Together We Can October 5, 2010 Lafayette, Louisiana

Together We CanTogether We CanOctober 5, 2010October 5, 2010

Lafayette, LouisianaLafayette, Louisiana

DOING MORE WITH LESS:DOING MORE WITH LESS:Making Reasonable Efforts Making Reasonable Efforts Findings When There Are Findings When There Are Not Enough Resources To Not Enough Resources To Reach the Permanency Reach the Permanency

GoalsGoals

DOING MORE WITH LESS:DOING MORE WITH LESS:Making Reasonable Efforts Making Reasonable Efforts Findings When There Are Findings When There Are Not Enough Resources To Not Enough Resources To Reach the Permanency Reach the Permanency

GoalsGoals

Goals• The history- why• Reasonable efforts• Changing landscape• Making/taking it personal• Initiatives• What we do and why we

do it• Leadership/Partnership• The future

I saw them tearing I saw them tearing a building down- a a building down- a gang of men in my gang of men in my

home townhome town

I saw them tearing I saw them tearing a building down- a a building down- a gang of men in my gang of men in my

home townhome town

My Trip Here

BUDGETSBUDGETSBUDGETSBUDGETS

THESE ARE THESE ARE TOUGH TOUGH

ECONOMIC TIMESECONOMIC TIMESWHAT NOW??WHAT NOW??

THESE ARE THESE ARE TOUGH TOUGH

ECONOMIC TIMESECONOMIC TIMESWHAT NOW??WHAT NOW??

Status in States• States' tax revenue fell 11.7% in 1st 3 mos of

’09- the steepest decline on record• 45 states reported taxes for Apr and May

have seen revenue declines of about 20%• Corporate income taxes down 18.8% in the

first quarter, personal income taxes dropped 17.5%; & sales taxes declined 8.3%

• State tax revenues at 2005 levels in the 1st quarter, erasing 3 yrs of gains for new

programs & salaries• With stimulus money, states face deficits

more than $200 billion in the next few yrs

Last Year Budget Gaps

According to the Wall

Street Journal, January 4, 2010

10 States & Their Deficits

• California- Massive cuts in education, layoffs etc- $20Billion deficit in 2011

• Oklahoma- Ok but energy price drop- 26% revenue drop

• Arizona- Hit by housing and tourism drop- 30% budget gap

• Illinois- pension payment delays & others- $11 Billion gap/$5B owed/ 47%

• Hawaii- 3 day a month furloughs, Ed cuts, income tax- 21% budget gap

10 States & their Deficits

• New Jersey- 3rd highest deficit- already cut $800 million and now more

• New York- 3 Billion deficit-double next year- delay payments- 100,000 layoff

• Nevada- House W & M chair says submit budgets 50% of last years

• Colorado-efforts to balance budget run into law requiring education increases

• Michigan- unemployment worst in the nation- revenue down lots

History of Child History of Child Welfare:Welfare:

Understanding the Understanding the ResponsesResponses

History of Child History of Child Welfare:Welfare:

Understanding the Understanding the ResponsesResponses

WE HAVEN’T ALWAYS SOARED

WITH THE EAGLES IN

TAKING CARE OF OUR CHILDREN

History• 1st reported case of abuse in US• 18th century - Children were

indentured to work and learn a trade

• 1832 Cholera epidemic- orphan asylums

• 1853 response to them was NY Children’s Aid Society– 1853-1890 moved 92,000 kids to Midwest

• 1886- Charles Birtwell of Boston Champions return home

• 1909- White House Conference adopts Birtwell and temp foster care payments

History p 2

• 1923- 34 states had Children’s Aid Societies- kids exploited- criticism of placing kids out and multiple placements

• 1959- Maas and Engler study- Children in Need of Parents- kids spent 3 years in care- neglect, abandonment and poverty reasons for placement

• The 60’s- Fleming Rule- can’t refuse AFDC for bad homes- keep AFDC

& reasonable efforts to improve– AND SO THE FEDS

STEPPED IN!!

