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HomeMy WebLinkAbout20072442.tiff RESOLUTION RE: APPROVE REVISIONS TO OPERATIONS MANUAL, SECTION 6.000, COLORADO WORKS IN WELD COUNTY AND CHILD CARE POLICIES AND PROCEDURES WHEREAS, the Board of County Commissioners of Weld County, Colorado, pursuant to Colorado statute and the Weld County Home Rule Charter, is vested with the authority of administering the affairs of Weld County, Colorado, and WHEREAS, the Board has been presented with Revisions to Section 6.000, Colorado Works in Weld County and Child Care Policies and Procedures, for the Department of Social Services Operations Manual, and WHEREAS, after review, the Board deems it advisable to approve said revisions, a copy of which is attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of County Commissioners of Weld County, Colorado, ex-officio Board of Social Services, that the Revisions to Section 6.000, Colorado Works in Weld County and Child Care Policies and Procedures for the Department of Social Services Operations Manual, be, and hereby are, approved. The above and foregoing Resolution was, on motion duly made and seconded, adopted by the following vote on the 6th day of August, A.D., 2007. E L� a OARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS EL UNTY, COLORADO C �ATTEST: ire , d' 3 u. Qavid E. Long, Chair Weld County Clerk to the Bo r ' !!r' /EXCUSED William H. J r Pro-Tem BY: RI? L. De ty CI to the Board i rc�APPR ED AS - F VYV`\D — Robert D. Masden unty Attorney c�>CY �-'1 n � Douglas Rademacher Date of signature: bolo-) 2007-2442 SS0034 a DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES rs P.O. BOX A GREELEY, CO. 80632 Website: www.co.weld.co.us ' Administration and Public Assistance(970)352-1551 Child Support(970)352-6933 C. COLORADO MEMORANDUM TO: David E. Long, Chair Date: August 2, 2007 Board of County Commissioners FR: Judy A. Griego, Director, Social Services tat l tl 1. \-/( t i I RE: Addition to Section 6.000, Colorado Works and Chi d Care Policies and Procedures, Weld County Department of Social Services Operations Manual Enclosed for Board approval is an addition to Section 6.000, Colorado Works and Child Care Policies and Procedures, Weld County Department of Social Services Operations Manual. This addition was reviewed at the Board's Work Session held on May 7, 2007. The provision to our Manual will add a transitional educational and employment program for foster care youth ages 13 %z through 15 years of age entitled, Pillars of Successful Independence (PSI)Program. The Department will reimburse Employment Services of Weld County, Weld County Department of Human Services, at total of$89,112.87 for a period beginning June 1, 2007 through June 30, 2008. A total of 15 youth and their biological and/or County Certified Foster Parents will be involved in four major component areas of education, life skills, social skills and employment. This program will assist youth in their transition biological and adoptive homes and, as they reach the age of 16 to emancipation/independence programs. Section Citation Title of Section 6.034 through 6.034.9 Pillars of Successful Independence(PSI) Program If you have any questions, please contact me. 2007-2442 Social Services Division Policies and Procedures 6.034 Pillars of Successful Independence(PSI)Program Added 8/07 The Pillars of Successful Independence(PSI)Program is a transitional educational and employment program for foster youth ages 13 '/2 through 15 years of age who are moving toward independence or emancipation. The PSI Program will prepare youth to return to their families or adopting homes with better skills and to prepare youth to enter the Chafee Program when the reach the age of 16 years of age. The Chafee Program is a federally funded, statewide independent living program that provides age appropriate independent living services to youth aged 16 through 21 years of age who are in out-of-home placement or to young adults aged 18 through 21 years of age who were in out-of-home placement on or after their 18th birthday. 6.034.1 General Organization Added 8/07 The Pillars of Successful Independence(PSI)Program involves three major entities as follows: A. The Weld County Department of Social Services(Department). B. The Weld County Division of Human Services(Human Services)through its Employment Services of Weld County(Employment Services), acting as the One-Stop Training Center. C. The Weld County Families, Youth, and Children(FYC)Commission: The FYC is an advisory committee to the Board of County Commissioners, as the Board of Social Services, and the Department. 