Safe Futures A Plan for Program Improvement - 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.
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
data reported from the system and the on site review.
START
DATE
COMPLETION
DATE
RESPONSIBLE
PERSON(S)
MEASURABLE
BENCHMARKS
May 2002 May 2003 Shirley Vassey, Kathy Herren Provide report of findings to team.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Safe Futures – A Plan for Program Improvement
Georgia Department of Human Resources
March, 2004 Quarter 5 - Work Plan C Page 1