Licensing’s Role in Foster Care Placement Stability Alice LeDesma Children’s Services Coordinator September, 2012 Changing the Way You Think About Being Part of the Team

And What is This All About? Introductions Who are we? Who do we serve?

Foster Care Placement Stability Issues – literature review UC Davis Center for Human Services, August 2008 Concerns – a laundry list Outcomes – less moves (of course!) Futures Directions – assessment before, during and after placement.

How Did We Get Started and Why? Placement moves – how it went then (prior to October 2009) Legislative changes – congregate care limitations (AB 147: 2009)and commitment hearings (AB369: 2006) Who was in charge and what were we doing? What does licensing have to do with this?

Foster Care Placement Stability Team Members Rules of the Game – policy Sportsman-like Conduct The Winner - Permanency

Services That Come Free Inside the Box Advanced Foster Parent Trainer Foster Care Liaison License Support Documentation Follow-up (The “To-Do List”) Clinical Care Management

Is it Working and How Do We Know? Disruption Data How does the Department Use It?

Changes – First Round What we didn’t understand and wanted to know. New terminology – agreeing what everything means (planned placement move vs. disruption). What wasn’t working. How did that affect licensing? Making the transition from regulator to team member.

Changes – Round Two Specialized Foster Homes Evaluation of the meetings Documentation – getting the info to all the players. Follow-up – it is great to make recommendations, but… Still more agreement on what means what – what is a disruption exactly? How long is something stable to call it that? Corrective Action

Implications for Licensure Quality of Care Corrective Action Placement Disruption and the effects on licensure.

System Improvements Department requirement to attend Court Recommendations A Child Requests an AFPT Foster Parents attend Stability meeting Foster Parents request Stability notes Public Defender subpoenas Stability notes Foster Parents refuse services

How Can Your Practices Influence Placement Stability and Permanency Licensing Standards that Promote Stability Participating in the Stability Discussion

Questions and Discussion Why try this at home? Why not? Alice LeDesma, Coordinator Children’s Services Division Washoe County Social Services