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Center for Adoption StudiesDoris M. Houston, Ph.D.Jeanne A. Howard, Ph. DKathryn Wehrmann, Ph.D.
Samuel Smith, M.S.W.
Central Region Action Team Workshop Thursday, June 26, 2008 1-5 pm
Illinois State University School of Social Work
204/22/23
Review of action team accomplishments and challenges
Community engagement Using data to drive decision making Developing/Revising the Action Plan Connecting strategies with outcomes
(Logic Model) Tracking and documenting
accomplishments
Action Team Successes/Milestones
Court Related Scheduled luncheons with court personnel Addressing court hearing delays Staffing cases with CASA Review judicial practices that impact
permanency Providers and POS attend court meetings Judge will accept DCFS recommendation
regarding supervised or unsupervised visits
Action Team Successes/Milestones
Resource Related New service resource was developed to treat
sexual abuse victims Completed a review of the local resources
needed to improve permanency Seeking outside funds/grants for mental
health treatment Establishing a new community based
agency/service provider to address needs of African American families
Action Team Successes/Milestones
Community Related Two community-wide forums per year to
engage and inform stakeholders The action team was able to engage
several stakeholders in the action planning process
Subcommittees formed to target parenting education/support, family health/wellness, 24 hour crisis and advocacy
Action Team Successes/MilestonesAgency Related Reports w/ case info submitted to SA to insure
people are prepared for hearings Local data collection to identify family/child
demographics, reason for case opening, and placements following family disruptions
IDCFS asking for earlier hearings if it appears that case is progressing well
Contract with two family support specialists who will be able to provide support for adoptive families and those who have guardianship
Action Team Challenges
Court Related Court staff schedule demands make it
difficult to meet regularly Education of court staff is needed to
address bias, unrealistic expectations Judges don’t want to spend time on
juvenile cases in small rural counties Hearing delays
Action Team Challenges
Resource Related Transportation to assist clients in getting to
services Lack of SA treatment and after care Lack of family support services and parent
training Lack of child specific foster homes Lack of culturally responsive service provide Lack of DV and mental health services
Action Team ChallengesCommunity Related Low/no stakeholder participation Disagreement among stakeholders
regarding the action team priority goals
Agency Related CAPU/IA delays Lack of recent, local data to track and
document changes in permanency rates
Community Engagement
– Self assessment: Action teams’ current levels of community engagement
– Community participation: What Works and What Doesn’t Work
– Establishing partnerships in order to make meaningful change
– Strategies for getting community stakeholders to the table
– Activity- Complete community partnership planning guide
Using Data to Drive Decision Making
– Updates on accessing data/data sources
– Now that we have data, what do we do with it??
– Action Team Innovation- Using local data to self assess progress
– ISU’s role related to data
Community Action Plan Decision Making Process
– Deciding what to do: Overview of the strategic decision making process
– Activity: Discuss/brainstorm barriers to permanency (small groups- handout)
Break into your action teams Identify barriers to permanency by domain Prioritize identified barriers Identify actions steps within the targeted
domains (see handout) Make a decision: identify the next action
steps needed to move forward with the action plan
Every Action Team Is Unique…
Champaign SOFTT
1404/22/23
Who’s at the Table… (Always or Most Times)
DCFS staff POS staff Service providers Adoptive parents Foster parents
1504/22/23
Who’s at the Table…
(Sometimes)
School personnel Youth/family advocates
Who’s at the Table… (Seldom)
Court personnel Law enforcement Faith based reps Medical providers
1604/22/23
Who’s at the Table… (Not at all)
Birth parents Former DCFS wards Business community University staff Elected officials Media
1704/22/23
Parenting Group Brown Bag Family Affair Committee 24 Hour Crisis Intervention
1804/22/23
Remain Home
Overrepresentation of African American Children in Foster Care
1904/22/23
Goals Activities
Educating the community about:-DCFS discipline policies, -DCFS general policy-Corporal punishment vs. abuse
-Town Gathering: State of Black Families n Child Welfare
- Brown bags
2004/22/23
Goals ActivitiesAddressing domestic violence
-Link families to community support at the time of a DV report/investigation
Provide culturally competent services
- Analyze local services and practices for cult. competence - Research best practices- Data on Services/ outcomes for AA families-Cert. for Eff. Black Parenting- Educate Providers- Church outreach
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Goals ActivitiesEducate the community about services
Brown BagsFamily Affair
Examine Court and police policies
