PCCYFS June 20, 2012

Office of Children, Youth and Families

OCYF Work Group Priorities

1. Financing 2. Placement Reform 3. Workforce 4. Mission/Vision

OCYF Work Group Priorities

1. Financing • NBB – The Needs Based Plan & Budget process is found to be long and tedious. The workgroup would like to see reforms around the requirements for these submissions.

• Waiver – The workgroup would like the state to apply for the Title IV-E waiver to give flexibility to federal funds.

• Contracting/Maximum Allowable Reimbursement – The contracting and maximum allowable reimbursement rate process is time consuming and currently requires duplication of efforts by the county staff and DPW contractors. The workgroup would like to see a streamlined process that is more reliable at determining Title IV-E eligible costs.

• Maximization of Federal Funds – Following a federal audit, Pennsylvania became very cautious with federal Title IV-E claiming. The workgroup would like increased training around eligible federal expenses in order to maximize the federal share. Currently Pennsylvania draws a very low percentage of federal funding compared to comparable states.

• Payment Schedule – The current payment schedule for Act 148 funds often causes cash flow problems in counties. A new payment system has been developed that mirrors the payment schedule of the Special Grants.

• County Match – The workgroup would like to see reform around the required county match for services to create a system that rewards counties for safely maintaining children in their homes.

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OCYF Work Group Priorities

2. Placement Reform Pennsylvania needs to continue its focus on ensuring that every child is in the right placement by reducing the number of children and time in out-of-home placements, especially congregate care. In order to do this, there must be an emphasis placed on community-based solutions for both dependent and delinquent youth. Additionally, the group would like a review of the costs of the YDCs.

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OCYF Work Group Priorities

3. Workforce • Staffing Ratios – The workgroup would like a review of staffing ratios for shelter and detention facilities.

• Training Hour Requirements for Detention Staff (Annual) – The workgroup would like a review of training requirements for detention staff to decrease the number of training hours required on an annual basis.

• Curriculum Development and Civil Service/Job Requirements – The child welfare workforce is the most important resource we have in OCYF. Caseworkers need to be properly trained to engage families, assess safety, and ensure timely permanency. The workgroup would like a review of the current curriculum for child welfare workers, additional training hours prior to a worker being able to take a case, and a review of the minimum requirements for the position.

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OCYF Work Group Priorities

4. Mission/Vision The workgroup feels that child welfare has gotten away from its mission of ensuring safety for children and has branched into areas beyond what the system was created for. The workgroup would like reform of the definitions of dependency, GPS and CPS; the creation of a true differential response; a review of the mandates of child welfare; and a restricted, defined role for child welfare.

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Task Force on Child Protection Common Themes 1.Concerns with Definition of Physical Abuse: Subjective Standard 2.GPS vs. CPS 3.Multidisciplinary Investigative Response 4.Mandated Reporters 5.Challenges of the Child Welfare System 7

Task Force Themes 1. Concerns with Definition of Physical Abuse: Subjective Standard • Severe pain • Non-accidental • Definition of perpetrator – family member or others • Unknown perpetrator • Standard too high 8

Task Force Themes 2. GPS vs. CPS • Counting of GPS in national statistics • Definition of neglect – too broad Includes issues of socialization and or moral education • Differential response 9

Task Force Themes 3. Multidisciplinary Investigative Response • Use of Children’s Advocacy Centers • Use of team investigative approaches • Communication • Coordination of efforts • Value of CYS staff teaming with medical professionals, such as with nurses, to support agency’s response to reports of abuse and neglect 10

Task Force Themes 4. Mandated Reporters • Universal mandated reporters • Greater protections for mandated reporters • Increased penalties for failure to report • Need for a better understanding of the magnitude for false reporting • Current burden on system to respond to current level of reporting, related to false reports involving custody disputes • Concern over lack of doctors willing to diagnose child abuse due to fear over liability or burden associated with testifying in court • Desire to expedite process for doctor’s to testify (i.e. video conferencing) • School or institution reporting: need for immediate and appropriate reporting by the “observer” or “witness”, which would support stronger prosecution down the road by expediting the report and avoiding multiple people within the institution interviewing the child and spoiling evidence 11

