CalWORKs/Child Welfare Partnership Project Sample Plan Any County, California Goal: To enhance service coordination between CalWORKs and Child Welfare in a specific location (name the office, region or district) to help families achieve economic stability and ensure child safety and well-being. Policy Foundation STRATEGIC DIRECTION Implementation Objective 1: Leadership actions, program operations, staff behavior and client results in the specified location are guided by the strategic direction for service coordination between CalWORKs and Child Welfare. Product 1A: A vision, mission and principles to guide our specified location and other departmental offices to achieve successful client outcomes through service coordination between CalWORKs and Child Welfare. Task 1A1: Contemplate the impacts of poverty on the families in your Child Welfare and Welfare systems. Task 1A2: Conduct staff and stakeholder review of current vision, mission and guiding principles for clarity and completeness. Assess whether they reflect the purpose, approach and desired outcomes to achieve the joint goals of economic stability and child safety & well-being for every client. Task 1A3: Review examples of model vision, mission and guiding principles from other Linkages counties.* Task 1A4: Refine vision, mission and guiding principles based on review and discussion. Task 1A5: Distribute revised vision, mission and guiding principles for incorporation into appropriate program documentation and activities, such as Coordinated Case Planning Handbook (see Objective 7) and Basic Orientation Curriculum (see Objective 9), etc. * Indicates technical assistance available through Partnership Project Planning Guide. Linkages Sample Plan, CalWORKs/Child Welfare Partnership Project Page 1
Task 1A6: Design and produce posters or other formats to communicate the vision, mission and guiding principles to staff, stakeholders and community. TARGET POPULATION [Most counties choose cross-over population] Implementation Objective 2: The subset of families whose needs are best met through coordination of Child Welfare and CalWORKs services are clearly defined. Product 2A: A set of eligibility criteria that defines the target population and guides the selection of families to be served within the coordinated services program. Task 2A1: Review the characteristics of families currently served by both CalWORKs and Child Welfare (refer to target population grid in the Linkages Planning Guide). Task 2A2: Identify circumstances and conditions where client outcomes are negatively impacted by lack of coordination between Child Welfare and CalWORKs services. Task 2A3: Assess any legal requirements (or opportunities) for service coordination (AB 429, CalWORKs diversion, DV assessment in CalWORKs). Task 2A4: Define target population(s). Task 2A5: Review current eligibility criteria for CalWORKs and Child Welfare Services to determine which criteria are relevant for the target population. Task 2A6: Draft eligibility criteria for coordinated services program. Task 2A7: Gather & analyze stakeholder input on draft criteria. Task 2A8: Revise criteria based on stakeholder input. COORDINATED CASE PLANNING MODEL Implementation Objective 3: The chosen model of coordinated case planning utilizes existing organization structures of CalWORKs and Child Welfare Services to promote economic sufficiency, child safety and well-being outcomes for families in the target population(s). Linkages Sample Plan, CalWORKs/Child Welfare Partnership Project Page 2
Product 3A: A description of the coordinated case planning model selected for the specified location to establish or improve coordinated case planning between CalWORKs and Child Welfare. Task 3A1: Examine the current organizational structure of the county s CalWORKs and Child Welfare Services operations, including the flow of clients through the current system. Task 3A2: Evaluate the coordinated case planning models identified in the Planning Guide. Task 3A3: Review coordinated case planning models used by other Linkages counties.* Task 3A4: Select and depict a coordinated case planning model or combination of models that best meets the needs of the target population and draws upon the strengths of the county environment. OUTCOMES Implementation Objective 4: The success of our county s Linkages effort is defined in terms of the economic sufficiency, safety and wellbeing outcomes desired for children and families. Product 4A: A definition of the client and program outcomes for Linkages clients in our target population(s). Task 4A1: The Linkages Planning Committee reviews the Evaluation Guide from the Partnership Project, including outcomes and indicators from the CWS Outcomes Matrix (which includes AB 636 outcomes and indicators tracked through CWS/CMS).* Task 4A2: The Linkages Planning Committee discusses its theory of change and hoped for outcomes for each Linkages target population. Task 4A3: The Linkages Planning Committee identifies expected outcomes and indicators for each Linkages target population. For example: Outcome: Children are, first and foremost, protected from child abuse and neglect. Indicator: Recurrence of maltreatment of all children who were victims of substantiated or indicated child abuse and/or neglect during the first six months of the reporting period, what percent had another substantiated or indicated report within a six month period? (Federal Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997) Linkages Sample Plan, CalWORKs/Child Welfare Partnership Project Page 3
Practice Protocols CLIENT IDENTIFICATION Implementation Objective 5: Families who are most likely to benefit from coordination of Child Welfare and CalWORKs services are being identified in a consistent, efficient, and effective manner. Product 5A: An intake screening tool and protocols to help staff and potential clients determine the family s suitability for coordinated services program. Task 5A1: Based on coordinated case planning model selected for our Linkages program, interview staff performing initial screener role to analyze current intake screening procedure. Task 5A2: Review client identification methods in other Linkages counties. Focus on counties with similar characteristics to our county.* Task 5A3: Identify decision points during intake process where eligibility for coordinated services program would be made. Identify screening tool and protocols where eligibility criteria for coordinated services program can be integrated. Task 5A4: Recommend modifications to current intake screening protocols and tools to support intake of coordinated services clients. Task 5A5: Develop prototype protocols and tools for field testing. Task 5A6: Conduct field test of protocols and tools. Task 5A7: Refine protocols and tools based on field test results. INFORMATION SHARING Implementation Objective 6: The information sharing activities of caseworkers, families and service providers are guided by a common, consistent set of protocols that protects the privacy of all client-related information. Product 6A: Confidentiality protocols that specify the procedures, safeguards and tools to be used when sharing client information between CalWORKs and Child Welfare Services personnel. Task 6A1: Examine current confidentiality protocols of the county s CalWORKs and Child Welfare Services operations to identify inconsistencies and barriers to effective information sharing. Linkages Sample Plan, CalWORKs/Child Welfare Partnership Project Page 4
