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Home My WebLink About980924.tiff RESOLUTION RE: APPROVE EXPEDITED PERMANENCY PLANNING PHASE-IN PLAN AND AUTHORIZE CHAIR TO SIGN 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 an Expedited Permanency Planning Phase-in Plan from the County of Weld, State of Colorado, by and through the Board of County Commissioners of Weld County, on behalf of the Department of Social Services, to the Colorado Department of Human Services, commencing June 1, 1998, and ending May 31, 1999, with further terms and conditions being as stated in said proposal, and WHEREAS, after review, the Board deems it advisable to approve said proposal, 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 Expedited Permanency Planning Phase-in Plan from the County of Weld, State of Colorado, by and through the Board of County Commissioners of Weld County, on behalf of the Department of Social Services, to the Colorado Department of Human Services be, and hereby is, approved. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED by the Board that the Chair be, and hereby is, authorized to sign said proposal. The above and foregoing Resolution was, on motion duly made and seconded, adopted by the following vote on the 1st day of June, A.D., 1998. BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WW COUNTY, COLORADO . ATTEST:. Constance L. Harbe , Chair Weld County Clerk 'thy O� W. H. ebster, Prom BY: Deputy Clerk to t N1 ♦_ �� eorge'E. Baxter AP AS FORM: Da e . Hall / '�ty� oun At rney �• � �� Barbara J. Kirkmeyer 980924 SS0024 PC sS OFFICE OF BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS WI Ip‘titit PHONE(303)356-4000. EXT 4200 FAX(303 352-0242 C. POOX632 GREELEV. COLORADO 80632 COLORADO Weld County Expedited Permanency Planning Phase-in Plan The Board of Weld County Commissioners has been presented with the Weld County Expedited Permanency Planning Phase-in Plan, on behalf of the Weld County Department of Social Services, and has approved such plan for the period of June 1, 1998 through May 31, 1999. ,/' / /C� 4210-Gte-r� e-> 06/01/98 Constance L. Harbert, Chair Date Board of Weld County Commissioners a 5�&7/9� Jud 'A. 1)-ego, D' ctor Da e We d'Co ty Departmen}'of Social Services 9619a4/ WELD COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES Expedited Permanency Planning Proposal Weld County Department of Social Services and the Nineteenth Judicial District are interested in a E.P.P. program. This program would serve forty families in a year. OVERSIGHT: The Weld County Families, Youth and Children Commission will monitor the project goals, budget, and outcomes and will recommend refinements to the Expedited Permanency Planning system. The Families, Youth and Children Commission is an advisory committee to the Board of Weld County Commissioners and the Weld County Department of Social Services. II. PHILOSOPHY: In promoting self sufficiency and keeping with the belief that government welfare should be used to temporarily help families the greatest burden of the E.P.P. program must be placed on parents; not on the system or taxpayers. This accelerated program is designed to better include families in the decision making process as well as better meet the children's need for permanency. Department of Human Services funding for the Court's expenses connected with implementing E.P.P. in the Nineteenth Judicial District will not continue for more than two (2)years after E.P.P. designation. The Nineteenth Judicial District is responsible for absorbing the court's expenses. III. ELIGIBLE POPULATION: The goal is to serve forty families in a year. These children will range in ages from 0 through 5 years of age. Criteria for acceptance into the E.P.P. program is as follows: A. The case must be new at the start of the program. B. The child must initially have been placed outside of their home due to risk of abuse or neglect in their own home. C. The child must be in out-of-home placement at the time of the temporary custody hearing. 1 IV. FLOW OF EXPEDITED PERMANENCY PLAN (E.P.P.) CASES AND OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS. The flow of Expedited Permanency Planning cases remains basically the same as described in the January 1998 proposal. The only slight difference is that the staffing at the beginning of a case that takes place between the intake caseworker, ongoing or E.P.P. caseworker, E.P.P. program supervisor, intake supervisor, and sometimes the dependency and neglect case coordinator is for purposes of sharing information. The staffing does not place children into the E.P.P. program. Placement into the E.P.P. program and court track is automatic if their situation meets the eligibility criteria previously