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

Work Plan Detail C -- Item 6, Stability of Foster Care Placement
C1 ACTION STEPS: Clarify the current AFCARS policy regarding Georgia's definition of a placement move and how to count
periodic temporary 'placement', i.e. where it is known in advance that the placement is temporary for the
purpose of respite, hospitalizations, mental health treatment stabilizations and also the plan is to return the child
to the same foster home this placement should not be counted in the number of placement moves in the foster
care episode.
START
DATE
COMPLETION
DATE
RESPONSIBLE
PERSON(S)
MEASURABLE
BENCHMARKS
Jan. 2002 Apr. 2002 Kathy Herren Provide definition to Feds and obtain approval.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
Achieved. After further examination of existing policy, it is noted that Georgia's definition of a placement move is in line with the
Child Welfare Policy Manual Section 1.2B.7 and 1.3 appendices and section 479;45CFR1355.40 appendices of the Social Security
Act. Completion date: April 2002 (this was accomplished prior to PIP approval and is on going). Continuous emphasis with case
management staff should be placed on meeting the goal of the child having no more than two moves while in the foster care system.
This will be accomplished by including this as a part of all training related to foster care.
8 th Quarter Report: Achieved. Per ACF 7 th quarter request for documentation: The Social Services Manual, Chapter 60, Appendix
A, pages. 13 and 14, items 32, 34, and 35 provide instructions on how to enter removal dates and date of placement(s) in the Internal
Data System (IDS), which is the State's official AFCARS reporting system. Instructions for Item 35 state: "this field is to be updated
every time the child moves. It is not considered a move if it is planned for the child to return to the placement (i.e., summer camp,
hospital stay for planned operation etc.)". (See Action Step C4)
8 th Quarter DOCUMENTATION: Social Services Policy, Chapter 60, Appendix A, pages 13 and 14 (instructions on how to enter
placement moves in IDS for AFCARS reporting).
BARRIERS TO ACHIEVEMENT:
C2 ACTION STEPS:
Examine the methodology used to extract the data from the system in order to address the discrepancy in the
Safe Futures – A Plan for Program Improvement
Georgia Department of Human Resources
November, 2004 Quarter 8 - Work Plan C Page 1