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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 11101987 - T.3 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FROM: JAMES A. RYDINGSWORD, DIRECTOR Contra Social Service Director DATE; October 28, 1987 Costa County SUBJECT• ANNUAL REPORT OF THE FAMILY AND CHILDREN'S SERVICES ADVISORY COMMITTEE SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION I. RECOMMENDATION Receive and accept the attached FY 1986-87 Annual Report of the Family and Children's Services Advisory Committee (FACSAC) , and schedule a brief presentation to the Board .by a FACSAC representative. II. FINANCIAL IMPACT Not applicable. III. BACKGROUND The Contra Costa County Family & Children's Services Advisory Committee is a citizen's Committee appointed by the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors to advise the Board and the Social Service Director on the effectiveness of current and proposed social welfare programs, on recent and pending legislation and its impact on the welfare recipient, and the local administration of the social welfare system; to identify problems in the community which will impinge on low-income residents, such as housing, transportation, education, and employment opportunities; to interpret the functions of the Social Service Department to the public and the problems of public welfare; to solicit participation in the Committee by major segments of the County population; to cooperate and work with other citizen groups interested in welfare and other ' related services for the betterment of welfare programs in general; and to participate in multi-County organizations of family and children' s services advisory committees. . The Family & Children's Services Advisory Committee is composed of 15 members--3 regular members from each supervisorial district, and 5 alternates, 1 from each district. One-third of the membership must be low-income persons or their representatives'. An intelligent, well-informed, and committed citizen's advisory group representing a cross-section of the community, is one of the key elements in the cornerstone of ood g ve t. 6 I 11-1'0. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: _ YES SIGNATUR ilk AAI- Iffi RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMEND, N OD COMM, TEE APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURE S : ACTION OF BOARD ON November 1U, 1967 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED X OTHER VOTE OF SUPERVISORS 1 HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE X UNANIMOUS (ABSENT -- s ) AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AYES: NOES.. AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. ORIG: Social Service Dept. (Attn: Contracts) cc: County Administrator ATTESTED _ Nove>?iber 10, 19$.7:____ JAR/HDR/dc PHIL BATCHELOR. CLERK OF THE BOARD OF SUP VISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR 1OBdOrd.hdr M382/7-83 Attachs. BY ,DEPUTY ... '... ...' .........F.T.\1S:S{l..ri.�:..r....V•.V\.VVV..\.Y....v-n .. www..•.xw.rxr..........-......................... ..-... rtnient Family and Children's Services Contras 24M S�e®me.• Advisor Committee P.O.Box 5488 - � _ �Costa - - �n�California 94524 Barbara Chase (415)648-5202. .. Executive Assikwt County - - FAMILY 6 CHILDREN'S SERVICES ADVISORY OO1�II�7.TEE ANNUAL REPO ' - - 1986-87 THE FAMILY AND CHILDREN'S SERVICES ADVISORY COMMITTEE IS APPOINTED BY THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO ADVISE ON THE EFFECT OF CURRENT AND PROPOSED SOCIAL WELFARE PROGRAMS.WELFARE LEGISLATION.AND THE PROBLEMS OF THE L.O N-INCOME COMMUNITY.ANY COMMENTS OR RECOMMENDATIONS MADE BY THE COMMITTEE OR ITS INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS DO NOT REPRESENT THE OFFICIAL POSITION OF THE COUNTY OR ANY OF ITS OFFICERS. - - TABLE'OF CONTENTS Page INTRODITGTION• . . •-. . • • •. '• . THE Officers for 1987-88. . . . . . . . . 2 Committee Members . . . . . . . . . .. . 2 FACSAC ACTMTIES 3 Standing Subcommittees. 3 Budget Subcommittee . . . . . .. 3 - Legislative Subcommittee. . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Public Relations Subcommittee . . • . . . ..r . . . - •5 Ad Hoc Subcommittees. .. . . . . . . . . • . 6 Emancipation Trust Fund Subcommittee. . . . . • 6 Substance Abuse Pregnant Mothers Working Group. . . 7 Active Participation With Other County Groups . . . • 9 FACSAC Testimony. . . . . . . . . . • 10 FACSAC PROGRAMS .. 11 September, 1.986 . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . 11 October, 1986 • . . . . • . ' • . . . . . 11 November, 1986. 11 December, 1986. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 January, 1987 . . . . • . . . . . . . • . . . 12 February, 1987. . . . • . . . . . . . . 12 March, 1987 . . - . . . . • . