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

Established more flexible hours and locations to accommodate scheduling of visits.
Item 17, Needs and Services of Child, Parents, Foster Parents
There were originally 14 action steps on “Needs and Services of Child, Parents, Foster Parents”. All were achieved except two. Item 17 is largely dependent upon the completion
of Qualitative Case Reviews conducted by the Evaluation and Reporting Section. This indicator was applied to 106 records. Eighty-one received a strength rating (76.42%).
Ninety-nine of the cases received an FP/BP assessment and Wrap Around and other services were identified and provided to address the needs in the case plan. There were 25
cases in which areas needing improvement were identified; and in all 25 cases the issue was inadequate service provision.
Issues: While CPRS was enhanced to include the FP/BP assessment, the reporting function has not been developed to help identify gaps in service. The effort to produce reports is
still underway.
Item 18: Child and Family Involvement in Case Planning
The QCR (Cumulative Report for October 2003 – September 2004) reveals that family involvement in case planning is a strength in 65% of the cases reviewed. While a majority
of records indicated that the agency actively involved the family in the case planning process, a significant percent (35%) were not in compliance with this requirement.
The following steps related to family involvement in case planning have been taken in order enhance a family’s capacity to provide for
the needs of its children:
Both Georgia statute and DFCS policy require that the parents be provided written notice of the case-planning meeting so that they can participate. Such notice is
required at least five calendar days in advance of the meeting and includes not only the logistics of the meeting, but also critical information concerning how the plan will
be considered by the court for incorporation into an order.
Training to reinforce the involvement of the child and family in case planning has targeted three “key players” who are responsible for ensuring family involvement:
1. DFCS staff: A training curriculum based on CWLA core competencies of family-centered practice was developed. As of April 2004, a revised New Worker
Training curriculum, which is considered more relevant to the learning needs of case management staff, was implemented.
2. Judges: Judges have been surveyed twice about the inclusion of parents and children in planning. The PIP findings regarding this measure have been presented at
conferences to improve their understanding and awareness. A judge’s list serv has also been set up for accessing information about this measure.
Safe Futures – A Plan for Program Improvement
Georgia Department of Human Resources
November, 2004 Quarter 8 – Table of Contents Page xiii