2013 Foster Parent Implementation Law Annual Report

Transcription

1 2013 Foster Parent Implementation Law Annual Report ChildServ s Placement Service s Unit continues to evolve in developing strategies to enhance its communication systems, practices, resources and relationships with foster parents and educating caregivers with in-service trainings. ChildServ s Traditional, Kinship, Project 90, Burgos, and Teen Mom programs primary focus, is ensuring that families are provided with community resources, professional services, safety/ well-being and equipping foster parents with quality trainings to provide our children with a quality life. ChildServ approached this year s plan by identifying the deficiencies as well as our strengths by gathering data and feedback from a mixed panel of foster parents, in order to improve the foster care program. The foster parent comments were collected, discussed, and instituted into this year s plan, by way of foster parent meetings and staff team meetings. ChildServ values its foster parents and staff member s opinions, which ultimately shapes the programs and bridges the gaps. ChildServ foster care department has continued to strive towards strengthening relationships and enhancing service delivery. ChildServ various foster care programs centers its mission to provide families/children with quality service, ensure children are provided with adequate resources and keep children safe. ChildServ prides itself on educating foster parents that are clinical based and developing supportive interventions to stabilize children. This year ChildServ objective was to recognize its deficiencies and strengths to produce a plan with data and feedback gather from foster parents and staff members. Comments were discussed and incorporated into this year s plan during foster parent meetings and staff team meetings.. List of deficiencies from previous plan: Utilizing a mutual assessment tool ChildServ developed a feedback review form that is disseminated to all foster parents, concluding foster parent trainings. This allows foster parents to provide feedback and suggestions on training topics, programmatic enhancements that support growth and development. In addition, the agency developed an specifically for foster parents to submit their feedback electronically as well as encourage innovation amongst the foster parent family of ChildServ. Ongoing training needs are mutually assessed by the case manager, licensing coordinator and foster parents during monthly home visits and/or licensing monitoring visits. Consultation is collaborated by this team to develop additional trainings for specific needs. Further the Licensing staff offers a variety of in-service training modules for foster parents when developing corrective action plans, ChildServ s 2012 Annual Report Page 1

2 renewal hours and capacity waivers. Providers are encouraged and highly supported to enroll into additional trainings to mutually assess any further training needs. Each foster parent is assessed individually to expand the skills set to meet the needs of the children. Foster parents are encouraged to routinely check the Department s virtual training website for ongoing in-service trainings updates. ChildServ s Clinical department continues to be an intricate part in working with the foster parents in developing specific training needs to reduce risk and promote safety in homes. The clinical team has worked closely with foster parents in developing techniques to equip the foster parents with effective discipline for children with severe behavioral problems. Foster parents were offered hands on weekly training where they received training hours that enhanced parental skills and stabilize placements. ChildServ has seen an increase of 25% in the area of stabilization as a result of this collaboration with providers. Foster parents who were involved in this area praised the clinical department for their support and how they were empowered to become better parents for at-risk children. In addition, the clinical department offered ongoing specialty clinical training for foster parents as a group for additional support. Provide training in the purpose and availability of System of Care. ChildServ foster parents and ChildServ staff worked together to modify the training curriculum to provide a more in depth understanding on supportive services. One of the services included the usage of System of Care and how SOC is instituted to stabilize children in care. Foster parents were educated on the crises intervention plan within ChildServ and provided with the policy on obtaining immediate services when a crisis occurs. Successful Implementation ChildServ Café ChildServ developed a Foster Parent Support group called the (ChildServ Café). The purpose of this group is to empower foster parents to strengthen their relationship with other foster parents as well as the ability to utilize each other for respite resources and other connections to meet the needs of foster children they care for. The cafés are conducted by the foster parents and are driven by their own selected topics. This additional layer of support was requested by the foster parents as an aid to other foster parents within ChildServ. This peer support has immensely helped our foster parents to understand the various challenges they face as providers and equipped them as an outlet to engage with other foster parents. Foster parents have been very receptive to the ChildServ Café and look forward to ongoing collaboration. CAFCA CAFCA (ChildServ Ambassadors for Foster Care and Adoption) members continue to recruit candidates to become foster parents by networking in their communities and providing referrals with professional backgrounds. In addition CAFCA members, serve as mentors, for their referral as well as respite resources was placed in their referral home for support as well as respite resources for them. As ambassadors, the foster parents help publicize the importance of foster care and the need for individuals and families in their community to step up to the challenge to provide a safe home environment for children that are placed in substitute care by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). ChildServ s 2012 Annual Report Page 2

