1. Resource Family Approval
Lessons Learned
July 12, 2016
RFA Convening, Sacramento, CA

2. Philosophical Considerations RFA is much more than just changes to your business operations
How do we change the organizational culture to be more holistic?
How do we get out of silos that have been in existence for years?
How do we manage the fear of change and the possible impacts on our staff and existing caregivers?
What will success look like?

3. What’s Worked Well for Early Implementing Counties
Identify Stakeholders
Staff
Community Partners
Resource Families
Youth
Engage Stakeholders
Start early. Do frequent check ins to see if anyone is missing from the dialogue
Encourage open dialogue, clear expectations and flexibility
Create a shared vision with Stakeholders

4. What’s worked well (continued)
Developing a communication plan (external and internal)
Create unified messaging
Establish ongoing opportunities for input
Openly discuss concerns about implementation
Take the time to work through people’s concerns
Collaborating with other early implementing counties
Requesting T/A from CDSS and SVC/CFPIC
Working with CDSS RFA team
Site Visits

5. What’s worked well (continued)
Develop Implementation Team Early On
Meet regularly
Develop Implementation Plan and timelines
Know your numbers
Complete a workflow diagram to determine how an applicant (emergency & non-emergency) will “travel” through various units
Pay special attention to “placement prior to approval” process

6. What’s worked well (continued)
Engage Administration
Identify Resource needs
Budget/fiscal
Staff
Increased number of work units
Business logistic – office space, equipment

7. Staffing Considerations
How will you use your existing staff?
Managing multiple processes until full transition
Recognize that RFA staff will have a caseload of RFA families
Addressing increased workload for approving families up front and on an annual basis
Emphasis staffs’ role as agents of change in partnership with resource families
If more staff are needed, how will the hiring process impact getting the staff in place?
How will you ensure “same – same” standards throughout your county?
Training New and Existing Staff
Important to ensure that all staff understands and embraces the profound philosophical shift that is RFA

8. Lessons Learned Since Implementation
Importance of setting up family case files
How CDSS forms helped/hindered the process
Where clarity or amendments to Written Directives were needed
Need to continuously revisit/review RFA policies/procedures/forms to ensure alignment with evolving RFA requirements
Ensure that psychosocial assessment is framed within the context of a general, family-based approval versus a specific child-based approval

9. Lessons Learned (continued)
Relatives appreciate the training and find it helpful
Importance of providing supports and strategies to assist relatives with process
RFA has increased capacity for placements
Importance of internal databases
RFA Database (San Luis Obispo)
Tracks RFA applicants through the entire application process
Alerts when renewals are due
Alerts when CPR/First Aid is expiring
Generates the RFA ID number
Maintains complaint information

10. County Considerations to Ensure Timely Approvals
What is important to determine approval/denial of a family and what can wait for pre-placement or post-approval
Additional requirements beyond the Written Directives or added procedures may add delays to timeliness of approvals
Examples of requirements potentially creating delays include:
Pre-approval training hours beyond the state minimum required
Verification of marriages/dissolutions/deaths (this is required prior to adoption finalization)

11. County Considerations to Ensure Timely Approvals (continued)
Examples of added procedures potentially creating delays include:
Written reference checks: Written Directives allow flexibility to minimize barriers
CPR/First Aid: Flexibility in how training is received
Bifurcation of RFA process
Many reasons counties considering this option

12. County Considerations to Ensure Timely Approvals (continued)
If bifurcating, some considerations for timely approvals:
Ensure bifurcated process is not linear
Some counties refer family to contracted agency after 30 days once paperwork and home environment is completed
Other option is to refer immediately and work conjointly: while county gathering paperwork and completing home environment, other agency is working on psychosocial assessment
Recruitment of Resource Families – don’t let the recruited families get lost in the shuffle

13. Questions