San Joaquin County
Child Welfare Improvement
San Joaquin County
Demographics

Population
673,170
Children in Foster Care (2006)
Children < 5 (2005)
Children < 18 (2005)
Caucasian (2005)
1749
8.0%
29.7%
73.0%

African-American (2005)
Hispanic or Latino (2005)
Persons reporting 2+ races (2005)
7.9%
34.7%
3.4%
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Persons below poverty level (2004)
14.0%
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Source: U.S. Census Bureau
2
Child Welfare Improvement
I.
Differential Response
II.
Team Decision-Meeting
III.
Disproportionality
3
I. Differential Response
Differential Response Assessment
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Promoting Safe and Stable Families (PSSF)
with Federal Funding
Differential Response Program began in
December 2002
Contracted with the Child Abuse Prevention
Council (CAPC)
Program entitled First Step Resource
Response (FSRR)
$160,000 (2002/2003)
5
Child Abuse Prevention Council
FSRR Sub-Contractors

Women’s Center of San Joaquin County
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Domestic violence issues with children in
the home
Council for Spanish Speaking

Families with Spanish as their primary
language
6
First Step Resource Response
Flowchart
CPS Referrals
Path I
Path I
FSRR Program
through
CAPC
CAPC
El Concilio
Women's Center
7
First Step Resource Response
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35 Path 1 cases per week
CPS sends the family a letter
No confidentiality agreement is necessary
when CPS sends referral to DR agencies,
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They are an extension of the Agency by contract
CAPC assess family needs and refer to
appropriate agencies for individualized
information and resources
Family signs confidentiality agreement forms
with CAPC or subcontractors
8
FSRR Statistical Data
2002 - 2007
State Fiscal Year
12/2002 – 6/2003
Total Referrals
Received
Total Referrals
that Accepted
Services
Case Returned to
CPS by CAPC
355
29
0
2003 – 2004
1,121
283
0
2004 – 2005
1,361
37
1
2005 – 2006
1,217
356
5
2006 - 2007
1,451
822
23
5,505
1,863
29
Column Totals:
9
Promoting Safe and Stable
Families Funding
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$160,000 in 03/04
$160,000 in 04/05
$ 38,000 from 10/05–12/05
$ 95,000 from 1/06–6/06
$190,000 in 06/07
$190,000 in 07/08
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Additional
Differential Response Services
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Family Advocacy Support Team
(FAST)
Differential Response Case
Management
Domestic Violence Response Team
Differential Response Service
Integration
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Differential Response
Flow Chart
Child Welfare Services
Path I
Evaluated out
Path II
CPS & CBO Joint
Response
Path III
CPS Response
F.S.R.R. Program
F.A.S.T. Program
Differential Response
Case Management Program
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Women’s Center- Family Advocacy
Support Team (FAST)
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Began in July 2004
$38,000 per year
Path 1: 13 cases per
week
Path 2 & 3: 12 cases
per week
Domestic violence
advocate out staffed at
CPS
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Differential Response Case
Management Program

San Joaquin County received CWSOIP
funds
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$378,418 (06/07)
$378,886 (07/08)
Provision of case management services
for families who voluntarily accept
services
14

Collaborating agencies:
Child Abuse Prevention Council
 Community Partnership for Families
 Council for Spanish Speaking
 Women’s Center of San Joaquin
County
 Data Co-op of San Joaquin County

15

Referrals received from:
FSSR Program
 FAST Program
 Direct Referrals from CPS
 Cross-referrals between agencies
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16
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CBO’s average per year:
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Community Partnership for Families
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120 families
240 children per year
Family Success Team (FST) meetings
Case management services provide:
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Weekly contact with family and bi-weekly face-toface contact
Written case plan
Manage case for a minimum of three months
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Differential Response Case Management
Subsequent Referral’s to CPS
Differential Response (DR) case management cases, either
still open or previously open in DR within 6 months
Month/Year Total Case Number Substantiated Inconclusive Unfounded Eval- Detained
Management
Out
Referrals
November-06
32
12
1
2
5
4
1
December-06
40
25
3
8
8
6
1
January-07
82
39
3
8
19
9
0
February-07
79
41
9
7
11
14
2
March-07
95
39
8
9
17
5
0
April-07
93
40
11
6
13
10
3
May-07
81
18
4
7
3
4
1
June-07
55
15
1
2
6
6
1
Total:
557
229
40
49
82
58
9
18
Domestic Violence
Response Team

