A Valuable Bridge

1. A Valuable Bridge How Linkages Can Advance Other Initiatives Leslie Ann Hay, MSW Hay Consulting (206)217-9077

2. Linkages: Working Together to Reduce Poverty & Strengthen Families • CalWORKs provides services to help prevent families from entering CWS. • Coordinating services for “Cross-over families” helps increase safety and improve economic self-sufficiency. • CalWORKs families working on reunification with their children can receive non-cash services to promote safe, timely reunification.

3. Linkages: Working Together to Reduce Poverty & Strengthen Families • After children return home, CalWORKs can provide post-reunification services, including child care & other safety plan services to reduce likelihood of recurrence. • Transition-age youth who are parents can routinely be assessed for and linked to CalWORKs supportive services to ensure self-sufficiency.

4. Differential Response What’s the connection? Linkages strategies that support initiative goals Linkages results that advance initiative goals Permanency Part One:Creating a Bridge

5. Diff. Response Goals Prevention/early intervention Level of response based on assessed safety/risk and family context, needs & resources Shared community response to more flexibly respond to family needs Linkages Goals Prevention & early intervention Permanency Service coordination Self-sufficiency Differential Response & Linkages

6. Differential Response:What’s the Connection? • Prevention/early intervention approach • Collaborative screening, assessment and coordinated case planning • Targeted populations who are served by overlapping programs In CWS Not in CalWORKs In CalWORKs Not in CWS

7. Differential Response: Apply Linkages Strategies at Key Decision Points

8. Differential Response:Linkages Results • Reduction in repeat referrals • Reduction in additional substantiated allegations • Reduction in detention • Other?

9. Permanency:What’s the Connection? • Service coordination to address financial and functional needs of families • An understanding of how reducing poverty promotes permanency • Providing services, supports and opportunities during and after placement • Developing life skills for transition-age youth in out-of-home care

10. Permanency:Linkages Strategies

11. Permanency:Linkages Results • Reduced reentry into care due to aftercare support via relationship with CalWORKs worker • Support to relative caregivers reduces need for placement movement • Restoring economic stability for birth parents increases reunification rates

12. Leverage Opportunities to Build the Bridge • Analyze the connection • Emphasize Linkages strategies that solve an existing problem • Make the collaboration visible • Do your own “mini-research” to make the case • Focus on outcomes • Show cost savings

13. Part Two:Common Barriers to Bridge Building • Competing Demands • Maintaining Commitment • Reaching Full Implementation

14. Competing Demands • Reinforce the integrative power of Linkages • Connect milestones and successes of Linkages to goals of other priorities • Stay focused on what matters most • Let go of what doesn’t matter • Form alliances across organizational boundaries

15. Strategies: Maintaining Commitment • Communicate successes • Increase the “Emotional Quotient” • Advocate, inquire and repeat, as needed • Build trust across functions • Set the bar high in the public view

16. Reaching Full Implementation • Appreciate the “Implementation Dip” • Utilize informal networks • Pace the process for faster results • Coping with the challenge of diffusion • Build coaching capacity • Promote permeability of organizational boundaries • Information infrastructure • Establish a learning culture