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Home My WebLink About20051051 RESOLUTION RE: APPROVE REVISIONS TO OPERATIONS MANUAL, SECTION 2.000, SOCIAL SERVICES DIVISION 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 2.000,Social Services Division 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 2.000, Social Services Division 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 28th day of March, A.D., 2005. BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WELD COUNTY, COLORADO • 141/ke114 `, Ova William H. J e, Chair f .:tzglerk to the Board r. , r� M. J. eile, Pro-Tern `" :., eputy Clerk to the Boa EXCUSED D ' _. Lon ED AS TO a $\!,,, Robert D. Masden ounty Attorney EXCUSED Glenn Vaad Date of signature: 44/©a 2005-1051 SS0032 / ,' __CS ©el Dlv' -OS"— ;Si; DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES - P.O. BOX A GREELEY, CO. 80632 ili Website:www.co.weld.co.us Administration and Public Assistance(970)352-1551 Child Support(970)352-6933 WIIDc COLORADO MEMORANDUM TO: William H. Jerke, Chair Date: March 23, 2005 Board of County Commissioners /� / �( , ^,FR: Judy A. Griego,Director, Social Services tit(1 `) RE: Revision to Section 2.000, Social Services Division Policies and Procedures,Weld County Department of Social Services Operations Manual Enclosed for Board approval is a revision to Section 2.000, Social Services Division Policies and Procedures, Weld County Depat intent of Social Services Operations Manual. This revision was reviewed at the Board's Work Session held on March 9, 2005. The purpose of the revision is to add Section 2.308, Specialized Foster Care Program, which will be limited to five specialized foster care homes to deal with children with severe emotional and behavioral difficulties. This program is considered a"step down"program from Residential Treatment Center(RTC)care. 1. Specialized Foster Care Homes will be reimbursed at a rate of$1,500 per month per child equivalent to $49.32 per day or$2.03 per hour for 24-hour care. 2. The Department will contract with qualified providers for therapeutic,respite, and behavioral services to support Specialized Foster Care Homes. 3. The program will be funded through the Child Welfare Block Grant. The cost of the program is approximately$300,000 a year, which is approximately 50% of the cost of equivalent RTC placements. 4. A Specialized Foster Care Homes will be certified for no more than two youth, participate as a team member with therapeutic and other professionals, and must meet training and related participation requirements. If you have any questions,please telephone me at extension 6510. (' - 2005-1051 2.308 Specialized Foster Care Program The Specialized Foster Care Program provides for foster care homes and associated services that will provide for an intensive level of clinical intervention while allowing children to be placed in a family setting. 2.308.1 Specialized Foster Care Program Goals Revised 1/25/05 A. Recruit, train, and support several highly qualified foster homes that will be able to safely provide placement for children that might normally require a more restrictive type setting equivalent to Residential Treatment Center(RTC)care; and B. Provide the highest quality treatment services for children meeting the criteria of severe emotional and behavioral difficulties. 2.308.12 Description A. The program will utilize the family as the core treatment agent, and along with a highly trained professional staff, work together to maintain the child in a less restrictive,more family like setting. B. The program will provide quality service for our children while also preventing or reducing the populations in more restrictive settings. C. The program is designed to be a realistic alternative to the traditional utilization of residential and group treatment programming. D. The program will allow more flexibility and collaboration between residential treatment centers, inpatient psychiatric hospital settings, and referring placement agencies. E. This program will serve the needs of youth in two ways, as follows: a. To assist youth transitioning out of residential treatment/inpatient hospital into a family setting; and b. To assist in assessing if youth referred need residential or a less restrictive placement to best meet their needs. F. The intent of the program is to develop a continuum of care for youth as they move through the treatment process and to prevent or minimize the length of stay in residential settings,while also assuring that the youth move quickly and successfully into a permanent family setting. Because these children are at particular developmental stages, it is important to move the child through the treatment process quickly and toward permanence, whether that is to be their parental home, or long term foster care. G. Successful outcomes will be measured by the number of children diverted from admission to Residential Treatment Centers and the number of children experiencing early discharge from such centers while being provided with continuous quality care at least equal to that of the treatment centers. 2.308.2 Children Eligible for Specialized Foster Care Revised 1/25/05 A. A child who meets the definition of special needs as described in Volume VII; and B. A child who has been assessed and approved to enter the Specialized Foster Care Program by the Placement Review Committee; and C. A child who require higher level of care than Weld County Certified Foster Care Home, child placement agency foster care, or Weld County Critical Care Foster Care; and D. A child who is aged birth to age 18 with emotional,behavioral, intellectual, developmental,or medical needs who would not benefit from other family setting foster care except for Specialized Foster Care; and E. A child who has had residential placement, or F. A child who has had numerous prior foster care placements; or G. A child who has just entered the system and display extreme behaviors as defined as attachment issues and/or trauma. 2.308.21 Assessment of Eligible Children A. Each child will be staffed by the treatment team to determine the level of care that is necessary for the child and if the child is appropriate for this program. B. Each child's specific needs will be carefully assessed in order to establish individualized programming and the matching of a child to the foster home qualified to meet his/her specific needs. 