1974 Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act

(CAPTA)• Child abuse prevention-

Children’s trust funds• National Standards for child

protection• Coordinated community response

for investigation and prosecution• GAL/CASA for every child• Research and other grants

1978Indian Child Welfare

Act

• Set out for children of native American heritage

• Process to address problems• Different standards• Choice of tribe

I hope this starts to capture your attention on the history of where we have come

from

1980 Adoption Assistance and Child

Welfare Act- IV-B & IV-E• Policy to insure that children receive

proper care while in foster care• Policy of Feds:

– 1. No child in care who could be safely home

– 2. Procedural reforms– 3. Planning reforms– 4. Reunification

Public Law 96-272

• The Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980

• To get Fed funds, States must: implement services, provide protections for families & develop mandates and timetables

• Policy- END FOSTER CARE DRIFT• TRUST IN STATE JUDICIARY- juvenile

and family court

Federal Requirements of 96-

272• Evaluation of reasonableness of

services to preserve families• Periodic review hearings in foster

care cases• Adherence to deadlines for

permanency planning decision• Procedural safeguards concerning

placement and visitation

1993 Family Preservation Act

• Grants to state courts to review systems by looking at

statistics• Grants to states to improve

systems practice in abuse and neglect proceedings

• Known as Court Improvement Projects

1974 Multi-Ethnic

Placement Act• MEPA• Response to policy initiatives

delaying permanency• Some limits on placement

standards • Has severe penalties

1995 Block Grants

• Just what it says• Feds provide $$ for states to

use as best they saw it with limited regulations

Adoption and Safe Families ActNov 19, 1997

• Promotes health and safety of the child• Promote TIMELY decision making• Clarifies “reasonable efforts”• Continues Family Preservation Program• Requires TPR in certain situations• Foster care is TEMPORARY• Permanency planning begins

immediately• Need for innovation

1999Foster Care

Independence Act

• Provides resources for kids aging out of the system

2001Strengthening Abuse and

Neglect Courts Act

• SANCA• Helping Court fulfill the

mission of ASFA• Brings $$ to the Courts • But not much

2008Fostering Connections

Act• Education stability- attend/achieve• Health care- Medicaid- EPSDT• Can extend foster care to 21• Can us subsidized guardianship• Kinship care- ID relatives- training• Over time- delinks IV-E 1996 AFDC• Training support• Tribal issues

DOES IT

SOUND LIKE THE

SYSTEM DIDN’T

GET IT?

It’s not so much what It’s not so much what we don’t know that we don’t know that

holds us back, it’s all holds us back, it’s all we do know that just we do know that just

isn’t so!isn’t so!

It’s not so much what It’s not so much what we don’t know that we don’t know that

holds us back, it’s all holds us back, it’s all we do know that just we do know that just

isn’t so!isn’t so!

The average movement of a child to

a less restrictive or more permanent

placement occurs nine days before the next Court hearing- and it

doesn’t matter whether that hearing is six months, three

months or one month later

NOW- FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF

THE AGENCIES AND COURTS- DOES THIS

LOOK FAMILIAR

Sec 1356.21 (b) of AFSA and Sec 1356.21 (b) of AFSA and RegsRegs

REASONABLE EFFORTSREASONABLE EFFORTS45 C.F.R. Sec 135645 C.F.R. Sec 1356

REASONABLE EFFORTSREASONABLE EFFORTS45 C.F.R. Sec 135645 C.F.R. Sec 1356

Reasonable Efforts under 96-272

• Ensures that no child should be in foster care who can effectively and safely be protected in own home

• When removal is necessary, reunification is the goal before any other arrangement is tried unless it is not possible to reunify while protecting the child’s safety

Who Should Provide the Oversight

• Executive Branch?• Legislative?• NO- it is the Judicial branch• Specifically- Juvenile and Family

Courts• Through- Reasonable Efforts

Findings

1997- THE ISSUES ON REASONABLE

EFFORTS• Dissatisfied w/compliance with 96-272• Growth in foster care numbers• High profile child death cases• Concern over increasing costs• Too many kids growing up in the

system• Dramatically changing welfare system• Innovations in child welfare practices• Computer information management

ASFA CLARIFIES REASONABLE

EFFORTS• Child’s safety is paramount (not reunification)• Child’s right to permanency vs parents right

to the child• R/E to preserve family precedes foster care• R/E not required if aggravating facts exist• R/E not required if felony conviction for injury

to child or sibling• R/E not required if a prior involuntary TPR• Must find Contrary to child’s welfare

to remain at home p 4050

REASAONABLE EFFORTS TO MOVE CHILD TO PERMANENCY

• Reunification takes a back seat if it is inconsistent with timely permanency

• If R/E are not necessary, hearing on permanency has to happen

in 30 days• R/E to reunification, adoption or

placement with guardian can be concurrent

The Regs on ASFA gave us

more to do and sat on the

system HARD

FEDERAL REGS AS OF JAN. 25, 2000-REASONABLE EFFORTS

p. 1 • Judicial statement that it was contrary to child’s

welfare to remain at home p 4050

• No distinction between R/E in emergency or non-emergency removal

• States get 60 days to get judicialdetermination of R/E to provide judicial determination of removal- not on a specific date

