Transcript Engaging Families in Case Planning through Linkages

Engaging Families in Case Planning:
Guidelines & examples from the field
Linkages Fall Convening
September 16, 2009
Danielle McClain-Parks & Jean Texera, San Bernardino County
Bergen Filgas & Jennifer Valencia, Stanislaus County
Leslie Ann Hay, CFPIC Project Associate
Learning objectives
Consider how collaboration enhances
family engagement.
 Learn a variety of methods being used by
Linkages counties to involve families in
case planning.
 Observe specific techniques (video) for
actively engaging families in their futures.
 See examples of case plan documentation
& other tools to preserve authentic family
voice & choice.

Family Engagement Guidelines
Linkages was identified as a model initiative for
Family Engagement in the California Program
Improvement Plan (PIP).
 A Linkages/Family Engagement workgroup was
formed:

o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Debbie Benevente, Tulare
Meherat Selassie, Santa Clara
Janice Rector, Merced
Michael Reiser, Fresno
Cheryl Barrett, Parent Partner, Contra Costa
Danna Fabella, CFPIC
Leslie Ann Hay, Hay Consulting
Family Engagement Guidelines

Workgroup’s objective—To create broad,
accessible Linkages/FE Guidelines useful for:
◦ CalWORKs and Child Welfare Services settings
◦ Counties already implementing Linkages and counties
who will in the future

Guidelines organized around 6 domains:
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
◦
Foundational Guidelines
Identifying Mutual Clients
Assessment
Coordinated Case Planning
Support and Monitoring
Transition and After Care
Family Engagement Guidelines
Guidelines enhanced with “examples from
the field” to illustrate how key principles
are being put into practice.
 Panelists will elaborate on more practices
that reflect specific guidelines.
 Last 15 min reserved for Q & A period.
 Let’s start with some themes from the
Guidelines…

Key themes from FE Guidelines





Integrative power of collaboration: economic
self-sufficiency helps reduce maltreatment risk;
more stability at home improves likelihood of
work participation.
Recognize and meet basic needs of families first
(think Maslow’s hierarchy of needs).
Focus on client skills and potential more than
insights/judgments.
Streamline conflicting expectations to improve
family’s achievement of case plan goals.
Maximize coordinated time & attention spent
with family by Linkages team to promote success.
Engaging families in your location
What challenges do you
face in engaging families?
Child
Welfare
CalWORKs
Examples from the field: what do the
FE Guidelines look like in action?





A philosophy to work for and with families,
rather than responding when families fail
Parent partners: meeting someone who’s been
through both programs promotes trust for new
clients
Joint home visits and interactions increases
family’s experience of broad support
Co-located staff maximizes family’s access to
needed expertise in one place
Inviting fathers to the table…recognizing their
role as earners and parents
How does Linkages help engage
families in case planning?
Family-focus of Linkages supports meeting
parent’s needs to broaden traditional childcentered case planning process (WIIFM)
 Active involvement in WtW implies commitment
to a better future; team encourages parent to
transfer this strength to build parenting capacity
 Blending goals of self-sufficiency and family
stability creates sense of hope for the future,
rather than compliance only
 Shared understanding of case information in
advance helps define service responses better
matched to actual needs

How does Linkages help engage
families in case planning?

Increased ownership of plan by family
increases their accountability for results:
◦ Enlist natural supports of family to help monitor
& support parent’s follow-through on goals
◦ Set up triggers for regular communication
between caseworkers, parent partners & family as
part of case plan expectations
◦ Model consistent communication among team
members
◦ Share relevant aspects of follow-up & support to
impacted team members
◦ Recognize need for case plan adjustments along
the way
San Bernardino County
Engaging families: from policy to practice
Realized that how we worked together would
play out in how our families were treated
(parallel process)
 Faced the challenge of working across systems
with differing objectives
 Formed a strong collaborative team
 Realized that we needed to simplify the process
as much as possible

Vision

Children living in a safe environment with
families that are stable and self-sufficient
1. Include the family in all
matters pertaining to their
future.
3. Both service systems share
a strength-based, familycentered approach to practice.
maps
to …
9. Explore family’s strengths,
needs and goals in context of
CalWORKs and child welfare.
11. Help families prioritize child safety
and economic self-sufficiency needs to
focus service planning efforts.
18. Manage the possibility of one
of the plans continuing for a time
after the other has concluded.
17. Help the family to connect
with a community network of
services and support prior to
ending system involvement.
16. Use the structure of CalWORKs
to guide and direct family members
toward more productive use of
their time and talents.
Mission




maps to …
Strengthen families by offering
clients the services needed to
enhance their quality of life.
Increase the client’s care for
their children and transition to
self-sufficiency.
Treat all families with respect
and honesty while meeting
their basic needs.
Provide competent, consistent
and fair services while meeting
program requirements and
clients’ needs.
2.
4.
6.
7.
Family Engagement
Guidelines
Value and reinforce a
collaborative service
philosophy.
Establish basic knowledge
about the other program
across caseworkers,
supervisors and managers.
Collaborate w/ CalWORKs
to inform safety planning
meetings for mutual clients.
Coordinate child welfare
plans and welfare-to-work
plans to improve a family’s
chance for success.
Guiding Principles