3 Our communities need to be made aware of what is happening with the kids. Becoming a foster parent is the best choice I have ever made for me and my [foster] kids, says Silvana, who is a one of the charter CAFCA members. Foster parent Annual Appreciation Dinner As an appreciation of our thanks to all ChildServ foster parents, a dinner was held in their honor at Rodity s restaurant. In the spirit of foster parent appreciation, guest speaker Mike Oquendo of Mikey O Comedy Productions spoke about his experiences growing up as a youth and the importance fostering. Over the last 10 years he's earned the respect and a solid reputation as creator, producer and host. He has helped raise money to support the arts, education and youth. Foster parents were also welcomed by the Chief Executive Officer in addition to other ChildServ staff. Prior to this event, ChildServ foster parents were encouraged to provide suggestions in planning for the appreciation dinner to demonstrate a team approach and to provide an event that was reflective of their wants. During the dinner foster parents were given certificates of appreciation, as well as gifts. Foster parents gave positive feedback from the event and felt treasured as members of the ChildServ family. Foster Parent Newsletter Quarterly, ChildServ develops its foster parent newsletter where a foster parent is highlighted with a two page article. The marketing department interviews the foster parent, their picture is taken and placed in the newsletter and the foster parent is recognized by their peers as well as senior management. The newsletter is shared by foster parents, ChildServ staff members, stakeholders and the board of directors. Foster parents are encouraged to share their stories as a foster parent, provide community resources and famous recipes for the newsletter. The newsletter brings awareness to other existing foster parents and promote empowerment. Assessing foster parents ongoing training needs Foster parents training needs were jointly assessed by the case manager, licensing coordinator and foster parents, during visits to the home or during staffings. ChildServ assessed each foster parent individually by the team to develop additional trainings for specific needs to expand their parental skills to meet the needs of the children. ChildServ clinical department was instrumental as well, in that they conducted an assessment to initiate an individual training plan. This effort was to provide the foster parents with interventions that would diminish the likelihood of risk. Foster parents were receptive to the clinical team training tools and were engaging in the process. This approach stabilized children in care, equipped the foster parents with the techniques to enforce rules, develop consistency and decrease unusual incidents in the foster homes. In addition, the clinical department now offers more ongoing specialty clinical trainings for foster parents for the specialty foster parents involved teen mom programs and specialized behavior programs as a group for additional support. These training topics were also hand selected by the foster parents regarding their needs as premiere providers. ChildServ s 2012 Annual Report Page 3

