CHMDA/CWDA Partnership Series

Child Welfare Services

“It Takes a Village”

Danna Fabella, Interim DirectorContra County Employment and

Human Services Department

March 17, 2006

Adoption Safe Families Act (ASFA) 1997

Safety

Permanency

Child Wellbeing

Who Is The Client? The Child

However, we engage family, community, other agencies to help meet the ASFA goals

Accountability Federal outcome AB 636 – State CWS Improvement and

Accountability Act Focus on the Child

What Are Those Outcomes?

Safety

# of children abused/neglected

# of children entering foster care

% of children reabused

Permanency

% of children re-entering foster care

% of children with multiple placements

Time to reunification

Time to adoption

Well-being

% of children placed with siblings

% of children in least restrictive placement

% of children receiving health and mental health services

Entry Into Child Welfare Services High Threshold Welfare & Institutions Code § 300

a) substantial risk that the child will suffer serious physical harm inflicted nonaccidentally upon the child by the child's parent or guardian

b) substantial risk that the child will suffer serious physical harm or illness as a result of the failure or inability of his or her parent or guardian to adequately supervise or protect the child

c) serious emotional damage or at substantial risk of suffering serious emotional damage

d) sexually abused or substantial risk that the child will be sexually abused

e) child is under the age of five years and has suffered severe physical abuse

f) child's parent or guardian caused the death of another child through abuse or neglect

g) abandonment

h) failure or inability to provide for the child

i) failure to adequately protect the child

j) child's sibling has been abused or neglected, and there is a substantial risk that the child will be abused or neglected

Often Leads to Frustration

School personnel

Therapist in community

Community members

The Child Welfare System

Hotline ER Investigations

FM or FR PP Emancipation

Mental Health Crises

Intervention

Mental Health Assessments

Mental Health TXRecommendations

Mental Health TX Recommendations

Bridge to Adult Mental Health

Case Plan Describes services and what parent and

child needs Time limited Goal oriented

Most Plans Require Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD)

Parenting

Mental Health

CWS Challenges

Lack of appropriate placement resources

CWS Improvement Plans required under AB 636 with the focus on Safety, Permanency and Well-being outcomes

CWS allocation includes little funding for direct charge so must rely on other public agencies

Partner agencies (AOD, Mental Health, Schools) not being accountable on AB 636 outcomes

Unrealistic expectations of courts and attorneys

“Who is the Client” differs

Reimbursement under EPSDT is not at competitive rates

Lack of trained therapist to work with both children and adult clients in Child Welfare System

“The Village” System of Care

Mental Health Services Act

System Improvement Plans

Family to Family