Georgia Department of Human Services

1. Stronger Families for a Stronger Georgia Division of Family and Children Services Joint Planning Teams Jamie Swain & Team February 11, 2014 Georgia Department of Human Services

2. Vision, Mission and Core Values Vision Stronger Families for a Stronger Georgia. Mission Strengthen Georgia by providing Individuals and Families access to services that promote self-sufficiency, independence, and protect Georgia's vulnerable children and adults. Core Values • Provide access to resources that offer support and empower Georgians and their families. • Deliver services professionally and treat all clients with dignity and respect. Manage business operations effectively and efficiently by aligning resources across the agency. • Promote accountability, transparency and quality in all services we deliver and programs we administer. • Develop our employees at all levels of the agency. 2

3. Division of Family and Children Services Service Areas Region 1: Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, Fannin, Gilmer, Gordon, Murray, Pickens, Walker, Whitfield Region 2: Banks, Dawson, Forsyth, Franklin, Habersham, Hall, Hart, Lumpkin, Rabun, Stephens, Towns, Union, White Region 3: Bartow, Cherokee, Douglas, Floyd, Haralson, Paulding, Polk Region 4: Butts, Carroll, Coweta, Fayette, Heard, Lamar, Meriwether, Pike, Spalding, Troup, Upson Region 5: Barrow, Clarke, Elbert, Greene, Jackson, Jasper, Madison, Morgan, Newton, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Walton Region 6: Baldwin, Bibb, Crawford, Houston, Jones, Monroe, Peach, Putnam, Twiggs, Wilkinson Region 7: Burke, Columbia, Glascock, Hancock, Jefferson, Jenkins, Lincoln, McDuffie, Richmond, Screven, Taliaferro, Warren, Washington, Wilkes Region 8: Chattahoochee, Clay, Crisp, Dooly, Harris, Macon, Marion, Muscogee, Quitman, Randolph, Schley, Stewart, Sumter, Talbot, Taylor, Webster Region 9: Appling, Bleckley, Candler, Dodge, Emanuel, Evans, Jeff Davis, Johnson, Laurens, Montgomery, Pulaski, Tattnall, Telfair, Toombs, Treutlen, Wayne, Wheeler, Wilcox Region 10: Baker, Calhoun, Colquitt, Decatur, Dougherty, Early, Grady, Lee, Miller, Mitchell, Seminole, Terrell, Thomas, Worth Region 11: Atkinson, Bacon, Ben Hill, Berrien, Brantley, Brooks, Charlton, Clinch, Coffee, Cook, Echols, Irwin, Lanier, Lowndes, Pierce, Tift, Turner, Ware Region 12: Bryan, Bulloch, Camden, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Liberty, Long, McIntosh Region 13: Clayton, Henry, Rockdale Region 14: DeKalb, Fulton Region 15: Cobb, Gwinnett 5

