Successful Outcomes for CPS Agency Reviews Kathy Simms Consultant –National Resource Center For Child Protective Service

1. Child Fatalities and Critical Incidents Successful Outcomes for CPS Agency ReviewsKathy SimmsConsultant –National Resource Center For Child Protective Services

2. Headlines • “Accused of Neglect in the Past, Mother is Charged in Child’s Injuries” Cited for neglect on three prior occasions • “Abuse Allegations Made Before Child’s Death”

3. Headlines • “Case Raises questions about Child Protection in State” • “Mother in Child Death Case Lost Custody Twice”Child was beaten to death on her birthday

4. What Happens after the Headlines? CPS Agency Case Review Process for System Improvement

5. Four Outcomes Critical to Success

6. Safety Assurance and Response to Family • Usually handled at local office level. • Should have designated person to advise, consult and provide oversight. • Assignments should be made based on ability to perform certain tasks.

7. Safety Assurance and Response to Family • May need to do some re-assignments for current situation. • CPS safety assessment should occur simultaneously with the agency review process. • Develop a support plan for the family.

8. Public Accountability/Media Response • Gather case record information using a specific protocol. • Designate a media point person. • Within 24 hours, at least, provide media response with information on the critical incident review procedures.

9. Public Accountability/Media Response • Acknowledge the tragedy within the confines of confidentiality restrictions– Whenever a child dies or is severely injured, it impacts all of us significantly. Our staff works hard everyday to address the safety of children.

10. Public Accountability/Media Response • Provide any initial info that can be provided to the media and give a timeframe for when additional information will be released. • Keep providing updated information as more is known about the case.

11. Identify and Address Systems Issues • Separate reviews of personnel actions from case reviews for the purpose of systems improvement. • For purposes of systems issue focus the case review on CPS agency involvement with the family that occurred within the last three years.

12. Identify and Address Systems Issues • Conduct case reviews according to set format and in a designated timeframe usually 30-45 days to assure that all known information has been collected. • Timeframe examples from Washington State and Oregon:

13. Washington State

14. 5160. Administrative Incident Reporting Timelines

17. Oregon

19. Identify and Address Systems Issues • Timely knowledge transfer is critical once issues about practice have been identified. • Set up a system of routine staff alerts. Example: New York Child Safety Alerts are provided routinely, numbered and included in all training for existing and current staff.

20. Identify and Address Systems Issues

21. Identify and Address Systems Issues • Document findings of case review in a report with recommendations for next steps listed with timelines. • Make changes as quickly as possible and regularly review progress on implementation of changes.

22. State Examples of Review Processes • Georgia- • Example of Child Death/Serious Injury Report: http://www.dfcs.dhr.georgia.gov • Oregon- • Example of Child Fatality Report: http://www.oregon.gov/DHS/abuse/publications/children/md-cirt-final.pdf • Examples of Review Protocol: http://www.dhs.state.or.us/policy/childwelfare/ manual_1/critical_incident_protocol.pdf

23. State Examples of Review Processes • Washington State- • Administrative Incident Reporting Procedures(AIRS): • http://www.dshs.wa.gov/ca/pubs/mnl_Ops/Chapter5.asp • New York- • Agency Reporting Form: • http://www.ocfs.state.ny.us/main/forms/cps/

24. Stabilize Work Environment and Respond to Staff Needs • Critical incident or child fatality can have a devastating effect on the office environment. • This is particularly an issue when the child is known to the CPS agency.

25. Stabilize Work Environment and Respond to Staff Needs • Not only does the event impact the direct worker and supervisor, it can impact:

26. Stabilize Work Environment and Respond to Staff Needs • “Negative media leaving workers feeling disheartened and devalued leads to low organizational commitment” • “Investigative workers are more apt to be fired or dismissed” Burstain, J. (2009)

27. Stabilize Work Environment and Respond to Staff Needs • “Emotional exhaustion consistently predicts an intention to leave in caseworkers” Journal of Public Child Welfare (2006)

28. Stabilize Work Environment and Respond to Staff Needs • Constant media reports can keep the strain on the office active. • Sometimes personnel action is related to need to show accountability rather than malfeasance on the part of staff.

29. Stabilize Work Environment and Respond to Staff Needs • Supervisors and managers as well as caseworkers need regular training updates on the impact of secondary trauma. • Any critical incident stress debriefings should be provided by uninvolved parties.

30. Stabilize Work Environment and Respond to Staff Needs • Keep in mind that just like the grief process, staff may be in shock and denial in the early stages of the event. • The effectiveness of immediate critical incidents debriefings will be impacted by the stage of grief.

31. Stabilize Work Environment and Respond to Staff Needs • Critical incident stress debriefing should be offered again at key points such as:

32. Stabilize Work Environment and Respond to Staff Needs • Display attitude that we are in this together. • “ A professional organization culture characterized by supportive adaptive leaders strengthens Child Welfare staff member intent to remain employed” Children and Youth Services Review (2009)

33. Conclusions • Be timely in response, reviews and information dissemination. • Commit to:

34. For Technical Assistance 925 #4 Sixth Street NW Albuquerque, New Mexico 87102 Phone: 505-345-2444 Fax: 505-345-2626 www.nrccps.org

35. References 1. Burstain, J., “A Better Understanding of Caseworker Turnover Within Child Protective Services,” Policy Page 9 (364)(Texas: Center for Public Policy Priorities, February 4, 2009).http://www.cppp.org/ 2. Strolin, JJ., McCarthy, M. and Caringi, J., “Cause and Effects of Child Welfare Worker Turnover: Current State of Knowledge and Future Directions,” Journal of Public Child Welfare1(2)(2006): 29-52. 3. Ellett, A., “Intention to Remain Employed in Child Welfare” Children and Youth Services Review v. 31 (2009): 78-88.