Tracy Wareing Office of Governor Janet Napolitano Policy Advisor for Children’s Services

1. 15th Annual Statewide Child Abuse Prevention ConferenceCall to Action: Engaging Arizona in CPS Reform Tracy Wareing Office of Governor Janet Napolitano Policy Advisor for Children’s Services

2. 2003 – A Year in Review Governor’s Advisory Commission on CPS Reform • Comprised of legislators, court representatives, advocates, community providers, agency directors, law enforcement, health practitioners, educators. • Charged with examining child protection from all angles to determine how best to achieve effective system reform in Arizona. • Charged with developing recommendations, focusing on improved outcomes for the safety, well-being and permanency of Arizona’s children.

3. 2003 – A Year in Review Governor’s Advisory Commission on CPS Reform • Seven subcommittees ran parallel to the Commission and included community participants, such as foster and adoptive parents, relative caregivers, advocates, and other volunteers. • CPS Reports and Investigations • CPS Records and Hearings • Juvenile Justice • CPS Structure • Health Care • Education • Community

4. 2003 – A Year in Review Governor’s Advisory Commission on CPS Reform • Full Report of Commission and 7 Subcommittees published June 30, 2003 • Report resulted in over 200 detailed recommendations on how to improve the delivery of child welfare services to children and families from all state agencies and the community

5. 2003 – A Year in Review • August 2003 – The Governor hired David Berns as Director of the Department of Economic Security • The Governor and Director Berns hosted three public forums in Phoenix, Prescott and Tucson to present the Commission’s recommendations and seek further input regarding CPS reform • More than 650 people attended the public forums and over 100 offered testimony • The Governor also received hundreds of written comments

6. 2003 – A Year in Review September 2003 – The Governor released her Action Plan forReform of Arizona’s Child Protection System • 42 point plan • The Plan sets forth action steps for immediate and future legislative and practice changes for improving Arizona’s system for protecting children from abuse and neglect

7. Ensuring a multi-disciplinary response to reports of abuse and neglect Preventing child abuse and neglect Clarifying the mission and role of CPS Ensuring effective delivery of services to children and families Providing adequate support for children and families served by the system as well as those who provide services Increasing communityinvolvement 2003 – A Year in ReviewGovernor’s Action Plan Priorities

8. 2003 Arizona Legislature Special Session • Bi-partisan team drafted legislation • Key policy areas include: • 100% Investigations by CPS • Joint Investigations • Mission of CPS • Substance Abuse • Confidentiality Laws: Sharing of Records • Open Hearings Pilot Project • In-Home Intervention • Central Registry

9. 2003 Arizona Legislature Special SessionKey Provisions of Final CPS Bill 100% Investigations: Maintains the Family Builders program, but provides that CPS can only refer cases to a Family Builders provider after CPS has investigated the report

10. 2003 Arizona Legislature Special SessionKey Provisions of Final CPS Bill Joint Investigations: Requires joint investigations by CPS and law enforcement for the most serious allegations of abuse and neglect • In accordance with protocols established in each county by July 1, 2004 • Protocols must include standards for interdisciplinary investigations, regular notification of case status, Annual Report to Governor and Legislature • Requires CPS investigators to be trained in forensic interviewing and processes

11. 2003 Arizona Legislature Special SessionKey Provisions of Final CPS Bill Mission: The primary purpose of CPS is to: • Protect children by investigating allegations of abuse and neglect; • Promote the well-being of a child in a permanent home; and • Coordinate services to strengthen the family and prevent abuse or neglect

12. 2003 Arizona Legislature Special SessionKey Provisions of Final CPS Bill Substance Abuse: When determining whether a child has been neglected, consideration shall be given to a parent’s drug or alcohol abuse, including a mother’s abuse of a dangerous drug, narcotic or alcohol during pregnancy if the child is demonstrably, adversely affected. -Also clarifies that a child may be taken into temporary custody if physically injured as a result of living on premises where dangerous drugs or narcotics are manufactured

13. 2003 Arizona Legislature Special SessionKey Provisions of Final CPS Bill Confidentiality Laws: Clarifies that CPS Records shall be maintained by DES as required by federal laws as a condition of the allocation of federal monies to the State. - All exceptions for the public release of CPS information shall be construed as openly as possible under federal law.

14. 2003 Arizona Legislature Special SessionKey Provisions of Final CPS Bill Open Hearings: Expands the pilot project to all counties in the state as follows – • In counties greater than 500,000, the pilot must include 10% of the dependency cases; • In counties 150,000-500,000, the pilot must include at least 5% of the dependency cases; • In counties less than 150,000, the pilot must include 5% but no more than 10% of the dependency cases. • Extends the duration of the pilot projects to December 31, 2005

15. 2003 Arizona Legislature Special SessionKey Provisions of Final CPS Bill In-Home Intervention: Establishes an alternative to the formal dependency process when it is determined that a child can remain safely in the home and parent(s) agree to participate in services. • The Court may intervene and reinstate the dependency process if parent(s) fail to comply • The in-home intervention Order must include a specific time for completion, not to exceed one year without Court approval

16. 2003 Arizona Legislature Special SessionKey Provisions of Final CPS Bill Central Registry: Provides for any State agency or contractor providing services to children or vulnerable adults to check the registry for employment purposes.