Task 6A2: Research the confidentiality practices used by other Linkages counties.* Task 6A3: Develop consistent, standard confidentiality protocols that can be applied to the coordinated services program; circulate to stakeholders for review & comment. This step may include modifications to existing Confidentiality Policy. Task 6A4: Revise confidentiality protocols based on stakeholder input. Task 6A5: Develop training module for supervisors and caseworkers on confidentiality policy and protocols. COORDINATED CASE PLANNING PROTOCOLS Implementation Objective 7: The case planning activities of caseworkers, families, and service providers are efficiently and effectively coordinated toward meeting the goals of economic sufficiency, child safety and well-being. Product 7A: A Coordinated Case Planning Handbook to establish or improve coordinated case planning between CalWORKs and Child Welfare programs. Topics contained in the Handbook include, but are not limited to: Early identification and tracking of target population. Establishing and maintaining a referral system to CWS, CalWORKs, preventive services and other community partners. Preferred joint approaches to serving families. Casework collaboration: o Coordinated case plans o Joint home-visits o Multi-disciplinary team meetings o Communication processes/protocols o Joint case staffings o Case closure protocols Task 7A1: Review protocols and processes from other Linkages counties. Focus on counties with similar characteristics to our county.* Task 7A2: Assess existing coordinated case planning efforts in specified location (or throughout Agency) to identify critical success factors, areas for improvement, and barriers to achieving positive outcomes. Task 7A3: Develop draft Coordinated Case Planning Handbook for stakeholder review. Task 7A4: Revise draft Handbook based on stakeholder input. Linkages Sample Plan, CalWORKs/Child Welfare Partnership Project Page 5
Administrative PROJECT MANAGEMENT Implementation Objective 8: Linkages Coordinator guides Linkages activities and reports progress using project work plan. Product 8A: Linkages Work Plan to guide project activities and timelines. Task 8A1: After reviewing Sample Linkages Plan, collaborate with Linkages Planning Committee to draft Linkages Work Plan.* Use planning process to secure staff and management buy-in. Task 8A2: Submit work plan to Partnership Project for review. Task 8A3: Revise work plan based on Partnership Project input; periodically update based on other project developments. Task 8A4: Use work plan to track and report on progress of Linkages effort. Product 8B: Linkages Progress Reports to inform management and other stakeholders of project status. Task 8B1: Linkages Planning Committee identifies which managers and other key stakeholders need to be kept up-to-date on Linkages project status. Task 8B2: Linkages Planning Committee develops report format, timing and distribution of periodic Progress Reports about Linkages effort. STAFF TRAINING Implementation Objective 9: Supervisors, caseworkers and other staff involved in the Linkages program are demonstrating the knowledge, skills, and abilities to help families meet their goals of economic sufficiency and child safety. Product 9A: Conduct a Basic Orientation to educate personnel involved in Linkages. Task 9A1: Determine target audiences for training curriculum: casework staff supervisory staff others who play an integral role in the case coordination team Linkages Sample Plan, CalWORKs/Child Welfare Partnership Project Page 6
Task 9A2: Review existing Linkages Basic Orientation curriculum available through Resource Center for Family-Focused Practice. Task 9A3: Review approaches to providing Basic Orientation in other Linkages counties.* Task 9A4: Plan your county s Linkages Basic Orientation. Task 9A5: Conduct your county s Linkages Basic Orientation. Product 9B: Develop a Training Plan to support skill building for staff and management involved in the Linkages Program. Task 9B1: Review existing county Training Plan for CalWORKs and CWS programs. Task 9B2: Evaluate training needs of staff and management involved in Linkages program. Task 9B3: Modify Training Plan to address Linkages training needs. FUNDING Implementation Objective 10: Opportunities to maximize available financial resources to implement and sustain Linkages are explored. Product 10A: For the target population(s), identify and, if needed, modify claiming procedures to capture additional revenues or use existing revenues differently to support Linkages (e.g., modified claiming procedures based on time studies to maximize use of CalWORKs and Child Welfare funding sources). Task 10A1: Review matching and claiming processes in other Linkages counties.* Task 10A2: Review current claiming procedures for target population(s). Task 10A3: Make modifications to claiming procedures as needed. Task 10A4: Train fiscal and program staff on any revised claiming procedures to maximize Linkages program resources. EVALUATION Implementation Objective 11: A system of evaluation is used to measure Linkages client outcomes and make program improvements. Product 11A: Outcome evaluation protocols to assess Linkages client results. Linkages Sample Plan, CalWORKs/Child Welfare Partnership Project Page 7
Task 11A1: Invite county CWS/CMS Coordinator to participate in Linkages Planning Committee. Task 11A2: Review the approach recommended by the Partnership Project to measure and evaluate outcomes for Linkages clients using CWS/CMS data.* Task 11A3: Develop protocols for measuring and evaluating client outcomes using CWS/CMS data and circulate for review. Task 11A4: Finalize outcome evaluation protocols based on stakeholder input. Task 11A5: County CWS/CMS Coordinator works with other Linkages counties and U.C. Berkeley to review our county s approach to evaluating client outcomes and determines comparison population.* Linkages Sample Plan, CalWORKs/Child Welfare Partnership Project Page 8