Task Force Themes 4. Mandated Reporters (Cont.) • Agreement that the distinction of “student abuse” should be eliminated • Further review is needed related to the lack of public visibility of children who are being educated through home or cyber schooling and the prevalence of the use of these education alternatives in recent cases of child deaths Discussion of enhancing health screen requirements for these children • Concern over mandated reporters being confused about current definitions of abuse and perpetrators in determining whether to report – recommendation made that reporters should report any serious risk of harm to a child • Currently no requirement for mandated reporters to be trained – one should be established with reasonable intervals for training (ideally the first training in-person and subsequent refresher trainings done electronically). Broad support to require school officials to be trained 12

Task Force Themes 5. Challenges of the Child Welfare System • Child welfare workforce challenges: young, inexperienced, need for strong supervision, retention issues, poor compensation for qualified staff • Training of child welfare professionals was discussed including, quality of training and training in relation to when they receive cases 13

Human Services Block Grant • Special Grants that have been moved into the Human Services Block Grant include Evidence Based Practices, Promising Practices, Alternatives to Truancy, and Housing.

• Full flexibility of the funds will be phased in over several years.

• Counties will be required to submit a plan detailing how the block grant funds will be allocated.

• Reporting will be streamlined.

• For Child Welfare, the funding categories will include evidence-based programs and practices, in-home services, prevention, and reunification.

Children’s Roundtable • GAL Pre-Service DVD: One copy was sent to all President Judges, Leadership Roundtable Judges and CYS Administrators. Counties can order copies through OCFC (PPI $5/non-PPI $7).

• Children’s Court Activity Booklet: What’s Happening in Dependency Court? An Activity Book for Children Going to Court in Pennsylvania can be order through OCFC (PPI $3/non-PPI $4 or print from website).

• Incarcerated Parents “Know Your Rights” handout is available.

• PPI Phase IV Invitation – letters of interest due to OCFC by June 30, 2012 • Children’s Summit – Seven Springs April 29 – May 1, 2013 • CPCMS Dependency Court Data Dashboard – anticipated release winter 2012 15

Data • Truancy Data • APPLA: As of September 30, 2011, there were 1458 children with a goal of APPLA in PA. Of those, 50 children are age birth to 12.

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Regional Offices – Post 7/1/12 WHAT IS GOING: • Licensure of Facilities under Chapter 3800 • 2 Staff WHAT IS STAYING: • CPS Investigations • Child Fatality/Near Fatality • Needs Based Budgets • Licensure of Chapters 3680, 3350, 3700, 3130/3490 • Supervision of County Children and Youth Social Service Agencies CHANGING ROLE • Technical Assistance • Supervision • NBB – Benchmarks/CIP Focus of Activity WHAT WILL IT LOOK LIKE: • Monthly Contact • Safety Support Sessions • Critical Case Reviews • Data Discussions • Quarterly Budget Meetings

Provider Packet Reviews – FY 2010-2011   Initial Submission – 202 In review – 2  With OCYF – 2 (Community Specialist/Summit

FY10/11

Finalized - 200

Provider Packet Reviews – FY 2011-2012    Initial Submission Expected – 209  Initial Submission Actual – 203   At County level – 35

FY11/12

At OCYF level – 14 Finalized – 154 No initial submission – 6 This time last year we had 78 packets outstanding, we currently have 49 outstanding reviews.

Provider Packet Reviews – FY 2012-2013   Initial Submission Expected – 200 Initial Submission Actual – 122   With County – 103

FY12/13

With OCYF - 17 Finalized – 2 Extensions requested - 72

Fostering Connections • Permits youth to remain in care until 21if they are employed 80 hours per month • Extends adoption subsidies up to age 21 for youth adopted after age 13 • Extends subsidies for permanent legal custodianship up to age 21 for youth placed with a PLC after age 13 • Permits youth to re-enter foster care up to age 21 when discharged 90 days prior to their 18 th birthday or after • Generates additional federal revenues and saves state and county funds 21 To

Fostering Connections

• HB 75, PN 3770 – Amends the Juvenile Act • HB 1261, PN 3646 – Amends the Public Welfare Code 22

Child Welfare Information Technology

Child Welfare Demonstration Project

Waiver Design Requirements

A waiver would offer Pennsylvania the opportunity to use Title IV-E funding as a source of flexible spending on efforts which meet the waiver goals designated in the Title IV-E waiver legislation.

