RESOURCE
FAMILY
APPROVAL
An Introduction to RFA for
Subcommittee Leads.
October 22, 2015
WHY ARE WE HERE TODAY?
 Introduction to RFA
 Requirements & Timelines
 Discuss how your team fits into RFA
 Obtain your commitment, or designees, to participate in the various
subcommittees
 Feedback/input based on information received today
 Solicit input on next steps
RFA PURPOSE STATEMENT
“To implement a unified, family friendly, and child-centered resource family
approval process that replaces the existing multiple processes, eliminates
duplication, and increases approval standards by incorporating a
comprehensive psychosocial evaluation of all families that want to foster,
adopt, or provide legal guardianship to a child.” ~ CDSS/RFA
WHAT IS RFA?
 RFA is a new mandatory caregiver approval process that combines
elements of the current foster parent licensing, relative approval and
approvals for adoption and guardianship and replaces those processes.
 RFA:
 Is streamlined: It eliminates the duplication of existing processes.
 Unifies approval standards for all caregivers regardless of the child’s case plan.
 Includes a comprehensive psychosocial assessment, home environment check and
training for all families, including relatives.
 Prepares families to better meet the needs of vulnerable children in the foster care
system.
 Allows seamless transition to permanency.
LEGISLATIVE BACKGROUND
 RFA was enacted by legislation sponsored by CWDA in 2007 and
expanded through Senate Bill 1013 (Chapter 35, Statutes of 2012). The
statute requires the California Department of Social Services (CDSS), in
consultation with county child welfare agencies, including Juvenile
Probation, foster parent associations and other interested community
parties to implement a unified, family friendly and child-centered
resource family approval process.
EARLY IMPLEMENTERS
 RFA has been implemented in five counties, San Luis Obispo, Kings,
Santa Barbara, Santa Clara and San Francisco.
 Cohort 2 counties: Butte, Madera*, Monterey, Stanislaus, Orange,Yolo*,
and Ventura
 RFA will be implemented in all counties by January 2017.
(Mandatory)
RFA ROLES
RFA ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES
 DPSS
 Completes Home Environment Assessment (physical plant)
 Gathers verifications & documents
 Completes criminal & child welfare background checks
 Completes permanency assessment
 Internal & external training of staff & caregivers
 Ultimately responsible for approvals, denials & rescissions of RFA
 Ongoing monitoring of personal rights violations and complaints
RFA SUBCOMMITTEES
Subcommittee
Proposed Leads
 Data/CWS Policy
•
•
Jennifer Hastings
Zayda Patton
 Fiscal/Foster Care
•
•
Gergis Kirnalious
Carey Minjarez
 Training/SDD/CSD
•
•
•
Lonetta Bryan
Colette Crawford
Erika Tucker
 Forms/Packets
•
•
Rose Duran
RAU Supervisor
 Home Assessment (Physical Plant)/Reassessment
•
RAU Supervisors (2 co-leads)
 Permanency Assessment (aka: Home Study)
•
•
•
Rose Dixon-Flowers
Ida Roath
RAU Supervisor
 Criminal/CPS backgrounds, Complaint
Investigations/Appeals
•
•
•
Lizz Gravenberg
Heidi Lombardi
Angela Zuspan
 Marketing & Messaging
•
•
Ops Manager
Mary Parks
DATA/CWS POLICY
 Provide accurate data/statistics and assist with identifying the impact to
proposed business needs and assist with identifying outcome measures.
