1. Georgia Division of Family and Children Services
Take The Leadership Challenge: Be Your BEST!
Georgia Division of Family and Children Services
DFCS Overview & Data
Presenter: Mary P. Havick, MSW
Region 5 Director
Presented to: College Connections for Student Success Conference
Date: March 31, 2015
Director
Bobby Cagle

2. Vision, Mission and Core Values
Stronger Families for a Stronger Georgia.
Mission
Strengthen Georgia by providing Individuals and Families access to services that promote self-sufficiency, independence, and protect Georgia's vulnerable children and adults.
Core Values
Provide access to resources that offer support and empower Georgians and their families.
Deliver services professionally and treat all clients with dignity and respect. Manage business operations effectively and efficiently by aligning resources across the agency.
Promote accountability, transparency and quality in all services we deliver and programs we administer.
Develop our employees at all levels of the agency.

3. Goals Child Welfare Case Process Overview
Significant events in recent history
Key data points
Better understanding of our system
Better service for foster youth

4. Recent Significant Events
High profile child deaths in Fall 2013
New Juvenile Code effective January 2014
Proposed legislation to privatize all DFCS foster care in 2014
Governor creates Child Welfare Reform Council
Centralized Intake begins April 2014

5. Recent Significant Events
Governor provides 175 new case manager positions for new fiscal year
New DFCS Director in June 2014
Governor’s proposed budget for next fiscal year strongest in 10+ years
Blueprint for Change

6. Child Welfare Reform Council
Created by Governor Deal after the last legislative session
Council modeled after Criminal Justice Reform Council
Charged with comprehensive review of DFCS
Recommendations became SB 138

7. 159 County Offices & 15 Regions

8. Child Welfare Case Process
CPS Intake
Family Support Services
CPS Investigation
Family Preservation
Foster Care

9. Case Process – CPS Intake

10. Assessment of Family Functioning
6 Areas of Family Functioning
1. Extent of Maltreatment
2. Circumstances of the Maltreatment
3. Child Functioning
4. General Parenting
5. Discipline
6. Adult Functioning
Continually assessing throughout the case process

11. Present Danger Safety Threats
An immediate, significant, and clearly observable family condition, child condition, individual behavior or action, or family circumstance
Occurring now
Endangers, or threatens to endanger, a child and requires immediate action to protect

12. Impending Danger Safety Threats
1. Living Arrangements Seriously Endanger the Physical Health of the Child(ren). 2. One or Both Parents/Caregivers Intend(ed) to Hurt the Child and Show No Remorse. 3. One or Both Parents/Caregivers Cannot or Do Not Explain the Child’s Injuries and/or Conditions. 4. A Child is Extremely Fearful of the Home Situation. 5. A Parent or Caregiver is Violent and No Adult in the Home is Protective of the Child(ren). 6. One or Both Parents/Caregiver’(s) Emotional Stability, Developmental Status, or Cognitive Deficiency Seriously Impairs Their Ability to Supervise, Protect, or Care for the Child(ren). 7. One or Both Parents/Caregivers Cannot Control Their Behavior. 8. The Family Does Not Have Resources to Meet Basic Needs.

13. Impending Danger Safety Threats
9. No Adult in the Home Will Perform Parental Duties and Responsibilities 10. One or Both Parents/Caregivers Have Extremely Unrealistic Expectations of a Child. 11. One or Both Parents/Caregivers have Extremely Negative Perceptions of a Child. 12. One or Both Parents/Caregivers Fear They Will Maltreat the Child and/or Request Placement. 13. One or Both Parents/Caregivers Lack Parenting Knowledge, Skills, and Motivation That Affects Child Safety 14. Child Has Exceptional Needs That the Parents/Caregivers Cannot or Will Not Meet.

14. CPS Case Assignment
MALTREATMENT+PRESENT DANGER SITUATION= INVESTIGATION/IMMEDIATE RESPONSE
MALTREATMENT + IMPENDING DANGER SAFETY THREAT= INVESTIGATION/24 HR RESPONSE
MALTREATMENT + NO PRESENT DANGER OR IMPENDING DANGER SAFETY THREAT= FAMILY SUPPORT/5 DAY RESPONSE

15. Centralized Reporting Process
Reports of abuse & neglect received through a centralized call center 24/7
Call center staff screen, accept & assign
1-855-GACHILD
Mandated reporters may complete CPS referral forms & submit to the call center
Statewide rollout 2014

16. Before Centralized Reporting
Each county office received, screened & assigned CPS reports
159 different phone numbers
After-hours callers got voice mail directing them to call law enforcement for emergencies

17. Impact of Centralized Process
Increased community awareness
Tremendous growth in number of reports
October 2014 vs. October 2013
58% more reports

19. CPS & FSS Cases

22. Case Process

23. Family Support & Investigations
Assessment for up to 60 days
May interview family together
May connect family with local resources
Possible Brief Intervention referral
Investigations
Assessment should conclude by 45 days
Closure, Family Preservation or Foster Care

25. Case Process

26. Family Preservation Services provided to family Behavior change
DFCS CM creates Family/Case Plan
Contractors may provide in-home services
Family may have in-office services as well
Examples: Parenting, therapy, substance abuse
Behavior change
Children remain in the home
Average case open for 6 months

27. Foster Care Services provided to facilitate behavior change
DFCS CM creates Family/Case Plan
Contractors may provide in-home services
Family may have in-office services as well
Examples: Parenting, therapy, substance abuse
Court oversight
Children placed outside of the home
Goal – Reunification in 12 months or adoption in 24 months
Many, many formal supports in child’s life

31. Foster Care Entries & Exits

33. Total in Care by Region (Children and Youth)

34. Children in Care by Gender
Male – 5364 (52.3%)
Female – 4892 (47.7%)

35. Children in Care by Race
1 – White (NH) – 4594 (44.79%) 3 – White (Hispanic) – 580 (5.66%)
2 – Black (NH) – 4354 (42.45%) 4 – Black/White (NH) – 487 (4.75%)

36. Age of Children in Care

38. Placement Type
1 – CPA (FFH) – 2741 (26.73%) 3 – Relative (P&UP) – 1673 (16.31%)
2 – DFCS (FFH) – 2685 (26.18%) 4 – CCI (GH) – 1580 (15.41%)

40. Greatest Need for Foster Homes

41. DFCS Foster Home Trend (2009 – 2013)

42. Comparison
Foster Homes
Foster Children

44. Placement with Siblings
1 – N/A – – None – 1873
2 – All – – Some – 845

45. Months in Care Overview
0 – 11 – 4,966
12 – 24 – 2,592
25+ – 2,698

46. SY14 Adoptions by County

47. Emancipation Transitional Roundtables Signing out vs. signing in
Informal supports & connections
Credit reporting

48. Caseload Impact

49. Blueprint for Change Practice Model Robust Workforce Development Plan
Public Relations Initiative