Transcript Slide 1

IMPLEMENTATION EVALUATION REPORT
Phase One Implementation:
Katie A. Strategic Plan
EVALUATION

CEO, DCFS, and DMH committed to evaluate the first
year of the Katie A. Strategic Plan implementation:

A total of 27 focus groups across 3 SPAs (7,6, and 1) were
conducted in November and December of 2009.

The data collection process included 23 individual interviews
with DCFS Regional Administrators/Assistant Regional
Administrators and DMH District Chiefs/Program Heads.
EVALUATION
The evaluation explored four specific components:
1)
Mental Health Screenings
2)
Referrals to Assessments for Children with Positive
Mental Health Screenings
3)
Assessments for Children with Positive Mental
Health Screenings and Linkage to Mental Health
Services
4)
Mental Health Service Provision
KEY STRENGTHS
KEY CHALLENGES
Mental Health Screening Process

Ensuring that all children with existing cases are
screened for mental health needs.

Administering the mental health screening tool
consistently across different and complex, timelimited situations, including the Medical Hubs.
KEY STRENGTHS
Referrals to Assessments

Formal procedures

Clear roles and responsibilities

Referral packet checklist

Data-tracking system

Coordinators of the Multidisciplinary Assessment
Teams and Service Linkage Specialists
KEY CHALLENGES
Referrals to Assessments

Obtaining the necessary consent for services in a
timely fashion.

Determining, obtaining and maintaining benefits
for certain children in the child welfare system that
are Medi-Cal eligible.
KEY STRENGTH
Assessment and Linkage Activities
 Coordinated
Service Action Team (CSAT)
CSAT is viewed as a structure that has
brought greater order, efficiency, and
accountability to assessment and linkage
services for newly detained cases, nondetained and existing cases.
KEY CHALLENGES
Assessment and Linkage Activities

Track 1 (Newly Detained Cases): Availability of
Assessment Slots and Assessment Capacity

Track 1 (Newly Detained Cases): Difficult Deadlines,
Expectations, and Additional Costs

Track 2 and 3 (Non-Detained and Existing Cases):
Distancing, Roles, and Partnerships
KEY STRENGTH
Mental Health Service Provision
 Confidence
that Wraparound services
provided mental health services.
CSWs and Intensive Social Workers reported
that they regularly check in with Wraparound
service providers regarding case files.
KEY CHALLENGES
Mental Health Service Provision

Children Social Workers (CSWs) lack of clarity
concerning their roles.

CSWs lack of strong mechanisms for cross-agency
collaboration.

Structural constraints:
1)
2)
3)
Inability to bill fully;
Costs of training; and,
Department managers lack clear buy-in and a set of
expectations about the practice principles.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Screening Process
1)
Further formalize the roles of staff that are
responsible for ensuring that in existing cases,
children are screened for mental health needs.
2)
Improve the process of filling out the mental health
screening tool in specific context, namely for children
0-5 years of age, for crisis situations and in the
Medical Hubs.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Referrals to Assessments
1)
Improve the ways in which release of information and
consent for mental health treatment are obtained.
2)
Minimize the problems of Medi-Cal enrollment and
disenrollment, particularly for children with private
insurance, HMO Medi-Cal, or placements outside Los
Angeles County.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Assessment and Service Linkage
1)
Align the various deadlines for completing
assessments.
2)
Reduce delays of reports from the Medical Hubs.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Assessment and Service Linkage
3)
For Newly Detained Cases:
a)
Consider establishing a system to redistribute MAT slots across SPAs.
b)
Increase MAT provider capacity for conducting assessments in specific
SPAs.
c)
Strengthen the protocols (roles, expectations, processes) for
completing the Summary of Findings Report.
d)
Address the billing issues reported by MAT providers regarding
covering the full costs of assessments and service linkage.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Assessment and Service Linkage
4)
For Non-Detained and Existing Cases:
a)
Clarify the role of DMH Co-located staff and
mental health providers.
b)
Address partnership issues between DCFS and
DMH staff.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Assessment and Service Linkage
1)
Increase the understanding of CSWs regarding their
role in Child/Family Teams.
2)
Strengthen the relationship between CSWs and
mental health providers.
3)
Address the structural constraints reported by
mental health providers.