• W/I 12 mos child enter foster care, State gets a judicial determination that R/E made to

implement case plan for permanency- finality• IV-E eligibility absolutely linked to judicial

determination of R/E• NO Nunc pro Tunc entry on R/E at first hearing

FEDERAL REGS AS OF JAN 25, 2000 REASOANBLE

EFFORTS p 2

• IV -E funds will not be available if Court doesn’t make a reasonable efforts finding for removal p. 5052

• Problems-• 1. Form over substance• 2. Court finding is critical- use wisely• 3. Agency efforts at first contact

are !!!!!• 4. What are the necessary services? • 5. What of unaccompanied refugee

minors P 4052

REGS IN FEDERAL REGISTER OF REASONABLE EFFORTS

p 3 • When R/E are required, state and Court

determines level of effort that is reasonable-Based on safety considerations and circumstances of family

• Sometimes based on assessment of family, state decides it is reasonable to make no efforts to keep child in home or reunify

• The Court, if it agrees with the state’s decision, should find that the agency’s

efforts were reasonable, NOT that reasonable efforts were not

required p. 4053

Is it starting to feel a little MESSY??

RECENT CHANGES IN RECENT CHANGES IN WELFARE EFFECTING WELFARE EFFECTING

REASONABLE REASONABLE EFFORTSEFFORTS

RECENT CHANGES IN RECENT CHANGES IN WELFARE EFFECTING WELFARE EFFECTING

REASONABLE REASONABLE EFFORTSEFFORTS

CHANGING LANDSCAPE OF CHILD WELFARE

SERVICES• Tighter Time-Lines and

Higher Level of Accountability to:– Ensure the safety and well-

being of children– health & safety

– Assess the willingness and ability of parents/caregivers

– Mobilize services for the child and family

– Expedite the achievement of the permanency goal within unless there are “Compelling Reasons”

CHANGING LANDSCAPE OF CHILD WELFARE SERVICES

• Greater Emphasis on Collaboration and Partnerships– Community-Neighborhood

Responses, Systems and Services - Keeping the services as close and as accessible to the child and family as possible

– Partnerships - Emphasize Partnerships within the system families, the family's natural supports, service providers, court participants and foster families


SERVICES

• Accountability of all: • parents providers• system funders• Three targets:• Youth Partnerships Tribes• Measurements:• Composites, not measures• 0 to 3- or some young age • Mandatory TPR at some age


SERVICES

• Outcomes:• Measurable and real- agency,

Court and programs• Examples- ACE; case manger visits;

finding fathers; extended families; CFTM; residential issues

• Philosophy and Practice:• Will change with outcomes and

accountability- the CFSR

THIS TIME IS A DIFFERENT TIME

THAN MOST OF US REMEMBER

We were going along We were going along OK and then found OK and then found some one was after some one was after

usus

We were going along We were going along OK and then found OK and then found some one was after some one was after

usus

The “New Normal” – recovery may be slower and shallower

•Current recession- more than a cyclical event– drive deep structural changes in every industry

•Economic activity & demand patterns will not simply return to pre-recession levels– 2011 won’t be

2007•Some pre-recession trends will be reversed; others will be sharply accelerated•Every country is going through some level of adjustment or restructuring – the question is to what end? What are the characteristics of the New Normal for their industries, their markets, and the people they serve?• Human Services organizations that restructure for their New Normal will be best prepared to serve their citizens in both good & bad times

Are we are at a crossroads?

•We can choose to keep doing what we are doing, or

•We can use this time of the economic crisis to make the structural changes we need to prepare the Services Delivery infrastructure for later.1.Control costs through good fiscal management and good use of the resources we have2.Redesign Service Delivery to be cross-program and child and family outcome-focused•In this way, we can have the same impact on our

service delivery infrastructure as we have for the highway infrastructure – make an investment

from which our children will enjoy the benefits

IS IT STARTING TO FEEL LIKE YOU ARE

BEING ASKED TO DO THINGS YOU

HAVEN’T DONE IN DIFFERENT WAYS?

