Transcript Del Norte County Health and Human Services Child Welfare

Del Norte County
Del Norte County
 Del Norte County is the Northern most county on the
California Coast
 Del Norte is approximately 140 square miles in area
 80% of the land in Del Norte is owned by the State or
Federal Government (Parks and BLM Land)
 Per Capita family income in Del Norte is $17,050 as
opposed to state wide income of $26,800 (2007
Children Now)
 27% of Del Norte Children Live in Poverty compared to
a state wide average of 19%
Child Welfare Statistics for FY 0708 (Safe Measures)
 753 Total Referrals (62.75 per month)
 105 Immediate Response Referrals (8.75 per month)
 312 – 10 Day Referrals (26 per month)
 301 Referrals are Evaluated Out (25 per month)
 107 Families were referred for Differential Response to
the Community Assistance Network (Path 1 and Path
2)
The makeup of Del Norte County
Health and Human Services (Child
Welfare Services)
 In FY 07-08 the Department had 14 full time Child Welfare
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Social Workers.
Currently there are 12 full time Social Workers assigned to Child
Welfare
6 Child Welfare Social Workers are assigned to the On-Going
Unit – Court ordered FR, FM, PP
2 Child Welfare Social Workers are assigned to do Voluntary
Family Maintenance
2 Child Welfare Social Workers are assigned to Emergency
Response
2 Child Welfare Social Workers are assigned to Wraparound
Services
Health and Human Services
Integrated Case Management –
Linkages
 1 ICW Manages the Linkage cases (Child Welfare and
DR Cases)
 43 are currently active in the Linkages Program
 Families Meet with the Linkages Team on a weekly
basis while services are being provided
 Del Norte is in the process of developing and enacting
an “After Care” Linkages program for families that have
successfully completed services with Child Welfare
The Makeup of Community
Assistance Network (CAN)
 In FY 07-08 CAN employed 5 People in Family Services
Division
 3 Service Coordinators provided direct services to
families referred for Path 1 and Path 2 DR Services
 1 Employee provided data input and acted as the
receptionist for the Division
 1 Employee as the Manager of the Program/Division
Life Elevation Action
Program Services
(LEAP)
With an innovative integrated
service plan approach
Identification of Differential
Response/LINKAGES Cases
 The Child Welfare Social Worker Screener determines
the appropriate response type for the referral
 When the referral is sent to LEAP Path 1 or Path 2, a
referral packet is prepared including a Passport to
Services
 Once the LEAP Service Coordinator meets with the
family an assessment using the Family Development
Matrix Model is completed
 The Matrix guides the FAMILY ELEVATION PLAN
development
Matrix Tool
Matrix Tool cont…
Elevation Plan
Elevation Plan cont…
The LEAP Service
Coordinator
utilizing the Family
Development
Matrix Model
Assessment Tool
Family identifies
strengths and
concerns with
Elevation
Plan
LINKAGES Staff
meets with the
family and LEAP
Service
Coordinator
developing the
What is an Elevation Plan?
 An Elevation Plan identifies the families top three
goals that will help them become safe and stable.
 With the goals identified, the family has objectives or
steps that will help them achieve their goals.
 These objectives are used to guide the family and show
them that they are making progress in the goals they
have set.
How does LINKAGES help?
 Once it is determined that a family is eligible for Cal
Works by the Passport to Services
 The Service Coordinator contacts the LINKAGES Staff
to arrange a team meeting with the family
 At the team meeting an integrated case plan, also
known as the Elevation Plan, is developed
What happens next?
 Once the integrated Elevation Plan is developed,
LINKAGES Staff identifies how they may assist the
family in meeting their goals.
 For example, a family has a special needs child that
needs services through the local regional center and is
seeking employment and housing.
 The LINKAGES team may reduce the number of hours
a parent needs to participate in Job Finders in order to
allow for the child to be seen at the regional center,
provide gas vouchers for transportation, and pay a
deposit for housing.
How does LINKAGES know if
a family is following the plan?
 Regular team meetings are held with the family,
LINKAGES Staff, and the LEAP Service Coordinator
 At these meetings accomplishments are celebrated and
challenges are addressed
 If necessary, the plan can be modified to accommodate
any changes in circumstance.
What else does LINKAGES do?
LINKAGES has helped families with:
 Car Repairs
 Past Due utility bills
 Temporary housing
 Trac phones
 Laundry vouchers
 Clothing vouchers
 Child care
How do you measure outcomes?
LEAP has referred over 35 families to
the LINKAGES Program within the
last two years. This approximately
30% referral rate to LINKAGES has
completed 75% of their identified
goals.
What services has LINKAGES
Purchased for LEAP Families?
 Services range from:
 Bus Passes
 Car Insurance and Registration
 Car repairs and gas
 Temporary and Permanent Housing Deposits/Credit
Checks
 Cleaning Supplies/Garbage Removal
 Food
 Birth Certificates
What Else?
 Camping Equipment
 Fire Extinguishers/Propane
 Laundry Vouchers/Clothing
 Trac Phones and Minutes
 Diapers
 Personal Hygiene Products
 Carpet Shampooer/Garbage Removal
 Past Due Utility Bills
Let’s Talk about Challenges
 ‘Underground Network” spread the word
 Families began to make Self-Referrals
 Sense of Entitlement
SUCCESS STORIES
 Due to the parents separation, Family A was living in a
house recently in foreclosure without power or water.
They were referred to LEAP on 3/10/08. The Service
Coordinator met with the family 3/11/08, and hooked
them up with LINKAGES 3/12/08. That same day, the
family was placed in temporary housing in a local budget
motel (Del Norte County has no homeless shelters). On
April 11, 2008, the family moved into permanent housing
with the assistance of LEAP and LINKAGES.
Other positive outcomes
 A single Native American woman is pregnant, had a
history of substance abuse and domestic violence, in
addition to having a young toddler living in unsafe
conditions. LINKAGES provided her with a Trac
phone, food and clothing. LEAP transported the
family from an outlying area to medical appointments.
The new baby was born drug free and the family
moved to safe housing.
How does purchasing vehicle
related items translate to stability?
 A parent has let the registration and insurance lapse
on the family car due to lack of finances. In addition,
the vehicle has two bald tires and needs a new battery.
 Our parent is forced to sneak around town in an unsafe
car to get their child to school, shop, and see the
doctor. LINKAGES was able to renew the registration,
help pay for the insurance, tires and a new battery. The
parent no longer runs the risk of an accident, arrest,
and their only means of transportation becoming
impounded.
Thanks to the LINKAGES/LEAP
Partnership families become
SAFE
STABLE
INDEPENDENT
CONFIDENT
PRODUCTIVE