CHMDA/CWDA Partnership Series Child Welfare Services

1. CHMDA/CWDA Partnership SeriesChild Welfare Services Danna Fabella, Interim Director Contra County Employment and Human Services Department “It Takes a Village” March 17, 2006

2. Adoption Safe Families Act (ASFA) 1997 • Safety • Permanency • Child Wellbeing

3. Who Is The Client? • The Child • However, we engage family, community, other agencies to help meet the ASFA goals • Accountability • Federal outcome • AB 636 – State CWS Improvement and Accountability Act • Focus on the Child

4. What Are Those Outcomes? • Safety • # of children abused/neglected • # of children entering foster care • % of children reabused

5. Permanency • % of children re-entering foster care • % of children with multiple placements • Time to reunification • Time to adoption

6. Well-being • % of children placed with siblings • % of children in least restrictive placement • % of children receiving health and mental health services

7. Entry Into Child Welfare Services • High Threshold • Welfare & Institutions Code § 300 • a) substantial risk that the child will suffer serious physical harm inflicted nonaccidentally upon the child by the child's parent or guardian • b) substantial risk that the child will suffer serious physical harm or illness as a result of the failure or inability of his or her parent or guardian to adequately supervise or protect the child • c) serious emotional damage or at substantial risk of suffering serious emotional damage

8. d) sexually abused or substantial risk that the child will be sexually abused • e) child is under the age of five years and has suffered severe physical abuse • f) child's parent or guardian caused the death of another child through abuse or neglect • g) abandonment • h) failure or inability to provide for the child • i) failure to adequately protect the child • j) child's sibling has been abused or neglected, and there is a substantial risk that the child will be abused or neglected

9. Often Leads to Frustration • School personnel • Therapist in community • Community members

10. The Child Welfare System Hotline Investigations ER Mental Health Crises Intervention Mental Health Assessments FM or FR PP Emancipation Mental Health TX Recommendations Mental Health TX Recommendations Bridge to Adult Mental Health

11. Case Plan • Describes services and what parent and child needs • Time limited • Goal oriented • Most Plans Require • Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) • Parenting • Mental Health

12. CWS Challenges • Lack of appropriate placement resources • CWS Improvement Plans required under AB 636 with the focus on Safety, Permanency and Well-being outcomes • CWS allocation includes little funding for direct charge so must rely on other public agencies • Partner agencies (AOD, Mental Health, Schools) not being accountable on AB 636 outcomes

13. Unrealistic expectations of courts and attorneys • “Who is the Client” differs • Reimbursement under EPSDT is not at competitive rates • Lack of trained therapist to work with both children and adult clients in Child Welfare System

14. “The Village” • System of Care • Mental Health Services Act • System Improvement Plans • Family to Family