1. Resource Family Approval Process Implementation
San Luis Obispo County

2. First Steps
An internal steering committee was convened to develop the action plan and establish an implementation timeline. The steering committee consisted of Regional Managers, Supervisors, and Staff Development Program Review Specialists and Program Managers
At the steering committee, several subcommittees were identified to focus on specific areas, and a lead person was identified for each subcommittee.

3. Implementation time line
August 21 – Stakeholder’s meeting
August 26 – Sept 6 – Subcommittee meetings
September 9-13 – Steering Committee reconvenes to review recommendations and findings from the subcommittees
September – Staff Development finishes creating tools, updating policies and procedures etc.
September – Staff training
October 1 - Implementation

4. Stakeholders Meeting
San Luis Obispo County invited foster parents, Foster Family Agencies, Probation staff and all internal staff who would be impacted by the RFA change to a stakeholders’ meeting.
At the stakeholders’ meeting SLO gave an overview of RFA, and went over our implementation plan and timeline. Stakeholder members were invited to sign up to participate in any of the subcommittees they were interested in.

5. Subcommittees Home Approval/Home Study Renewals Forms and Packets
Databases
Complaint investigations
PRIDE training

6. Home Approval/Home Study Subcommittee
Determined that DSS would create a combined permanency assessment form that will be used for all psycho/social evaluations
Agreed that partner agencies would take both matched and unmatched permanency assessments
Agreed Partner Agencies would take up to 5 referrals each month for permanency assessments

7. Renewals Subcommittee
Reviewed forms and internal processes and determined SLO is already meeting RFA requirements
Recommended that renewals for RFA homes be tracked in new database since they have to be reviewed annually

8. Forms and Packets Subcommittee
Reviewed and revised all currently used forms and packets
Created a new health screening assessment

9. Databases Subcommittee
Created streamlined database to:
Track RFA applicants through the entire application process, as well as alert when renewals are due.
Generate the RFA ID number which is replacing the current license number

11. Complaint Investigation Subcommittee
Reviewed current processes, and the ACLs referenced in the Directives. (ACL and about Harris hearings).
Determined that our current practices will continue. Recommendation made to add information about the complaint investigation to the new RFA database.

12. PRIDE Training PRIDE classes made recommended changes:
DSS will contract with a health care professional to attend one of our PRIDE sessions to complete the health screening
DSS will bring a mobile livescan unit to one of the PRIDE sessions to facilitate fingerprinting
DSS will have one PRIDE session focus on completing the First Aid and CPR course needed for approval

13. Follow up Stakeholders meeting
A follow up stakeholders’ meeting was held prior to implementation to report back to the stakeholders’ group about progress and changes made.

14. Staff Training
Two half-day sessions were held for CWS staff to give an overview of the RFA process and to review all changes.
Smaller training sessions were given to specific staff whose job functions were most severely impacted by the change.

15. Implementation San Luis Obispo County went live on November 1, 2013
Conducted our first PRIDE session, which included both relative caregivers and the traditional foster family applicants
Utilized RFA process for an placement
Relative caregivers have been very receptive to the process, and have stated they like the additional supports being offered to them

16. Steps ahead
Develop information sessions for relative/NREFMs who had placements prior to November 1. Those sessions will roll out in December and will focus on how RFA impacts them, and will invite them to become RFA homes if they are interested
Continue to revise internal policy and procedure documents and review how implementation is proceeding
Meet with our partner agencies once a month to review how the permanency assessments are working