Building a System of Care in Child Welfare: North Carolina Candice

MRS/SOC is System Reform -From intake to permanency. -3 key components to this reform: Policy reform Philosophy reform Shift in Focus

“It takes a village---” Families are unique and distinctive One size still does not fit all Families are more likely to engage and carry out a plan that they have truly taken part in planning-child and family teams We won’t be involved forever, we need to build a support network of extended family and community partners

North Carolina’s Family Support and Child Welfare System Permanency Well-Being Safety MRS Self-Sufficiency Foster Care Work First CPS Adoption Community Based Programs Family-centered practice and system of care principles are our foundation -

System of Care Supports MRS Implementation A proven framework for: Organizing and coordinating services and resources into a comprehensive and interconnected network by: developing PARTNERSHIPS between individuals, families, and agencies building on individual and community STRENGTHS and making the most of existing resources. Improving the skills, knowledge, and attitudes of frontline service providers toward more FAMILY- CENTERED practices.

System of Care History In NC, began in 1994 with national mental health System of Care grants through SAMHSA (Pen-Pal, NC FACES, SOC NET, Mecklenburg CARES) 2003 NCDSS received System of Care Grant from the Children’s Bureau to expand SOC to other target populations including families in the child welfare system System of Care 90 minute Pen PAL 1994, FACES 1997, SOC_NET 2000, CARES 2005

System of Care Guiding Principles/Values Interagency Collaboration Child and Family Partnership Individualized Strengths-based Care Cultural Competence Community-based Services & supports Accountability to results

MRS/SOC Success = Successful Partnering Three critical levels of partnership: State Community Family

Strategic Planning At both the state and local level Plan based on SOC principles Continuous evaluation Yearly planning retreats with TA Parallel process

State Level Contributions NCDSS merging MRS/SOC more completely- SOC values part of NCDSS mission-vision/ SOC incorporated into child welfare policy/ MRS/SOC regional meetings SOC principles driving the PIP: child, youth, and family involvement, interagency collaboration, cultural competency, court involvement, accountability to results Mandatory child and family team training for all child welfare staff Mandatory Cultural Competency training Guidance around engaging service providers using regional CPR Policy requires that family members are involved in and compensated for attending meetings, training, etc. and use of family co-trainers All sections of NCDSS are involved in family centered practice training and in the development of the section’s strategic planning TA from National Resource Centers to strategically plan with CW supervisors to strengthen child welfare supervision at the local DSS Special projects coordinator position Presentations at conferences/ Poverty Simulation Strong ties to State Collaborative for Children, Youth, and Families

State Collaborative for Children, Youth, and Families NCDSS stakeholder group with family representation Consensus of child and family team definition Cross system child and family team curriculum with blended funds Website with blended funds Charter and strategic plan Cross agency Committees including technical assistance and membership System of Care Conferences/Training Events Statewide SOC Conference with 350+

Community and Family Partnerships Local County Collaborative groups

Community Collaboratives Integrating Resources & Response* One Unified Approach Child Serving Agencies , Community Resources and Families Local Collaborative Better outcomes for families and communities $ Add the family visual link to values 60/90examples of creative/well functioning collaboratives Maximizing Resources for a Comprehensive System of Services/Supports: Braided Funding & Blended Services Family, Neighborhood & Community Involvement * John Franz, 1999

Local SOC Efforts SOC coordinators at DSS Family partners Relationships with MH SOC regional coordinators Cross training Community building events Building local collaborative groups and structures such as care review teams Coordinating services and service planning through child and family teams

SOC in NC: A Work in Progress