4 Most Challenging Implementation Increasing Foster Parent Attendance in monthly meeting ChildServ received great feedback from foster parents regarding the support group, newsletter and CAFCA members. ChildServ has been innovative in their efforts to increase foster parent participation. The newsletter provides upcoming training, foster parent orientation and foster parent recruitment incentive program. ChildServ has received several positive feedback from the survey after each meetings and training which all comments are data entered to evaluate the level of improvement. CAFCA members remain involved by continuing promoting the importance of fostering at risk youth. ChildServ continues to encourage foster parents to participate in the foster parent monthly meetings and to become more involved with the Foster Parent Advisory Council (FPAC) and the CAFCA. ChildServ continues to survey those who regularly participate in the meetings and solicit suggestions on how to increase the number of foster parents in attendance. ChildServ has moved the meetings to different locations to accommodate more foster parents. ChildServ sends out letters, newsletters and s on the upcoming foster parent meetings with the training topics. ChildServ also sends the foster parent blast to alert them of the upcoming meetings with the topic of the training. Sections of the Plan that were not implemented at all All sections of the 2013 Plan were implemented. Development of the Plan A Foster Parent Law Steering Committee met several times to review the plan and to make necessary revisions based upon case worker and foster parent feedback and DCFS Foster Parent Law requirements. These meetings took place June 21, 2012, July 26, 2012, August 22, 2012, September 13, 17, 19,21,28,24 of 2012 and October 8, and 25 of Foster parents were very instrumental in developing this year s plan. These meeting occurred during day and evening to accommodate the foster parents work schedule. In addition foster parents as well as case managers were ed the plan in advance to amend their suggestions. This approach was designed to increase full participation from all parties who were unable to attend the meetings, endorse changes, and amend proposals to include everyone in the process. After all revisions were incorporated into the plan, foster parents and staff were asked to fully endorse the plan by reviewing in it is entirety and discuss any unnoticed concerns. Once all parties approved the plan, endorsing the plan was the final phase of completion and a copy of the new plan was distributed immediately. ChildServ senior management acknowledged those individuals who actively participated in developing the plan Staff Training on the Plan Training staff on the Foster Parent Law Implementation Plan occurred during the foster care team meeting and all staff meeting. The licensing supervisor facilitated in education staff on how changes are instituted, input is gathered and information is incorporated in the plan. During the month of September 2012 staff members were ChildServ s 2012 Annual Report Page 4

5 trained on the plan during team meeting and staff was provided the plan to amend their suggestion of changes. The plan was revised by each section, open dialoged of changes occurred, written comments was collected and incorporated. The Plan s Impact on Service Delivery Developing the foster parent implementation plan with foster parents and staff members consisted of participates having open discussion regarding their interpretation of the plan and how the plan impacts service delivery. Information was collect by the recorder and incorporated in the plan. ChildServ s management team continued to assess patterns in foster homes, case dynamics, trends, unusual incidents and supportive interventions to enhance components to the plan. The development of the plan has aided the foster parents and staff members to collaborate to produce an artifact that will enhance children lives. The outcome of this collaboration creatively sparked new ideas to the plan. ChildServ saluted foster parents involvement and appreciate their commitment towards modifying the plan. These revision sessions were offered twice during the day to accommodate those foster parent work schedule. Other foster parents gave feedback via because the plan was disseminated electrically to receive a faster reply. Plan Made Available to Foster Parent s The Foster Parent Law Plan is provided to all foster parents in a number of ways; the plan is posted on Childers s website ( available at the monthly trainings, support group, via , posted on the foster parent resource board located at the sites. The plan was also hand delivered to foster parents by either the case manager or licensing coordinator. All documents are available in English and Spanish. Grievances There were no Appeal/Grievances during this implementation year. Initial Development for review of Appeal/Grievance Policy & Procedure The Foster Parent Law Steering Committee reviewed the current internal appeal/grievance policy and no changes were necessary. To assist in training foster parents and staff, the Committee developed a summary version of the policy that was incorporated into our 2013 Plan. Foster parents are trained annually on the appeal/grievance policy and procedure at the foster parent monthly meetings. This policy is available in English and Spanish and is available at each ChildServ locations, on the ChildServ Website, and is hand delivered to foster parents that are not able to attend scheduled meetings. Foster parents involved on the development of the plan include: Fredia Fox* Nelson Willis* Marcella Holly Eva Hickman Gloria Maxie* Janet Kyles* ChildServ s 2012 Annual Report Page 5

6 Shelia Harper Alison Chalmers** Jeanne Wright Ladrenne Mason Greg Wilson* Essie Watkins *Foster Parent Advisory Board Member **ChildServ Ambassadors for Foster Care & Adoption Respectfully Submitted, Maurice Dorris, MS Licensing Supervisor ChildServ s 2012 Annual Report Page 6