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 April, 1987 . . . . . . 12 'May, 1987 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 June, . 1987. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 July, 1987. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 FACSAC RECOMMENDATIONS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 To the Board of Supervisors . . . . . . . 14 Budget. . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Public-Private Partnerships . . 14 Interdepartmental Cooperation . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 To the Social Service Director. . . . 15 Joint Foster Parent/Social Worker Training. . . , 15 Interagency Coordination of Services. . . . . . . . 15 PLANS AND GOALS FOR 1987-88 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Legislative Subcommittee. . . . . . . 16 Budget Subcommittee . . • . . . . • . . . • . . . • . . 16 . Public Relations Subcommittee . . . . . .. . . . . . 16 COMCLIISIOTi. 17 1'----DUCTION An intelligent, well-informed, and committed citizen's advisory •group representing a cross-section. of the community, is one of the key elements in the cornerstone of good- government. •The Contra Costa County .Family & Children's Services Advisory Committee (FACSAC) is such a group. •The fiscal .year 1986-87 has.. been a busy year for the Committee. Through its Subcommittees, it has engaged. in numerous activities which has resulted in the following: The Establishment of the Emancipation Trust Fund, an idea -spon- sored by Supervisor Nancy Fanden, to address the needs of chil= .dren in permanent placement who are not adopted and who must enter adulthood -without a support system. ' The first donor to this fund is the Diablo- Sunrise Soroptimists of Concord. A Speaker's Bureau was established to -inform the community as to the issues and problems confronting it in the area of human services and the limits of government in providing solutions and resources to address these problems. FACSAC members have been addressing service groups, church groups, and educational groups to let them know how they can get involved in helping the community around the issues of senior care, child abuse, homelessness,'- child care, and medical services. A Study to Address the issue of Incentive Payments for Foster Parents who engage in appropriate training and education. The Contra Costa 'County Family & Children's Services Advisory Committee is a citizen's Committee appointed .by the Contra Costa County Board of. Supervisors to advise the 'Board -and the Social Service Director on the. effectiveness of current and proposed social welfare programs, on recent and pending Aegislation -and its impact an- the welfare recipient, -and the local administration _ of. the sdcial welfare system; to identify problems -in the com- munity which will impinge on low-income residents,. such as housing, transportation, education, and employment opportunities; to interpret the functions of the Social Service Department -to the public and the problems of public welfare.; to solicit partic- ipation in the Committee by major segments of the County popula- tion; to cooperate and work with other citizen groups interested in welfare and other related services for the betterment of welfare programs in general; and to participate in multi-County organizations of family and children's services advisory committees. The Family & Children's Services Advisory Committee is composed of 15 members--3 regular members from each supervisorial dis- trict, and 5 alternates, 1 from each district. One-third of the membership must be low-income persons or their representatives. 2. officers for 1987-88 The now.-FACSAC: officers for the Fiscal Year 1987-88 recently elected- at the September, 1987, orientation meeting, include Nola' ' . Ashford, Chairperson, and Robin Brown and Shawn Guinn who share the duties of Co-Vice-Chairpersons. Committee'Members for 1986-87 DISTRICT I - DISTRICT IV Lisa Lajala . Nola Ashford Carol Maloney Gloria Tays Isabel Emerson Lorin Herman Margaret Thomas Gary Namie - Marilynn Zito DISTRICT V DISTRICT II Shawn Guinn Lynda Kilday Robin Brown Jean Cunningham Paul Billeci Laina Casillas Steven Jiminez Susie Heilig . Gerald Dunbar Carolina Zamora DISTRICT III Sandra Hershkowitz Kathy Garcia Jerome'Winig 3. _ FACSAC AL'PIVITIFS This action-orientated citizen's committee contributed its ideas, time, and energy to three standing -Subcommittees and two Ad Hoc Subcommittees, which" participated in numerous activities -and which constitute the basis of this. report. Standina- Subcommittees Budget Subcommittee: The Budget Subcommittee of . the Family & - Children's Services Advisory Committee was -pleased this year that the services for families and children have been spared cuts-in the budget; the Subcommittee is, nevertheless, concerned that these