Bridging the Gap Between Early Intervention/ Early Childhood and Child Welfare

Barb Kempf, LMSW

Permanency Director KVC Behavioral Health Care

(Atchison, Leavenworth, Wyandotte)

Scott Kedrowski, MS

Coordinator of Wyandotte County Infant Toddler Services

History: In the Beginning

Agreement from KVC and ITS that the system needed improvement

General lack of staff knowledge of each others programs

Lack of knowledge of processes: KVC/ ITS

Presenting Barriers:

Time, Paperwork, Staff Turnover

Action steps: Referrals:

Mapped referral process (See handout #1)

New referral form (See Handout #2)

Job shadowing

Identified point person from each agency

Educated Case Managers on referral process and paperwork, parent signature

Information back to KVC worker Fax referral form (see handout #3)

referral by referral source (see handout #4)

Action steps: Court issues:

Met with Judges and Court Service Officer to build understanding

Staff:

willingness of staff to see children in the full spectrum of natural environment

work cooperatively on IFSP and case plan meetings

ITS post evaluation recommendations always include early intervention services of some type which provides child welfare next steps

LICC:

a key piece being child welfare

Benefits: More administrative involvement and communication

Diminished lack of responsiveness from workers

Completed child packets- timely services

Increased exchange of information concerning child/ family

Supported transition for a child moving from out of home care to permanency placement

Benefits: Increased child find

Increased community knowledge of available services

Expanded KVC’s capacity to partner with other Early Childhood programs

Expanded ITS’s capacity to partner with other Social Service programs

Data: Referred from KVC to ITS

Data:

2009 2010 2011 2012 20130.0%

10.0%20.0%30.0%40.0%50.0%60.0%70.0%80.0%90.0%

100.0%

Percentage Eligible Referred

Eligible Children Referred From KVC to ITS

More Data: Percentage of Eligible Children Referred from KVC to ITS that Qualify for Services

Data:

CHILDREN REFFERED: 2009 22 referred that was 37.2% of the possible children

from KVC of those 50% qualified for ITS services 2010 35 referred that was 56.1% of the possible children

from KVC of those 29% qualified for ITS services 2011 36 referred that was 81% of the possible children

from KVC of those 33% qualified for ITS services 2012 27 referred that was 100% of the possible children

from KVC of those 33% qualified for ITS services 2012 40 referred that was 100% of the possible children

from KVC of those 48% qualified for ITS services

WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?

Ongoing Collaboration:

KVC and ITS provide bi-yearly all staff presentations KVC identifies and allocates work space for ITS worker

ITS worker allocates weekly office hours at KVC

Joint visits when concerns arise with families

Joint staffings to increase collaborative planning Shared professional development opportunities

How do we Bring it Home?

Group exercise (see handout #5)

Questions