Goals

1. Improving Child Welfare Outcomes through Collaboration, Family Involvement, and Community Engagement

2. Goals • Discuss the importance of interagency collaboration, family involvement and community engagement • Highlight implementation strategies and activities that promote collaboration and family and community involvement

3. What is Systems of Care? Systems of care is an initiative that incorporates a core set of principles that combine to meet the diverse needs of children, youth, and families. The systems of care concept provides a framework that States, Tribes, counties and cities can utilize as they develop the infrastructure to support key guiding principles: Interagency Collaboration Individualized, Strengths-based Care Cultural and Linguistic Competence Child, Youth and Family Involvement Community-Based Approaches Accountability *DeCarolis, G., Southern, L. and Blake, F. (2008) Improving Child Welfare Outcomes through Systems of Care: Building the Infrastructure. US Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC.

4. Improving Child Welfare Outcomes through Systems of Care Five-year demonstration initiative Operated through 9 grantees in 18 communities Rural, Urban, County, Tribal Goals: Engage in infrastructure development activities to change the culture of child welfare agencies and the conceptual framework within which services are delivered (systemic change) Work collaboratively with partner agencies in order to assure the safety, permanency, and well-being of children and their families (Child & Family Services Reviews, Program Improvement Plan)

5. Systems of Care Grant Communities ND OR NY PA NV CA CO KS NC

6. Technical Assistance & Evaluation Support • National Technical Assistance and Evaluation Center • Provide ongoing and intensive technical assistance • Evaluate and document outcomes from the initiative • Disseminate findings to support replication

7. Summary of Key Findings Through the development of interagency collaboration, meaningful family involvement, and active community engagement, child welfare agencies successfully brought together critical stakeholders in a coordinated and integrated effort to serve children whose needs cross multiple systems.

8. Interagency Collaboration Initial planning year enabled communities to lay the foundation for interagency collaboration Examined existing structures and processes to build collaboration More child-serving agencies at the table with child welfare Public, private, and faith-based organizations

9. Interagency Collaboration Child welfare assumed leadership role among partner agencies Enabled agencies to engage, plan, and consult with their partner agencies and formal and informal service providers Resulted in greater degree of accountability for meeting child and family outcomes

10. Interagency Collaboration Impacts and Perceived Effectiveness of Interagency Collaboration * Collaborative member survey * p<.05: Child welfare outcome

11. Interagency Collaboration: Facilitators State level policy requiring increased coordination among child- and family-serving agencies Clarity of roles and expectations through formal agreements and structures Committed leadership and staff support Ongoing education and engagement of partners

12. Family Involvement Family involvement was central to the work of all grant communities Implementation of family involvement was facilitated through: Policies and procedures to support family-centered practice Peer support program models to help families navigate the system Integration of family members on decision-making bodies and committees to inform the development of agency policies, procedures, and practices

13. Family Involvement Peer support program models enabled child welfare agencies to meet the varied needs of children and families Family members with prior system involvement provided mentoring and helped families navigate the system Targeted to birth parents and kin-caregivers Program operated within community-based organizations, private, and public agencies

14. Family Involvement Child welfare agencies leveraged family members’ experiences and expertise to support decision-making Family members played important roles in: Training, social marketing, evaluation of agencies’ programs/services, and CFSR process The active involvement of family members helped to change the culture within child welfare agencies

15. Family Involvement Families felt supported, informed, and empowered to make necessary changes Greater awareness of permanency options available to them Peer mentoring can result in improved safety and permanency for children and families

16. Family Involvement: Keys to Success Successful implementation of family involvement requires: Resource investment to support agency’s capacity and family members’ readiness to engage in their new roles Clear standards and guidelines related to the requirements of peer mentor/advocate positions Committed leadership

17. Family Involvement: Keys to Success Meaningful family involvement is critical to designing and shaping policies and practices that are family-centered and result in improved outcomes for children and families In any System of Care, partnership between parents and providers has been shown to be key to transforming systems

18. Community-Based Approaches Collaborative member survey ** p<.01 • Child welfare agencies’ support for community-based approaches to service provision increased across grant communities

19. Community Engagement Through the grant program child welfare agencies discovered new ways of working with the community Community collaboratives created a space and place for community engagement

20. Community Engagement Community members became a valuable resource to child welfare agencies Investment in community organizing and capacity building

21. Community Engagement Community engagement can result in: Greater understanding among service providers of agencies’ mandates Increased knowledge of community resources to support children and families More positive perceptions among community members of the child welfare agency's work Increased accountability for the safety and protection of children and families

22. Sustainability: Strategies & Approaches Integrating grant-related activities into agency policies, procedures, and PIPs Leveraging staff buy-in and support Developing trainings and professional development opportunities Identifying funding sources to continue the work

23. Summary Interagency collaboration and involvement of family and community members ensures that programs, services, and interventions are effective, efficient, and targeted to the individual needs of children and families

24. Aracelis Gray, MPP Project Director, National Technical Assistance and Evaluation Center Phone: 703-225-2290 agray@icfi.com Additional Information on the Systems of Care Initiative, Reports and Products:http://www.childwelfare.gov/systemwide/service/soc/