WORKING TOGETHER TO WORKING TOGETHER TO EXAMINE THE ISSUE OF EXAMINE THE ISSUE OF REASONABLE EFFORTSREASONABLE EFFORTS

WORKING TOGETHER TO WORKING TOGETHER TO EXAMINE THE ISSUE OF EXAMINE THE ISSUE OF REASONABLE EFFORTSREASONABLE EFFORTS

Doing Things Doing Things EarlyEarly

Doing Things Doing Things EarlyEarly

30 Minutes• Who takes the phone call• What questions are asked• What is the follow through• How is the information assessed• Who makes the first personal

contact• How is the message conveyed• What is the request for involvement• Who is invited to the table• What happens to the child

30 Hours• The decision on placement of

child• Visits- parents and siblings• Assessment of risk/safety• Services to address risk/safety• Timeliness of service start• Location of service delivery• Assistance for proper referrals• Involvement of support network• Follow up of assigned staff

30 Days• Is there participation• Are the right services available

timely• Additional resources• Re-assessment of risk/safety• Re-assessment of service needs• Continue to increase support network• Is the service working- if not, change• Consequences for service failure• Reward for service success

Early

• Find absent parent//father/family• Extended family involvement• Establish paternity• Good assessments-reassessments• Concurrent planning• File contempt when there is

no/little compliance• Reward families for changes

and active positive participation

Better• Agency must be excellent• Case loads manageable- for all• 30-30-30• Frequent contacts with others• Engage informal family

supports• Time- time- time AND FAST!!• Together- together• MEDIA• Family/team meetings

AND THE CASE LOADS AND THE CASE LOADS AND WORKLOADSAND WORKLOADS

GO UP??GO UP??

AND THE CASE LOADS AND THE CASE LOADS AND WORKLOADSAND WORKLOADS

GO UP??GO UP??

Who Likes Who Likes Change Change

Anyway?Anyway?

Who Likes Who Likes Change Change

Anyway?Anyway?

RedYellowGreenBlueRedBlue

YellowGreenBlueRed

Statements of Change

• If you want to make enemies, try to change something Woodrow

Wilson

• The main changers in this life are the people who want to change

everything- or nothing Lady Astor

• If you don’t like change, you’re going to like irrelevance even less. Gen. Eric Shinseki, Former Army Chief of Staff

• Change is the law of life. Those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future John F. Kennedy

Things to Look At

• Kids aging out• Kids in care too long• Cases open too long• Filing per statute and timelines• Family structure and abuse

Nos.• Educational advocates• Health care initiatives• Kids in home- Parents out• DATA, DATA, DATA,

Things I Have Things I Have LearnedLearned

Things I Have Things I Have LearnedLearned

If the agency isn’t working

well, the system won’t

either

Caseloads are important!!

The whole system tends to keep doing

things the same way

Change comes from a few and

threatens many

A Judge can fix a little but not

the whole thing

Money is important

The only way to fix it is to....

IT IS TIME TO TAKE THE

MUZZLE OFF AND FOR YOU

TO TALK

NAME 3 PROGRAMS OR SERVICES THAT

YOU USE REGULARLY

NAME 3 PROGRAMS OR SERVICES THAT ARE CRITICAL IN A TYPICAL CASE

NAME 3 PROGRAMS OR SERVICES THAT ARE NOT TOO EFFECTIVE OR

HELPFUL

WHAT 3 PROGRAMS OR SERVICES THAT CHILDREN NEED

FOR REUNIFACTION

EFFORTS

NAME 3 PROGRAMS OR SERVICES THAT PARENTS NEED

FOR REUNIFCATION

NAME 3 PROGRAMS OR SERVICES THAT PROSPECTIVE

ADOPTIVE PARENTS

SHOULD HAVE

AND THE BIG ONE!!