services continue to be understaffed, underfunded, and short on other resources. . When the Subcommittee speaks of services to families, it means services to elders, as well as services to children. Funding for the mandated programs themselves is insufficient and ends in a 'system that is failing to adequately address the problems. A growing population with its increasing social and economic needs, and its concomitant demands on the family struc- ture,' has produced stress that has served to exacerbate problems of the family which, in turn, has produced problems of child abuse, substance abuse, suicide, and homelessness. On July 23, 1987, at the Department's presentation of its budget, FACSAC joined with other advisory groups in the County to support Supervisor Tom Torlakson's recommendation that the Fiscal Year 1987-88 County budget contain an allocation of one million dollars for prevention services. The dollars for these services were not to come from existing services. FACSAC would like to, again, make note of the request for $250,000 for out-of-home placement, start-up funds to capitalize new adolescent residential beds in group homes. While such beds are sorely needed, there has also been an offer by a private provider to construct buildings on County land and additional money for program start-up that will continue to be paid for through AFDC foster care money. This is a nearly four-million- dollar offer that would appear not to cost additional County money. This offer should at least be seriously considered, and other like-offers solicited, before additional County money is re- quested to be used as start-up costs for similar services. A recent group home study by Kathy Armstrong includes the follow- ing findings: 4. The number of children placed in foster or group homes is in- creasing ncreasing faster. than the .growth rate ' of- the County's. youth population. There has been. a dramatic increase. in black- children and children age 'two and younger of all races taken from their homes. Fifty to 75. percent of. adolescents in foster and- group homes have been sexually molested, In only 1D percent -of these cases-was that the reason they were removed from the home. More than 80 percent of adolescent girls with drug and alcohol problems, or who are promiscuous, were sexually molested, experts : say. Nearly half -of the children in foster homes and group homes are thought to have severe emotional problems.. Most are working lower than their grade level in school. About a quarter of the children placed by mental health workers are withdrawn and suicidal and about one-fifth act .psychotic. Caseworkers report an increase in parents, mostly from Central County, demanding their children be removed from their homes because they are out of control.: In Los Angeles, Probation officers are more likely than. social workers or mental health staff to place teenagers. Mental health workers place most of .their children outside the County because, with the exception- of La Cheim in E1 Sobrante, there are .few appropriate residential treatment programs here. Ten percent of the children placed by social workers have been in four to six different homes, 88 percent have been in three or fewer, and 1 percent have been in more than seven homes. In conclusion, the Budget Subcommittee would like to point out they have noted that approximately 3,100 hours have been contrib- uted in a volunteer capacity by -FACSAC members this fiscal year. The value to the Board of Supervisors in dollar amounts can be estimated to be $24,000 at $8.00 per hour, which is a low salary range considering the educational skills and expertise available to the Committee through its members. This does not count the hours Committee members privately contributed by attending local meetings, reading- relevant materials, studying County programs, and working at home on all of the above. The members of the Budget Subcommittee include Lynda Kilday, Jean Cunningham, Carol Maloney, Jerome Winig, Isabel.. Emerson, and Kathy Garcia. Legislative Subcommittee: The following is a list of support letters sent to legislators during Fiscal Year 1986-87: 5. AB 145, Speyer Homeless (AB- 215, Campbell) _ AB 377, Wright. Children's mental' health ' AB 558, Hannigan Foster care pilot project AB 1.364,- Vascancellos Contra Costa children's mental health AB 285, Leonard CPS in school interviews - AB 1810, Agnos. $2 million job- creation-coordination-' AB 650, Costa Money to help finance State-mandated SB 253, Bergeson programs -SB 2463, Richardson SW and staff training, if amended. SB 357, Presley 95-5 match SB 1360, Royce Foster parent training - . Letters which were sent to legislators in opposition of- legisla- tion include the following bills: AB 67, Isenberg Parental consent for abortion/override through CPS SB 