Georgia Division of Family and Children Services

DFCS OVERVIEW & DATA

Presenter: Mary P. Havick, MSW Region 5 Director

Presented to: College Connections for Student Success Conference

Date: March 31, 2015

Director Bobby Cagle

Vision, Mission and Core Values

Vision Stronger Families for a Stronger Georgia.

MissionStrengthen Georgia by providing Individuals and Families access to services that promote self-sufficiency, independence, and protect Georgia's vulnerable children and adults.

Core Values• Provide access to resources that offer support and

empower Georgians and their families. • Deliver services professionally and treat all clients

with dignity and respect. Manage business operations effectively and efficiently by aligning resources across the agency.

• Promote accountability, transparency and quality in all services we deliver and programs we administer.

• Develop our employees at all levels of the agency.

Goals

• Child Welfare Case Process Overview• Significant events in recent history• Key data points • Better understanding of our system • Better service for foster youth

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Recent Significant Events

• High profile child deaths in Fall 2013• New Juvenile Code effective January 2014• Proposed legislation to privatize all DFCS

foster care in 2014• Governor creates Child Welfare Reform

Council• Centralized Intake begins April 2014

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Recent Significant Events

• Governor provides 175 new case manager positions for new fiscal year

• New DFCS Director in June 2014• Governor’s proposed budget for next fiscal

year strongest in 10+ years• Blueprint for Change

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Child Welfare Reform Council

• Created by Governor Deal after the last legislative session

• Council modeled after Criminal Justice Reform Council

• Charged with comprehensive review of DFCS• Recommendations became SB 138• https://gov.georgia.gov/

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159 County Offices & 15 Regions

Child Welfare Case Process

• CPS Intake• Family Support Services• CPS Investigation• Family Preservation • Foster Care

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Case Process – CPS Intake

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Assessment of Family Functioning• 6 Areas of Family Functioning

1. Extent of Maltreatment2. Circumstances of the Maltreatment3. Child Functioning4. General Parenting5. Discipline6. Adult Functioning

• Continually assessing throughout the case process

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Present Danger Safety Threats

• An immediate, significant, and clearly observable family condition, child condition, individual behavior or action, or family circumstance

• Occurring now• Endangers, or threatens to endanger, a child

and requires immediate action to protect

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Impending Danger Safety Threats1. Living Arrangements Seriously Endanger the Physical Health of the Child(ren). 2. One or Both Parents/Caregivers Intend(ed) to Hurt the Child and Show No Remorse. 3. One or Both Parents/Caregivers Cannot or Do Not Explain the Child’s Injuries and/or Conditions.4. A Child is Extremely Fearful of the Home Situation.5. A Parent or Caregiver is Violent and No Adult in the Home is Protective of the Child(ren). 6. One or Both Parents/Caregiver’(s) Emotional Stability, Developmental Status, or Cognitive Deficiency Seriously Impairs Their Ability to Supervise, Protect, or Care for the Child(ren).7. One or Both Parents/Caregivers Cannot Control Their Behavior.8. The Family Does Not Have Resources to Meet Basic Needs.

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Impending Danger Safety Threats9. No Adult in the Home Will Perform Parental Duties and Responsibilities10. One or Both Parents/Caregivers Have Extremely Unrealistic Expectations of a Child. 11. One or Both Parents/Caregivers have Extremely Negative Perceptions of a Child. 12. One or Both Parents/Caregivers Fear They Will Maltreat the Child and/or Request Placement. 13. One or Both Parents/Caregivers Lack Parenting Knowledge, Skills, and Motivation That Affects Child Safety14. Child Has Exceptional Needs That the Parents/Caregivers Cannot or Will Not Meet.

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CPS Case AssignmentMALTREATMENT+PRESENT DANGER SITUATION= INVESTIGATION/IMMEDIATE RESPONSE

MALTREATMENT + IMPENDING DANGER SAFETY THREAT= INVESTIGATION/24 HR RESPONSE

MALTREATMENT + NO PRESENT DANGER OR IMPENDING DANGER SAFETY THREAT= FAMILY SUPPORT/5 DAY RESPONSE

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Centralized Reporting Process

• Reports of abuse & neglect received through a centralized call center 24/7

• Call center staff screen, accept & assign • 1-855-GACHILD• Mandated reporters may complete CPS

referral forms & submit to the call center• Statewide rollout 2014

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Before Centralized Reporting

• Each county office received, screened & assigned CPS reports

• 159 different phone numbers • After-hours callers got voice mail directing

them to call law enforcement for emergencies

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Impact of Centralized Process

• Increased community awareness• Tremendous growth in number of reports • October 2014 vs. October 2013

– 58% more reports

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CPS & FSS Cases

Case Process

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Family Support & Investigations

• Family Support– Assessment for up to 60 days– May interview family together– May connect family with local resources– Possible Brief Intervention referral

• Investigations– Assessment should conclude by 45 days– Closure, Family Preservation or Foster Care

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Case Process

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Family Preservation

• Services provided to family– DFCS CM creates Family/Case Plan – Contractors may provide in-home services – Family may have in-office services as well – Examples: Parenting, therapy, substance abuse

• Behavior change• Children remain in the home• Average case open for 6 months

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Foster Care• Services provided to facilitate behavior change

– DFCS CM creates Family/Case Plan – Contractors may provide in-home services – Family may have in-office services as well – Examples: Parenting, therapy, substance abuse

• Court oversight• Children placed outside of the home• Goal – Reunification in 12 months or adoption

in 24 months• Many, many formal supports in child’s life

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Oct-13 Nov-13 Dec-13 Jan-14 Feb-14 Mar-14 Apr-14 May-14 Jun-14 Jul-14 Aug-14 Sep-147000

7500

8000

8500

9000

9500

10000

81018173 8160

8322

85308690

87948932 8962

9124

9356

9602

Foster Care Active Totals

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Foster Care Entries & Exits

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Total in Care by Region(Children and Youth)

1 6682 5023 14404 5985 6726 5977 2658 5039 17910 39311 69112 68213 51214 134115 854Grand Total 9897

Children in Care by Gender

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Male – 5364 (52.3%)Female – 4892 (47.7%)

Children in Care by Race

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1 – White (NH) – 4594 (44.79%) 3 – White (Hispanic) – 580 (5.66%) 2 – Black (NH) – 4354 (42.45%) 4 – Black/White (NH) – 487 (4.75%)

Age of Children in Care

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Placement Type

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1 – CPA (FFH) – 2741 (26.73%) 3 – Relative (P&UP) – 1673 (16.31%)2 – DFCS (FFH) – 2685 (26.18%) 4 – CCI (GH) – 1580 (15.41%)

Greatest Need for Foster Homes

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DFCS Foster Home Trend (2009 – 2013)

Reg 1 Reg 2 Reg 3 Reg 4 Reg 5 Reg 6 Reg 7 Reg 8 Reg 9 Reg 10 Reg 11 Reg 12 Reg 13 Reg 14 Reg 150

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100

150

200

250

300

350

20092010201120122013

ComparisonFoster Homes Foster Children

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Placement with Siblings

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1 – N/A – 3433 3 – None – 18732 – All – 3206 4 – Some – 845

Months in Care Overview

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0 – 11 – 4,966 12 – 24 – 2,592 25+ – 2,698

SY14 Adoptions by County

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Emancipation

• Transitional Roundtables• Signing out vs. signing in• Informal supports & connections• Credit reporting

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Caseload Impact

Blueprint for Change

• Practice Model• Robust Workforce Development Plan• Public Relations Initiative

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