Supervising Vision

Making Government Deliver On It’s Promises

B.J. Walker, Former Commissioner

Georgia Department Human Services

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Supervising Vision: First, Believe-Then Do Something

Different

Intentional model of change designed to deliver big results by:

Fighting fires - Tackling the most important issues first

Building capacity for sustainable change

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Setting Up For Different Work

Figuring out what we believe and what we value

Fear is not a valueValues take the gray out of your decision making

“Our job is to assess risks - not remove children” “You don’t have to open a CPS case to help a family” “Every decision to remove a child is a decision to do

harm. State custody should always be our last resort”

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No Honorable Way Out

Take excuses off the table that became “acceptable” reasons for not doing the right work

Create a demand for change by making clear what is unacceptable, no matter how reasonable

“No one raindrop feels responsible for the flood”

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Making Your Efforts Count = Execution

An elephant can’t be eaten whole. Every big initiative runs the risk of dying under it’s own weight

Choose one or two high leverage actions that “matter” and take “smart bites” of the elephant

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What are the high leverage bites Georgia had to take?

Timely completion of investigations

Safe reduction of children in out-of-home care

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TIMELY COMPLETION OF INVESTIGATIONS

Investigations Pending over 90 Days

Over the years the number of investigations pending over 90 days has dramatically decreased from over 3,700 to 0.

Counts represent a point in time measurement for each June

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Open Investigations During a Month

Over the years the number of investigations pending has dropped by over 12,000 cases.

2010 data for May.Counts represent a point in time measurement for each June

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Timely Completion of Investigations(2004 – 2010*)

Note: Information for 2010 reflects investigations completed from July 1, 2009 through March 2010.

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Rates of Substantiation

The percent of investigations being substantiated has increased by 14% as our staff have become more skilled at determining which families require an investigation and which families benefit more from diversion/family support services.

2010 data are through March.

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Family Support (Diversions):A Better and Safer Response

Note:. 2010 reflects activity through March 2010.

Began Family Suppor

t practic

e in July of 2004

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Safe Reduction of Children in Out-of-Home

Care

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Georgia: 42% Reduction in Out-of-Home Care

Note: data throughout slides from AFCARS (via NDACAN and Fostering Court Improvement)Source: Casey Family Programs

0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

14,000

16,000

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

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In Care 13,965 13,175 12,236 9,984 8,144 7,871

Rate in care 5.9 5.6 4.8 3.9 3.1

National Rate in Care 7 6.9 6.8 6.2

FY05 FY06 FY07 FY08 FY09 FY10*

*FY10 is through April 2010.

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Safety has not been Compromised

Source: Casey Family Programs

9,2698,374

7,633

5,7905,057 5,374

1,617

1,390

1,423

845

626 326

0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

FY05 FY06 FY07 FY08 FY09 FY10

First Entry (net Change -45.4%) Re-entry (Net change -61.3%)

0.0%

1.0%

2.0%

3.0%

4.0%

5.0%

6.0%

7.0%

8.0%

9.0%

FY05 FY06 FY07 FY08 FY09 FY10Est

Georgia National Average National Standard

Percent of Children Experiencing Repeat Maltreatment(within 6 months)

Entries by First Entry and Re-entry

2010 data are through May

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New Frontier

Permanency

Profile of entries to exits shows we have work to do

Positive exits to permanency are harder to maintain

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Exits consistently exceed entries but have diminished

Source: Casey Family Programs

-905-177 -749 -549

-1,775-2,139

-4,000

-2,000

0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

FY05 FY06 FY07 FY08 FY09 FY10

Entries Exits Exits to Positive Permanency Net difference between entries and exits

FY10 through March 2010

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Foster Care Entries, Exits & Re-entry Rates

(2004 – 2010*)

Note: Information for 2010 reflects activity from July 2009 through March 2010.

National Standard = 8.60% or less

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Georgia’s Model of Change “takes a bite” out of

Permanency

The new “front door” – Family preservation cases transitioning to out of home cases

Safety round tables focused on increasing risk assessments and increasing parental capacity

Child and Family Services Review (CFSR) Taking smart bites by focusing on visits with child and

parents which expedite permanency and reinforce safety

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How Supervising Vision Works Day-to-Day

“G” meetings - value-based, outcome-focused dialogue with multiple levels of staff

Practice and policy driven from the ground up = embedded values operationalized by frontline staff

Cadence of accountability (Covey’s 4 Disciplines of Execution)

Entrusting multiple levels of leadership and management (transparency, inclusion, and courage to innovate)

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At the End of the Day...

Our job is to protect children from harm, but harm wears a thousand dresses

Even when our staff do not have a tool or policy, rule or regulation, they must have the ability to articulate and act on the vision

The job of leadership is to supervise that vision