277, Watson In-home supportive services (no money) A letter also sent to the Governor protesting removal of Chil- dren' s Trust Fund money to replace 1733 funds (State General Fund money) . In addition, the Subcommittee helped to get Republican co- sponsorship of SB 357 and participated in the Department of Social Service response to the Group Home Study. The Subcommittee also participated in an advisory group meeting on July 14, 1987, called by the Board of Supervisors regarding lobbying. In the future, the Legislative Subcommittee will be part of the training on lobbying to be provided by Ken Jaffe and/or Don Fibush and also will be part of the group to help set legislative priorities for the County. Members of the Legislative Subcommittee include Robin Brown, Susie Heilig, Lynda Kilday, Sandra Hershkowitz, Gloria Tays, Margaret Thomas, Marilynn Zito, Lisa Lajala, Lorin Herman, and Steven Jiminez. Public Relations Subcommittee: The two primary goals of the Public Relations Subcommittee for 1986-87 were (1) to promote better public relations and (2) to complete the study on the two children's treatment facilities. Both of these goals were achieved. Studies on the two children's treatment facilities were completed, and recommendations were made to the Board of Supervisors. Press releases were sent to newspapers in the County. A- Speaker's Bureau was established, and it is presently providing presentations to a wide range of community organizations 6. throughout the County on a variety of issues currently relevant to FACSAC and- the community. Furthermore, press, releases .on new Committee member appointments were, and will continue to be, provided to local news agencies. In order. to continue and .expand the efforts of the Speaker' s. Bureau, the Subcommittee will incorporate new topics that are - developed by the full Committee as part -of its goals. statement. In- addition, the Subcommittees plans to- (1) update the .Speaker's _ _ list with new volunteers, matching topics to -speakers; (2) revise . and use the community presentation evaluations forms; - (3) assist any speaker who might wish to improve his or. her presentation skills; and (4) produce videotapes to ' aid in educating the community. Since its 'start, participants in the Speaker's Bureau have addressed Soroptimists and Lions Clubs and women's organizations, such as the Contra Costa County Advisory Committee on the Employ- ment and Economic Status of Women, on issues as diverse as child care, senior programs, homelessness, and .child abuse--always stressing -the limits of local funding and the need for everyone in the community to work toward resolving these issues. In regard to public education, all FACSAC Subcommittees will be encouraged to consider how their activities might be useful to the public. If. appropriate, a press release will be drafted by the Public Relations Subcommittee for approval by . the full Committee. Finally, since• harimnious'., cooperative relationships with -other advisory committees and boards in the County are desirable, FACSAC members have been encouraged to attend meetings of the other committees and advisory boards and to then -report back to the full Committee at the regular, monthly meetings. Members of the Public Relations Subcommittee include Shawn Guinn, Laina Casillas, Nola Ashford, Jean Cunningham, Paul Billeci, Gary Namie, Gerald Dunbar, and Carolina Zamora. Ad Ebb Subcommittees Emancipation Trust Fund Subcommittee: On January 13, 1987, Supervisor Nancy Fanden submitted to the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors a proposal in concept for a 2-fold program to assist in the adoption of children with mental, physical, or emotional problems. Subsequently, a meeting was held with Social Service staff, a representative - from the Family & Children's Services Advisory Committee, and staff from Supervisor's Fanden's office. It was decided that the focus of Supervisor Fanden's proposal should be redirected to address the needs of children in permanent placement who are not adopted and who must enter adulthood without a support system. 