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DHS Program Resources Child Protection/Welfare Sup

Hennepin County

FINAL Program Improvement Plan

I. General Information                

 

County/Tribal Agency:  

Hennepin County

Address: Century Plaza, 330 S 12th St, Minneapolis, MN 55404

Telephone Number: 612-596-9563

 

Primary Person Responsible for PIP:

Deborah Huskins

E-mail Address: Deborah.Huskins@co.hennepin.mn.us

Telephone Number: 612-596-9563

 

DHS Quality Assurance Contact:

Shari Kottke, Christine Harder-Mehl

E-mail Address: Shari.L.Kottke@state.mn.us Christine.Harder-Mehl@state.mn.us

Telephone Number: 651-431-4706 (Shari), 651-431-4695 (Chris)

To be completed by DHS:

Date Draft PIP Submitted by County/Tribe: May/June 2011 submissions

Date PIP Approved: 7/27/2011

Due Dates for Quarterly Reports

Quarter 1: 10/15/2011

Quarter 2: 01/15/2012

Quarter 3: 04/15/2012

Quarter 4: 07/15/2012

Date PIP Progress Reviews Received/Occurred:

PIP Completion Date:

II. MnCFSR PIP Recommendations (as indicated in the MnCFSR report)

PIP RECOMMENDATIONS

PHASE 1

Safety-Goal #1: Ensure timely face-to-face contacts with children during maltreatment assessments and investigations.

Address barriers to delays in screening maltreatment reports (MnCFSR Items 1, 4)

Address barriers to making timely initial face-to-face contacts with children in response to maltreatment reports (MnCFSR Item 1).

Safety –Goal #2: Comprehensively assess and address risk and safety for all children in the family.

Develop and implement practice standards for comprehensive assessments of risk and safety factors (MnCFSR Item 4)

Address barriers to consistent practices related to assessing and addressing risk and safety (MnCFSR Item 4).

Permanency –Goal #1: Children in out-of-home care will reunite with their caregivers and not experience a re-entry.

Address barriers to safely preventing placements and reduce the rate of short-term placements made for reasons other than safety (MnCFSR Items 3, 5; National Standard C1.4)

Address barriers to permanent reunification, including an evaluation of the adequacy of post reunification service provision (MnCFSR Items 3, 5; National Standard C1.4).

Permanency –Goal #2: Achieve timely permanency for all children, including older youth.

Implement Concurrent Permanency Planning practices and address barriers to establishing timely, appropriate permanency goals (MnCFSR Items 7, 8, 9, 10)

Address barriers to comprehensive relative searches and permanent placements with relatives (MnCFSR Items 7, 8, 9, 10, 15)

Ensure a process for the rigorous review of permanency options before recommending LTFC, and a review of ongoing efforts to place children in LTFC with permanent families (MnCFSR Items 7, 8, 9, 10, 15)

Address staff training needs related to permanency planning (MnCFSR Items 7, 8, 9, 10, and 15).

Address barriers to timely permanency identified in this review and in the 2009 report to the Children’s Justice Initiative team (MnCFSR Items 8, 9, 10; Federal Indicators C2.3, C2.4, C3.1, C3.2, C3.3)

Well-being – Goal #1: Engage all parents in needs assessments, services, case planning and caseworker visits.

Address barriers to assessing the involvement of fathers in child welfare cases (MnCFSR Items 17, 18, 20)

Address barriers to consistent practices related to assessing needs, providing services, involving families in case planning, and worker visits with parents (MnCFSR Items 17, 18, 20).

Well-being – Goal #2: Caseworkers will conduct frequent, quality visits with children, including at least monthly face-to-face visits with children in out-of-home placement.

Address barriers to frequent, quality caseworker visits with children, ensuring that every child in foster care has a visit with their caseworker each and every month they are in placement (MnCFSR Item 19).

PHASE 2 and 3 By agreement between DHS and Hennepin County, we will defer development of action steps linked to issues below until completion of MnCFSR in October 2011.