• • •

The waiver demonstration project must be designed to accomplish one or more of the following goals:

Increase permanency by reducing time in foster care and promote successful transition to adulthood for older youth Increase positive outcomes and safety for children in their homes and communities, and improve the safety and well-being of children Prevent child abuse and neglect and reentry into foster care DSHS Children's Administration Title IV-E Waiver Application

Waiver Design Requirements

The federal guidance includes information on the types of waiver proposals that will receive priority from ACF. • Produce positive well-being outcomes for children, youth and their families, with particular attention to addressing the trauma experienced by children who have been abused and/or neglected; • Enhance the social and emotional well-being of children and youth who are available for adoption, as well as those who have been adopted, with a particular emphasis on those children who have been waiting the longest or are hardest to place in order to achieve and sustain successful adoptions; • Yield more than modest improvements in the lives of children and families and contribute to the evidence base; and/or • Leverage the involvement of other resources and partners to make improvements concurrently through child welfare and related program areas, including proposals to establish financial incentives based on the achievement of positive child outcomes.

DSHS Children's Administration Title IV-E Waiver Application

Waiver Design Requirements

A strong waiver design will complement and build upon existing reform efforts. The waiver itself should not be the impetus for change and reform. The waiver should support change and reform undertaken by the state or counties.

A concern is that if the waiver is the driving force behind the reform, the waiver itself as a funding mechanism may not be sufficient to sustain the reform.

DSHS Children's Administration Title IV-E Waiver Application

Waiver Design Requirements

Waiver demonstration projects must be cost neutral: the total amount of federal funds used to support the demonstration will not exceed the amount of Federal funds that would have been expended by the Title IV-E agency under Title IV-E and Title IV-B if the demonstration project were not conducted.

Pennsylvania will come to the table with ACF with a request for funding that makes a reasonable calculation of how much Title IV-E the state and/or participating counties would expect to receive during the course of the waiver if there were not a waiver program.

To develop and support this calculation, PA must identify prior year Title IV-E claim information.

DSHS Children's Administration Title IV-E Waiver Application

Waiver Design Requirements

A waiver would offer Pennsylvania the opportunity to use Title IV-E funding as a source of flexible spending on efforts which meet waiver goals and fit within the Pennsylvania’s child welfare reform efforts.

Due to the cost neutrality condition, the only way the waiver project can generate these flexible funds is if the waiver

project reduces spending on foster care. Then, and only then, those savings can be reinvested into other programs.

No new

funding is available under the Title IV-E waiver.

DSHS Children's Administration Title IV-E Waiver Application

ACYF-CB-IM-12-05: Waiver Proposal The guidance includes a number of requirements that are required by the law or previously released through the Federal Register, including: Description of the demonstration project The goals identified in statute that the project is intended to accomplish The target population that the agency wishes to serve Geographic areas in which the proposed project will be conducted Service interventions to be implemented Describe time period in which project will be conducted The impact the intervention is expected to have on outcomes related to safety, permanency, well-being How service provisions will change for children and families Statement of program requirements for waivers needed to conduct the project Description of the proposed evaluation design Estimate of the projected costs or savings DSHS Children's Administration Title IV-E Waiver Application

ACYF-CB-IM-12-05: Waiver Proposal There are a significant number of new requirements that OCYF must meet. For example, OCYF must provide information regarding: Provide a reliable method for measuring and ensuring Federal cost-neutrality over the course of the demonstration.

