Voices of Families at Team Meetings Presentation May 18, 2015 Victor Medrano, CalWorks, FCS Linkages Carol Sentell-Bassett, Child Welfare Supervisor Danielle Bernardo, Child Welfare

San Francisco CalWORKs and Child Welfare Family Team meetings We work in partnership with families, communities, tribes, and other professionals and service providers working with the family.

3 Different Ways we team in San Francisco Team decision making meetings: to involve birth families and community members along with resource families, service providers and HSA staff, in all placement decisions, to ensure a network of support for the children and the adults who care for them. Family Team Meeting: always involves family members and is primarily utilized for ongoing case planning, decision making and case progression. Team members include mother and/or father, youth or child ( age appropriate), the case carrying social worker, caregivers, and other appropriate agency or community service providers. Linkages Family Team Meeting: Open cases with families involved in both FCS and CalWORKs program are considered “Linkages” cases. The Linkages Family Team and Case Coordination Meeting is the initial process in which FCS and CalWORKs coordinate and streamline the Court or non-Court case plan, or the FR AB 429 Case Plan, together with the Welfare-to Work/ CalWORKs case plan. Other partner agency or community based organization case plans may be included as well.

What is Linkages Family Team Meeting for Child Welfare and CalWORks Staff in San Francisco  The Linkages Case Coordination meeting brings together a team of expert support with the family, for the family. Through the meeting process, the family’s case plans( FCS, CalWORKs and others) are coordinated and streamlined so that the family’s success is enhanced in meeting the goals and timelines of many different case plans.

The Building Blocks of SF Linkages Teaming Practice Why Linkages? Family Centered, team driven Strength based Need driven Solution Focused Community Based

The Application of the Core Principles through Linkages meetings as seen by CalWORKs and FCS staff Getting everyone on the same page To provide financial support to families in the Reunification process To avoid duplication of services coming from both programs Bringing team of professionals who are subject matter experts as an extension of the family’s support network. Families have can voice directly their concerns and active role in the decision making process to address their self-sufficiency and child safety issues. Allows greater operational efficiency by coordinating services more effectively and allocating tasks to all meeting participants Internal cross-communication increases access to existing material resources for families involved with Child Welfare and CalWORKs.

The Application of the Core Principles through Linkages meetings as seen by CalWORKs and FCS staff Address and reduce conflicting program requirements. Clarify to the family roles and responsibilities of each staff member and who is accountable for each action item. Providing a safety net and continuous services to families after Child Welfare closes the case Allows to conduct diligent efforts to ensure that basic material needs are met via the Income Support Programs, Child Welfare Services and or community support. Linkages Family Team Meetings, from a Safety Organized Practice perspective,functions as a tool to address complicating factors such as homelessness, food, cash aid and medical care. The Child Welfare staff does not have direct access or control over those systems or resources therefore, the Linkages meetings help the Child Welfare Worker remove the barriers that prevent the family from addressing the safety concerns.

FAMILY PLAN SUMMARY AND NEXT STEPS Family’s Challenges/Concerns Parenting Support Child Behavior Substance Abuse Welfare to Work Sanction Mental Health Disability Domestic Violence Other: Child Care Other: PSW Responsibilities Family/Parent Responsibilities (Include type of activity, location, etc.) CalWORKs Staff Responsibilities Set up or make referral to: Attend & comply with all recommended services: Set up or make referral to: Due Date Visitation with child(ren) Parenting Client was informed that she can apply for GA after client exhausts AB 429 grant 4/14/15 home with caregiver Substance assessment at HPP Pending Exempt until: Meeting with: Mental individual therapy pending Exemption type: To discuss: Child Client informed about what to do regarding medical and food stamps 4/14/15 Child Set up CalWORKs/FR Services: cash and fast pass depending on progress as reported by PSW 5/1/15 Next Court date: Other: supervised visitations – once a week pending Client was informed about 12 months limitations of AB 429 4/14/15 Absent parent involvement Family therapy- in the futurepending Income verification and EBT card4/14/15 Other Child care Other: PSW to send monthly xClient informed about need Referral to CalWORKs contracted services: Check in s to ES and LC To make good progress in FR Parenting Stating whether client is engaged Plan in month following review Substance Service or not. Meeting. Mental Domestic Community-Based Organization Responsibilities: CBO NameCBO RepresentativePlan/Next steps:Due Date Parent/Guardian Signature PSW Signature CalWORKs Staff Signature 2 Form 1163 Linkages Coordinated Family Plan 3/12

Linkages – Monthly Meetings

Linkages January 2011-October 2014

Linkages meetings held Jan Dec 2014