Safe Futures A Plan for Program Improvement - Department of ...

4 th Quarter Federal Response: Did the State finish developing standards and incorporating them into the performance management
plans? The achieved status for this item is based on the revision of the E&R SSR Guide but it cannot be achieved until the standards
are developed and are incorporated into the plans. Step E2 notes that the standards have not been developed.
5 th Quarter Report: Revisions in the review guide are the standards that we referenced in the 3 rd Quarter Progress Report and
forwarded to the Regional Office as documentation. Refer to the E&R Review Guide, Child Placement Services, Item 14. The
language 'standard' was a bit technical. Perhaps we should have used 'criterion'. Item 14 of the E&R review guide states: 'If the child
had been in foster care 15 of the most recent 22 months, has the agency filed or joined a petition to terminate parental rights, or
documented compelling reasons why this is not in the best interest of the child?' The E&R Section completed a Trend Analysis Report
for SFY 2003. Social service reviews were completed in 95 county DFCS offices. Statewide trends were identified from those
reviews. Of the cases reviewed where a child had been in foster care 15 of the most recent 22 months, the agency filed timely to
terminate parental rights or documented compelling reasons why TPR was not in the best interest of the child in 71% of the cases
reviewed.
5 th Quarter DOCUMENTATION:
• E&R Review Guide
• Trend Analysis Report date October 14, 2003
• County Directors PMP (previously submitted with the 3 rd Quarter Progress Report)
BARRIERS TO ACHIEVEMENT:
E2 ACTION STEPS:
START
DATE
COMPLETION
DATE
Improve accountability for ensuring existing policies and procedures related to filing of TPR are adhered
to:
B. Incorporate developed standards into County Directors' Performance Management Plan.
RESPONSIBLE
PERSON(S)
MEASURABLE
BENCHMARKS
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Safe Futures – A Plan for Program Improvement
Georgia Department of Human Resources
March, 2004 Quarter 5 - Work Plan E Page 2