Safety:

Re-evaluate agency policies related to track assignments and address barriers to equitable responses to families (MnCFSR Item 1, 4).

Permanency:

Address barriers to placement stability for all children with specific strategies for supporting stable placements for children with special emotional/behavioral needs (MnCFSR Item 6; Federal Data Indicators C4.1, C4.3 and C4.3)

Develop and implement action steps to improve support for foster parents identified in the Foster Parent Stakeholder Survey conducted during the 2009 review (MnCFSR Item 6, Federal Data Indicators C4.1, C4.2, and C4.3).

Address barriers to frequent, high quality visits between children and parents, and siblings placed separately (MnCFSR Items 8, 9, 10, 13).

Systemic Factors:

Complete improvement plans focused on strengthening systemic factors following the 2009 review (Systemic Factors: SSIS, case review, foster provider resources)

Address barriers to fragmentation in service delivery (Systemic Factors, service delivery)

Ensure agency personnel receive practice-based training necessary to provide quality casework services to families

Enhance the qualitative case review process, ensuring a system that provides reliable data, and includes a process for sharing results with staff, managers and directors.

SAFETY

Safety Goal#1: Ensure timely face-to-face contact with children during maltreatment assessments and investigations

Applicable Items and/or Systemic Factors:

MnCFSR Item 1

Baseline (Performance at the time of the review):

Performance 2010:

 

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

SCE

41.2%

32.5%

43.6%

38.3%

NSCE-INV

71.9%

80.3%

85.6%

85.1%

FA

70.9%

69.1%

72.5%

74.6%

     

Screening

<24 hours

>24 hours

Total Intakes

% Within 24 hours

 

3608

204

3812

94.60%

Demonstration of Goal Completion:

90% of children seen within timelines, in each response category, for at least one quarter.

Performance measured on Child Welfare Data Dashboard

Action Steps

(include persons responsible)

Qtr Due

Date Completed

Quarterly Update

(Identify reporting quarter, e.g. Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4)

1. Action step(s) related to improving timeliness of screenings

Step (1) CP Intake Supervisors will provide staff with monthly reports on their individual results for screening timeliness. Staff will be expected to identify barriers to timely screening, make suggestions to help address barriers and report back to the Intake Supervisors

  

In 2010, maltreatment screening timelines were met in 94.6% of the cases. Goal is met—no additional program improvement actions needed.

2. Action step(s) related to ensuring all children, including siblings, who are also identified as victims are seen within required timelines

Step(1) On a monthly basis, CPI supervisors will review reports on timeliness of staff’s initial contact with all children who are identified as victims. When timely contact did not occur, the case will be reviewed by the supervisor to identify/address barriers.

Step (2) Intake Program Manager and Area Manager will meet with Mr. David Thompson, DHS, to determine review results and develop additional steps to improve performance without eroding current safety measures. Focus in 2011 will be on timeliness and 8 day out-of-home placement stays.

Step (3) Intake Program Manager and Area Manager will meet with Law Enforcement to strategize ways to improve the county’s ability to meet with children without compromising law enforcement work.

3rd Quarter

3rd Quarter

3rd quarter

On-going

On-going

 

Measurement/Monitoring Plan: SSIS General Reports

Role of the Supervisor: Run SSIS General Reports, on a monthly basis, share with staff, determine barriers to compliance with statutory timelines, identify strategies, implement, re-evaluate on a monthly basis.

Role of Program Manager: Monitor supervisor compliance with PIP expectations, meet with supervisors to develop and implement policy and procedure changes as well as communicate results to Area Manager.

Role of Area Manager: Monitor Program Manager to ensure compliance with PIP expectations and work with area management team to implement specific tasks and communicate outcomes to Area Director.

