the kids oneida return home early project: keeping families together...

The Kids Oneida Return Home Early Project: Keeping Families Together March 5, 2013

2 The Return Home Early Team

Steven Bulger

Director of Operations 315-731-2603

sbulger@kidsoneida.org

Steven Yaworski Residential Outreach Coordinator

315-404-4826 syaworski@kidsoneida.org

3 What is Kids Oneida?

KO is the first certified children’s ACT model in NYS that combines a Medicaid case rate with Oneida County DSS Prevention funding.

Functions similar to a Managed Care entity with a financial risk (placement cost).

Originally targeted to address the increased number of children in Out of Home Care. Mid- 90’s Oneida County had approximately 400 children in Group Home and Residential Care.

Kids Oneida now operates 8 programs which served nearly 800 of the most at risk families in Central Upstate New York.

4 History of Kids Oneida

In 1996, awarded a $75K Robert Wood Johnson Grant to be used as seed money to start the program.

Developed as a 501-c-3 Not for Profit Organization in 1997 due to the strong advocacy of Oneida County Commissioner’s of Social Services and Mental Health as well as NYSOMH.

1998 KO emerged as a Article 31 Mental Health

clinic (Parts 587/588) with multiple waivers. Blended funding from Oneida County DSS and Medicaid began.

2012 named the first Children’s ACT model in

NYS

5 Key Features of Kids Oneida

Wraparound Philosophy of Care

Community Based

Individualized Services

Family Empowerment

Flexibility

Traditional and Non traditional Services

Continuity of Care

Outcomes

A value based, program which is in the business of

purchasing outcomes, not services.

6 Kids Oneida Reviews and Recognition Mount Sinai & Northwestern University reviews in 2002.

October 2002 Excellence in Service Award from

NYS OMH Commissioner James Stone.

Recognized in 2005 as a “High Performing Wraparound Program” at the Florida Institute of Mental Health Conference.

2008 Families Together – Family and Community Achievement Award (Outstanding Program).

Nominated for the MV Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year 4 times- 2012 Chamber Nonprofit of the Year 50+ Employees

2011 Building Bridges Initiative- 13 programs nationally recognized for fiscal strategies that support the BB initiative

2012 White House Council for Community Solutions

7 Treatment Cost Profile

Return Home Early Project Despite abundance of services placements were still high Children were placed for a set period of time

Children were placed up to 5 hours away from home

Perceived Reasons for Increased Placements -A fragmented system -Ineffective SPOAs -Names on a caseload, lost stories -The forgotten ones Similar stories different faces

Kids Herkimer- June 2008

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10 Steven Yaworski- Residential Outreach Coordinator

What does placement look like?

Child’s perspective Family’s perspective

Agency perspective

County perspective

Kids Oneida’s perspective

11 RHE Successful Ingredients Data Gathering and recording on Client Tracker

Child Readiness Assessment

Face to Face interviews with children in care

Relationship building

-Children in Care at RTC/GH Levels -Families -County Case Managers -Agency professionals/representatives -Court affiliates (judges, law guardians, probation officers, etc.) -Community Based Providers

12 Putting it all together to return a child home early

RHE Cases In Motion:

Josh N Justin M

13 Outcomes

The stories are great but where is the staying power? RHE had to achieve financial results

Success against recidivism a consistent 90% (2012 100%) A reduction of placements by more than Half Improved outcomes for children and Families Reinvestment of Placement Dollars (Herkimer)

14 Oneida County Placement Reductions

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Take Home Message

This system can be replicated… anywhere Strong foreword thinking leadership required

Strong advocates are a necessity The system must be challenged- future of RHE

Our children deserve better

A real way to fund innovative programming through reinvestment

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Contact Information Kids Oneida Inc. 310 Main Street Utica, NY 13501

www.kidsoneida.org

Steven Bulger Director of Operations

315-731-2603 Sbulger@kidsoneida.org

Steven Yaworski

Residential Outreach Coordinator 315-404-4826

syaworski@kidsoneida.org

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