Shared Family Care: Shared Family Care: An Innovative Model for An Innovative Model for
Supporting & Restoring FamiliesSupporting & Restoring Familiesthrough Community Partnershipsthrough Community Partnerships
Shared Family Care: Shared Family Care: An Innovative Model for An Innovative Model for
Supporting & Restoring FamiliesSupporting & Restoring Familiesthrough Community Partnershipsthrough Community Partnerships
Amy Price, Associate DirectorAmy Price, Associate DirectorNational Abandoned Infants Assistance Resource Center National Abandoned Infants Assistance Resource Center
School of Social WelfareSchool of Social WelfareUniversity of California, BerkeleyUniversity of California, Berkeley
October 15, 2003October 15, 2003
For more information, contact Amy Price at [email protected] or 510-643-8383, or go to
http://aia.berkeley.edu/information_resources/shared_family_care.html
Use of Shared Family CareUse of Shared Family Care
Prevent SeparationPrevent Separation
Restore/ReunifyRestore/Reunify
Decide to RelinquishDecide to Relinquish
Key Elements of SFCKey Elements of SFC
Community PartnershipsCommunity Partnerships
Engagement of Families as PartnersEngagement of Families as Partners
Use of Teams in Decision MakingUse of Teams in Decision Making Intensive Case Management & Support Intensive Case Management & Support
ServicesServices Housing and AftercareHousing and Aftercare
Community PartnershipsCommunity Partnerships
Public/Private (CW Agency & CBO)Public/Private (CW Agency & CBO) Mentors (community members)Mentors (community members) Other local agencies including:Other local agencies including:
• Job training and employmentJob training and employment
• Substance abuse treatmentSubstance abuse treatment
• HousingHousing
• EducationEducation
Engagement of FamiliesEngagement of Families
Participant Selection & Matching ProcessParticipant Selection & Matching Process
Rights and Responsibilities AgreementRights and Responsibilities Agreement
Individualized Family PlanIndividualized Family Plan
Use of Teams in Decision MakingUse of Teams in Decision Making
Individualized Family Support TeamIndividualized Family Support Team• Family membersFamily members
• MentorMentor
• Child welfare workerChild welfare worker
• Case managerCase manager
• Others invited by familyOthers invited by family
• Others invited by staffOthers invited by staff
Monthly Team MeetingsMonthly Team Meetings
Intensive Case Management & Intensive Case Management & Support ServicesSupport Services
Caseloads of 5-6Caseloads of 5-6 Meet with family avg. of 10 hours/weekMeet with family avg. of 10 hours/week On call 24/7On call 24/7 Monthly support meetings for participantsMonthly support meetings for participants Monthly support meetings/trainings for Monthly support meetings/trainings for
mentorsmentors
Housing and AftercareHousing and Aftercare
Housing specialist begins 30 days into Housing specialist begins 30 days into placementplacement
Linkage with local housing agencies and Linkage with local housing agencies and landlordslandlords
6 months of aftercare6 months of aftercare Linkage with community and faith based Linkage with community and faith based
organizationsorganizations
Who are the Mentors?Who are the Mentors?
Average age 46Average age 46 Single and married (about half)Single and married (about half) 73% African American, 15% Caucasian, 73% African American, 15% Caucasian,
7% Latina, 4% Asian/PI, 1% other7% Latina, 4% Asian/PI, 1% other Most work full or part time or are retiredMost work full or part time or are retired 25% have experience as foster parents and 25% have experience as foster parents and
2/3 have worked in human services2/3 have worked in human services StableStable
Shared Family Care PlacementsShared Family Care Placements through May 2002 through May 2002
(n=87)(n=87)
Graduated (50)
In Placement (6)
Terminated (31)
Who is Placed in SFC?Who is Placed in SFC?
