HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 12201994 - IO2 I.O.-2
TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Contra
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INTERNAL OPERATIONS COMMITTEE COSta
FROM:
;<
County
December 12, 1994 .... •��°
DATE:
REPORT ON THE REVIEW OF THE ADOPTIONS PROGRAM IN THE. SOCIAL
SUBJECT: SERVICES- DEPARTMENT
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDATIONS:
1 . CONCUR with the process outlined in the attached report from
the Acting Social Services Director for the review and
implementation of the first five recommendations contained in
the report from the Child Welfare Research Group, which is
incorporated by reference herein.
2 . REQUEST the Acting Social Services Director to direct the
preparation of a report for the 1995 Family and Human Services
Committee which provides the following information:
♦ The number of children who have been in foster care for
12 , 18, and 24 or more months, broken down further by the
current age of the child.
♦ An estimate from the Child Welfare Research Group (CWRG)
of the cost to review each of these cases and provide the
1995 Family and Human Services Committee with a brief
summary of :
0 The reason each of these children is still in
foster care, categorized into a few generalized
categories .
0 Whether adoption planning appears to have been
considered or initiated for the child.
0 Whether adoption planning appears to be an
appropriate goal for the child.
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE:
RECOMMENDATION OjCOUNTY A MI STRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
APPROVE ER
SIGNATURE(S): J H MARK DeSAULNIER
ACTION OF BOARD ON n cL4rffbe—r20, 1994 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE
UNANIMOUS(ABSENT ) AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN
AYES: NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON TDATE SHOWN.
ATTESTED l'�\'C�lrk�=��✓` / �Di �y
Contact: PHIL BATCHELOR.CLERK OF THE BOARD OF
cc: See Page 3 SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
BY DEPUTY
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The goal of this study should be to produce an objective,
independent analysis of the extent to which adoption has been
appropriately considered a reasonable goal for children as
early in their stay in foster care as is appropriate and to
identify the number of children for whom adoption planning
should be initiated where it has not been to date. The report
might take the form of a grid similar to the following:
For each age group:
TIME IN FOSTER 12-18 Months 18-24 Months >24 Months
CARE 4
REASON IN NUMBER OF NUMBER OF NUMBER OF
FOSTER CARE y CHILDREN CHILDREN CHILDREN
Reason # 1
Reason # 2
Reason # 3
Then, for each reason where an extended stay in foster care is
considered not to be an appropriate goal, a further analysis
which might focus on the number of children in that group for
whom adoption has been initiated, the number for whom adoption
has not been initiated and, of the number for whom adoption
has not been initiated, the number for whom, in the opinion of
the reviewer, adoption should have been initiated or for whom
adoption should have been initiated at an earlier date than it
was and what recommendations the reviewer has for future
actions by the Department.
3 . DIRECT the Acting Social Services Director to insure that all
possible foster parents have been contacted in writing and
invited to attend or otherwise participate in the work of the
initial planning meeting scheduled for January 18, 1995 .
4 . DIRECT the Acting Social Services Director to report back to
the 1995 Family and Human Services Committee at his earliest
opportunity, but not later than February 15, 1995 on the
outcome of the initial planning meeting, report on number of
children in foster care for various lengths of time at various
ages and the cost for CWRG to do a review of these cases as is
outlined above.
5 . REMOVE this subject as a referral to the 1994 Internal
Operations Committee and instead refer it to the 1995 Family
and Human Services Committee.
BACKGROUND:
On November 14, 1994 , our Committee forwarded the following
recommendations to the Board of Supervisors, which were approved by
the Board on December 13, 1994 :
2 . DIRECT the Social Services Director to return to the Internal
Operations Committee on December 12, 1994 with a Plan and
timeline for implementing the recommendations set forth in the
attached report by the Family Welfare Research Group in their
report on the Adoptions Program in this County. This Plan and
timeline should also include a listing of the staff and
financial resources which will be required in order to
implement these recommendations .
3 . DIRECT the Social Services Director to determine the cost and
potential scope of a follow-up study by the Family Welfare
Research Group after either six months or a year to determine
what progress has been made in implementing the
recommendations made in the report and report this information
to our Committee on December 12, 1994 .
2
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I .O.-2
On December 12 , 1994, our Committee received and reviewed the
attached report from the Acting Social Services Director.
Assistant Social Services Director Dana Fabella reviewed the
attached report with our Committee. 1994-95 Grand Jury Foreman
Clyde Parkhurst presented the attached paper entitled "Some Steps
Which Could be Implemented Immediately" to our Committee. Our
Committee also received testimony regarding the extent to which the
"red dot" program has or has not been terminated, regarding of the
possible existence of various colored markings on case records .
Our Committee believes that it is essential to establish a baseline
from which to judge future progress by the Department in reducing
the time children remain in foster care and speed up the time in
which appropriate children can be freed and placed for adoption.
We are, therefore, requesting that data from the Department be
presented to the 1995 Family and Human Services Committee and that
an estimate be provided by the Child Welfare Research Group of the
cost for them to review all or certain of these cases where
children have been in foster care for an extended period of time to
determine whether adoption is being considered as often as
appropriate and as early in a child' s placement as appropriate.
We urge the 1995 Family and Human Services Committee to continue to
provide close oversight on this subject and meet as frequently as
is necessary in order to insure that progress in being made in this
area.
cc: County Administrator
Juvenile Court Judge Lois Haight
Acting Social Services Director
County Counsel
Foreman, 1994-95 Grand Jury
3
SOCIAL SERVICE DEPARTMENT CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
December 6, 1994 cc: Phil Batchelor
TO: Internal Operations Committee
FROM: Bob Hofmann; Acting Welfare Director
SUBJECT: REPORT TO INTERNAL OPERATIONS COMMITTEE
REGARDING IMPLEMENTATION PLAN AND TIMETABLE
FOR ADOPTIONS RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE
FAMILY WELFARE RESEARCH GROUP
The Assistant Director of Services, Danna Fabella received the
report by Child Welfare Research Center (CWRC) and has met with
Child Welfare Managers and Supervisors to develop the following
approach:
A large planning committee will be convened with the overall goal
of implementing recommendations one through five of CWRC report.