7. . ' The Internal Operations Committee to the Board of Supervisors - made the. following recommendations to the Board on June 8, 1987: Approve the concept of a trust fund .to meet- the "emancipa- tion needs" -of those wards of the court .and dependent children of the court who reach adulthood and have their court status terminated without having available to -them :an adequate support system to - assist in the transition to adulthood and independence. _ Authorize the Social Service Director to request the Juve- nle Hall Auxiliary to serve as Fiscal .Intermediary for the Trust Fund and explore with the Auxiliary their willingness td also allocate funds to young adults in need of emancipa- tion funds. .Authorize the Social Service Director to assign the lead responsibility for coordinating the- Fund to a member of his staff. Request the Social Service Director to prepare a report to the Board of Supervisors on. the details of how the Trust Fund will operate and how fund-raising for the Trust Fund will be undertaken and report his plans and recommendations to the Board of Supervisors at his earliest convenience. On September 17, 1987, the Juvenile Hall Auxiliary Board of Directors voted to accept the responsibility of Fiscal Intermedi- ary to the Emancipation Trust Fund. This Trust Fund would operate on the same principal as a scholarship fund and would assist youngsters after reaching the age of 18 who have been subject to long-term placement and supervised- by, either the Social Service or Probation Departments. The goal would be -to provide some assurance .that the children will become self-suffi- cient adults and would, hopefully, meet some of their needs, including educational costs, first an last months' rent, basic furniture, vocational training, etc. Youngsters will complete an eligibility/qualification form to be reviewed by a committee of three or four persons from the Juvenile Hall Auxiliary. The Fund will assist approximately 35 to 45 youngsters each year with a budget of $20,000. The Juvenile Hall Auxiliary was asked to be the Fiscal Intermediary because they have a 501-C, nonpro- fit status to set up a separate account to handle the Emancipa- tion Trust Fund without any difficulty. It should be noted that the monies for this Fund will be raised in the community by FACSAC, 'and a request will be made for Challenge grant money as a match. Substance Abuse Pregnant bothers Working Group: This ad hoc interdepartmental working group convened to address the health and social problems posed by alcohol- and drug-addicted, pregnant women in Contra Costa County. The group includes staff from 8. several units of 'Health Services, as well as .Probation, Social Service, and the Detention Facility. - It is hoped that in the future it will 'include representatives from, private medical and social service. sectors, as well as' .interested business people. The group came together originally to discuss how the departments might, share some training resources. However, the- following' interrelated problems were quickly identified: Substance abuse. among pregnant women is increasing. . Esti- mates found in the literature for -pregnant women with drug and- alcbadl. problems range from 8 percent to. 11 percent. Using these figures, Contra Costa County, with over' 11,000 births annually, may have 880 to 1,210 pregnant women each year with alcohol and drug problems. A review of the birth records at Merrithew Memorial Hospital for January and February, 1987, revealed 4.9 percent of the births with positive evidence of drug or alcohol abuse during pregnancy and 6.8 percent with likely problems. Both estimates are evidence of a serious problem. Drug and alcohol use during pregnancy leads to severe health risks for the infant during and after. birth and often portend future family disruption. Alcohol-related birth defects are considered the Number One cause of mental retardation in the United States today, surpassing Down's syndrome. Families with alcohol and �d=ug problems 'are often on the caseloads of several different County agencies, requiring a disproportionate share of public resources. However, County departments and community .agencies generally act indepen- dently of one another due to their different mandates. In addition, there are no requirements currently to coordinate interventions. Experience in' Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Boston has demonstrated that interventions which are coordinated across agencies are more successful than independent programs when attempting to treat pregnant substance abusers. Knowledge exists about how to intervene successfully with substance-abusing families within various County departments and community agencies, but that knowledge is not always available to line workers whose primary responsibilities are other than alcohol- or drug-abuse information and rehabili- tation. The problems identified are complex and will take time -to solve. The following two general strategies as initial approaches have been identified: - 9. Interdepartmental training of. line staff in a wide range of County and community agencies to identify -drug and alcohol problems in pregnant Women and effectively intervene. Interdepartmental. coordination of .prevention, identifica- tion, and' -.treatment policies and services designed to change the drug or alcohol dependency affecting the pregnancy -or newborn. - These are major undertakings. . The group proposes. to begin by. using existing resources to organize staff training