Mostly single women (a few single men)Mostly single women (a few single men) Average age of 28Average age of 28 58% African American, 26% Caucasian, 13% 58% African American, 26% Caucasian, 13%
Latina, 3% otherLatina, 3% other 2 children an average age of 42 children an average age of 4 Uneducated, homeless, poor, and isolated from Uneducated, homeless, poor, and isolated from
family and communityfamily and community 1/3 with criminal background1/3 with criminal background 2/3 with substance abuse history2/3 with substance abuse history
OutcomesOutcomes
Family stability/self-sufficiencyFamily stability/self-sufficiency• Income and EmploymentIncome and Employment• HousingHousing
Child safety & well-beingChild safety & well-being• Child welfare involvementChild welfare involvement
Percentage of Graduates EmployedPercentage of Graduates Employed (N=25)(N=25)
36%
76%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
Pre-placement At Graduation
Average Monthly Income of Average Monthly Income of Program GraduatesProgram Graduates
$520
$1,100
$0
$200
$400
$600
$800
$1,000
$1,200
Pre-Placement (N=23) At Graduation (N=19)
Percentage of Graduates Living Percentage of Graduates Living IndependentlyIndependently
18%
76%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
Pre-Placement (N=22) At Graduation (N=25)
Child Welfare Re-Entry RateChild Welfare Re-Entry Rate
8% re-entered foster care within 12 months 8% re-entered foster care within 12 months of completing the SFC program.* of completing the SFC program.*
In comparison, 14% of children in In comparison, 14% of children in California, and 17% of children in Contra California, and 17% of children in Contra Costa County, re-entered care within 12 Costa County, re-entered care within 12 months of reunification after regular non-months of reunification after regular non-kin foster care.** kin foster care.**
Service CostsService Costs
Mentor recruitment, training and supportMentor recruitment, training and support
Pre-placementPre-placement
PlacementPlacement
AftercareAftercare
Miscellaneous Administrative Miscellaneous Administrative
Mean Monthly Cost Per FamilyMean Monthly Cost Per Family
$445
$1,800 $1,681
$890
$1,800
$3,362
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
1 child 2 children
Basic Foster Care SFC Foster Family Agency
SFC includes cost of direct
placement services
Mean Total Cost Per FamilyMean Total Cost Per Family
$5,340$10,800
$33,620
$10,680$10,800
$67,240
$0
$10,000
$20,000
$30,000
$40,000
$50,000
$60,000
$70,000
1 child 2 children
Based on median duration of 12 months for basic foster care, 6 months for SFC, and 20 months for FFA
Basic Foster Care SFC Foster Family Agency
SFC includes cost of direct
placement services
Mean Total Cost Per FamilyMean Total Cost Per Family(with all administrative costs)(with all administrative costs)
$5,340
$18,000
$33,620
$10,680$18,000
$67,240
$0
$10,000
$20,000
$30,000$40,000
$50,000
$60,000
$70,000
1 child 2 children
Based on median duration of 12 months for basic foster care, 6 months for SFC, and 20 months for FFA
Basic Foster Care SFC Foster Family Agency
SFC includes all administrative
costs
Other CostsOther Costs Start-up costs: a minimum of $100,000 over Start-up costs: a minimum of $100,000 over
12-18 months12-18 months RespiteRespite Matched savingsMatched savings TransportationTransportation Meeting costsMeeting costs Administrative overheadAdministrative overhead
Potential SavingsPotential Savings
Keeps families togetherKeeps families together
Less entry or re-entry to systemLess entry or re-entry to system
More stable, productive familiesMore stable, productive families
Multi-System savings, e.g., $750 per month in Multi-System savings, e.g., $750 per month in homeless shelter (see next slide)homeless shelter (see next slide)
Mean Monthly Cost Per Family Mean Monthly Cost Per Family with Cost of Homeless Shelterwith Cost of Homeless Shelter
$1,195
$1,800
$2,431
$1,640$1,800
$4,112
$0
$500
$1,000
$1,500
$2,000
$2,500
$3,000
$3,500
$4,000
$4,500
1 child 2 children
Basic Foster Care SFC Foster Family Agency
Getting StartedGetting Started
Conduct community assessment of needs Conduct community assessment of needs and resourcesand resources
Educate key partnersEducate key partners Assess agency’s resources, readiness, Assess agency’s resources, readiness,
experience, capacity, and commitmentexperience, capacity, and commitment Explore funding sources (look beyond child Explore funding sources (look beyond child
welfare)welfare)
Program DevelopmentProgram Development
Allow 12-18 monthsAllow 12-18 months Establish collaborative relationships (formal Establish collaborative relationships (formal
& informal); clarify roles & responsibilities& informal); clarify roles & responsibilities Identify goals and anticipated outcomesIdentify goals and anticipated outcomes Design program (address target population, Design program (address target population,
length of placement, licensing, liability, length of placement, licensing, liability, aftercare, housing) to reflect outcomesaftercare, housing) to reflect outcomes
Develop policies and proceduresDevelop policies and procedures
Program Development (cont.)Program Development (cont.)
Establish mentor and client screening Establish mentor and client screening procedures and criteriaprocedures and criteria
Conduct focus groups to target mentor Conduct focus groups to target mentor recruitmentrecruitment
Recruit & train solid pool of mentorsRecruit & train solid pool of mentors Educate potential referral sources (CWWs, Educate potential referral sources (CWWs,
judges, attorneys, AOD counselors, etc.)judges, attorneys, AOD counselors, etc.)