Those recommendations are:
1. Establish a systematic process for early identification
of children who may be "adoptable."
2. Revise the home study process.
3. Increase the mutual understanding of social workers and
persons working in the juvenile court (i.e. , judge,
attorneys and county counsel) regarding the effect of
the judicial system on children in foster care.
4. Improve the relationship between foster parents and
county social workers.
5. set up a continuing education curriculum and training
for all social workers.
Work Groups consisting of department staff managers, supervisors
and line workers in all Childrens Services programs will be
assigned to work on recommendations one through five.
Additionally, other "stakeholders" will be asked to participate
representing the judiciary, attorneys, foster parents, relative
caregivers, adoptive parents and court appointed. special
representatives.
Gen 9c (New 3/86)
Memorandum to Internal Operations Committee
December 6, 1994 - Page 2
The Department will use the suggested time frame that CWRC
presented in their report for implementation. We will use the
next ninety days to develop a plan for each recommendation
and will provide a report to the IOC, and will report every six
months on the implementation process. It was generally agreed by
Staff that all perspectives are needed to provide input on
changes that are necessary to achieve the goal of permanency
planning for children who come to the attention of the Child
Protection System. The Department, without question, agrees that
permanency planning in order of preference is first reunifica-
tion, then adoption, guardianship and lastly long term foster
care. We acknowledged that system change is necessary to .
accomplish these permanency planning goals and are prepared to
work on our system to accomplish this in a timely manner. The
challenge is to develop two-pronged permanency planning process
for children initially placed in foster care that encompasses
both family reunification and adoption preparedness. Many
counties in California have such a process and are therefore able
to more quickly move children through the system. Such a process
will require an acceptance by the judiciary and attorneys for
parents.
Recommendation number six in the CWRC report will be handled
outside the large planning process.
6. Automate, to the extent possible, controls and record-
keeping now performed manually.
Systems staff at the Social Service Department will be assigned
to work with the Adoption Division manager and supervisors to
determine the type of statistics and controls needed to manage
the program more effectively. A review of existing systems such
as the .model in Kern County mentioned in the CWRC report will be
completed. As assessment of the computer needs, programming
needs and personnel needs will be completed. This will be
included in our 90 day report to the IOC.
Our proposed timeframe for Recommendations one through five is as
follows:
November 1994: Reviewed recommendations
Meeting of Managers and supervisors to
develop approach for implementation
December 1994: Present to Internal Operations Committee
the Departments planning framework
secure meeting room in January
Memorandum to Internal Operations Committee
December 6, 1994 - Page 3
send invitation to "stakeholders"
Assign line staff
January 1995: All Day meeting with planning group
January 18, 1994
Morning: Review tasks; establish ground
and working relationship.
Afternoon: Work Group go into break-out rooms to
develop specific tasks to be accom-
plished and specific time frames.
use time to review processes already
in place and develop tools or written
guidelines.
Late Afternoon: Report back to larger group and
review for further follow-up; J
Develop time frames for immediate
tasks (what is "double") in 90 days
and what requires more time;
Develop structure for further work
groups where necessary.
February 1995: Work groups meet and develop meeting schedule.
Report prepared for the I.O.C.
Additionally the Department would like to use this opportunity to
state that we are not using a "red dot" system to exclude
relatives or foster parents from the adoptive process. However,
we do agree that our adoption assessment process needs further
review and tools developed so that we have a consistent process
in place. This will be one of the products of our work group.
We encourage participation on the Planning Committee. However,
we cannot move forward with negativity. We ask that all
participants be prepared to collaborate and to treat each other
with respect seeking solutions rather than locking into
positions. We look forward to developing a model Child Welfare
Program providing a continuum of services to children and
families from voluntary family maintenance, family reunification,
adoption, guardianship and when necessary long term foster care
that meets the child's needs.
We look forward to the opportunity to work these recommendations
in an open process.
SOME STEPS WHICH COULD BE IMPLEMENTED IMMEDIATELY:
Since the Social Services Department has concluded that the best interests of the
children would be served by having Foster Care as the least desirable alternative,there
should be no objection to taking the following immediate steps to help insure this is
being done:
Require that all cases where foster care is used for one year be reviewed by a
supervisor two levels above case worker.All cases where foster care is used for
eighteen months be reviewed by a supervisor three levels above case worker.All
cases where foster care is used for twenty-four months or more be reviewed by
the Department head.
In each case, the reviewer is to examine in detail the need to keep the child in
foster care, and to justify why foster care should be continued.
A reporting system be established that informs the Department head semi-
annually how many cases are in foster care after twelve, eighteen, and twenty-four
months or more.
These steps would be in addition to the work plans developed by the 'Planning
Committee'and should not in any way interfere with their plan to consider programs over
a long period of time.
The Grand Jury reports recommending changes were issued in February and April of this
year.The Family Welfare Research Group report(Berkeley Report) has not only identified
the same problems outlined in the Grand Jury reports, but is constructive in that it
suggests specific actions to be taken.
Although it is good to take a considered approach to changes, it will have been over a
year since the first reports of a need to modify programs before the Planning Committee
will have recommended program changes.
The changes suggested here can be adopted and implemented immediately without any
other changes being made, and would be positive steps in the directions contained in
both the Grand Jury and Berkeley reports.
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12/8/94