described. The Department is making an additional request for a half-time caseworker III position. Caseloads are going up. We projected that we would have 13 new E.P.P. cases by the end of May 1998. At the beginning of May 1998 we already have 16 E.P.P. cases. These cases do take more concentrated efforts and staff time due to the shortened time lines. Inorder to provide the best services possible to these cases, and because we are integrating these cases into our regular staffs caseloads,we are requesting a half-time caseworker III position. This half-time position will be coupled with a regular half-time caseworker III position that already exists in the ongoing child protection unit to create one full time position. In order to help expedite these cases, the Department continues to recommend using E.P.P. program monies for four specific services/ 1. The Department has contracted with a Office of Dispute Resolution mediator and a equally qualified private mediator. Due to disagreements over the wording of Weld County's standard contract the office of Dispute Resolution has not agreed to sign the contract. A revision of the contract,with all the changes O.D.R. requested,was provided to O.D.R. on April 15, 1998. The Department has not had a response back as of May 14, 1998. 2. The Department continues to recommend allocating monies for the use of contracting with a private provider to do Family Group Conferences for E.P.P. cases. The only change needed is that the provider has found it necessary to expand the hours for the provision of this service from 20 hours to 25 hours. The cost per hour remains the same as in the January, 1998 proposal. In addition to the cost of the F.G.D.M. service, we wish to add money for refreshments for each meeting at a total of$1,200 annually or$30.00 for each meeting. Some extended family members will need assistance in traveling to and from the meeting. We anticipate needing expenses for two families per case traveling 200 miles each for a total of 400 miles per case at .20 cents per mile or $3,200 for all 40 cases. 2 �9a� 3. The Department continues to project the need for private home studies as described in the January, 1998 proposal. 4. The Department also wishes to have the flexibility of purchasing private adoptive studies for children who do not have appropriate relative or foster-adoption placements available to them. These studies are much more in-depth and extensive than regular home studies. The cost is usually per study with the high range being $1,500 per study. We anticipate needing this for 15 children or sibling groups in the next year. The total cost would be $22,500. MEASURABLE OUTCOMES & GOALS: Measurable outcomes and goals remain the same as in the January, 1998 proposal. By the end of May, 1998 we will have scheduled and completed five to six Family Group Decision Making conferences. Overall,this service has proven valuable in providing permanent placements and plans for children in the E.P.P. program. The first month of the E.P.P. program was very slow. Since then,the number of cases has surpassed our original goal of 13 cases by the end of May, 1998. Since we have only been involved with E.P.P. for three and a half months there are not any significant outcomes to report, but the future looks promising. V. COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: Of note is that a meeting was held with community human service providers. Presentations were done by the E.P.P. Supervisor for the Department and the District Judge presiding over the juvenile court. There was excellent participation and interest. VI. RESOURCES: The Department has used Ackerman and Associates for provision of Family Group Decision Making services. So far, this service has gone well and is valuable. Although we have two mediators under contract to provide court mediation, only one mediation has been ordered by the court. This was completed, a settlement was reached, and a lengthy trial was avoided. The other C.O.R.E. services most frequently utilized have been from Ackerman and Associates and Island Grove Treatment Center. ss\faepp.sgg 3 BUDGET REQUEST PAGE JUNE 1. 1998 THROUGH MAY 31. 