SAFETY

Safety Goal #2: Comprehensively assess and address risk and safety for all children in the family

Applicable Items and/or Systemic Factors:

MnCFSR Item 4

Baseline (Performance at the time of the review):

MnCFSR Item 4: 47.6% (2010)

Demonstration of Goal Completion:

Performance goal: 65% for 2011

Progress measured using 2011 MnCFSR

Action Steps

(include persons responsible)

Qtr Due

Date Completed

Quarterly Update

(Identify reporting quarter, e.g. Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4)

1. Include action step(s) to ensure risk assessments for all children in the family

SSIS case documentation will reflect staff assessment of risk for all children in the family and all risk factors within the case plan.

Step (1) Supervisors will review case plans.

Supervisors will meet and provide feedback to staff about their review of case plans. Case plan goals and intervention strategies will correspond with safety and risk concerns identified by investigations staff and be documented in SSIS.

Step (2) Supervisors in investigations and field areas will assess social worker skills in identifying risk and safety concerns and accurate completion of SDM risk/risk re-assessment tools. Determine whether additional training, supervision, or technical assistance is needed.

3rd Quarter

On-going

 

2. Action step(s) related to improving safety planning practices

Cases requiring a safety plan are documented in SSIS.

Step (1) Investigators will complete SDM assessment include specific safety responses. Step (2) Supervisors will review all SDM safety assessments in cases in which the child/children are determined to be “conditionally safe.”

3. Action step(s) that support assessment of primary and underlying safety issues included in maltreatment reports

Case Plan goals and strategies will correspond with safety and risk concerns identified by investigations staff documented in SSIS

Step (1) Case management staff and supervisors will develop and deliver a training that highlights the following: the relationship between case plan activities and safety goals; Parenting and Mental Health Assessment service referral guidelines; Signs of Safety strategies

Step (2) Supervisors will monitor performance in the areas identified in Step (1) during the monthly case reviews. They will provide feedback to staff during clinical supervision sessions.

4.Action step(s) related to improving safety planning practices

Cases requiring a safety plan are documented in SSIS and communicated to the parents/guardians.

Step (1) CPI Supervisors will review all cases prior to consideration of case closure to ensure that safety is wrapped around the identified risks and determine any additional steps that must be taken prior to approval for closure or move to closure.

3rd Quarter

On-going

 

Measurement/Monitoring Plan: SSIS reports, Review cases, Supervision meetings.

Role of the Supervisor: Run SSIS General Reports, Review Cases, Evaluate staff attainment of goal areas and communicate status to staff

Role of Program Manager: Monitor supervisor compliance with PIP expectations, communicate results to Area Manager

Role of Area Manager: Monitor Program Manager to ensure compliance with PIP expectations and communicate outcomes to Director

PERMANENCY

Permanency Goal#1: Children in out-of-home care will reunite w/caregivers & not experience reentry into foster care.

Applicable Items and/or Systemic Factors:

MnCFSR Items 3, 5

Baseline (Performance at the time of the review):

C1.4: 18.7% (2010-Charting and Analysis)

2009 MN statewide 22.4% National Standard 9.9%

Demonstration of Goal Completion: Performance Goal: 15.7%* to be monitored using SSIS Charting and Analysis

*Decrease reentry by 3% over 2010.

Action Steps

(include persons responsible)

Qtr Due

Date Completed

Quarterly Update

(Identify reporting quarter, e.g. Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4)

1. Action step(s) related to examining data and responding to factors contributing to short-term placements and re-entries.

Monthly supervision reviews will assess the extent to which placement alternatives were explored and viable.

Step (1) Supervisors will review monthly any cases involving re-entry and will examine circumstances of re-entry.

Step (2) As part of monthly supervision, supervisors will document any placement re-entry prevention efforts in the supervisor consultation notes and report to Program Manager as appropriate.

Step (3) Continue to train workers to use the SSIS Placement Change function and correctly load placements, locations and absences in SSIS.

3rd Quarter

3rd Quarter

  

Measurement/Monitoring Plan: Changes in placement and re-entry data/SSIS Report generated monthly.

Role of the Supervisor: Review placement/re-entry data and share findings with staff. Communicate findings with manager.

