfare Information Gateway.
July 26, 2006
Children's Bureau/ACYF1250 Maryland Avenue, SW, 8th Fl
Washington, DC 20024202-205-8618
Email: [email protected] 35
National Technical Assistance and Evaluation Center on Systems of Care: Building Integrated Service Systems for Child Welfare
So, w
hat n
ow?
Next steps
Where to go
from here?
How can I learn
more?
I’d like to hear more about…
What does it all
mean?