Team approach for coordinated case management.
Family-driven coordination of care with extensive family leadership.
Simplified process of service delivery to reduce duplication of effort.
Services meet individual needs of family.
Build community capacity to serve families & emphasize prevention.
Timely service in a respectful manner.
Protect rights of families and honor client choices.
Evaluate outcomes.
maps to …
FE Guidelines
5.
8.
10.
Determine whether family is involved in other
program at time of intake.
Conduct ongoing screening for a family’s
participation in or potential eligibility for
CalWORKs thru their involvement with CWS.
Review CalWORKs status factors (sanctions,
timed out, exempt) that may impact the
parent’s ability to engage in service activities.
Who will we serve?


Our legislation and research staff analyst was able to
identify mutual clients by cross referencing C-IV and
CWS/CMS
Groups to serve
◦ Original proposal (in order of priority)




CalWORKS Sanctioned
Non-compliance
Active participating (substance abuse or other counseling activity)
Active participating (work or work related)
◦ In practice, did not have enough families to need to prioritize
◦ In CW Family Maintenance (FR not an option at this point in our
process)
Outcomes

Specific outcome measures to address safety,
permanency and child well-being (examples)
◦ Percentage of Linkages children with no subsequent
substantiated referral (safety)
◦ Percentage of Linkages children with siblings who
remained home with all siblings during and after
Linkages services (permanency and stability)
◦ Physical and mental health needs of children being
met during Linkages (well-being)
◦ Wages before and after Linkages (parents have
resources)
Getting started…

Pilot in San Bernardino’s Central Region – May 2008

Training done for both agencies (Guideline 4 – expand
knowledge of other systems)

FM families after reunification and any other Court FM

Difficult but not impossible

Many families not interested at this point – “done” with
services

Family to Family has reduced numbers of Court FM
cases in our county

By end of 2009, needed to expand to FR
Our team grows…expand to FR
AB429 put in place & additional state level
clarifications made in late 2008
 Early in 2009 the upper management of all
departments agreed and gave us the go
ahead to start the planning process
 At this point we added to our team:

◦ Transitional Assistance foster care eligibility
worker, supervisor and manager
◦ PDD TAD program specialist
The work continues…
ESP manager and Child Welfare manager meet
with immediate deputy managers
 Clarify need and approval for further planning
 Research done in other counties who have
AB429 cases by PDD program specialists
 Three PS’s collaborated—one unified handbook
chapter

◦ Incorporated into all Handbooks – child welfare,
transitional assistance, foster care and employment
services.
◦ All aspects of the pilot covered in one place
Putting AB429 into practice
Linkages FR pilot implemented in August 2009
Nearly a year and a half of persistent planning
and coordination
 Roll out to other regions in 2010-2011
 Linkages tied to our Child Welfare System
Improvement Plan (Reunification in 12 months)
 Parallel process in effect with FE Guidelines


◦ fostered cooperation, collaboration and engagement
of all parties involved
◦ created a more robust plan for implementation with
everyone involved

Relatively easy to move into action, everyone is
communicating and accountable to each other
San Bernardino case process
Intake

Cases are referred through TDM notifications,
referral from ESS or SW, and identification
through the mutual client list
◦ Both office’s staff members received training in the
other program to help identify clients and educate
about Linkages (Guideline 4)
◦ Linkages SW is notified of all TDM’s in the region and
screens for Linkages eligibility prior to the TDM;
Linkages SW participates in initial TDM if case is
identified as eligible (Guidelines 1, 5, 10)
◦ Monthly report is provided that identifies mutual
clients from both programs’ computer systems
(Guidelines 4, 8)
San Bernardino case process
Coordinated Case Planning

Once eligibility established, family meets with
assigned SW, Linkages SW, and Linkages ESS

Coordinated case plan meeting includes
explanation of confidentiality, review of current
CWS case plan and progress, current WTW
status, and discussion of family’s next goals
(Guidelines 10, 12, 15, 16)
San Bernardino case process
Coordinated Case Management