1999 Department of Social Services' Request 1. Half-time Case Aide III: $ 12,769.44 1064.12 per month x 12 months (includes 5% cost of living increase plus benefits) 2. Half-Time Child Protection Caseworker III $ 18,600.00 $1,550.00 per month x 12 months (Includes 5% cost of living increases) 3. A. Family Group Decision Making Services: $ 75,000.00 40 cases at 25 hours per case at $75.00 per hour B. Refreshment for Family Group Decision $ 1,200.00 Making meeting: at$30.00 per meeting for 40 cases C. Transportation for Family: $ 3,200.00 400 miles per case for 40 families at .20 cents per mile 4. Private Contracts for Home Studies: $ 28,800.00 one home study per case at$90.00 per hour and 8 hours per study 5. Private Contracts for Adoptive Studies: $ 22,500.00 15 studies at $1,500 per study 6. Mediation Services $ 14,400.00 30 cases at 6 hours per case times $80.00 per hour 7. Miscellaneous Training: $ 6,000.00 Total Department of Social Services Request: $ 182,469.44 4 WELD COUNTY EXPEDITED PERMANENCY PLANNING FLOW CHART IInitial intervention i I Child Remains Home Child Enters Emergency Placement Initial Placement Assessment for Ongoing Placement Team to include EPP Caseworker, Intake Supervisors, D&N Case Coordinator, Ongoing Supervisors, Intake Caseworker who has case I I Expedited Permanancey Planning Existing Perrnacncy Planning Children 0-6 Years of Age Children 6 and Older May include Older Siblings I I I 1 Kinship Foster Care Foster/Adopt Adoption I t i i Services provided meet concurrent planning model Both family reunification as well as other options such as relinquishment/termination of parental rights LEPP Legal Tracking i Permanency Planning Staffing I—I Existing Legal Tracking I 5 95094 EPP Legal Track: Permanency Planning Staffing: Existing _ - 30 days prior to permanency plan hearing Legal - temporary custody- - staffing to include EPP caseworker, D&N Tracking adjudication and initial desposition 60 days from service of petition Case Coordinator,Resource caseworker, hearingAdoption Unit Staff member, attorneys refined treatment plan hearing may occur days after adjudication e - May include other members of the child's p treatment team, i.e. foster parent, therapist permanency planning hearings 3 months after dispositional hearing - permanent placement 12 months from Permanent out-of-home placement original out-of-home placement that meets the best interest of the child Return Home - ongoing fostercare - adoption Mediation by - guardianship Office of Dispute Resolution D&N Case Coordinator -r- G month - Annual Review of Placement by permanency planning teatm if child is in ongoing foster care Services Available - ADAD - 4A/EA - Medicaid - Case Services - Family Preservation Program 6 i 'L -i4 t i,, V)R. ".'1 ) (it 6t-3/4 DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES P.O. BOX A 119 REELEY, COLORADO 80632 Administration and Public Assistance (970) 352-1551 C Child Support(970) 352-6933 O Protective and Youth Services(970) 352-1923 Food Stamps (970) 356-3850 COLORADO Fax (970) 353-5215 MEMORANDUM TO: Constance L. Harbert, Chair Date: May 27, 1998 Board of County Commissioners FR: Judy A. Griego, Director, Social Services a RE: Weld County Expedited Permanency Planning Phase-in Plan Enclosed for Board approval is the Weld County Expedited Permanency Planning Phase-in Plan to be submitted to the Colorado Department of Human Services for approval and funding from the Family Issues Cash Fund (100%Federal and State Funding). The major provisions of the plan are as follows: 1. The term of the plan is June 1, 1998, through May 31, 1999. 2. The total budget request is for $182,469.44, and incorporates specific budget requests as follows: a. Half-time Case Aide III $12,769.44 b. Half-time Child Protection Caseworker III $18,600.00 c. Family Group Decision Making Services $79,400.00 d. Private Contracts for Home Studies $28,800.00 e. Private Contracts for Adoptive Studies $22,500.00 f. Mediation Services $14,400.00 g. Staff Training $ 6,000.00 3. Major revisions of the original plan and budget from the previous year are as follows: a. Increased costs for Family Group Decision Making services due to the hours increase from 20 hours to 25 hours. 980924 MEMORANDUM Page 2 Constance L. Harbert May 27, 1998 b. Adding a half-time Child Protection Caseworker III to an existing half-time Child Protection Caseworker III position, resulting in a full-time position. With some experience with the Expedited Permanency Planning process, we are projecting an increase in the number of cases at intake and a number of voluntary services cases in the ongoing child protection unit needed to be filed in court. This additional half-time position would help us meet the needs under Expedited Permanency Planning and the Child Welfare Settlement Agreement caseload standards for caseworkers. c. Increased costs for adoption homes studies to be done through private providers. At the conclusion of the phase-in period, the Weld County Department of Social Services will assume full financial responsibility for its staff and program activities outlined and designated by the Department. The Nineteenth Judicial District assumes full financial responsibility for its budget under a separate plan. If you have any questions, please telephone me at extension 6510. Hello