1. ALASKA CITIZEN REVIEW PANEL BIA Providers’ Conference Anchorage, AK December 2, 2014 CRP’s work and how you can help

2. P RESENTATION O UTLINE What is the CRP, and what does it do? Panel’s activities since 2002 This year’s goals Your participation A short survey

3. W HAT DOES CRP DO ? Federal Mandate: – Review and evaluate practice as well as policy and procedure – Collect public comment and – prepare and present an annual report which details their activities and recommendations (CRP Annual Report) State Mandate: “The CRP shall examine the policies, procedures, and practices of State and local agencies and where appropriate, specific cases, to evaluate the extent to which State and local child protection system agencies are effectively discharging their protection responsibilities.”

4. V ISION AND M ISSION Vision: To enable the Office of Children’s Services to implement its policies and procedures in a culturally sensitive and consistent manner across the state. Mission: Review and evaluate the practices and procedures of OCS Recommend changes and improvements

5. CRP S CAN REVIEW, EVALUATE, OR EXAMINE Intake and screening Investigation or assessment Family Services (in-home or out-of-home) Practice behaviors Coordination of services Staff qualifications, training, and workload Utilization of technology Review of individual cases

6. CRP RECOMMENDATIONS Can address… Policy-practice gaps Inadequate policy Issues not addressed in policy Systemic issues Should be… Focused and specific Should deal with issues within OCS control Based on meaningful and real information Be based on the work done through the year

7. P ANEL M EMBERSHIP Volunteers Broadly representative of the state – Diverse personal and professional background – All parts of the state – Some experience and familiarity with child protection The Panel’s members are chosen through a formal interview process

8. T HIS IS HOW IT WORKS … CRP’s job is to check if these wheels are turning as we expect them to – smooth. Needs of children and families Practice Policy Alaska’s Child Protection

9. T HIS IS HOW IT WORKS … CRP tries to know the answers to these questions. Needs of children and families Practice Policy What is supposed to be done? What is actually done? What is needed? Alaska’s Child Protection

10. T HIS IS HOW IT WORKS … Every year the Panel starts with a WORK PLAN Blah blah blah ….. Goal 1 Tasks…. Blah blah blah ….. Goal 2 Tasks… Blah blah blah ….. Goal 3 Tasks…

11. T HIS IS HOW IT WORKS … CRP pursues these goals through: Monthly meetings – Panel meetings – Meetings with OCS senior leadership Site visits – Meet with OCS staff – Meet with local partner agencies including tribal leaders and ICWA workers Present to the legislature every February Release an annual report

12. C OVERED ALMOST ALL OF THE STATE …

13. R ECOMMENDATIONS FROM 2013-2014 Recommendation 1: OCS make several changes to its intake policy – Create and support several methods for people to make a report – Change the intake procedures so reporters have to opt-out of receiving follow up on the case – Uniformly implement the current pilot project of having a supervisor reviewing cases after 10 screened-out PSRs – Periodically send a list of screened out PSRs to the local field office

14. S CREENED OUT BECAUSE …

15. R ECOMMENDATIONS FROM 2013-2014 OCS develop a model for serving in-home cases in rural Alaska and improve its data collection on in-home cases

16. R ECOMMENDATIONS FROM 2013-2014 Recommendation 3: OCS address the root of Initial Assessment (IA) backlog problem

17. R ECOMMENDATIONS FROM 2013-2014 Recommendation 4: OCS make improved relationships with community partners a priority – Focus on relationships has been part of CRPs work for several years – There is no consistent practice in building and sustaining good relationships – No institutional structure guiding relationships

18. P AST RECOMMENDATIONS 2008 & 2009 - That OCS continue to work toward having a fifth service region headquartered in Bethel 2009 - Supporting and developing the relationship between OCS & ICWA (Indian Child Welfare Act) workers

19. P AST RECOMMENDATIONS 2011 - Work to improve the culture within the agency (Wasilla site visit) 2012 - Establish deadlines that require non ‐ emergency petitions to be filed allowing for supervision of the family by the continuum of legal parties without necessitating the removal of the child.

20. G OALS FOR 2014-2015 Retained all four goals from last year And added: Learn more about ORCA and its capabilities Understand and assess OCS’ foster care recruitment efforts

21. OCS cannot resolve all the issues alone CRPs are set up for us to participate C OME JOIN HANDS …

22. W E JUST NEED TO FIND A COMMON LANGUAGE Child protection is very complex OCS is a complex system – $ 300 million annual budget – 500 workers – 5 regional offices – 21 field offices Governed by Federal laws, state laws, codes of ethics, professional values, rules and regulations, legal cases and opinions, etc.

23. W E JUST NEED TO FIND COMMON LANGUAGE OCS says… – Not enough money – Not enough people – Higher ups will not let us do that… – We have to do things one at a time… – We are following a set process Citizens say… – Needs are important – I know things are not right… – Why don’t you do something now… – You don’t understand my community… – We have no idea what you do…everything is a secret!

24. W E JUST NEED TO FIND A COMMON LANGUAGE CRP is trying to translate between these parties Needs of children and families Practice Policy What is supposed to be done? What is actually done? What is needed? Alaska’s Child Protection

25. CRP NEEDS TO HEAR FROM YOU About… – Your concerns with child protection in your community – Your interaction with OCS – Your observation on how things are going with OCS – Your feedback on CRP work You can remain anonymous. Your comments will be confidential.

26. C ONSIDER JOINING CRP CRP needs members from all parts of the state – Voluntary – May involve travel – Flexible and limited involvement possible Formal selection process – Application – Interview – References

27. THANK YOU! For an application or more information www.crpalaska.org Contact Sylvan Robb 907-450-2456 sylvan@iialaska.com