1. NEXT STEPS IN DEVELOPING CULTURALLY-COMPETENT
DCF-Framing 2014
NEXT STEPS IN DEVELOPING
A COMMUNITY-BASED,
CULTURALLY-COMPETENT
SERVICE SYSTEM

2. Agenda Review of progress from 2011 to 2013 The work ahead
Partnership with service providers
Questions & Answers FM

3. Mission & Cross-Cutting Themes
The mission of the Department is to work together with families and communities for children who are healthy, safe, smart and strong.
Seven Cross-Cutting Themes
Implementing strength-based family
policy, practice and programs.
2. Applying the neuroscience of early
childhood and adolescent development.
3. Expanding trauma-informed practice and
culture.
4. Addressing racial inequities in all areas of
our practice.
5. Building new community and agency
partnerships.
6. Improving leadership, management,
supervision and accountability.
7. Becoming a learning organization.
Six Principles of Partnership
1. Everyone desires respect.
2. Everyone needs to be heard.
3. Everyone has strengths.
4. Judgments can wait.
5. Partners share power.
6. Partnership is a process. JK

4. Practice Transformation
Strengthening Families Practice Model
Fatherhood Engagement
Differential Response System
Announced visits
Trauma-informed Practice
Considered-Removal Team Meetings
Permanency Roundtables
Permanency Teaming JK

5. Achievements
Decreased Children in Placement by 16.8% (from 4784 to 3982)
Increased relative/kin placement from 19% to 32.5%
Reduced Out of State placement from 364 to 30
572 Fewer children in congregate care (35.3% decrease)
Only 61 children under the age of 12 in congregate care
Pre-certified 9 of the 22 Juan F. Outcome Measures
Met 17 of the 22 Outcome Measures in the 4th quarter of 2013
Released from the federal Program Improvement Plan by achieving 8 federal measures needing improvement JK

6. The Work 2014 Performance Expectations
Achieving and sustaining the 22 Juan F. Outcome Measures
Kinship care rates at 30% overall and 40% initial entry.
Congregate care rate at 10% or below
Targeted foster care recruitment
Permanency teaming for older youth to reduce APPLA goals by 50%
Reduction of # of kids in care by 25%
Reduce racial and ethnic disparities of children in care of DCF
Established comprehensive and integrated regional networks of care that adequately address the behavioral health needs of children
Improve the quality and satisfaction rate of foster home placements
Sound fiscal management JK

7. Population ProjectionsSS

8. Racial Disproportionality in the SystemSS

9. Challenges Concentration of high-need, high-risk cases
Need more in-home services and supports
Foster family recruitment for teens, sibling groups and children with complex medical needs
Permanency for older teens
Services to support transition to DMHAS and DDS
Implications of increasing kinship placements MW

10. Service Needs – Congregate Care
Community care services connected to RTC programs for 3 months.  Stable, consistent, resource for families.
A small number of sub-acute beds for children 12 and under
A small capacity for adolescent girls with substance abuse and co-occurring behavioral health needs
A handful of kids out of state present with  problem sexual behavior and intellectual/developmental disability
Move towards no longer than 6 months length of stay in congregate care
We need milieus to be family focused---and have all group care providers help with family engagement and family focused work on the milieu MW

11. Service Needs – Community
Family-based resources for some of the populations stuck in group care. 
Family-based resources/supports for adolescents and sibling groups.
Care coordination and wrap around supports for youth leaving congregate care (all ages) and care coordination for youth ages 12 and under.
In home services for high end youth
Evidenced-based substance abuse work in the community MW

12. Purchasing of Services
Outcomes and Performance Measures
RBA
PSDCRS
Continuous Quality Improvement
Preferred purchasing methods
Medicaid
Contracted services
Credentialed Services
USE Plans FM

13. Cultural & Linguistic Competence in Service Delivery
Cultural competency plans
Diversity in board membership and staffing
Services available in the native language of the children and families we serve
Data analysis, interpretation and presentation FM

14. Joint Training Opportunities
Family-centered practice
Trauma-informed practice
Data and Quality Improvement
Gender-responsive services
Girls speak up during focus groups and in newsletter
New Understanding Girls curriculum
Girls’ Providers Network FM

15. Innovative Financing Strategies
Social Impact Bonds
Public / Private Partnerships
Partnerships with local philanthropies
Inter-agency and inter-branch collaboration ED

16. Managing Transitions Ongoing and transparent communication
Strategic planning support
Aligning services to existing needs
Managing transitions to ensure continuity of care FM

17. Questions and/or comments?