and by focusing on the pregnant, substance-abusing women in the Deten- tion Facility who- require 'coordinated follow-up after their release. Thereafter, the training and coordination activities would be expanded to include other. County ' settings, community agencies, and private medical providers. A study conducted in June, 1987, by the Perinatal Network of Alameda/Contra Costa recommended specific improvements in the services to pregnant women in the Detention Facility which are in keeping with the group's ideas. This study suggested that the majority (if not all) of the pregnant women in the County justice system have drug or alcohol problems. In addition, the implemen- tation of the Comprehensive Perinatal Services Program, which mandates extensive support services for pregnant MediCal benefi- ciaries, provides a timely opportunity for increasing alcohol and drug abuse education. and support services for this high risk population. Health Services. Department staff have taken the lead in forming the ad hoc working group. A letter has been requested of the Board of Supervisors to mandate -that the ad hoc group become an official interdepartmental task force, with a formal charge and timelines for reporting its progress back to the Board. The full support of each department will be needed to achieve the goals of the ,group. It is believed the. work of the proposed. task force is consistent with the Board' s interest in prevention, as well as more effec- -tive use of limited public resources. Active Participation with Other County Groups Liaison and active participation was maintained with the follow- Ing groups: Children's Coalition Mental Health Advisory Board Human Services Advisory Committee Youth Services Board Foster- Care Network - 10. FACT - -Allocation Committee: • Area Council on- Aging CASR (Court-Appointed Special Representatives) . Social Worker Union Local No. 531 Status of Women Task Force Task Force on Homelessness Task Force on- Hunger - Task Force on Unemployment Childhood -Injury Prevention Juvenile' Justice Commission Contra Costa Child Abuse Prevention Council-, Inc. -_ East Bay Perinatal Council - FACSAC, along. with the- Contra Costa Children's Council and the Child Abuse Prevention Council, sponsored training to child care providers and= other mandated child abuse reporter's on the recog- nition of child abuse. In conjunction with other citizen advisory groups, the Committee participated in the prioritization of service needs and recommended programs to the Advisory Committee on Funding County Services as part of A process to develop a fund for such programs through a revenue-raising ballot initiative scheduled for the 1988 election. On July 23, 1987, FACSAC joined again with other advisory groups and private, nonprofit providers 'in the County to support- Super- visor Tom Torlakson's recommendation that the Fiscal Year 1987-88 County budget contain an allocation of .one, million dollars for prevention services; dollars that were not to come from existing programs. The result was $200,000 being allocated as Challenge grant money for such prevention- services. FACSAC ,TestimouY The proposed 125-bed children's residential treatment facility, offered by S-. Kest and Health Care Delivery Services, Inc. , resulted in FACSAC's testimony before the Board of Supervisors in- February, 1987, that had the following recommendation: Given the need,•.'it is recommended that an RFP be developed that would use a public-private approach to providing an in-County residential treatment resource for children currently being placed outside the County who are .-:now going without vital reunification services. In April, 1987, FACSAC testified before the Assembly Human Services Committee in support of AB 145, Speier and Campbell,. that would have brought additional State money into the County to provide for the homeless. FACSAC also supported the.development and implementation of joint social worker/foster parent training through the three community colleges located within Contra -Costa County. FACSAC PROGRAMS September, 1986: FACSAC's 'annual, all-day orientation meeting had a wide array . of public and private programs presented to acquaint members as to some -of the types and- quality- of services now available-for children. These included the following: - of Social Service - Connie Rinne, Chief, Chil- 'dren's :Serviceu/Policy, discussed the services mandated for _. the protection of children. Contra Costa County Child Abuse Prevention Council = Carol Bryant, Coordinator, presented a sample of what was going on in the community to educate people in the area of child abuse and its prevention. Children's Mental Health Program - Michelle Weber, 'Program Chief, described in some detail the Program. Juvenile Justice Funding Program - George