6.034.2 General Description A. The PSI Program is a pro-active approach to assist foster care youth aged 13 'A through 15 years of age through a community effort among the Department, County Certified Foster Care Homes, Human Services through its Employment Services, families, and other agencies involved in the youth's treatment and permanency plans. B. Through collaboration,the Department and Human Services through its Employment Services will serve youth in the PSI Program's four major components: Education, Life Skills, Social Skills, and Employment. In addition to acquiring skills under the PSI Program's four major components, youth will formulate a portfolio to include their accomplishments learned under the PSI Program. C. The PSI Program will encourage the agreement of participating youth and their biological and/or foster parents to participate in workshops. Youth are required to attend 60%of the workshops during the school year to have the privilege of gaining employment in the summer. Summer employment is a requirement of the program. Workshops are intended to help build portfolios, gain skills, and prepare for summer employment. Foster Parents and/or biological parents are offered monthly workshops to attend. The "Parents' Workshops"cover the youth's workshop topic and in addition, provide ways of incorporating and or applying that particular topic in real Social Services Division Policies and Procedures life situations at home. The foster parents/biological parents' workshops will be held once a month during the foster youth's workshop D. The Department and Human Services through Employment Services of Weld County agree to plan and develop the PSI Program based upon the highly successful model of the Project STAR Program curriculum and to incorporate a community-wide system to meet the needs of youth and families in conflict or in need of positive youth development. E. The Department and Human Services are committed in participating in planning phases to develop and implement over a 12-month period the conception and components of the PSI Program, as funded under the Colorado Works Program Plan. 6.034.3 Eligibility Criteria A. Youth and families referred by Social Services; and B. Youth are currently in the custody of Weld County and are placed in Weld County foster home who are 13 %1 through 15 years of age; and C. Youth and their parents agree to successfully participate in and complete 60% of workshops. Thirty total workshops for youth and seven for foster parents. Biological parents are excluded from 60%requirement. D. The youth are required to return to school or enroll in an alternative school setting. 6.034.4 Basic Components(Pillars)of the PSI Program A. Education Component or Pillar: The Learning Lab at Employment Services of Weld County will be used for, but not restricted to; the provision of tutoring, career assessments, and determining participant learning styles. Remediation and academic enrichment activities may also be provided as appropriate, and especially for youth not enrolled in a traditional education system. Coordination will occur with the local school districts for youth who are in need of tutoring services or at risk of dropping out. The lab will provide tutoring services several days a week separate from the workshops. In addition to the educational services offered through the Learning Lab, Employment Services will also assist youth prepare for college or trade schools by conducting career exploration, exposure to various college campuses, as well as assisting in identifying available resources to access prior to entering post secondary education. B. Life Skills Component or Pillar: Youth will be afforded the opportunity to gain Life Skills in a variety of building block interest areas. Youth participating in the program will acquire general and career oriented goal setting skills, both short and long term,which will help lead them towards independence; and basic personal finance skills including, but not limited to creating a budget, opening a checking and or savings account. Youth will also be provided information in a variety of areas around the health field Social Services Division Policies and Procedures such as how to find a doctor, schedule an appointment, exercise to maintain good health,understand the dangers of prescription and non-prescription drugs, as well as how to maintain good hygiene. Another aspect under the Life Skills Pillar will be to focus on food and nutrition. These building blocks areas will focus on shopping for healthy foods on a budget, preparing healthy meals to include following recipes, and using proper measurements. Youth participating in Life Skill enhancement activities will be provided tools to aid them in gaining strength to inhibit negative peer pressure,thus alleviating gang membership, drug abuse, dropping out of school, and teen pregnancy, while encouraging positive behaviors such as conflict resolution, controlling anger,teamwork, budgeting, etc. C. Social Skills Component or Pillar: Youth will learn a variety of social skills to promote personal growth. Youth will be exposed to a variety of social, professional, and casual settings to develop the appropriate decorum for each. Participants will learn the appropriate dress for an interview and employment, versus their typical attire for school or social gatherings. Through the utilization of a variety of existing programs, such as WAIT Training, SMART, and Project STAR,youth will acquire skills to help build their character and refusal skills to avoid gang involvement,tobacco, and drug& alcohol use, dropout prevention, etc. Youth will also engage in variety of team building exercises to cultivate