847596672006 GAL Conference Herren Eating the Elep

Eating the Elephant: 

Eating the Elephant

One Bite at a Time : 

One Bite at a Time

Slide3: 

Just because it is in the Kenny A lawsuit does not mean that has yet to be implemented across the state. Our intent is to roll it out because … if it is good enough for the children in Fulton and DeKalb, it is good enough for all of Georgia’s children.

In other words… : 

In other words… Don’t beat up your case manager

Agenda: 

Agenda Review of data milestones Review of basic programs New programming Questions and Answers

Child Welfare Services : 

Child Welfare Services Current Business Practice Diversion Protection Permanency Each program is independent of the other and stands on its own policies and practices.

Child Welfare Services: 

Child Welfare Services Diversion : Short term, community based DFCS response to a family issue where the situation does not call for a full scale assessment and intervention due the absence of child safety concerns.

Slide10: 

Most people have issue with this program because it is not policy driven with all of the bells and whistles clearly defined and in a way that is consistent from county to county. This was done by design …

Child Protective Services: 

Child Protective Services Assessment of allegations of abuse or neglect and services to those families that are at risk of continued maltreatment. Ongoing services are offered to families that are “at risk”.

Slide13: 

Purchased services may be considered are: Parent Aide PUP Homestead

Parent Aide: 

Goal: Provide in home and parenting education by referring families to community based resources. Services to include: emergency respite care, nutritional advice, budgeting,and assistance with accessing community based resources. Parent Aide

Parent Aide: 

Parent Aide Families that have chronic and serious maltreatment issues are in need of more structured services. This service is for families open to learning and changing parenting styles. Services authorized up to 12 months with a a $ 2,500.00 cap.

PUP : 

PUP Emergency Housing/ Financial Temporary Child Care Counseling Emergency Transportation Emergency Medical/ Dental Services Psychiatric/ Psychological Services Drug Screens and Substance Abuse Assessment

PUP Criteria: 

PUP Criteria “Imminent Risk”- open services case that could result in the removal of the child within 14 days without intervention. “Immediate Reunification”- a child in a board rate placement and ready to be reunified to parent,relative,or non board rate placement within 60 days. Drug Screens /Substance Abuse Assessments.

Temporary Child Care: 

Temporary Child Care Purchase of child care services for those children that need out of the home care for less than 24 hours a day. Families only eligible up to 6 months and once every 12 month period. Use established child care rates in subsidized child care programs.

Emergency Housing- Do’s: 

Emergency Housing- Do’s Those services needed to assist family with providing stable environment. Temporary housing, food, clothing, past due rent, utility assistance, etc. Assistance with guardianship fees unless otherwise waived by probate court. Cap amounts exist based on services.

Emergency Housing- Don’ts: 

Emergency Housing- Don’ts No payment of bond, bail, tickets or consumer credit debt. No purchase of trailers, homes or real estate. No rental repair work. No purchase of legal services for separation, divorce, custody or divorce modifications. No purchase or down payment for cars .

Counseling: 

Counseling With the exception of the adult sex offender,all counseling service types are covered.( individual, marital, family, pastoral,drug/alcohol, etc.) Sex offender evaluation and assessment is ok. Other resources have to be exhausted before PUP will pay. Family contributions to the provider are encouraged.

Emergency Transportation: 

Emergency Transportation Mileage , meals,lodging to enhance visitation or reunite family.( foster care) Emergency assistance to get to and from appointments. Families must not be able to otherwise afford or have exhausted all resources available to them.

Emergency Medical and Dental: 

Emergency Medical and Dental Family Contributions encouraged Exhausted all resources Pay for parents and children in CPS cases where there is a need for emergency care Cap amount of $500.00

Psychological Testing and Evaluation: 

Psychological Testing and Evaluation Testing of parent or child social, intellectual,psychological or psychiatric needs Exhaust all other resources Family contribution encouraged

Drug Screens and Assessment: 

Drug Screens and Assessment This is the fund source for all program areas where the department is obligated to screen and it is not dependent on “ imminent risk” or reunification efforts. Used to obtain screens on the caretaker for the identification of drugs and /or alcohol problems and the monitoring of a caretaker for ongoing substance abuse.