NAME 3 THINGS THE DSS CAN DO TO IMPROVE THE SERVICES TO CHILDREN &

FAMILIES

INITIATIVESINITIATIVESINITIATIVESINITIATIVES

Community• Involve all stakeholders• Expand the network of informal

and formal supports• Establish prevention,

reunification and permanency options

• Ensure that the community has financial resources to “do

the job• Support the efforts of those who

take care of those least capable of taking care of themselves

The Children• Ensure early appropriate placement• Provide personal items for security• Work on school consistency• Provide neighborhood placement• Visitation• Sibling placement or visits• Inform of status regularly• Address health & mental health• Involve in the planning of lives

Individual Families• Assist with visitation &

transportation• Ensure that concurrent planning is

used and is appropriate & done well• Pay special attention to families

with alcohol and drug problems• Provide early referral to services• Good assessment and evaluation• Locate and engage extended family

member– Decide who will work to get things done

Help for Individual Children and

Families• Advise families and others in the case

and community about rules & timetables

• Make sure families are engaged in assessing, planning and decision making

• Develop case plans that really respond to the child and family needs- services, accessible, available, timely & culturally competent

• Explore relative placements early• Help and force families to watch the

clock- use this therapeutically

The Executive Branch

• This is the primary valve• Make sure it is on board• Former NY commissioner Bell

said …• Meet regularly • Communicate often• Challenge • Support• BE PREPARED

The Judiciary• Move the cases- timely permanency• No/limited continuances• Know the CFSR/PIP• Know service delivery process• Facilitate meetings• Meet with community programs• Encourage full family participation• Engage other agency systems:

– Education, mental health, DD, child support, United Way, foundations, etc

SUGGESTIONS

• Training• Joint training• Know the service delivery

system• Certification• Teach• Learn Agency rules &

process

SUGGESTIONS

• Assist with Leadership turnover• Create uniform practice- each

•STANDARDS• Case load Work load Reports• Judges, Courts, Case workers agency

attorneys, GAL/CASA, parents attorneys, service providers

Better• DSS must be excellent• Case loads manageable- for all• 30-30-30• Frequent contact• Engage informal family

supports• Time- time- time• Together- together• MEDIA• Family/team meetings

THE CFSR AND PIP THE CFSR AND PIP ININ

LOUISIANALOUISIANA

THE CFSR AND PIP THE CFSR AND PIP ININ

LOUISIANALOUISIANA

The CFSR• 1st 10 states last year• Standards higher and

composites• Teams to review work • Compare last time to this• Requires a state team approach• Are intense and extensive• Chance to show partnership• Followed by the PIP??• 3 factors and systemic

Louisiana’s CFSR• Went through March, 2010• One of the last states• Once fall below the Nat’l

Standards, have to put together a plan to improve (PIP)

• PIP must address short comings of the system in the 3 areas and systemic areas

LEADERSHIPLEADERSHIPLEADERSHIPLEADERSHIP

Leadership

• Inspires, excites and molds common belief and experiences of all into a common belief

• Has passion & courage to express it

• Clear, realistic goals & borrows from others

• Never knows enough/as much as they need to

• Willing to listen• Adoptable & able to deal w/

Change

Problems in Perspective

• How long to get- how long to fix• Who does it take to get it going• Where does a person start• What is the message• How to get it across• Is it always clear• Where to start

Leadership• Knows why it is there• Knows how it got there• Remembers why it is there• Gives others their credit• Takes responsibility for things• Ensures the tools are there• Measures the possibilities• Takes a stand•

Leadership•Is not taking people were they want to go

•It is taking people where they know they

ought to be in their very best moment

COLLABORATION - ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS

Collaboration – Essential Ingredients

Heightened Need for Partnerships

• Give priority to child safety• Keep focus on individual children

and families and case by case decision making

• Increase attention to prevention and early support

• Engage families in shared decision making from the beginning

• Focus on strengths of family and community

Collaboration Tips1. Create a common purpose2. Listen3. Discover people’s talents4. Fairness

• The same rule applies to all

5. Manage differences and power imbalance

• It is safe to disagree with someone in power

Collaboration Tips

6. Consistency7. Look for success8. Plan for uncertainty9. Keep talking

• Do not bear resentment without discussion

10.Keep moving• Resist inertia

,

FOUNDATION FOR SUCCESS

• Vision - What needs to be different? What Outcomes Improved?

• Respect - Trust, acceptance and removing barriers

• Leadership and Ownership - Strong leadership with strong

ownership• Commitment of Leaders and Key

Stakeholders -»Participate - Own»Empower Staff - Advocate & Sell

MAKING IT WORK - CRITICAL STEPS

• Build Upon Current Personal and Professional Networks

• Find Common Ground• Identify Clearly and Document Issues:

– Target Population, Geographic Area, Problem or Services Needing to be Addressed

–Obstacles and Barriers–Data Identifying Trends, Chronology–Case Studies and Examples

MAKING IT WORK - CRITICAL STEPS, Cont.