ESS and Linkages SW meet weekly at the CWS
office for client meetings (Guidelines 2, 14)

ESS and Linkages SW also communicate
regularly via telephone, email, etc. about case
issues (Guideline 14)

Family meets with team quarterly or as needed
if issues arise in the case (Guidelines 2, 14)
San Bernardino case process
Transition and After Care
Linkages SW, assigned SW, and ESS conduct a
final coordinated team meeting prior to case
closure (Guideline 11, 18)
 Families are given an Exit Survey to provide
feedback on their experience with Linkages
(Guideline 1, 2)
 This process provides a bridge from CWS
services to ongoing CalWORKs services for
families (Guideline 18)

Stanislaus County:
Family Engagement Guidelines in Play
Our Vision is to end poverty
and family violence in
Stanislaus County
Family Engagement
Guideline #8
Conduct ongoing screening for
family’s participation in or potential
eligibility for CalWORKs throughout
their involvement with Child Welfare
Services
INTEGRATED SERVICES SCREENING TOOL

CSA – Child and Family Services Use Only

Fax completed form to: 558-2585 / Attention: X02

Date:

SSN:
Date of Birth:

Does the Customer receive SSI?
 Yes  No  Unknown

Are the children living with the customer?

Referred by:

CWS Social Worker Name:
District #:

CalWORKs Case Name:
Case #:

CalWORKs Case Manager Name:
District #:

Check applicable program:  FIP  FM Date of entry to the program:

Partners:

Comments:

CSA – StanWORKs Use Only

Received by:
Date:

Eligible for Supportive Services?

Eligible for Behavioral Health Services (BHS)?  Yes  No

Case Assigned to:
Customer Name:
 Yes  No  Unknown
 Yes  No
Specialized FSS III


Date Case Transfer Requested:

Date Case Received:
District #
sert the screening tool
FE Guideline #8 in action

Screening tool

For all new voluntary cases

At the time of trial visit for Family
Reunification

To identify linked customers
Family Engagement
Guideline #9
Explore family’s strengths, needs and
goals in context of CalWORKs and
Child Welfare
Guideline #9 in action

Assessment of the families safety and self
sufficiency needs

Identify roles and responsibilities

Plan what resources and services will be
utilized
Family Engagement
Guideline #10
Review CalWORKs status factors
that may impact the parent’s ability
to engage in service activities
FE Guideline #10 in action
Ongoing communication occurs in
order to promote:
•
Awareness of dual system resources
•
Monitor change for both the system
and the family
•
Adjust the plan based on any change
Family Engagement
Guideline #7
Adhere to standard confidentiality
requirements
FE Guideline # 7 in action

Breaking down the barriers with internal
and external partners

Sharing of information to move a family
forward

Keep process on track

Allows us to see the whole family
Case Staffing Referral Form

Case Manager:

Date: 9/16/09
Second Parent:

Case Name:
Absent Parent (s):

Payee:
Children:

Case Number: 01234567
SS#:
WTW Worker/District #/Ext.:
Funding Streams


Social Worker/District #/Ext.:
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Concerns:

Parenting Support
Domestic Violence

Child Behavior
Substance Abuse

Welfare To Work Sanction
Mental Health

Disability

Opportunities:
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

Challenges to be met:
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

To be completed during staffing

Staffing Participants:
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

Recommendations: (Transportation and Child Care plans etc.)
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

*Strongly recommend to invite families into Coordinated Case Planning.
Health Issues
Family Engagement
Guideline #12

Coordinate child welfare case plans and
welfare-to-work plans to improve family’s
chances for success
FE Guideline # 12 in action

Family involvement to choice in the plan
expresses needs

Listening to customer concerns

Receiving buy-in
VIDEO
clip #2
Leaving with a completed plan

Reduced duplication of services

Maximized funding streams

Holistic approach to family needs

Family is now engaged in their case plan
for all programs
VIDEO
clip #3
Coordinated Case Planning:
Strategy for Solutions and Goal Setting

Family’s Concerns
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
Responsibilities
Social Worker

Agency’s Concerns

Parenting Support
Child Behavior

Substance Abuse
WTW Sanction

Mental Health
Disability

Domestic Violence
Other
Customer
FSS
To make referral to:
To comply with all recommendations:
*Parenting Support
*Attend Parenting
*Child behavior
*Attend Substance Abuse evaluation
To make referral to:
*GED services
*Behavioral Health
BHRS Counselor
Other Partners
To set up evaluation for:
To make referral to:
*Domestic Violence
*Substance Abuse
Homeless:
*Received temp only
Clear
Expectations
*WIA
*Public Health
Time Limits:
*36 months remaining
Questions?