1. Effectively using partnerships to implement california’s continuum of care reform
Tulare County

2. Implementing partnerships
Natalie Bolin, CWS Division Manager
Welcome and Introductions
History of Partnership
Focus of each agency and overall Vision
Tulareworks
Mental Health
probation
Child Welfare Services
Parenting Network FRC

3. Tulare County’s Continuum of Care Reform Committee Structure
CCR
Stakeholder Committee
RFA Committee
Ombudsman
FP College
and QPI
QPI Stakeholders
FP Mentor
CFT
Assessment Tool Workgroup
FPRRS
Lounge
Special Events
Parent Partner
Executive Committee
Two new workgroups have been created
Permanency Assessment
To address the assessment tool and incorporated the requirements for adoptions
TulareWORKS
To address the EW side of CCR with new forms, grievances, special rates, and so on
Permanency Assessment
TulareWorks
Mental Health, Probation, CWS
Mental Health, Probation, TulareWORKS, CWS
TulareWORKS, CWS
CWS

4. Parenting Network frc
Mike Gibson, Parenting Network Executive Director
Implementation on history of Parent Partner’s/Resource Family Mentor Programs

5. Parent partner’s Tammy Cunningham, Parent Partner Personal Story
Working with families

6. Resource family mentor
Emily Garcia, Resource Family Mentor
Personal Story
Working with families

7. Parenting network Christina Osorio, Program Manager Brochure
Training Curriculum for Parent Partners
“As Parent Partners, We know what it’s like to have our children removed from our care. We know how to successfully navigate the system. We can encourage you when you’re feeling discouraged. We can help you understand your rights as a parent. Parent Partners we are here for you.”

8. Child and family teaming (CFT’s)
Natalie Bolin, CWS Division Manager
History overview of Katie A. and Child Assessment Team (CAT)

9. Child and family teaming (CFT)
The intent of CCR is to have children and youth, who must live apart from biological parents, live in a permanent home with a committed adult(s) who can meet their needs
Services
Support
Reduce reliance on congregate care
Increase placements of home-based settings

10. Framework of tulare county’s cft’s
CFT plan was modeled after Mental Health’s plan
Statistics from CFT Pilot Program
Time it takes to complete a CFT from start to finish
CFT recommendations
Sample of CFT assessment

11. Child and family teaming (CFT)
CFT drives placement decisions, case planning and care coordination
Assess, plan, intervene, monitor and refine services over time
Determines level of care (LOC)
Identify supports
Least restrictive family settings
Promote normal childhood experiences
State determined assessment tool

12. The team
CFT is a group of people that the family identifies who are invested in the youth.
These can include:
• Youth and Family
• Natural supportive relationships
• School Personnel
• Spiritual and faith-based supports
• Neighbors
• Mental Health Professionals
• Probation
• Tribal members
• Public Health providers
• CASA
• Youth/Parent Mentor

13. CFT vs. cft meeting
The CFT is a group of people and a CFT meeting is a functional structure and process of engaging the family and their service teams in a thoughtful and effective planning.
Family is a partner in the decision making process.
CWS is responsible for engaging members of the CFT.
Only a CFT if family is present- if not, just a staffing.

14. confidentiality
Confidentiality and sharing information are key elements to a CFT.
Right to privacy vs. creating barriers to receiving services.
W&I Code 832- promotes sharing information between CFT members relevant to case planning and providing necessary services and supports to the child, youth and family.
Builds trust and helps with the collaborative engagement with families.

15. When to have a cft meeting
Identify CFT as soon as minor enters into Child Welfare Services
State requirements within 60 of placement
Every six months (unless receiving ICC services)
ICC- every 90 days (unless decided more frequent)
Follows the SDQ/SCARD screening timeframe
CFT meeting can be called anytime and held as often as needed (different for every family)
Location of CFT meeting determine by team

16. Cft agenda Purpose Collaborative Agenda Setting Ask questions
Share concerns
Build on strengths
Develop individualized case plan
Culturally responsive
Trauma-informed
Revision to the case plan

17. Tools used for CFT’s

18. C F T H I L D A S E M N
sample

19. C F T E A M P L N
sample

20. Resource family approval (RFA)
David Rodriguez, CWS Manager
What is RFA?
Tulare County Steering Committee
January 1st implementation

21. Resource family approval (RFA)
It is streamlined and eliminates the duplication of existing processes.
It unifies approval standards for all caregivers regardless of the child’s case plan.
Includes a comprehensive psychosocial assessment, home environment check and training for all families, including relatives.
It prepares families to better meet the needs of vulnerable children in the foster care system.
Allows seamless transition to permanency.
Foster Family
Adoptive Family
Relative Caregiver
Resource Family
Vision: One approval process for all Resource Families (relative, NREFM, Guardianship, foster and/or adopt) looking to care for children in out of home care.