 Create Services and FC policy inline with RFA regulations
FISCAL/FOSTER CARE
 Assist to identify how existing funds can be utilized toward RFA
implementation. Focus on county fiscal constraints due to RFA funding
being realigned to all CA counties. – CDSS/FSP 2015-2019
 RFA Funding
 Federally Eligible Relatives: EA funds first 30 days, then county funds until approved
 Federally Eligible Non-Relatives: EA funds up to one year than switched to federal
funds once RFA approved
 Non-Federally Eligible Relatives: County funds until RFA is approved then switched to
ARC funding (when we opt in)
 Non-Federally Eligible Non-Relatives: EA funding up to one year
CSD & SDD TRAINING
 Internal training for our line/support/FC staff
 TIP – Trauma Informed Parenting
 Pre-Service Training (minimum 12 hours) – Pre-service training is now completed in
a mixed group of relatives who have placement & traditional unmatched families
 Review curriculum to meet both relative & non-relative training needs (To be taught by a social
worker with a foster parent as the co-facilitator)
 Contract with a healthcare professional to attend training sessions to complete the health
screenings
 Contract with a certified phlebotomist to draw blood & submit samples for TB screening
 Portable Live Scan team to attend a training session.
 One session is dedicated to completing First Aid/CPR training
 Food & childcare training is provided
 Post-Service Training (minimum 8 hours)
FORMS/PACKETS
 Review current forms & packets
 Identify which existing forms will be used or eliminated
 Recommend new RFA forms as needed. For example:
 Health screening assessment
 Release of information
 Pre-service training class agreement
HOME ASSESSMENT (PHYSICAL PLANT) /
REASSESSMENT
 Home Inspection to ensure compliance with Written Directives (i.e.,
pool safety, baby gates, fire detectors, cribs, etc.)
 Annual Updates – Required for all RFA homes, including a review of the
prior certification components and updating as needed.
 Conducted on a yearly basis for all homes
 No change required for existing non-RFA home renewal processes (subject to
change)
 Identify a process to address relocations
 Identify a way to monitor annual assessment dates (i.e., CWS/CMS or
external database)
PERMANENCY ASSESSMENT
 Create the Combined Comprehensive Permanency Assessment from
existing home study models
 Permanency Assessment - The family is approved for guardianship or adoption up front.
 Adoptive Homes – Home studies will no longer be completed & will be replaced by the
Permanency Assessment
 Develop a permanency assessment template
 The RF permanency assessment standards shall include, but not be limited
to, completion of the following:
 Caregiver training
 A psychosocial evaluation
 Any other activities that relate to RF’s ability to achieve permanency with a child
 Placement of Children – Permanency Assessment shall be completed within 90 days of a
child’s placement with a RF, unless good cause exists based on the needs of the child
BACKGROUNDS / COMPLAINT
INVESTIGATIONS / APPEALS
 Exemption process (aka: criminal background)
 Complaint Investigations – All complaints (i.e., personal rights violations)
on RFA homes are investigated by DPSS licensing SWs. DPSS has the
ability to rescind RFA approval if needed
 Appeals – RFA applicants can appeal denials by filing for a Fair Hearing
(Harris Hearing). RFA homes whose approval is rescinded can appeal
the rescission by filing a Fair Hearing. DPSS will provide information
about filing for a Fair Hearing and will be responsible for attending the
Fair Hearing
MARKETING & MESSAGING
 Internal Marketing – Create campaigns to help inform/educate all levels
of staff of RFA
 External marketing – Create campaigns to help inform/educate external
stakeholders of RFA
 Creating various publications to share with the media from a positive
perspective
 Messaging to internal and external stakeholders
 Create Champions for Change in each region
RFA VS. NON-RFA FUNCTIONS
IDENTIFYING SUBCOMMITTEE
STAKEHOLDERS
RFA Steering Committee
•
•
•
•
•
•
Project lead: Bridgette Hernandez
Project Coordinator: Jennifer Kirchofer
Angela Zuspan
Agatha Lowder
Colette Crawford
Subcommittee Leads
NEXT STEPS
 Informing all managers 
 Informing Executive Management 
 Informing internal stakeholders 
 Informing external stakeholders
 Implementation Plan
 CDSS Approval
 Board of Supervisor Approval
 Any other suggestions or ideas
Resources
• RFA:
http://www.childsworld.ca.gov/PG3416.htm
• CCR:
http://www.childsworld.ca.gov/pg2976.htm
QUESTIONS/DISCUSSION