Describe impact on any similar projects already underway. Accounting of any other sources of funding that have been used to provide the services that the agency now proposes to address under a waiver demonstration Provide an assurance that the Title IV-E agency will continue to provide an accounting of that same spending for each year of the approved demonstration Identify the statutory and regulatory requirements under titles IV-B and IV-E of the Act for which waivers will be needed to permit the proposed project to be conducted.

Partnerships and collaborations including letters of agreement and or Memorandum of Understanding.

Impact on child welfare information systems.

Impact on any existing court orders.

Relationship with Child and Family Service Reviews and Program Improvement Plans.

Summaries of public input.

DSHS Children's Administration Title IV-E Waiver Application

Application Activity

• Discussion Advisory Cabinet Meetings Casey Data Presentation • County Interest Survey – May/June 2012 Conference Call – June 13, 2012 Follow-up Questions – Responses by June 20, 2012 • Waiver Workgroup Convened June 8, 2012 Two Subcommittees – Practice and Fiscal • Governor’s Budget Office Meeting

Timelines for an FFY12 Waiver • The Letter of Intent is due June 4, 2012 • The Waiver Proposal is due July 9, 2012 Draft Application – June 28, 2012 First Level Review and Approvals complete– June 29, 2012 Application submitted for final approvals – July 2, 2012 DSHS Children's Administration Title IV-E Waiver Application

Demonstration Project - Goals • Improve Child and Family Outcomes Use of assessment to identify needs Services match identified needs • Placement Prevention Reducing entries and re-entries • Use of appropriate placement Increase use of less restrictive placements Decrease reliance on congregate care 34

National Youth In Transition Database • Three data groups: Baseline, Served, Follow-up Populations.

• OCYF/HZA have been working with county NYTD Coordinators for Served Population being collected 4/1/2012-9/30/2012. • HZA has made collection and submission as simple as possible. HZA also is in final stages of development of web-based data entry.

National Youth In Transition Database • Follow-up Population (a sample of the Baseline Population from 2010 11) will begin October 1, 2012. • The sample size is 296 for Pennsylvania and will be for 19 year old former/current foster youth.

• Specific youth per county will be available shortly so counties may undertake outreach.

National Youth In Transition Database • NYTD Bulletin for Baseline and Served is near completion. The Follow-up Population info will be updated for another date.

• Financial penalties for areas of non compliance.

Identity Theft/Credit History

• Child and Family Services Improvement and Innovation Act (P.L. 112-34) • Amends the case review system definition to require that each child age 16 and older in foster care receive a copy of any credit report annually and be assisted in interpreting and resolving inaccuracies.

• OCYF State plan must be updated by Aug 13, 2012. • Bulletin forthcoming with more, helpful information.

Identity Theft/Credit History

• Most likely roles/responsibilities Administrative – mail/fax necessary documentation to each of 3 Credit Reporting Bureaus annually for each youth 16 years of age or older in placement Casework/IL staff – inform, educate youth of any finding or lack of finding GAL/Casework/IL staff/other agency – assist youth with any inaccuracies

CFSR PIP: Update

• PA is on target for completion of strategies and actions steps identified within PIP Matrix come 6/30/12.

• September 14, 2012 will be our annual PIP meeting to celebrate our accomplishments over the past two years.

• PA may be required to move into a non-overlapping year for certain baseline items which are measured using our Quality Service Reviews.

Continuous Quality Improvement • 6 Phase I CQI Counties completed their 2 nd round of QSRs this year • 5 Phase I CQI counties will have completed their 1 st round of QSRs as of June 13 tuned for further details….

th interest in being involved in Phase III .

• Approximately 16 CCYAs have shown an • We are currently working on completing After Action Reviews with our Phase I and II teams and are discussing capacity planning re: roll out of future CQI phases so stay

Concurrent Planning

Concurrent Planning Policy and Implementation Bulletin issued in May, effective date of July 1, 2012.

Concurrent Planning Implementation Effective July 1, 2015 all children entering foster care with a goal of reunification will have a concurrent plan for permanency established within 90 days of their placement.

Concurrent Planning Implementation Effective January 1, 2016 all children who were already in out of home care will have a concurrent plan for permanency, regardless of their court-ordered permanency goal.

