1 Executive Summary of the Strategic Plan and Proposed Action Steps January 2013 Healthy, Safe, Smart and Strong 1

22 The DCF Mission… In partnership with families and communities, we will advance the health, safety and learning of the children we serve, both in and out of school, identify and support their special talents, and provide opportunities for them to give back to their communities and to leave the Department with an enduring connection to a family. 22

3 DCF Cross-Cutting Themes  Implement strength-based family policy, practice and programs  Apply the neuroscience of child, adolescent and adult development with an emphasis on the role of toxic stress and adverse childhood experiences on the early and later development of cognitive, social, emotional and physical health  Expand trauma-informed practice and culture  Build new community and agency partnerships  Improve leadership, management, supervision and accountability  Become a learning organization. 3

44 If we are successful, children will be… 4 HEALTHY Experience age-appropriate cognitive, physical, behavioral-emotional, and social development Have a permanent connection with a family SAFE Experience safety at home, at school and in the community Make positive behavioral and life choices SMART Achieve educational success Develop special interests and talents STRONG Develop internal resilience in the face of trauma, adverse experiences, and inequity Connect with protective factors in their community Optimal Health & Wellness 4

5 For children to succeed, context and partnerships matter… Healthy Communities Healthy Workforce Healthy Families All Children Achieve Optimal Health & Wellness Time Matters…. Especially for children Culture, Economics, Education and Environment Matter 5

6 How will we get there? Manage DCF operations and change (Strat. #8) Maximize revenue and develop new investment resources (Strat. #9) Results- based agency management Strengthen family- centered practice (Strat. #2) Expand regional networks of services (Strat. #3) Continue congregate rightsizing (Strat. #4) Increase agency and community partnerships (Strat. #6) Yields more effective services Support public/ private workforce (Strat. #7) Focus on identified populations of children & families (Strat. #5) Increased investment in prevention, health promotion, early intervention and educational success (Strat. #1 ) To address the needs of children, families & the workforce Healthy, safe, smart and strong children and families And improve child and family well being 6

Healthy, Safe, Smart and Strong Structure of the Proposed Plan Part I: Setting the Context Part II: Anchoring the Strategic Plan in RBA Part III: Fitting the Pieces Together Part IV: Proposed DCF Strategies Part V: What would success look like? (to be added) 7

88 Proposed action items 8 Strategy #1. Invest in prevention, health promotion, early intervention and educational success 1.1 Develop and implement DCF Health Framework 1.2 Implement DCF Education Framework 1.3 Implement DCF Early Childhood Framework 1.4 Increase agency work and investment in prevention Strategy #2. Apply strength-based, family-centered policy, practice and programs agency-wide 2.1 Fully implement Child and Family Teaming 2.2 Support and evaluate the DCF Family Assessment Response 2.3 Assure sibling connections 2.4 Expand and support kinship foster family care 2.5 Expand the DCF Fatherhood Initiative 2.6 Ensure that clinically appropriate case plans are developed with child, family, and others per Juan F. Consent Decree case planning requirements

9 Proposed action items Strategy #3. Develop and increasingly invest in regional networks of in-home and community services 3.1 Build out the DCF regional structure 3.2 Expand regional service system development 3.3 Expand family and community services 3.4 Increase family foster care recruitment and support 3.5 Implement federal trauma and housing grant awards 3.6 Implement DCF Health Framework to address children’s medical, dental, mental health, and other needs per Juan F. Consent Decree Outcome measure 15 Strategy #4. Continue congregate rightsizing and redesign 4.1 Redesign services at the Albert J. Solnit Children's Center, North & South 4.2 Redesign services at the DCF CT Juvenile Training School 4.3 Better utilize Behavioral Health Partnership data re: service needs and delivery 4.4 Continue private sector congregate redesign and rightsizing

10 Proposed action items 10 Strategy #5. Focus on identified populations of children and families 5.1 Develop permanency plans with family connections for DCF youth without them 5.2 Assure that DCF youth transition to adult services offered by other state or community agencies in a timely and effective manner 5.3 Assist families with multi-generation and/or chronic substance abuse, domestic violence or mental health problems and/or have an incarcerated parent to improve their ability to care for, support and protect their children in DCF care 5.4 Improve well-being for young children (B-6) in the care of young parents, grandparents or families in 5.3 Strategy #6. Support collaborative partnerships with communities and other state agencies 6.1 Expand interagency agreements as needed 6.2 Implement interagency real time data exchange 6.3 Link with community collaboratives 6.4 Link with early childhood community partnerships 6.5 Participate in national initiatives

11 Proposed action items Strategy #7. Support the public and private sector workforce 7.1 Expand DCF Worker Support teams 7.2 Continue DCF staff leadership development through coaching and mentoring 7.3 Expand DCF Provider Academy training partnerships and courses 7.4 Support public-private sector training in family-centered and trauma informed practice, and the neuroscience of development 7.5 Establish a Continuum of Care Partnership Training Structure Strategy #8. Increase the operational capacity of the Department to effectively manage both change and ongoing operations 8.1 Revise policies and practice guidance 8.2 Improve management practices, including implementation of Results Based Accountability and performance contracting 8.3 Expand internal DCF data systems 8.4 Expand the use of evidence-based and promising program models 8.5 Utilize DCF Change Management and Communities of Practice 8.6 Improve strategic communications 8.7 Expand workforce development and training (see Strategy 7)

12 Proposed action items Strategy #9. Develop revenue maximization and reinvestment priorities and methods 9.1 Continue fiscal planning based on the Strategic Plan 9.2 Continue fiscal reallocation to family and community services 9.3 Expand federal revenue maximization 9.4 Create fiscal partnerships for Social Impact or Social Entrepreneurship 9.5 Expand philanthropic partnerships and support, especially related to innovation

13 On any given day, there are at least 25,000 reasons to get this right… 13

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