Domestic Violence Response Team
 CPS – out-stationed at Stockton
Police Department
 SPD
 Women’s Center
 Probation
 Victim Witness
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Differential Response
Service Integration
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San Joaquin County received funding
from California Department of Social
Services
Child Welfare Services Outcome and
Improvement Project (CWSOIP)
$200,000 05/06
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Community Partnership for Families was
contracted to enhance service delivery system
and integrate services:
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Plan
Coordinate
Facilitate
Train
Served as the hub of services for collaborating
public and non-profit agencies
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Differential Response
Collaborative Monthly Meetings
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Beginning in 2005, Child Welfare
Services:
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Coordinates and facilitates a monthly
meeting of the partners
Approximately 25 - 30 individuals from
various agencies attend
Focus on problem-solving strategies
Share resource information
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Share outcome data
Arrange for CBO case managers to shadow
CPS social workers
Funding updates
Case management software discussion
CPS sponsored training and CBO crosstraining
CPS supervisor liaison:
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Assist in case management issues
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Differential Response Case
Management Software Program
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$50,000 in 05/06 in CWSOIP funds
Development and implementation of a
software program for the CBO’s providing
differential response
Utilized for case documentation, case
management and outcome report information
$10,000 for 07/08 for software program
support services
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II. Team Decision Meetings
(TDM)
Team Decision Meetings
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CPS Emergency Response
Family Reunification
 Families on Course Unite Successfully
(FOCUS)
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CPS Emergency Response TDM’s
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Began on July 1, 06
One TDM Coordinator
Intake & Assessment Units
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Low to moderate risk cases
Team strategies how to best help family/child
Connect with community-based organizations
Prevent detention, if possible and safe
Court Units
Placement Issues
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TDM and Case Management for
Family Reunification Cases
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Goal:To reduce the rate of re-entry into
foster care
PSSF funding provided for TDM’s and
post-reunification case management
services:
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05/06 $60,000 (six months)
06/07 $114,000
07/08 $114,000
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Awarded a contract to the Center for
Positive Prevention Alternatives (CPPA)
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Families on Course Unite Successfully (FOCUS)
Referrals come through the Family Social
Work Program of CWS when families appear
close to reunification
Since October ’06, TDM’s have averaged nine
cases per month (initial and follow-up TDM’s)
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How FOCUS TDM’s Work
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CWS referred to FOCUS families who are
within two to three months of reunification
FOCUS coordinates and facilitates TDM
TDM held at Community Partnership for
Families, Family Resource Centers, if possible
Goal of TDM:
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Address case plan process
Develop a safety net for family
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Post Reunification Services
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Provide services for a minimum of three
months or until the family appears to be
stabilized
In addition to Family Social Worker, FOCUS
provides case management services
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Weekly contact and a minimum of one face-toface visit per month
Goal is to serve up to 120 families per year
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Community Resources Available
Through FOCUS Program
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Center for Positive Prevention
Alternatives
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Individual & family therapy
Anger management classes
Youth decision group
Art-based therapy group
Parent support group
Council for Spanish Speaking
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Case Management issues
Services for Spanish speaking people
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Community Partnership for Families Family Resource Centers
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Housing
Financial planning
School related issues
Child care
Family safety
Case management services
Child Abuse Prevention Council
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Crisis nursery services
Structured child care
Case management services
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Women’s Center of San Joaquin
County
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Domestic violence counseling/support
groups
Domestic violence shelter
Sexual assault counseling
Case management services
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III. Disproportionality
Over-Representation of AfricanAmerican Children in the CWS
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Disproportionate amount of African-American
children in the Child Welfare System
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Federal
State
County
2005/2006 San Joaquin County convened a
workgroup to determine how to approach this
issue. Group consisting of:
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Line Staff
Supervisors
Administrators
Facilitator
36
Disproportionality in Referrals
Disproportionality in Referrals
Percentage of Children in San Joaquin County and
Referred to CPS by Ethnicity, July 2005
50%
43.8%
40%
37.3%
31.1%
30%
20%
10%
36.7%
21.0%
11.5%
8.6%
4.5%
1.3%0.5%
0%
African
American
White
Hispanic
Children in San Joaquin County
Asian
Native
American
Children Referred to CPS
Source: University of California at Berkeley Center for Social Services Research
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Disproportionality
in Foster Care
Disproportionality in Foster Care
Percentage of Children in San Joaquin County and
in Foster Care by Ethnicity, July 2005
50%
43.8%
41.2%
40%
31.1%32.0%
30%
22.3%
20%
10%
11.5%
8.6%
3.9%
1.3%0.6%
0%
African
American
White
Hispanic
Children in San Joaquin County
Asian
Native
American
Children in Foster Care
Source: University of California at Berkeley Center for Social Services Research
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05/06 Disproportionality
Workgroup Activities
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Organize the “Closing the Gap”
Conference
Developed CWS specific training
approach on the issue of bias
Regular meetings to move
disproportionality efforts forward
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“Closing the Gap” Conference
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April 19, 2006
Approximately 300 participants
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Social workers
Community-based agency representatives
Community members
Presenters:
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Antwone Fisher
Dr. Rita Cameron Wedding
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Presentation on County child welfare data
Community input on the issue of
disproportionality
Models from other counties
Facilitated group discussions
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Communicating about cultural issues
Improving work place practice
Societal issues
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Recommendations from
Conference
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Increase cultural competency training for CWS staff
Bring families, community, public & private agencies
together to identify best practice
Increase prevention & intervention services for
families
Increase educational opportunities for parents
Invest resources to support reunification and/or kin
placements
Hire more African-American’s in all positions
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CWS
CBO’s
42
Disproportionality Activities
2006 - 2007
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“One worker One solution at a Time”
trainings for all administration, supervisory,
and line staff as provided by Dr. Rita
Cameron-Wedding
System Partner Conferences
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“Understanding CPS” presentation
Two community forums
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“Understanding CPS” presentation
Approximately 130 participants
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Disproportionality Activities
2007 - 2008
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2008 Children’s Services Coordinating
Committee - Annual Child Abuse Workshop
Presentation
Peer-to-Peer disproportionality training for
administrators and supervisors
Identify additional staff trainings for practice
strategies around disproportionality
Development of cultural considerations policy
Mobilization of community engagement activities
44