• Describe Current Status of Coordination and Collaboration

• Identify What is Working and Needs to Continue and be Enhanced

• Identify the Benefits to be Achieved:– Consumers

Community/Neighborhood– Service Delivery System / Schools– Key Decision Makers

»“Investors” Staff

MAKING IT WORK - CRITICAL STEPS, Cont.

• Identify the Change Required– Focus on Program or System Level of

Collaboration– Type of Change Required: Attitude,

Behavior, Technology, System– Dimension of Change: Developmental,

Transitional, Transformational

• Ownership of Key Decision Makers• Collaborative (Participatory)

Planning• SMART Plan of Action

– Input - Necessary Resources– Process: Workflow / Sequence– Outcome: Impact Measures / Targets

Sustainability

• Things will happen• Thick skinned• Truly believe• Who is responsible• Select great people• Reward excellence• Identify the next

QUOTE• In war, it is axiomatic that

the victors of the last war fight the new one with the tactics of the old. Having won, the victor is content with what won for him; but the vanquished wants to know why he lost and looks for new tactics.

• Historian Robert Leckie

The FutureThe FutureThe FutureThe Future

AGENCY RESPONSIBILITIES

Agency Responsibilities

• Who has the resources?• Who has the staff?• Who monitors the children?• Who has the statutory duty?• Who has the federal funding?• Who gets the consent decree?• Who gets criticized in the media?


• Who has this as their main task?• Who has access to National

Resource Centers?• Who can get grants from this?• Who does this 24 hours/7 days?• And who gets off the hook when

it isn’t done right or well?


• To meet standards• To keep caseloads/workloads low• To train staff well• To provide resources to meet goals• To provide safety, permanency and

well being• To pass the CFSR• To make sure children are priority


• To identify barriers • To find ways around barriers• To provide avenues for options• To provide action to results• To ask for help when needed• To get the job done without

excuses

JUDICIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Judicial Responsibilities• To know the law• To know the parties• To know the system• To expect competence• To demand outcomes• To not compromise

Judicial Responsibilities

• To not surrender• To not accept less than the best• To care enough to complain• To know where to go to get it done• To be willing to go the distance• To see the faces of the children• To use every tool to ensure timely

permanency and best placement

PARTNERING

Partnering• Each has the same/similar goal• Each understand the other• Each has something to gain or

lose• Each will add something

significant• One balances the other• One supports the other• One challenges the other

Partnering• Who leads and who follows• At what point which one• Who has primary responsibility

and for what• How to come to the terms of it• How to respond to changes of

partner• Who takes the tough action first• Who makes up first

Partnering

Who has ultimate responsibilityWho will accept ultimate blameWho has the most to loseWho will ensure that it succeedsWhere is the consistency for timeWho will care more about children

WHO SHOULD WHO SHOULD RESPOND AND RESPOND AND

HOW??HOW??

WHO SHOULD WHO SHOULD RESPOND AND RESPOND AND

HOW??HOW??

Who Should Respond

• The Agency• Since they start at the Agency-

Intake and CPS-others are reacting and should

respond to them and the process they start and the processes they implement

The Courts• Partnership• Cooperative• Reasonable expectations for

times• How much can others do• How much can the courts do• Working/meeting with partners• Making new partners

The Community• This is about the family in its support• The family, extended family & friends• The neighborhood and community• The United Way, foundations and

others• And the non-traditional, non-public

providers- and the faith based

WE CANNOT LET THE WRECK

HAPPEN TO CHILDREN

& FAMILIES

Things To WatchThings To WatchThings To WatchThings To Watch

We All Have to Watch

• This is our job and passion• We cannot ignore the reality of $$• $$ not the most important thing, but-• Funding is changed for years• Programs & expectations must also• Demands of scarce resources• Communicate for the system- use Media• What happens to the service folks• The local, state and national scenes

Things to Watch- 2• Watch the new- Congress and new bills• Enforce the old?- NYTD, Fostering

Connections, ASFA/CFSR/PIP, etc• Governor’s & leg’s ratings- Nov. election• Small agency survival• Agency consolidation• Contributions- United Ways, Foundations• Agency turnover- at the top• Agency turnover at case worker• Data- data- data!!!!!!