Address Substance abuse
Educate families
Promote community involvement
Family Affair
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Court Lack of community
involvement by states attorney/judges
How courts define risk/safety and minimum parenting
Public defender caseloads are to high to adequately represent people
Class bias
Court Racial bias Lack of 3rd party
supervision DCFS control of POS
decisions Lack of POS
recognition Casework being done
by court personnel Court is not forgiving
2304/22/23
Agency Not implementing
discretion for visits POS – not meeting
with Court Personnel
Poor past performance by POS
Staff turnover Staff inexperience
Agency No reasonable
efforts How DCFS
assesses risk Bias is outlined
in reports Assumptions are
made Worker bias
2404/22/23
Service Provider Bias of provider Inability to engage Work in the
community/work in the home is needed – not office
Transportation Lack of
training/understanding
Greater collaboration needed
Service Provider Turnover More money needed Minimal options for
clients to choose from/connect with
Share information on client satisfaction of services
No local control of contracts for DCFS
2504/22/23
Community Police intervention Community denial of
disproportionate numbers across all areas
Who is being reported for abuse/neglect
School bias Lack of public
awareness of what needs to be called in
Community Payback of
reporting Community
acceptance of Disproportionality
Powerlessness Community not
aware of the data Family history is
used against people
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Identifying Barriers Perm anency D ata Prioritize G oalsP rioritize Action
G etting People to the TableG etting on the Sam e Page
2704/22/23
___________ _____
Prioritizing Issues Top 3 Barriers Categorize by Domain:
– Court– Agency– Community– Service Provider– Family/youth
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___________ _________
Prioritizing Strategies Policy Practice Behavior Knowledge Attitude/belief/bias Communication
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____ _______
Logic Modeling for Success
Connecting Strategies to Measurable Outcomes
Logic Models…….
…bring project dreams and concepts to life. …provide graphic, narrative depictions of a project. …illustrate the interrelationships …take us from planning to results. …provide stakeholders with a “road map” … follow a chain of reasoning
Logic models help us…
Describe projects Focus attention and resources on
priority program operations and key results
Develop targeted communication and marketing strategies
Logic models map our way to success by focusing us on….
Factors influencing the project goal Resources need to achieve goal Activities that are necessary to achieve the
project goal Results of the activities The outcomes or immediate goals that
activities are intended to accomplish The longer term impact that will come
through focused effort
Design and planning stages
Logic models…– Enhance ability to develop program
strategy – Enhance ability to talk about it clearly
to stakeholders – Promote a shared understanding of
what is to take place.
Project implementation…Logic models…– Provide the core for a focused management plan – Help to identify and collect the data needed to
monitor and improve project efforts – Help to keep energy focused on achieving and
documenting results– Help pinpoint where adjustments need to be
made to increase successful achievement of objective.
– Help maintain focus on priorities
Project evaluation and strategic report
Logic models…– Support presenting program
information – Support documentation of progress
toward goals in ways that inform and teach program stakeholders.
If…Then Assumptions
Certain resources are needed to operate our projects.
If we have access to them, then we can use them to accomplish your planned activities.
If we accomplish our planned activities, then we will deliver the amount of effort to the extent we intended.
If we accomplish our planned activities to the extent we intended, then there will be specific benefits.
If these benefits are achieved, then changes in organizations, communities and systems might occur.
Steps to Building Your Logic Model
Identify the longer term impact anticipated at the organizational, community, and/or system level changes expected as a result of project activity.
Begin with the Issue/PEP Outcome identified as the top priority.
Determine what resources and/or barriers which potentially enable or limit ability to achieve PEP Outcome
Identify activities , processes, tools, products associated with the project with achieving the PEP Outcome
Identify the outputs that are the direct results of the activities carried out to reach the outcome
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__________ ____ ___ ______________
Documenting Plans and Accomplishments
Action Plan Worksheet Meeting Minutes Meeting Attendance Community Partnership Planning
Next Steps/Closing:
Julia Miller- Action Team Liaison Action plan worksheet to take back to
the group
4004/22/23
______ _
Contact Us!Doris M. Houston, Ph.D. [email protected]
Kathy Wehrmann, [email protected]
Jeanne Howard, [email protected]
Samuel Smith, M.S. [email protected]