Roemer, Executive Director, spoke about the Program's responsibility for juvenile justice in Contra Costa County. Child Health & Disability Prevention - Tritzie Pugaczewski, Coordinator, presented the issues in this area of preventive services. Family Stress Center - Barbara Bysieck, Executive Director, discussed the stresses on the family today and the services the Center provides to meet some of the needs- engendered by these stresses. West Coast Children's Center - Margaret Kokka, Executive Director, described the community services available through the Center to meet both the prevention and intervention needs of families. Children's Advocate - Don Fibush, although semi-retired .from the legislative arena, has been a tireless advocate for children for over 25 years 'in Sacramento and Statewide. He gave some pointers to the Committee regarding advocacy and encouraged them to join his class on advocacy offered at Diablo Valley Community College in Pleasant Hill. October, 1986: The Committee had no program, but instead used this time on matters of organization around the goals and objec- tives set in the September, 1986, meeting. November, 1986: The program involved a presentation of the proposed 125-bed children's residential treatment facility by Dr. J. De Angelis, Health Care Delivery Services, Inc. ; Doug Bond, Director of Pride House/Lion's Gate Shelter; and Marcia Feldman, Health Care Delivery 'Services, Inc. In response to 12.' community questions regarding the proposal to build and operat6 a 125-bed treatment facility for children, Health Care Delivery Services, Inc. , representatives were asked to present their plan to a well-attended meeting of community and advisory. group members. December, 1986: The other side of the proposed 125-bed chil- dren's residential treatment facility was presented- by Dennis. Lepak, 'Chairperson of the Mental Health. Advisory Board. . Included in the. Aiscussion was a visit -to a 'Health Care Delivery Services, Inc. , facility in Van Nuys, California. January; 1987: No- program was presented; instead, the pressing issue. of. the proposed 125-bed children's residential treatment facility resulted -in the establishment of an ad .hoc committee to study the issues.- February, 1987: Warren Rupf, Contra Costa County Sheriff's Department, was invited to 'discuss the plans for the area in and around Glacier Drive, Martinez, . that is currently being consid- ered to meet the needs .of the Sheriff's Department. March, 1987: Gail Reinhart, Ph.D. , Child & Family Therapy Center; Pat McKay, Ph.D. , MFCC, Turning Point Counseling Center; and Dorothy .Lashbrook and Dolores Torres from Parents United, discussed the change in sponsorship and its impact on Social Service and its children in Child Welfare Services. . FACSAC members, in an attempt to understand what, if any,. impact the sponsorship change of Parents United from one sponsoring agency (Child & -Family. Therapy Center) to another (Turning Point Coun- seling Center) might have on the Department of Social Service clients, invited individuals from the groups to speak to the issue. April, 1987: Marie Schoolmaster, Concord Police Department, Child Abuse Unit, dramatically presented a program regarding abused children in the City of Concord area and how the Unit handles reports and interfaces with the Department of Social Service Protective Services. May, 1987: Paul Billeci, Probation Department, spoke to the effects of substance abuse on families and children and the issues that have developed. June, 1987: Carol Bryant, Coordinator, Contra Costa Child Abuse Prevention Council, discussed the activities of the Council; specifically, the legislative activities and' the' setting up of SCAN teams in hospitals throughout the County to detect instances of child abuse. She also spoke to a Master Plan report covering child abuse-related .needs and services in Contra Costa County. July, 1987: Stuart McCullough, Assistant Director of Mental Health, discussed a proposed ballot measure. to increase taxes to 13.. raise revenue for services to children who. are 'suffering"from mental illness or substance abuse. , He 'discussed .. the current funding situation and what the ];allot 'measure ,was asking of the citizens of• this County. 