Things to Watch - 3• Federal budgets• Local & state budgets• Nationally- other state’s budgets• Agency changes to tough times• CASELOAD/WORKLOAD• TA & help from Resource Centers• Increased cooperation from

others • New leadership taking these

challenging times to lead us • New family dynamics and support

Things To Watch- 4• Residential placement numbers• Multiple placements- kids moving• Safety assessments at the start• Using relatives as placement option• Using relatives as resources• Time lines for cases• The younger population- under 6• Extended family contacts

– Comparative data- county to county; region to region; court to court; etc

Issues to address• Services availability• Services available in a timely way• Services done in 12 months or less• Parent(s) in jail or prison• Continuances• TPR with no ID’d adoptive parent• Length of time of final ruling on TPR• Process to find an adoptive family• Changing mindset of system people• Doing more with less- $$ & people

REDEFINE:

• Who we serve• Who we support• Who we include• Who must include• What we insist on• Who the team is• How we work with• Success• Failure

Partners come in all Partners come in all sizessizes........

Partners come in all Partners come in all sizessizes........

And they will support you....

And respect your creativity

for thinking outside the box....

They'll be there when you need a shoulder to lean

on....

Or a great big hug....

understanding what you're all about....

They see beyond the black & white to discover your

true colors

And accept you the way you are...

Even when you change the world

So play the right music....

Practice patience and tolerance.....

The Old Woman

LONG TERM EFFECTS OF ABUSE AND

NEGLECT

Facts

• In 2006, an estimated 905,000 children were victims of child abuse or neglect according to the Department of Health and

Human Services• Physical injuries may or may

not be immediately visible, but abuse and neglect can have consequences for children,

families, and society that last a lifetime

Factors Affecting the Consequences

• Not all abused and neglected children will experience long-term consequences

• Researchers have begun to explore why some children suffer long- term consequences of abuse and neglect while others emerge relatively unscathed

• The ability to cope and even thrive following a negative experience is called “resilience”

Factors (Cont’d)

• Outcomes of individual cases vary widely and are affected by a combination of factors:– The child’s age and developmental

status when the CA/N occurred– The type of abuse (physical,

sexual, neglect, etc)– The frequency, duration, and

severity of abuse– The relationship between the

victim and his or her abuser

Physical Health Consequences

• According to the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well- Being (NSCAW), more that one-fourth

of children who had been in foster care for longer than

12 months had some lasting or recurring health problem

Physical Health Consequences

• Some physical outcomes identified by researchers include:– Shaken baby syndrome– Impaired brain development– Poor physical health (i.e. allergies,

arthritis, asthma, bronchitis, high blood pressure, and ulcers)`

Psychological Consequences

• The immediate emotional effects of abuse and neglect –

isolation, fear, and an inability to trust – can translate into lifelong consequences including

low self-esteem, depression, and relationship difficulties

Psychological Consequences

• Researchers have identified links between CA/N and the

following:– Difficulties during infancy

• Poor mental and emotional health– Cognitive difficulties– Social difficulties

Behavioral Consequences

• Not all victims of CA/N experience behavioral consequences

• However, behavioral problems appear to be more likely among this group even at a young age

• An NSCAW survey of children ages 3-5 in foster care showed these children displayed clinical or borderline levels of behavioral problems at a rate more than twice the general population

Behavioral Consequences

• Later in life, CA/N appear to make the following more likely:– Difficulties during adolescence– Juvenile delinquency and adult

criminality– Alcohol and other drug abuse– Abusive behavior

Societal Consequences

• Society as a whole pays a price for CA/N, in terms of both direct and indirect costs– Direct costs: maintaining child

welfare system, expenditures by the judicial, law enforcement, health, and mental health systems ($24 billion/year)

– Indirect costs: long-term consequences like juvenile and adult criminal activity, mental illness, substance abuse, domestic violence ($69 billion/year)

Summary• Much research has been done about

the possible consequences of CA/N• The effects vary depending on the

circumstances of the A/N, personal characteristics of the child, and the child’s environment

• Consequences may be mild or severe; disappear after a short period or last a lifetime; and affect the child physically, psychologically, behaviorally, or a combination of the three

Summary• Much research has been done about

the possible consequences of CA/N• The effects vary depending on the

circumstances of the A/N, personal characteristics of the child, and the child’s environment

• Consequences may be mild or severe; disappear after a short period or last a lifetime; and affect the child physically, psychologically, behaviorally, or a combination of the three

NAME 3 PROGRAMS OR SERVICES THAT

ADOPTIVE PARENTS NEED TO GOOD CARE OF A

CHILD

Documents

Together We Can October 5, 2010 Lafayette, Louisiana