an overview georgia program improvement plan - Department of ...

START
DATE
COMPLETION
DATE
RESPONSIBLE
PERSON(S)
Mar 2002 June 2004 Foster Care Unit, Placement Resource
Development Unit
MEASURABLE
BENCHMARKS
Documentation of efforts to develop resource homes
accepting sibling groups, ongoing through June 2004 By
June 2004, a significant number of homes accepting
sibling groups will be developed.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
1 st Quarter Report: Adequate emphasis is being made in all aspects of our program to carefully assess and address the needs of
sibling groups. This includes our efforts to develop and provide training focused on improving the caregiver's skills in managing
sibling groups. Currently, foster parents may complete their annual training requirements locally and/or by attending the Annual Staff
and Foster Parent Institutes and the Adoptive and Foster Parent Association of Georgia's Annual Conference.
2 nd Quarter Report: Achieved.
Added emphasis is being made in all aspects of our program to carefully assess and address the needs of sibling groups. This includes
our efforts to develop and provide training focused on improving the caregiver's skills in managing sibling groups. Currently, foster
parents may complete their annual training requirements locally and/or by attending the Annual Staff and Foster Parent Development
Institutes and the Adoptive and Foster Parent Association of Georgia's Annual Conference. On-going.
2 nd Quarter Federal Response: What can the State give us to show this has been achieved?
3rd Quarter Report/Georgia's Reply: This goal is Achieved.
Please refer to the attached Staff and foster Parent Development Institutes, and the Adoptive and Foster Parent Association of
Georgia's Annual Conference material. All included components on the importance of placing siblings together.
4 th Quarter Federal Response: The State indicates that this step has been achieved. The State has completed activities to recruit and
train foster homes for sibling groups, but has there been an actual increase in homes available for siblings? The State's evaluation
method in the PIP is to 'Determine the number of foster parents who will accept sibling groups and establish a percentage of additional
homes needed.' Has this been done?
5th Quarter Report/Georgia's Reply to Federal Response: Yes, there has been an increase in the number of recruited homes that
commit to accepting sibling groups. Almost all newly recruited homes are willing to accept sibling groups. The State does not
consider the availability of a foster home willing to accept a sibling group in isolation. It should be noted that when siblings cannot be
placed together, it is most often not because a home willing to accept siblings was not available. Instead, the decision to place or not
place siblings together is also impacted by other issues, pertaining to their overall well-being and functioning, (such as their medical,
Safe Future – A Plan for Program Improvement
Georgia Department of Human Resources
November, 2004 Quarter 8 - Work Plan G Page 6