4. Outline • Child Welfare Services • Office of Family Independence • DFCS Programs & Operations

5. Regional Leadership Jeffrey Lukich is the Field Operations Director and is responsible for all regional operations.

6. Joint Planning Teams (DFCS-All)

7. Joint Planning Teams (Child Welfare)

8. Arrest of Youth in Foster Care

9. Child Welfare Cost Allocation: Team Members

10. CMO for Foster Children – Transition: Team Members

11. County-Based Permanency Round Tables: Team Members

12. CPS Centralized Intake Communication Center: Team Members

13. Foster Parent Recruitment & Retention: Team Members

14. DFCS Internal Safety Panels: Team Members

15. IV-E State Plan: Team Members

16. Juvenile Code Rewrite (HB 242) – CHINS: Team Members

17. Juvenile Code Rewrite (HB 242) – CHINS: External Team Members

18. Placement Acceptance & Stability (No Reject/No Eject): Team Members Dianne Kelley, Team Lead

19. Safety Response System Implementation: Team Members

20. Teens Are For Me

21. Trauma-Informed Care: Team Members

22. Joint Planning Teams (Office of Family Independence)

23. ABAWD SNAP Mandatory Work Requirements: Team Members

24. CAR Standardization: Team Members

25. Child Care Practice Enhancement: Team Members

26. Georgia One Sustainability Planning: Team Members

27. OFI Communication Center: Team Members

28. DFCS Programs & Operations These Joint Planning Teams include work relevant to all DFCS programs and operations

29. Annual Progress & Services Report (APSR): Team Members • Description & Expectations • The (APSR) is the annual update that States must submit to Administration for • Children and Families (ACF) on the progress made toward accomplishing the • goals and objectives in the Child & Family Services Plan (CFSP). Completion of the • APSR satisfies the Federal regulations by providing updates on a State's annual • progress for the previous Federal fiscal year and planned activities for the • upcoming Federal fiscal year. • Time Frames • The APSR is due to Administration for Children and Families on or before June 30, 2014

30. CAPTA State Plan: Team Members Description & Expectations The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) authorize federal funding to states to support improvements to state child protection systems. The CAPTA State Plan is submitted to Administration for Children and Families and must specify which of the 14 program areas described in CAPTA section 106(a) it will address with grant funds. The CAPTA Reauthorization Act of 2010 places an emphasis on several areas, including the use of differential response systems in response to allegations of child maltreatment; collaboration among agencies serving families affected by child abuse and neglect; and addressing the needs of infants affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) and the educational needs of unaccompanied homeless youth.

31. Child & Family Services Plan (CFSP): Team Members • Description & Expectations • Every five years, States are required to develop a Child and Family Services • Plan (CFSP), a five-year strategic plan that sets forth the vision and the goals to • be accomplished in order to strengthen the States' overall child welfare system. • Georgia’s current CFSP ends in 2014. A primary purpose of the CFSP is to • facilitate States’ integration of the programs that serve children and families, • including older and/or former foster care youth, into a continuum of services • for children and their families. • Time Frames • The CFSP is due to Administration for Children and Families on or before June 30, 2014

32. Collaborative Services Projects : Team Members

33. Communication Strategies: Description Description & Expectations The primary purpose of this Joint Planning Team is to develop and implement strategies and initiatives to improve the overall public image of DFCS through various marketing and communication strategies.

34. Child Support Partnership

35. Communication Strategies: Team Members • Description & Expectations • The primary purpose of this Joint Planning Team is to develop and implement • strategies and initiatives to improve the overall public image of DFCS through • various marketing and communication strategies.

36. DFCS Communication Center: Team Members

37. DFCS Financial Enhancement & Stability Strategies Description & Expectations The DHS Vision is to be the best managed agency in the state of Georgia by being fiscally responsible, by providing excellent customer service and by being process efficient and effective. The primary purpose of this team is to develop and implement strategies to decrease certain costs currently being incurred by DFCS as well as to maximize resources. Currently some of the ideas discussed are: • Decrease the number of mailings and move to electronic notices whenever and wherever possible. • Utilize car leases instead of car rentals or personal vehicle use. • Ensure telecommunications is being used appropriately and decrease or eliminate unnecessary usage. • Ensure adoptive families whose children have re-entered foster care have been referred for child support.

38. Employee Recruitment/Retention: Team Members • Description & Expectations • Develop and implement strategies to recruit and maintain qualified staff for all DFCS programs. • Some ideas are to first conduct a survey (speak with Janice Saturday) to determine staff views.

39. Grants Committee: Team Members • Description & Expectations • Monitor and provide oversight to expenditure of various grants such as CAPTA, PSSF • and CJA. Ensure staff are aware of grants and provide input into how funds will be • used.

40. Statewide Performance Outcomes: Team Members Description & Expectations Develop and communicate the statewide performance outcomes for 2014 for all DFCS programs. Disseminate monthly reports to staff, present performance outcomes at various meetings including monthly DFCS leadership meetings and work with staff to develop strategies for improvements.