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Alaska Citizen Review Panel
CRP’s work House Health and Social Services Committee Juneau, AK February 12, 2015
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Presentation Outline What is the CRP, and what does it do? Panel’s activities since 2002 This year’s goals
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What does CRP do? Federal Mandate: State Mandate:
Review and evaluate practice as well as policy and procedure Collect public comment and prepare and present an annual report which details their activities and recommendations (CRP Annual Report) State Mandate: “The CRP shall examine the policies, procedures, and practices of State and local agencies and where appropriate, specific cases, to evaluate the extent to which State and local child protection system agencies are effectively discharging their protection responsibilities.”
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Vision and Mission Vision: Mission:
To enable the Office of Children’s Services to implement its policies and procedures in a culturally sensitive and consistent manner across the state. Mission: Review and evaluate the practices and procedures of OCS Recommend changes and improvements
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What CRP does not do It does not get involved in individual cases. The Ombudsman’s Office exists to hear concerns about state government from citizens. OCS also has a recently revamped grievance process to assist citizens and clients with concerns. CRP appreciates hearing from citizens because this will alert us if there is a pattern of problems in an area or with a policy or its implementation.
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CRPs can review, evaluate, or examine
Intake and screening Investigation or assessment Family Services (in-home or out-of-home) Practice behaviors Coordination of services Staff qualifications, training, and workload Utilization of technology Review of individual cases
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CRP recommendations Can address… Should be… Policy-practice gaps Focused and specific Inadequate policy Should deal with issues within OCS control Issues not addressed in policy Based on meaningful and real information Systemic issues Be based on the work done through the year
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Broadly representative of the state
Panel Membership Volunteers Broadly representative of the state Diverse personal and professional background All parts of the state Some experience and familiarity with child protection The Panel’s members are chosen through a formal interview process
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Needs of children and families
This is how it works… Alaska’s Child Protection CRP’s job is to check if these wheels are turning as we expect them to – smoothly. Needs of children and families Practice Policy
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CRP tries to know the answers to these questions.
This is how it works… Alaska’s Child Protection Needs of children and families Practice Policy What is supposed to be done? What is needed? What is actually done? CRP tries to know the answers to these questions.
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Every year the Panel starts with a WORK PLAN
This is how it works… Every year the Panel starts with a WORK PLAN Sample thing 1 for this year….. Goal 1 Tasks…. Sample thing 2 for this year ….. Goal 2 Tasks… Sample thing 3 for this year ….. Goal 3
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CRP pursues these goals through: Monthly meetings
This is how it works… CRP pursues these goals through: Monthly meetings Panel meetings Meetings with OCS senior leadership Site visits Meet with OCS staff Meet with local partner agencies including tribal leaders and ICWA workers Present to the legislature every February Release an annual report
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In the past year CRP conducted site visits in Anchorage, Bethel, Kodiak and Southeast (Juneau, Sitka and Ketchikan). Held a first ever retreat. Presented to the BIA ICWA Providers’ Conference and surveyed attendees. Met twice a month (once with senior OCS staff) Revised and updated nearly all processes and procedures. Recruited new members.
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Covered almost all of the state…
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Recommendations from 2013-2014
Recommendation 1: OCS make several changes to its intake policy Create and support several methods for people to make a report Change the intake procedures so reporters have to opt-out of receiving follow up on the case Uniformly implement the current pilot project of having a supervisor reviewing cases after 10 screened-out PSRs Periodically send a list of screened out PSRs to the local field office
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Screened out because…
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Recommendations from 2013-2014
OCS develop a model for serving in-home cases in rural Alaska and improve its data collection on in-home cases
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Recommendations from 2013-2014
Recommendation 3: OCS address the root of Initial Assessment (IA) backlog problem
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Recommendations from 2013-2014
Recommendation 4: OCS make improved relationships with community partners a priority Focus on relationships has been part of CRPs work for several years There is no consistent practice in building and sustaining good relationships No institutional structure guiding relationships
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Past recommendations 2008 & That OCS continue to work toward having a fifth service region headquartered in Bethel Supporting and developing the relationship between OCS & ICWA (Indian Child Welfare Act) workers
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Past recommendations Work to improve the culture within the agency (Wasilla site visit) Establish deadlines that require non‐emergency petitions to be filed allowing for supervision of the family by the continuum of legal parties without necessitating the removal of the child.
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Goals for Retained all four goals from last year And added: Learn more about ORCA and its capabilities Understand and assess OCS’ foster care recruitment efforts
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OCS cannot resolve all the issues alone
Come join hands… OCS cannot resolve all the issues alone CRPs are set up for us to participate
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We just need to find a common language
Child protection is very complex OCS is a complex system $ 300 million annual budget 500 workers 5 regional offices 21 field offices Governed by Federal laws, state laws, codes of ethics, professional values, rules and regulations, legal cases and opinions, etc.
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We just need to find common language
OCS says… Citizens say… Not enough money Needs are important Not enough people I know things are not right… Higher ups will not let us do that… Why don’t you do something now… We have to do things one at a time… You don’t understand my community… We are following a set process We have no idea what you do…everything is a secret!
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We just need to find a common language
CRP is trying to translate between these parties Alaska’s Child Protection Needs of children and families Practice Policy What is supposed to be done? What is needed? What is actually done?
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THANK YOU! For more information www.crpalaska.org Contact Sylvan Robb
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