14. FACSAG RECIMME MTIONS A critical funding shortage continues' to plague the human• ser- vices delivery system. The -inability of County government :to'- mitigate this intensifies the inability of the community to deal with problems that are -of increasing complexity- and impact' on _ more and more members of the' community. Problems' of homeless- ness, child and elder abuse, -and child care require a .cooperative effort on the part of public 'and private providers to meet the challenges presented by these problems. With, this in mind, FACSAC- offers the following recommendations: To the Board of Supervisors: Budget: . The Budget process should be part of a well-thought-out plan, on the part of County government, to provide. services to the community. Priorities should be set before the budget- process begins so that budget decisions .'can be made with refer- ence to these priorities. Prevention programs should receive top priority as being the most cost-effective in the long run. Budget decisions should be made based on impact on the client rather than impact on the staff. The County advisory committees and commissions should participate in the budget planning earlier in the process. Public-Private Partnerships: Because of the critical funding " shortage in human services programs, the increasing need for such programs, and the County's limited ability to raise revenues to alleviate 'this problem, creative methods of overcoming funding limitations need to be developed that will not continue to drain already severely limited public. resources. Specifically, the area of public-private partnership offers a chance for the private sector to contribute in a way that would leverage County money. All offers from the private sector should be seriously considered. Proposals should be solicited from the private- .sector before County money is allocated for services that can be provided for in a way to do just this. Interdepartmental Cooperation: The Committee requests that the Board re-affirm its .commitment to the Youth Interagency Services Board, strengthening its authority and ability to provide an integrated program package of children's services. Appointment to this. board of a Juvenile Court judge and a member of the Board of -Supervisors would, in.the Committee's opinion, provide what it takes to accomplish this. 15. ' To the 'Social Service Director Joint-Foster ParentMocial Worker Traininge As a continuation of the revamping of the foster care system in the County, it is recommended that ..the joint foster parent/social worker- training, provided through the local community colleges, be continued in an effort. to -establish a professional team approach to service .delivery for the, children -in foster care.- luteraaencY Coordination of services: In these days of restricted funding,- an integrated planning. and provision. of services that will maximize the use of resources of all County departments and - agencies engaged in dealing with the same target populations and problems is needed. It is recommended that the Social Service Department participate in a networking effort with public and private nonprofit agencies' to accomplish this: The Family & Children's Services Advisory .Committee wishes to thank the Social Service Department; its past Director, Robert E. Jornlin, and -its present Director, James Rydingsword; and, in particular, the staff, - for the cooperation, support, and work done on behalf of FACSAC .in providing the Committee with a fuller understanding of the problems and issues facing the Department. 16. PLANS AND GOALS FOR 1987-88 At its September 16, 1987., orientation .meeting, the Committee _ agreed to focus on goals from the Subcommittees and adopt those goals for -the entire. Committee as. a whole for 1987-88. They are as -follows: Legislative Subcommittee Track and support legislation regarding._AIDS-affected children that will ensure quality of medical care_ and a supportive envi--. ronment -for such children. Support legislation that will provide needed services to substance- abusive parents and their children. Budget Subcommittee Budget analysis that will help to ensure maximum funding for direct services to clients in the area of human services. Budget education for the Committee that will provide the neces- sary knowledge and .skills to accomplish the other objectives. Resource development that will provide money for the Emancipa- tion Trust Fund. Public Relations Subcounittee Continue and expand the Speaker's Bureau. Network with other advisory boards in the County. Public Education. Develop a Family. & Children' s Services Advisory Committee .pin. Develop awards and presentation dinner for staff of the Depart- ment of Social -Service. -- CONCLUSION - For "those of us at the local level, both the opportunity and challenge are. here to decide . for. ourselves 'what human services .are needed to best. address. our problems and how best 'to provide answers:. Also needed, however;: is a- decision-making process that will - provide integrated planning that will result in creative,. innova- tive programs -dealing .with community problems .in _a way that benefits not only the individuals receiving .'services but the community in general. A committed citizen's advisory .group, such as the Family & Children' s.. Services Advisory 'Committee,'- is vital in developing such a process. - -