22. Components of rfa Comprehensive RFA Assessment Written Report
Training
Documents
Home Environment Assessment
Psycho-Social Assessment
Background Check Assessments
Written Report
(Family Study)

23. Foster Parent Recruitment, Retention, and Support (FPRRS) funding opportunity
ACL 15-76, released October 8, 2015
Tulare County FPRRS program plan
Quality Parenting Initiative (QPI)
Resource Family Ombudsman
Foster Parent College (FP College)
Parent Partner and Resource Family Mentor
Resource family lounge and special events
Child’s Needs and Services Placement Child Family Team (CFT)
CDSS knew that the implementation of CCR was an enormous task for counties, they began to assemble specific tasks for counties in order to start making changes towards the implementation of CCR.
A specific recommendation from the CCR framework was made to strengthen foster parent
ACL 15-76: funding to help support the legislation expected to be adopted to improve CA’s child welfare system through the continuum of care reform initiative.

24. Lounge and Opportunities for Training (LOFT)
Ribbon Cutting on August 18th 2016

25. Tulare County’s rfa committee structure
CCR Stakeholder Committee
RFA Steering Committee
Pre-approval training
Caretaker Orientation
QPI
Staffing
RFA forms
FPRRS
Lounge
Special Events
Parent Partner
Ombudsman
Two new workgroups have been created
Permanency Assessment
To address the assessment tool and incorporated the requirements for adoptions
TulareWORKS
To address the EW side of CCR with new forms, grievances, special rates, and so on
Probation, CWS
Mental Health, Probation, TulareWORKS, CWS
TulareWORKS, CWS
Parenting Network, CWS
CWS

26. Collaboration Mental Health, Probation, tulareworks
Working Together to Effectively Implement CCR

27. Collaboration tulare county Mental Health
Betsy Ellis, Manager Tulare County Mental Health Department
Role in CCR Implementation
Active in all committee meeting since inception
CWS and MH attend all training together
CWS and MH met together with local Group Homes transitioning
CFTs- MH is at the table for all CFTs for children open to our MHP.
MH will remain the one responsible for certification of all STRTPs CWS and MH are working on the collaborative list of which GH are going to need MH approval and certification.

28. Collaboration TulareWORKs
Rosemary Juarez, Foster Care Program Specialist
Tulare County Foster Care eligibility and Child Welfare Services are collaborating efforts to implement the new rates, RFA process and fund relatives and NREFM’s while working on getting licensed.

29. Collaboration TulareWORKs
Our Relative placements are completing SAWS1, CW2218 and CW2219
CalWORKs Application
NREFM financial assistance/EA funding
SSI and undocumented children
FC eligibility once RFA is approved

30. Collaboration tulare county probation
Tammy Peckham, Probation Supervisor
Different Focus Common Goal
Child Welfare Services
Probation

31. Collaboration tulare county probation
How It was Accomplished
Understanding Focus
Communication
Working as a Team
Foster Parent and Relative Recruitment, Retention, and Support (FPRRS) funding
CFT Process
RFA Process

32. W O R K I N G T E H r Probation Mental Health Child Welfare
Parenting Network
TulareWORKs
Collaboration
Commitment
Communication
Engagement
Common Goal
Partnership
AB 403 implements the following policy changes that align with Probation/Mental health/child welfare. CCR brings us all to the table! Together we will improve services to our children and families.
Update assessment:
Services initiated promptly
With RFA and CFT’s it will improve how we identify the childs needs and match them with the appropriate resource family that can utilize their skills and expertise so that the first placement is the last placement
Aligns mental health with the CFT’s, Probation with RFA

33. QUESTIONS

34. Tulare county Contact information
Probation TulareWORKs
(559) (559)
Mental Health Parenting Network
(559) (559)
parentingnetwork.org
Child Welfare Services
(559)