FIFTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT UNIFIED FAMILY COURT SOCIAL SERVICE COMPONENT Fifteenth Judicial Circuit’s Unified Family Court Social Service Component FIFTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT UNIFIED FAMILY COURT SOCIAL SERVICE COMPONENT Fifteenth Judicial Circuit’s Unified Family Court Social Service Component

WHO… Families in Unified Family Court that meet case type criteria (dependency and/or delinquency with DV or other domestic relations cases) and have multiple agency involvement and want to participate in the program Agency staff that are involved with various family members in delivering social services and supporting the family UFC Social Service Coordinator to organize and facilitate the meetings

WHAT… This court based program will assist the children and families involved in complex cases (identified as more than one court case, with multiple agency involvement) to achieve self sufficiency by convening large group meetings with all agencies/individuals involved with the family and effectively facilitating the delivery of services.

WHEN & WHERE… Meetings will occur once a month at the Courthouse, involving the family, the UFC social service coordinator, and the various agency representatives

WHY….  Potential to save time with increased efficiency  Collaboration can save money and resources  Increased creativity in case planning  Opportunity to change perceptions  Identify gaps in services in community – which will be brought to the attention of funders and community leaders

The Difference…  Old Way…Staff may not have information about other cases family is involved with and therefore families may be ordered to duplicate services  New Way…Staff have knowledge of all cases family is involved in and can specialize and streamline case planning more efficiently  Old Way…Staff play phone tag with other professionals to find out what they are doing with their clients  New Way…Staff have a monthly forum to communicate directly with other professionals and a chance to establish closer relationships with other agencies & develop more knowledge of community resources  Old Way…Families are given lists of referrals and sometimes problems or issues with services are not discovered for weeks or months  New Way…Some services can be set up immediately and family will leave knowing a date and time for their appointment. Issues that would serve as barriers can be addressed and dealt with by the group

The Difference…  Old Way…Families ask multiple professionals for the same services  New Way…Professionals are together when plan is developed…improved efficiency  Old Way…Many staff have misconceptions about other agencies/professionals  New Way…Team approach helps put human face to partner agencies; improved relationships  Old Way…Families feel they are being tested to see how much they want their children  New Way…Families feel supported by agencies in working to achieve their goals

Guiding Principles  A structure designed to be the most efficient use of time & resources to be the most beneficial to families  A program that is tailored to the specific needs and strengths of the family  Capitalize on limited resources, enhance communication, and share knowledge  Staff willing to discuss and assist with matters that go beyond their traditional role