17. 2003 Arizona Legislature Special SessionKey Provisions of Final CPS Bill Oversight and Accountability: • Co-location of an Auditor General audit team in DES • Collaborative development of a financial and program reporting system by DES, OSPB, JLBC and the Auditor General • Expansion of the role of the Joint Legislative Committee on Children and Family Services • Development of evaluation criteria for CPS workers and foster parents to evaluate CPS, and a means to measure ongoing improvements in CPS

18. 2003 Arizona Legislature Special SessionAdditional Resources to the Agency • $10.3 million to maintain current CPS staffing and service levels • $6,304,300 for reform efforts that will allow CPS to conduct 100% of investigations of abuse and neglect, reduce caseloads of CPS workers to national standards, provide additional compensation to CPS workers, increase foster care reimbursement rates and replace outdated technology equipment • $675,000 for residential drug treatment over three fiscal years • $25,000 for an additional position at DHS to conduct home inspections for foster home licensing

19. Non-LegislativeChild Protection Reform • Professional Risk Assessment Tool: Tool completed in consultation with national experts, and is being piloted in Districts I and VI; full implementation expected Spring 2004. • Immediate Behavioral Health Assessments: RBHAs now respond to CPS request for an initial assessment within 24 hours of child being removed from home. • Foster Families Retention and Recruitment: CPS partnership with AZ Association for Foster and Adoptive Parents; DES and DHS working collaboratively to streamline licensing process for foster homes.

20. Next Steps in Child Protection Reform DCYF Implementation Plan and Structure Governor‘s Advisory Committee Division of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) Steering Committee Implementation Team Leads & Co-Leads Implementation Team Work Groups

21. DCYF Implementation PlanImmediate Priorities • Recruitment and hiring of staff • Implementation of staff salary increases • Foster parent rate increases • Re-engineering of Family Builders • Accountability Process

22. DCYF Improvement Indicators: Department’s SFY 2005-2009 Strategic Plan

23. DCYF Improvement Indicators Goal #1 Improve the safety & well-being of children, adults, families, older adults and persons with disabilities Performance Measures: • Increase number of families served by successful prevention programs • Decrease number of child fatalities as a result of child abuse or neglect

24. DCYF Improvement IndicatorsGoal #1 Performance Measures, continued • Increase % of cases investigated in a timely manner • Increase % of cases where child and family participate in case planning • Increase # of employees who receive training on the co-occurrence of domestic violence and child maltreatment, and delivery of services to victims • Increase % of newly-hired CPS specialists who complete training within seven months of hire

25. DCYF Improvement IndicatorsGoal #1 Performance Measures, continued • Increase # of contracted services that are accessible, community based, child centered, focused on strengths of the family, and responsive to the cultural, ethnic, and linguistic needs of the child and family • Increase # of children receiving health care services through Medicaid • Increase # of children who have been in foster care less than 12 months with no more than two placements

26. DCYF Improvement IndicatorsGoal #1 Performance Measures, continued • Increase % of cases where children are placed with siblings • Increase # of children who are safely reunified with their parents or caretakers within 12 months of removal from home • Increase # of children who achieve adoption within 24 months • Increase rate of retention of CPS case managers • Increase # of CPS staff with bilingual capabilities

27. DCYF Improvement Indicators Goal #2: Improve customer access, service, outcomes and satisfaction with DCYF throughout Arizona Performance Measures: • Increase # of faith-based, business and other community and local organizations participating in the delivery of services to children and families • Increase # of community needs/gap evaluations conducted by community councils staffed by DES

28. Next Steps in Child Protection Reform Goals for 2004 Legislative Session: • Focus on prevention: • Increase funding for Healthy Families Arizona • Allow Healthy Families program to include pre-natal family services and services to families with prior CPS contact

29. Next Steps in Child Protection Reform Oversight Process: The Governor is appointing a consumer-focused CPS Implementation Advisory Committee and a Foster Youth Advisory Board, responsible for the oversight and implementation of the Action Plan forReform of Arizona’s Child Protection System

30. Oversight Process, continued Composition of CPS Implementation Advisory Committee: • A parent from the Adoptive and Foster Parent Association - A parent that has had past interaction • A case manager and/or supervisor from CPS with the system • A case manager and/or supervisor from BHS - A representative from the Youth • A case manager from a contracted provider for CPS services Advisory Committee • A case manager from a contracted substance abuse provider - A representative from a local DES • A case manager from a school advisory board • A pediatrician providing health care services to children - A kinship care provider • A probation officer - A member from a local FCRB • A law enforcement officer - A member from the CASA program • A home visitor representing prevention programs

31. Next Steps in Child Protection Reform Children’s Cabinet: Continue to serve in role to coordinate services among child serving agencies and as final arbiter of any unresolved issues between the agencies; will develop child abuse prevention program inventory from all agencies. Community: Involvement in oversight process, public awareness and education, and continuous input to design of CPS reform.

32. Thank you and Stay in Touch! Contents of information presented and continuous updates are available at: www.governor.state.az.us/cps Please contact me with any follow-up questions: Tracy Wareing: twareing@az.gov