1. NRCOI March 5th Conference Call
A Focus on Two Defining Principles of Systems of Care: Family Involvement and Interagency Collaboration
NRCOI March 5th Conference Call
© 2005 ICF Consulting Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

2. Overview of Discussion:
Overview of Improving Child Welfare Outcomes through Systems of Care (SOC) Initiative funded by the Children’s Bureau.
Overview of National Evaluation and Data Collection Plan.
Presentation of preliminary data on impact of grant funding.
Introduction to two of our grant communities (CA and CO) and their
experiences around two of the most salient SOC Principles: Family
Involvement and Interagency Collaboration. 2
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3. ---Roundtable on Community Change The Aspen Institute
“We need a better understanding of what is reasonable to expect [systems change] efforts to accomplish, particularly in light of local and macro contextual factors (e.g., resource constraints, relationships, target populations)…More information is needed about the level, breadth and staging of efforts within and across [initiatives], within multiple contexts and with comparable goals if we are to gain a deeper understanding of the pathways to achieving [systems] change…”
---Roundtable on Community Change
The Aspen Institute 3
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4. Defining Systems of Care
“A system of care incorporates a broad, flexible array of services and supports for a defined population(s) that is organized into a coordinated network, integrates service planning and service coordination and management across multiple levels, is culturally and linguistically competent, builds meaningful partnerships with families and youth at service delivery, management, and policy levels, and has supportive management and policy infrastructure” (Stroul, 2002).
Based on the development of an infrastructure supporting:
Interagency collaboration
Individualized care practices
Culturally competent and community-based services and supports
Child and family involvement in all aspects of the system
Accountability 4
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5. The SOC Demonstration Cluster5
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6. National TA and Evaluation Center
for Systems of Care
Double-Barrel Approach: Combine Technical Assistance (TA) and Evaluation
Provides “full service” support for grantees
An Empowerment Evaluation Approach: TA and Evaluation inform each other
Strengthens ability to learn and disseminate
Technical Assistance
Consultant model of TA (comprehensive focus on long-term, proactive engagement with sites)
TA content driven by site needs and demonstration intent (e.g., infrastructure development
--> strategic planning, policy development, sustainability)
Based on the development of an infrastructure supporting:
Interagency collaboration
Individualized care practices
Culturally competent and community-based services and supports
Child and family involvement in all aspects of the system
Accountability 6
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7. Research Questions
How and to what extent did grantees incorporate and implement Systems of Care principles and build infrastructure into their child welfare agency?
To what extent has the implementation of a SOC principle-guided effort led to organizational and systems change? What type of systems change resulted?
What are the characteristics of “high implementing SOC grantees? What are the different characteristics and outcomes associated between high and low SOC implementation sites?
To what extent has the implementation of a SOC guided effort led to changes in case practice and service delivery and subsequent changes in outcomes for children and families?
Longitudinal and cohort design
Evaluation
Longitudinal, Cohort Design
Process and Outcome Evaluation
Multi-Method and Multi-Respondent
Multi-Level Outcomes (System- and Individual-Levels)
Multi-method, multi-respondent
Process and outcome evaluation
Multi-level outcomes (systems and individual)
The evaluation of the systems of care demonstration project in sites nationwide is designed to explore how a systems of care approach to service delivery can both improve outcomes for children and families in the child welfare system and address the issues raised by the CFSRs in relation to policies, practices, and cross-system collaboration.

8. Evaluation Logic Model
Program Foci and Investments
Infrastructure, Policy and Practice
Short-term Outcomes
Intermediate Outcomes
Long-term Outcomes
 Positive
outcomes for
target
population:
Safety
Permanency
Well-being
 Positive
outcomes for
child welfare
population:
Safety
Permanency
Well-being
Family Involvement
Cultural Competence
Interagency Collaboration
Individualized, Strength-based
Community-based
Planning
Governance
System Management
Communication
Policy
Finance
Families
 Satisfaction
 Buy-in staff
 Empowerment
 Utilization of
services
Systems of care approach implemented more broadly
Services
↓ Duplication
 Access to
services
Comprehensive
and coordinated
Accountability 8
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9. Increased Agency Support for SOC Principles Variation by Site
Interim Findings
Increased Agency Support for SOC Principles
Variation by Site
Evidence of Increased Implementation of Collaborative Case Planning and Service Provision 9
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10. How did we measure change?
Child Welfare Survey Data
T1 (n=668) and T2 (n=589)
Agency Support for SOC Principle (Systems)
Caseworker Internalization & Implementation of
SOC Principle (Practice)
Examples from the Field – CA and CO 10
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11. Impact of SOC Principles on CW Agency and Caseworker Practices
Interagency
Collaboration
Community-
Based
Services
Changes in Agency Support Of
SOC Principles
Changes in Caseworkers’
Practice
of SOC
Principles
Family
Involvement
Cultural
Competence
Accountability
Individualized
Strengths-Based

12. How has CW agency support for Interagency Collaboration changed?
Cross-Site Findings 12
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13. How has CW agency support for Interagency Collaboration changed?
Site Specific Findings 13
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14. How has Caseworker Implementation for Interagency Collaboration changed?
Cross-Site Findings 14
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15. Changes in Family Involvement
Caseworker and Stakeholder Perceptions of Change (Time 1 & Time 2 Surveys)
Practice Changes
Contextual Factors 15
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16. How has CW agency support for family involvement changed?
Average Agency Support for Family Involvement 16
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17. Have grant communities been successful in increasing family involvement in the child welfare system?
Success of Systems of Care in Increasing
Family Involvement in Child Welfare System 17
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18. Practice Changes: System Level
Recruitment and involvement of families in governance and planning activities have been strong, but retention is an ongoing challenge.
Families appear to have a stronger voice as partners in decision-making.
Grant communities have been active in identifying financing focused on promoting or sustaining family involvement.
Grant communities have worked to educate families and the community on family involvement. 18
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19. Practice Changes: Peer Level
Grant communities have actively worked on planning, implementing, or improving peer support models
CA parent partners mentored 247 families in 2007
Anecdotal evidence that parent mentors positively impact families 19
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20. Practice Changes: Case Level
All grant communities are providing training on Child and Family Teams (CFTs), Team Decision-Making (TDM), “wraparound” services, or Family Group Decision Making (FGDM).
Several communities have developed new policies or guidelines regarding the implementation of CFTs, TDM, or FGDM.
Grant communities have implemented mechanisms to educate parents involved with child welfare about the child welfare system. 20
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21. What interim conclusions can we draw about implementation of System of Care principles in the context of Child Welfare? 21
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22. Interim Conclusions:
Grant communities are doing business in a different way as a result of participation in this initiative
Grant communities have incorporated SoC principles into their practice
Areas of greatest success in implementation of the principles are in family involvement and interagency collaboration
Areas of greatest challenge are in cultural competency and accountability 22
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23. Interim Conclusions:
Grant communities are leveraging their positions to promote policy change
Training case workers and families on participatory processes including Team Decision Making have the potential to lead to sustained changes in practice
Current evidence supports the contention that while there has been impact on front line practice, this impact has been uneven and not fully realized
Context plays a significant role in the capacity of grantee communities to implement SoC principles 23
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24. Examples From the Field
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
Family Involvement
Judi Knittel
Cheryl Barret
COLORADO
Interagency Collaboration
Susan Franklin
Holly Haman-Marcum 24
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