Homestead: 

Homestead Family centered practice that meets the family in their home and provides them with an array of services that are necessary to address the internal causation of family needs using the family strengths and its own resources.

Homestead Criteria: 

Homestead Criteria In home service provision Short term( no more than 180 days) Immediate availability( therapist) Goal Specific Crisis Intervention Low caseloads Therapeutic intervention for change

Homestead Criteria : 

Homestead Criteria Self Sufficiency Empowering Skills Building Community based and Culturally Sensitive There is a cap of funding and is dependent on the services that are billed and total number of children in household at risk of removal .

Foster Care and Adoption- ASFA : 

Foster Care and Adoption- ASFA Reunification Adoption Guardianship Live with Fit and Willing Relative Other planned living arrangement

Permanency : 

Permanency Family Team Meetings Comprehensive Child and Family Assessment Multi Disciplinary Team Relative funding programs

Family Team Meetings: 

Family Team Meetings Scheduled to occur within 3-9 days of coming into care Intent is to use family strengths to assist family in fixing their problems Family has an opportunity to “hear” what the issues are in a way that fosters resolution.

Comprehensive Child and Family Assessment: 

Comprehensive Child and Family Assessment AKA First Placement/Best Placement Formalized assessment by select private provider that initiates an evaluation of family and individual functioning within 24 hours after the 72 hour hearing. Includes scheduling and holding a Family Team meeting within 9 days of the child’s placement in foster care .

The provider must:: 

The provider must: Schedule and coordinate the MDT within 21 days of referral. Initiates a home evaluation within 30 days on a relative identified during CCFA process. Submits case plan and CCFA evaluation to the court within 30 days of the removal.

What we buy:: 

What we buy: Evaluation includes: Household composition Clinical observations Prior Agency Involvement Financial status and Employment history Health information Marital status

Slide40: 

Criminal History Education Relationship between parent and child Family and Community Resources Family Strength’s and Needs Recommendations

Slide41: 

Multi Disciplinary Team Within 25 days of the child coming into care Intent is design a case plan that is coordinated and meets the needs of the family and children based on family and community resources

 Relative Connections : 

Relative Connections TANF Relative Foster Parents Enhanced Relative Rate Relative Care Subsidy( non reunification ) Enhanced Relative Care Subsidy( non reunification) Subsidized Guardianship Enhanced Subsidized Guardianship

Two Types of relative funding : 

Two Types of relative funding Regular and enhanced HINT: The difference between the two is either a flat rate or a percentage of per diem.

For Foster Children : 

For Foster Children In our custody

TANF: 

TANF It has always been our policy and our practice to offer approved relatives an opportunity to off set the cost of care for a child by applying for TANF.

Relative Foster Parents : 

Relative Foster Parents For those eligible families that were willing to invest in training time and the foster home approval process, DFCS has always had in policy and practice an offer to be a foster parent for relatives.

Enhanced Relative Rate : 

Enhanced Relative Rate In lieu of TANF or the desire to be a relative foster parent; relatives( blood, marriage or adoption) can be eligible for an enhanced relative rate. 80% of per diem for the child’s tier, DFCS approved relative assessment, criminal checks, etc.

For Foster children : 

For Foster children Leaving our custody

TANF: 

TANF It has always been our policy and our practice to offer approved relatives an opportunity to off set the cost of care for a child by applying for TANF.

Relative Care Subsidy: 

Relative Care Subsidy A subsidy program that allows DFCS to provide financial support for children transferred from the temporary legal custody of DFCS to the legal custody of an approved relative caregiver. Rules: A non reunification case plan must precede the order granting custody to the relative.

What must the relative do?: 

What must the relative do? Relative must agree to annual review by DFCS. Comply with the mandatory 3 year review by the court. Comply with DFCS and Court regarding changes that must be reported.

