an overview georgia program improvement plan - Department of ...
an overview georgia program improvement plan - Department of ...
an overview georgia program improvement plan - Department of ...
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1 st Quarter Response: In May <strong>of</strong> 2002, the DHR Promoting Safe <strong>an</strong>d Stable Families Program hosted the 5 th Annual Safe Families<br />
Symposia. The fifth in a series <strong>of</strong> statewide training <strong>an</strong>d technical assist<strong>an</strong>ce conferences, the Symposium provided <strong>an</strong> opportunity for<br />
241 front line workers, supervisors <strong>an</strong>d community based services providers to exp<strong>an</strong>d their practice skills in the areas <strong>of</strong> assessment<br />
driven, family centered practice. The Safe Families Symposium Series has been designed to enh<strong>an</strong>ce the practice, supervisory <strong>an</strong>d<br />
m<strong>an</strong>agement skills needed to improve the quality <strong>of</strong> community-based supports, services <strong>an</strong>d outcomes for children <strong>an</strong>d families. In<br />
direct response to CFSR Systemic Factor -- Item 35 Service Array, training <strong>of</strong>ferings for the 2002 Symposium addressed the<br />
practice <strong>improvement</strong> recommendations <strong>of</strong> federal <strong>an</strong>d state child welfare experts identified in Georgia's CFSR. Improving<br />
Outcomes: Comprehensive Assessment <strong>an</strong>d Individual Family Action Pl<strong>an</strong>s was developed <strong>an</strong>d delivered by the Child Welfare<br />
Policy <strong>an</strong>d Practice Group, Montgomery Alabama. Designed to improve the practice skills <strong>of</strong> front line workers <strong>an</strong>d direct service<br />
providers, the training <strong>of</strong>fered <strong>an</strong> intensive <strong>overview</strong> <strong>of</strong> the interlocking steps necessary to assess <strong>an</strong>d respond through service<br />
coordination, to the underlying family needs which create safety concerns for children. Topics covered included strengths-based<br />
assessment <strong>an</strong>d solution focused interviewing techniques.<br />
2 nd Quarter Response: In May <strong>of</strong> 2003, the DHR Promoting Safe <strong>an</strong>d Stable Families Program hosted the 6 th Annual Safe Families<br />
Symposia. The sixth in a series <strong>of</strong> statewide training <strong>an</strong>d technical assist<strong>an</strong>ce conferences, the Symposium provided <strong>an</strong> opportunity for<br />
280 front line workers, supervisors <strong>an</strong>d community based services providers to exp<strong>an</strong>d their practice skills in the areas <strong>of</strong> assessment<br />
driven, family centered practice. The Safe Families Symposium Series has been designed to improve the quality <strong>of</strong> community-based<br />
supports <strong>an</strong>d services <strong>an</strong>d outcomes for children <strong>an</strong>d families.<br />
In direct response to CFSR Systemic Factor -- Item 35 Service Array, training <strong>of</strong>ferings for the 2003 Symposium addressed the<br />
assessment practice <strong>improvement</strong> recommendations <strong>of</strong> federal <strong>an</strong>d state child welfare experts identified in Georgia's CFSR.<br />
Workshop Offerings at the 2003 Symposium included:<br />
Subst<strong>an</strong>ce Abuse <strong>an</strong>d Family Functioning developed <strong>an</strong>d delivered by OASIS Counseling Center, was designed to explore<br />
behaviors, patterns <strong>an</strong>d lifestyle habits typically seen in subst<strong>an</strong>ce abusing families <strong>an</strong>d presenting family issues. Additional workshop<br />
<strong>of</strong>ferings included identification <strong>of</strong> the relational dynamics present in families affected by parental subst<strong>an</strong>ce abuse, discussion <strong>of</strong> the<br />
disease concept <strong>of</strong> addiction, symptoms that make up the diagnosis <strong>of</strong> chemical dependency <strong>an</strong>d the components <strong>of</strong> the alcohol <strong>an</strong>d<br />
drug assessment.<br />
Mental Health Issues <strong>an</strong>d Families in Crisis delivered by Judy Plecko, Director <strong>of</strong> Family Support <strong>an</strong>d Social Work at the Marcus<br />
Institute <strong>of</strong> Emory University trained particip<strong>an</strong>ts on how to assess the major behavioral indicators <strong>of</strong> mental illness in a family<br />
system, specific mental/brain disorders <strong>an</strong>d effective interventions for improving family resiliency;<br />
Dynamics <strong>of</strong> Domestic Violence, delivered by N<strong>an</strong>cy Grigsby, Executive Director <strong>of</strong> the Georgia Coalition Against Domestic<br />
Violence focused on the child welfare implications <strong>of</strong> domestic violence, patterns <strong>of</strong> abuse <strong>an</strong>d barriers to violence-free households,<br />
including victim <strong>an</strong>d child socialization, effects <strong>of</strong> trauma <strong>an</strong>d childhood abuse. The training provided valuable insight into working<br />
with families impacted by domestic violence from assessing the d<strong>an</strong>ger to coordinated intervention including, screening, risk<br />
assessment, child impact, safety <strong>an</strong>d case pl<strong>an</strong>ning <strong>an</strong>d coordination <strong>of</strong> family resources.<br />
Safe Futures – A Pl<strong>an</strong> for Program Improvement<br />
Georgia <strong>Department</strong> <strong>of</strong> Hum<strong>an</strong> Resources<br />
November, 2004 Quarter 8 – Work Pl<strong>an</strong> Q Page 5