A Valuable Bridge How Linkages Can Advance Other Initiatives Leslie Ann Hay, MSW Hay Consulting (206)

Linkages: Working Together to Reduce Poverty & Strengthen Families  CalWORKs provides services to help prevent families from entering CWS.  Coordinating services for “Cross-over families” helps increase safety and improve economic self-sufficiency.  CalWORKs families working on reunification with their children can receive non-cash services to promote safe, timely reunification.

Linkages: Working Together to Reduce Poverty & Strengthen Families  After children return home, CalWORKs can provide post-reunification services, including child care & other safety plan services to reduce likelihood of recurrence.  Transition-age youth who are parents can routinely be assessed for and linked to CalWORKs supportive services to ensure self-sufficiency.

Part One: Creating a Bridge Differential Response What’s the connection? Linkages strategies that support initiative goals Linkages results that advance initiative goals Permanency

Differential Response & Linkages  Diff. Response Goals Prevention/early intervention Level of response based on assessed safety/risk and family context, needs & resources Shared community response to more flexibly respond to family needs  Linkages Goals Prevention & early intervention Permanency Service coordination Self-sufficiency

Differential Response: What’s the Connection?  Prevention/early intervention approach  Collaborative screening, assessment and coordinated case planning  Targeted populations who are served by overlapping programs Not in CalWORKs In CalWORKs Not in CWS In CWS

Differential Response: Apply Linkages Strategies at Key Decision Points Hotline/Pre-contact Initial Contact With Family Comprehensive Family Assessment And Planning Service Delivery Resolution Collaborative screening and assessment Inter-program teaming for prevention Coordinated case planning Coordinated service delivery

Differential Response: Linkages Results  Reduction in repeat referrals  Reduction in additional substantiated allegations  Reduction in detention  Other?

Permanency: What’s the Connection?  Service coordination to address financial and functional needs of families  An understanding of how reducing poverty promotes permanency  Providing services, supports and opportunities during and after placement  Developing life skills for transition-age youth in out-of-home care

Permanency: Linkages Strategies Promoting Timely Permanency Support for Transitioning Youth Collaborative screening and assessment Coordinated case planning Coordinated service delivery

Permanency: Linkages Results  Reduced reentry into care due to aftercare support via relationship with CalWORKs worker  Support to relative caregivers reduces need for placement movement  Restoring economic stability for birth parents increases reunification rates

Leverage Opportunities to Build the Bridge  Analyze the connection  Emphasize Linkages strategies that solve an existing problem  Make the collaboration visible  Do your own “mini-research” to make the case  Focus on outcomes  Show cost savings

Part Two: Common Barriers to Bridge Building  Competing Demands  Maintaining Commitment  Reaching Full Implementation

Competing Demands  Reinforce the integrative power of Linkages  Connect milestones and successes of Linkages to goals of other priorities  Stay focused on what matters most  Let go of what doesn’t matter  Form alliances across organizational boundaries

Strategies: Maintaining Commitment  Communicate successes  Increase the “Emotional Quotient”  Advocate, inquire and repeat, as needed  Build trust across functions  Set the bar high in the public view

Reaching Full Implementation  Appreciate the “Implementation Dip”  Utilize informal networks  Pace the process for faster results  Coping with the challenge of diffusion Build coaching capacity Promote permeability of organizational boundaries Information infrastructure Establish a learning culture