the youth's ability to work with others. Conflict and anger management skills acquired through the Project STAR curriculum will help youth to refocus anger and stress as they emerge. D. Employment Component or Pillar: Each youth participant will be assessed to determine their basic skills and supportive service needs. The interest/preference of the youth will be used to determine job assignments in the program whenever possible. Youth will acquire the knowledge of how to best use the Workforce Center and will benefit from all available resources within the agency, which include,completing job applications, and the acquisition of interviewing skills. Additionally,youth will have the opportunity to be exposed to a work environment and increase their workplace skills during a seven-week summer work-experience placement. Youth participating in this component will enhance their occupational skills as measured by the attainment of workplace competencies. These competencies incorporate the SCANS competencies and were developed by the Weld County School to Career Alliance, and were adopted by the Weld County Workforce Development Board. 6.034.5 Functions of the Department A. The Department will be responsible for identifying and referring youth and their families who are eligible to be served by the Program. B. The Department will administer, organize the planning and implementation, provide written policies as approved by the Board of County Commissioners, and document the outcomes of the project. Social Services Division Policies and Procedures C. The Department will utilize a multi-phased approach to build a program that will address the needs of at-risk youth and their families. The phases include: 1. Year 1 (June 1, 2007 through May 31, 2008): The Department will serve 15 youth, and develop and implement, along with the Human Services through its Employment Services, detailed work flows and plans to identify roles and responsibilities of each participant in regards to ongoing planning and program development, policies and procedures regarding the PSI Program. 2. Year 2(June 1, 2008 through May 31, 2009): The Department will continue its development of the PSI Program including, designing and developing additional services to best meet the needs of youth and families in the program. The Department in conjunction with Human Services will report on out-comes of the program. The Department will continue to deliver services to current youth who meet the age requirement and increase the total number of youth in the program to 30. D. The Department will assign the Youth in Conflict Ongoing Manager 2 to assist in the development and implementation of the PSI Program and to screen cases for participation in the program. E. The Department and Human Services will monitor: 1. Youth will experience a decrease in change of foster placements or will return home. 2. Youth will successfully participate in an educational program. 3. Additional involvements of any type with social services, mental health, DYC,or other systems following services. 4. Youth will develop appropriate independent living skills as described in their family service treatment plan. 5. Foster parents will be supported in order to provide youth with opportunities to develop and improve their independent living skills. 6. Youth will successfully participate in employment opportunities. 7. The needs and services of the child, parent and foster parent will be addressed effectively though the program. 8. Youth will demonstrate the ability to develop skills which encourage them to avoid gang involvement, dropping out of school, and teen pregnancy . 9. Tracking the cost of services. Social Services Division Policies and Procedures 6.034.6 Functions of Human Services through Employment Services A. Employment Services will assign the appropriate staff member(s)who will meet the various planning and implementation needs of the project including: program development and planning for the project; the development, as designed in Phase I. B. Employment Services will document their participation,beginning June 1, 2007,through each of the PSI Program Components as identified in 6.034.4. Documentation is only to reflect planning, development, ongoing services, and program outcomes. Funding for this program is not to be used to supplant existing agreements for services with the Department. C. Employment Services will participate as a policy and program developer and planning partner for the project. D. Employment Services will provide services to, on average, 15 youth. A case manager will be limited to 15 youth to control the group and ensure safety regarding work projects and transportation of the youth to and from activities/workshops. E. Employment Services will directly supervise and manage the youth case manger(s), its employee(s),assigned to the PSI Program. F. Employment Services will make incentives available to PSI members. There will be a possible five incentives given to each participating youth involved in the program. For completing three articles in each pillar in the portfolio, a youth with receive a $20 gift card to Wal-Mart(4).No pillar