2.308.3 Eligibility Criteria for the Specialized Foster Care Homes Revised 1/25/05 A. A provider must be, at a minimum, a Weld County Certified Foster Care Home in good standing with the Department. B. A provider must meet all of the criteria of a Weld County Certified Critical Care Home and must demonstrate the ability to deal with difficult children and their issues, as demonstrated as follows: 1. Previous foster care experience or related work experience; and 2. Special skills in working with children; and 3. Ability to work with children of different ages, ethnic groups, socio- economic backgrounds, and with multiple/complex issues and challenges; and 4. Ability to work within a 24 hour, seven day structure equivalent to a Residential Treatment Center setting; and 5. Ability to work as a team member with caseworkers, probation officers, educators, biological and/or adoptive parents, and other human service professionals. C. The foster home must be willing to make necessary changes to the home in order to ensure the safety of the child and other members of the home. (i.e.: monitors, alarms, etc) 2.308.31 Certification Criteria for the Specialized Foster Care Homes A. Specialized Foster Care Homes foster homes will be certified for no more than two (2)youth. B. Specialized Foster Care Homes will be encouraged to maintain only one youth with the exception of one bed to be used for respite care for another Specialized Foster Care Home child. C. Each Specialized Foster Care Home will require, at least, one foster parent to either not work out of the home or who has a flexible work schedule so that they are able to respond to emergencies. D. A provider must complete an additional 20 hours of specialized training, to be approved by the Department. E. A provider must be certified in first aid and CPR. F. A provider is required to complete psychological testing and a home study. G. A provider will be provided respite care each month. 2.308.32 Training Requirements for the Specialized Foster Care Homes Revised 1/25/05 A. Each provider must obtain a minimum of 32 hours of approved continuing education per year. This training shall include non-violent crisis intervention,de- escalation training, medication monitoring, etc. In addition, the foster parents will follow recommendations from the Department on what type of training would be most beneficial to the foster home. B. Each provider will be encouraged to attend and participate in monthly foster parent consultation and/or support group, as needed and as prescribed by the Department. 2.308.4 Therapeutic and Behavioral Services for Children in Specialized Foster Care Homes A. Providers will provide the Department with a written behavioral management and discipline plan within 15 days of placement. An initial review of the placement will be held within 90 days of placement and further reviews will be held every six months. B. Providers must contact the caseworker weekly to provide a verbal or written report of the child's progress. C. Providers will cooperate with unannounced home visits by any professional involved in the case. D. The foster home will not have received any corrective actions and/or Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) to correct deficiencies within the last 6 months. E. Before a child is placed in a home, the treatment team will meet with the foster parents to discuss the case and determine the appropriateness of the home for the child. In addition, a transition plan will be developed and may include preplacement contact/visits. F. The Department, in consultation with a treatment team,makes the final determination in the placement of a child or a mixture of children in a Specialized Foster Care Home. G. The foster parents' performance will be formally reviewed every six months. Upon this formal review, the Department has the right to change the designation or decertify any home based on the performance of the home. H. The treatment team will perform an ongoing assessment of the child's need for a higher or lower level of care. Any home receiving a child discharging from an RTC must be willing to participate in pre-placement visits and staffings. Foster parents will be directly involved with the discharge planning process, and the child's behavioral programming in the Residential Treatment Center will continue for the child in the treatment foster home, if appropriate. I. The treatment team will be comprised of therapists, as identified by the Department, and other professionals. J. The treatment team will monitor the progress of therapy and make the recommendation to the Department to remove or continue placement at the home. If the amount of therapy time needed for the home becomes excessive, the treatment team will consider moving the child to a more restrictive setting. K. A therapist will work with the foster parents through weekly therapy provided for all of the children in these specialized homes, attend and participate in one monthly staffing, and be available on a 24-hour basis for crisis intervention. L. Treatment will have a very strong emphasis on family systems, and community participation. The treatment team provides case management for each child placed in this program's care. Because of the varying degrees of a child's needs, the number of therapeutic hours will be adjusted to meet the specific child's needs. At a minimum,the therapist will see the foster child once a week individually and/or in a family setting, and provide on average of an hour a week of case management services. M. Treatment goals will include: 1. Clarification of roles and responsibilities of all team members. 2. Establishment of treatment plans, goals and tasks that: are directly related to placement issues, are achievable,built on strengths, are measurable, are time-limited, identify treatment team member responsibilities with each task, incorporate the treatment plan that was working successfully for the child in the residential center. 3. A formal treatment plan for the child and their family is consistent and clear among all treatment team members. 4. Goals and tasks are specific for foster parents, child, child's parents and all team members. 5. A formal treatment team meeting will occur at least each 90 days. 6. Team members will meet more frequently as they review treatment progress and goal appropriateness. 7. Monthly case management contact(caseworker, the Foster Care RTC Specialist, foster parents, the therapist). 8. Whenever appropriate,the child's parents will actively participate in appointments,i.e. doctor appointments, counseling, and school staffings. Communication and information will be communicated openly between all treatment team members, which may include the child's family. The goal, when appropriate is always reunification with the child's family. 2.308.5 Reimbursement of Specialized Foster Care Homes A. Specialized Foster Care Homes will be reimbursed at a rate of$1,500 per month per child equivalent to $49.32 per day or approximately$2.03 per hour. B. These homes will also be responsible for transportation of children to therapy and other appointments, as well as school when necessary. Mileage will be paid for out-of-district schools and visits,but the Department will not pay for mileage that is covered by Medicaid. In addition,the foster parents will have access to respite services, clothing allowances, and core services as necessary. Foster parent(s) will meet with the Transition Specialist Coordinator in the home at least once per week. C. Respite care will be provided through respite care providers, approved by the Department. The Department will pay for a maximum of$170.00 in respite care each month for each Specialized Foster Care Home. Hello