Eight Core Components

Full disclosure to all participants in the case planning process Family search and engagement Family Group Decision Making/family group conferencing/Teaming Child/family visitation

Eight Core Components Establishment of clear timelines for permanency decisions Transparent written agreements and documentation Committed collaboration Specific recruitment, training and retention of resource families

Implementation Guidance

• CCYA Organizational Self-Study must be completed by July 1, 2013.

• Copy of Organizational Self Assessment & Implementation Plan must be given to OCYF Regional Office for approval. • CCYA submit needs and costs in 2014 – 2015 NBPB Request.

Safety Assessment • Efforts have centered on reducing duplication and streamlining documentation • Interval changes to In-Home will be effective July 1, 2012 All County Safety Call will be held to announce this

Safety Assessment

2012 Intervals Alert Document Present Danger Assessment • Full implementation expected July 1, 2013 • Revisions to the manual and curriculum are being finalized • Training plan being finalized with CWRC

General Protective Services Response Times • Issued April 26, 2012

GPS Response Times

workers to take at their leisure • Full implementation July 1, 2012 Training brochure distributed with the bulletin

General Protective Services Response Times • • • Immediate: The information reported indicates that a Present Danger exists which by definition meets the Safety Threshold. In order to reach the safety threshold, a condition must meet all of the following criteria: have potential to cause serious harm to a child; be specific and observable; be out-of control; affect a vulnerable child; and be imminent. Present Danger is defined as an immediate, significant, and clearly observable threat to a child actively occurring in the present. • Priority (Within 24 hours): The information reported indicates that an Impending

GPS Response Times

currently active or occurring now but are out-of-control and likely to cause serious harm to a child in the near future. The information reported does not indicate the existence of Present Danger. Expedited (Within 3-7 calendar days): The information reported indicates that overall Risk Factors rated as moderate exist which place the child in danger of future harm. The information reported does not indicate that Present or Impending Danger exists and does not meet the safety threshold.

General/Other (Within 7-10 calendar days): The information reported indicates that overall Risk Factors rated as low exist which may place the child in danger of future harm. The information reported does not indicate that Present or Impending Danger exists and does not meet the safety threshold.

General Protective Services Response Times • • • • County agency staff must make reasonable efforts to establish face-to-face contact with the identified child within the assigned response time. Ideally, the identified child or children and their primary caregiver(s) should be seen within the response time so that an appropriate assessment of safety can be completed. However, consistent with the In-Home Safety Assessment and Management Process, there may be instances when county agency staff must make the immediate, preliminary assessment and safety decision without

GPS Response Times

see the other household members and persons involved with the case, including children, involved in the case within the 72 hour time period for the safety assessment worksheet to be completed. If during the process of the preliminary assessment of the identified child, the threshold of present or impending danger is not met; county agency staff must continue to make reasonable efforts to see the other household members and persons involved with the case, including children involved in the case within the 72 hour time period for the safety assessment worksheet to be completed.

General Protective Services Response Times • • •

Following this one hour training participants will be able to:

* Define the statewide General Protective Services (GPS) response times. * Identify connections between information gathering, Pennsylvania’s Safety Assessment and Management Process, Risk Assessment Model, and the statewide General Protective Services (GPS) response times. • • • • • • • • •

How to access online trainings:

1. Obtain your user name and password by

GPS Response Times Training

3. Enter your user name and password. If you wish to change your password-click on Edit Profile 4. Click on the Course Catalog icon at the top of the screen. 5. Scroll down to 204: Statewide General Protective Services Response Times 6. Click on the Clipboard Icon at the right of the screen to enroll in the course 7. In order to receive a certificate of completion, you will need to complete the course, as well as complete the evaluation. Once the evaluation is completed, you will see a certificate of completion that you will be able to print out for your records.

Educational Screens • Delayed Implementation pending further review and revisions to the screen and bulletin • Final Edits have been made to the screen

Education Bulletin and Screen

manual Slated to be finalized by the end of July 2012 • Efforts continue to be made regarding edits to the bulletin including: Population for whom the screen must be completed Intervals for completion of the screen