can be rewarded twice. A final incentive of the same amount will be given upon completion of the program and an updated portfolio(three additional articles for each of the four pillars). G. Employment Services will provide for workshops and fieldtrips. These educational activities in coordination with the four pillars Education, Life Skills, Social Skills, and Employment are designed to help build portfolios, gain skills, and prepare for summer employment. H. Employment Services will provide an itemized statement of expenditures and request for payment of any services provided to a participant. This itemized statement would include, but not limited to, any expense incurred by authorized Employment Services personnel, assessment testing, incentives, behavioral skills activities,transportation, and overhead costs. This itemized statement must be submitted by the 15`h of the following month that the service was provided to the Department. The client information on the itemized statement must include cost, State ID, and household number. Social Services Division Policies and Procedures 6.034.7 PSI Program Outcomes Relating to PIP Services provided by the PSI Program are structured to help accomplish the Program Improvement Plan Goals. The Department will provide the supervision and facilitation of the PIP Goals. 6.034.8 Functions of FYC Commission A. The FYC Commission will guide, oversee, and evaluate the implementation of the PSI Program. B. At a minimum,the FYC Commission will document and review, at least at the end of each phase: 1. If the program successfully prepare foster youth to be independent. 2. If the program successfully influenced foster youth to remain in school and helped raise grade levels. 3. If the project successfully developed a better system design to meet the needs of the youth and families in regards and, at a minimum, to: a. Keep foster families together through a better utilization of existing community resources and the improvement of family alliances to avoid disruptions in placement and additional foster home placements. b. Graduate youth from school or GED, if appropriate. c. Affect positively wage gains for youth. d. Improve the autonomy of youth and their abilities to access and maintain services as documented by their independent living treatment plans. 6.034.9 Reimbursement Authority through Transfer to Employment Services The Department will remit Human Services an amount not to exceed$89,112.87 in Colorado Works or TANF funding for services provided from June 1, 2007 through May 31, 2007. Human Services will bill the Department for services described in Section 6.034.5 of the Department's Operations Manual and will not seek additional reimbursement for the same services directly from the Colorado Department of Human Services. The$89,112.87 is calculated as follows: Social Services Division Policies and Procedures Name Salary Fringe Total FTE Salary Fringe Total Case Manager Full Time $31,505.00 $9,451.66 $40,956.66 100% $31,505.00 $9,451.66 $40,956.66 Case Manager 20% $35,508.00 $10,652.40 $46,160.40 20% $7,101.60 $2,130.48 $9,232.08 Supervisor $51,359.52 $8,583.96 $59,943.48 1% $513.60 $85.84 $599.43 TOTAL $50,788.17 LINE ITEM Budget for One Year for 15 Youth Personnel Based on Total Personnel $50,788.17 Assessments Based on 15 Youth Learning Styles, Work Values,Interests Assessments, Money Management, TABE, Tutoring, Destinations Total Assessment Fees $3,000.00 Incentives Based on 5 incentives of$20 for 15 Youth $1,500.00 Based on 15 youth earning$6.85 an hour plus FICA for seven-weeks Work-experience (summer)Part of Employment Pillar. $15,477.00 Clothing(T-Shirts) Based on 15 youth(one T-shirt per youth/foster parent) $600.00 Workshops Food Foster Youth Based on$7.00 per youth(15)for 50 workshops($105 per workshop) $5,250.00 Food Foster Parent Based on$8.00 per parent(15)for 12 workshops($120 per workshop) $1,440.00 Notebooks/Supplies Based on 15 Youth $90.00 Total Workshop Sum of Activities Fees $6,780.00 Fieldtrip Fees Denver Museum of Natural History and IMAX Theater$15 for Adults and$10 for Youth Part of Social Skills Pillar $180.00 Denver Art Museum Youth$3 Adults$10 Part of Social Skills Pillar $65.00 Denver Zoo$7 for Youth$11 for Adults Part of Social Skills Pillar $127.00 UNC Tour Part of Education Pillar $0.00 Rockies'Game $0.00 CSU Ropes Course Part of Education Pillar and Social Skills Pillar$26 per person(32)food included(Foster Parents) $832.00 Based on 15 Youth Plus 2 Staff for Food$10 per person $680.00 Total Fieldtrip Fees $1,884.00 Transportation Based on staff mileage and cost of transportation to fieldtrips(Mileage multiplied by$1.90) Denver Museum 130 Miles Roundtrip $247.00 Denver Art Museum 140 Miles Roundtrip $266.00 Denver Zoo 130 Miles Roundtrip $247.00 UNC Tour 20 Miles Roundtrip $38.00 Rockies'Game 134 Miles Roundtrip $254.60 CSU 60 Miles Roundtrip $114.00 Average of 10 Miles a week times .465 a mile. Errands-food pickup, Staff Mileage timesheet pickup,meetings,etc. $241.80 Social Services Division Policies and Procedures Total Transportation $1,153.80 Overhead Sum of Above Items Multiplied by 10% $7,929.90 Total $89,112.87 Hello