May 6, 2015
To:
Representative Raymond E. Gallison, Chairman
Representative Eileen S. Naughton, Deputy Chairwoman
Members of the Committee
From: Brother Michael Reis, FSC, LICSW
CEO Tides Family Services
Vice President Board of RI Chapter of NASW
While NASW strongly endorses the administration’s efforts to redistribute and reallocate funding to
improve capacity and access to community based services, we also strongly refute the idea that child
and family services within the child welfare system has sufficient funding. The RI Chapter of NASW
strongly supports Budget Article 17, Section 28 authorizing the director to reallocate funds through
June 30, 2017. Without this authority, we believe that the department will not be able to implement
the changes necessary to set the department on the right course.
1. Over $30 million has been removed from the child welfare system in recent years. It is our
strong feeling that the consistent funding shortfalls and the lack of program development to
build alternative capacity to reduce dependence on placement has severely hurt the
Department’s ability to provide appropriate child welfare services.
2. There has been consistent erosion in provider funding and service quality relative to existing
community based and residential programming in recent years. Budgets have been cut relative
to preventative services that has effectively diverted families away from deeper involvement in
the child welfare system, clinical, nursing and other positions have been eliminated, resources
to stabilize and support kinship families have been cut, aftercare and other community based
services have been significantly reduced or are no longer viable resources.
3. The State of RI lacks a fair, systematic rate setting process across its service continuum that
assesses the real cost of providing service. Historically, there has been little rhyme or reason for
what has occurred. That said, providers know that in nearby New England and other states
community based and other strategically oriented residential services provided in RI can be
significantly undervalued financially.
4. It is important to understand and to appreciate the economic development context of nonprofit organizations serving the state’s most vulnerable children and families. This occurs in two
ways; first, in relation to these organization’s potential to reduce long term institutional and
other services expensed to the state (i.e. hospital, corrections, homelessness etc.). Second, this
sector employs hundreds of Rhode Island residents (i.e. social workers, clinicians, nurses, child
care worker’s, Psychologists, Psychiatrists etc.) that contribute to local communities and the
state’s economy. Providers believe that investment and strategic utilization of this sector has
consistently been minimized in recent years to the detriment of the state’s health and wellbeing.
5. DCYF needs to effectively utilize and blend multiple funding sources (i.e. Medicaid, 4E, 4B etc.)
in a coherent manner for the purpose of building greater community based service capacity.
The Office of the Secretariat under Secretary Roberts, is working to more effectively coordinate
these services. This needs to also include Child and Family Behavioral Health Services .
6.
There are a number of recommendations in the Casey Report. We are in support of most of
the recommendations. We strongly believe that DCYF needs a strong community based
orientated cohort of Social Workers who are actively involved in a local/regional system of care
focused on supporting families, foster and kinship placements and actively involved with
community providers to provide the support needed to make community based programing a
reality.
7. NB: section #2 highlights the need for the provider community to once again become whole
and provide the support that the DCYF social workers will need to make this plan work.
8. The Annie E Casey foundation has illustrated the importance of “homegrown” programs to
meet the needs of families where there is not a “stable” caretaker. These programs are
designed to restructure “families”.
9. We have a serious issue with sex trafficking in Rhode Island. We need to develop appropriate
programs.
10. State Agency Collaboration and Cross-Coordination
This includes all EOHHS agencies that have significant policy and service related impacts on
children and families. This includes DCYF and BHDDH as well as DHS (i.e. TANF, SNAP, Youth
Success, Early Intervention and other supportive services) and Department of Health (ACA
funded early childhood services, health equity etc.). In addition, RIDE as well as the Workforce
Partnership. We need to look broadly across systems if we are going to serve families in a
comprehensive manner.
Professional Literature

RIPEC Study 2001 – 80% of the $ went to 20% of the kids – System based on Beds

CHARTING A NEW COURSE: A Blueprint for Transforming Juvenile Justice in NYS - 2009
Patterson Report.
o Average cost of placement $210,000/year
o Outcomes
NYS -- 89% of boys and 81% of girls re-arrested by age 28. (page 14)
53% of youth placed for a misdemeanor or less. (page 14)
Afro-American and Latino youth represent only 44% of New York’s total
youth population and comprise more than 80% of youth in state’s
institutional facilities.
Over-represented in RI facilities. (page 14)

Research shows that linking youth coming out of placement facilities to schools can be
critical to ensuring their success in the community. (page 14)

Institutionalizing young people should be the choice of absolute last resort, reserved for
those who pose such a serious threat that no other solution would protect public safety.
(page 11)

In all other cases, young people can be well served, and the public kept safe, by
community-based supports and services that align with best practices in the field.
11)

(page
Redirect cost savings into neighborhoods that are home to the highest number of youth in
the juvenile justice system. (page 45)
Previous cuts from DCYF’s providers programs (2012 Budget) seriously jeopardizes all the
good that has been done over the past several years. If we can’t stabilize families and service
these youth in community settings, the Family Court will have no choice but to revert to
placements. This also puts our FSU youngsters (non-delinquent) at greater risk.
OJJDP – Pathways to Desistance: A Longitudinal Study of Serious Adolescent Offenders,
March 2011.
Key Findings:
 Most youth who commit felonies greatly reduce their offending over time.
 Longer stays in Juvenile facilities do not reduce recidivism.
 In the period after incarceration, community-based supervision is effective for
youth who have committed serious offenses.
 Substance abuse treatment reduces both substance use and criminal offending for a
limited time.
 Youth who received community-based supervision and aftercare services were
more likely to attend school, go to work, and avoid further offending during the
6 months after release, and longer supervision periods increased these benefits.
It’s All Stabilizing Families
 Key Risk Factors

Low Attachment to Family
 Low Attachment to School.

Low attachment to work.
All of the studies emphasize the need to reinvest money in high-risk
communities. Without adequate reinvestment into community based
services, we will not be able to stabilize families and school
placements.
Rhode Island can no longer afford $45,000 a year at the ACI for our
failures…