Criteria : 

Criteria Payment stops at 18 unless child is still in school and expected to graduate from high school, then it is to 19 years. TPR on one or both parents nullifies the relationship to the child and any of his/ her relatives and caretaker is not eligible. Must have received a favorable report by DFCS.

Criteria: 

Criteria No double dipping in same month( TANF and RCS) SSI and child support do impact eligibility. Must receive less than $400.00 per month. RCS may be available to relatives that are out of state.( ICPC issue)

Enhanced Relative Care Subsidy: 

Enhanced Relative Care Subsidy A subsidy program that allows DFCS to provide financial support for children transferred from the temporary legal custody of DFCS to the legal custody of an approved relative caregiver. Rules:Same as Relative Care Subsidy including the non reunification plan, plus there is a $150,000 annual income cap which requires verification.

Slide56: 

Subsidy payment is 80% of per diem for the child’s age.

Subsidized Guardianship: 

Subsidized Guardianship A subsidy program that allows DFCS to provide financial support for children transferred from the temporary legal custody of DFCS to the guardianship of an approved relative caregiver by the Juvenile Court.. Rules: Child must have been in foster care for at least 12 months, the likelihood of reunification is not great but does not require a non reunification case plan. $10.00 per diem.

Enhanced Subsidized Guardianship: 

Enhanced Subsidized Guardianship A subsidy program that allows DFCS to provide financial support for children transferred from the temporary legal custody of DFCS to the guardianship of an approved relative caregiver by the Juvenile Court.

Slide59: 

Rules: Child must have been in foster care for at least 12 months, the likelihood of reunification is not great but does not require a non reunification case plan and $150,000 cap. Annual income verification.80% of per diem.

Doing the Right Work , the Right Way: 

Doing the Right Work , the Right Way Shared DHR goals and values Integrated programming and partnerships within the DHR enterprise Multiple points of entry versus silo service portals Sharing data and technology will lead to better outcomes

DHR Goal: 

DHR Goal Goal: Increase supply and utilization of community based human, social and health services

In DFCS… : 

In DFCS… “ 24 kid” projects-Region 1 and DeKalb After school programming for at risk youth Teen employment opportunities Embrace aka Foster Family Foundation

DHR Goal : 

DHR Goal Increased investment in technology for more customer access to information and staff productivity

DHR Goal: 

DHR Goal Increase the number of DHR customers working or participating in work related activities.

DHR Goal: 

DHR Goal Improved DHR engagement with the customer

 New Programming: 

New Programming Grandfamilies Navigator Program Behavioral Health Care Medicaid changes

Problem :: 

Problem : A growing number of grandparents are, by necessity, called upon to parent their grandchildren. Many older individuals are willing to do so to keep their loved ones out of foster care. Unfortunately, many of these senior caretakers live on a limited income and the financial burden of providing for these children sets them up for failure.

Grandfamilies: 

Grandfamilies Those grandparents who are raising grandchildren( 60 and older or under 60 and disabled) may be eligible for:

Slide69: 

DFCS, Division of Aging and Child Support Services working together to provide a menu of services for this group of caretakers. Priority list for Child Care 1 time emergency grant= 3 months of TANF for eligible grandparents Child Support Services

Slide70: 

Additional cash assistance of $50 per child per month through TANF Note: this may have an adverse impact on other benefits.

Navigator Program : 

Navigator Program In partnership with Office of Aging, DFCS has agreed to be a pilot site for the development and employment of grandparents to assist other grandparents in “ navigating” the system.

Behavioral Health Care : 

Behavioral Health Care DHR is re-defining the work of mental health services throughout the agency by shifting responsibility for these services to foster children from DFCS and to MHDDAD.

What does this mean?: 

What does this mean? MHDDAD is developing capacity for service providers and developing capacity for child and adolescent services in the local CSB’S. DFCS will be purchasing room and board rates and “ watchful oversight”.

Medicaid changes: 

Medicaid changes The state is going to a CMO . Families receiving medicaid receive their health care services through the CMO. Foster children are exempt … However, for children that were in the CMO and coming into care, we may be in a period of transition.

Questions and Answers: 

Questions and Answers