Role of Program Manager: Monitor supervisor compliance with PIP expectations. Communicate results to Area Manager.

Role of Area Manager: Monitor Program Manager to ensure compliance with PIP expectations and work with area management team to implement specified tasks and communicate outcomes to Area Director.

PERMANENCY

Permanency Goal #2: Achieve timely permanency for children, including older youth.

Applicable Items and/or Systemic Factors:

MnCFSR Items: 7, 8, 9, 10

Baseline (Performance at the time of the review):

Federal Targets Indicators (2010) and Hennepin County 2010:

Timeliness of Adoptions

Federal Hennepin

C2.1 36.6% 42.0%**

C2.2 27.3 months 27.0 months**

C2.3 22.7% 19.5%

C2.4 10.9% 2.5%

C2.5 53.7% 32.5%

Achieving permanency for children in foster care

C3.1 29.1% 18.7%

C3.2 98.0% 91.8%

C3.3 37.5% 52.4%

As measured by Charting and Analysis

**indicates met national standard

Demonstration of Goal Completion:

Performance goal Timelines of Adoption

C2.1 No monitoring required—met national standard

C2.2 No monitoring required—met national standard

C2.3 22.7 %

C2.4 10.9%

C2.5 53.7%

Performance goal Achieving permanency for children in foster care

C3.1 29.1%

C3.2 98 %

C3.3 37.5%

Action Steps

(include persons responsible)

Qtr Due

Date Completed

Quarterly Update

(Identify reporting quarter, e.g. Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4)

SETTING APPROPRIATE PERMANENCY GOALS

1. Action step(s) related to setting appropriate goals in a timely manner

Hennepin Concurrent Planning expectations are defined, communicated to staff and present in case plans where children are in OHP

Step (1) Concurrent Planning Protocols revised and communicated in writing to staff and in unit meetings by managers and supervisors.

Step (2) All program staff involved with out of home placement, kinship and foster care and licensing trainers will be trained on concurrent planning and case plan documentation expectation in SSIS.

Step (3) During monthly reviews, supervisors identify if concurrent planning goals were established and documented for all children in out of home placement.

2nd Quarter

  

2. Action step(s) related to the development and implementation of Concurrent Permanency Planning

Permanency Consult process redesigned so that it occurs within the first quarter of the case opening and more frequently throughout the life of the case.

Step (1) A team comprised of workers, supervisors, County Attorney and department management will be formed to redesign the Permanency consult process. Goal is to have the new process in place by Jan 1, 2012, with cases being reviewed through the new model by then.

Step (2) Develop project management plan that includes policy and procedure

requirements that identifies training needed to implement the permanency consult model.

3rd Quarter

4th Quarter

  

3. Action step(s) related to conducting comprehensive relative searches and placements with relatives

A process will be developed and implemented to improve relative searches by utilizing permanency round tables, and enhanced kinship resources

Step (1) Conduct at least two Permanency roundtables in 2011 and develop strategies to institutionalize Permanency Round Tables in case management for 2012.

Step (2) Enhance kinship system by implementing the People Finder initiative and contracting with a private investigator.

Step (3) All staff involved in kinship and placement will demonstrate competency in completing broad relative searches and comply with documentation of comprehensive relative searches in SSIS. Supervisors will assess any need for training or technical assistance needed to achieve competency.

3rd Quarter

3rd Quarter

  

ACHIEVING TIMELY ADOPTIONS

1. Action step(s) related to implementation of 2009 CJI plan

Step (1) ARW will be assigned when permanency petition is filed and will collaborate with all involved agency staff. Staff will document action within SSIS.

3rd Quarter

  

ACHIEVING PERMANENCY FOR OLDER YOUTH (14-18)

1. Action step(s) related to considering more permanent options before recommending LTFC

Guidelines for LTFC will be reviewed, revised as necessary and monitored

Step (1) Area manager approvals will be required for all LTFC recommendations.

Step (2) Case plan documentation must illustrate the exhaustion of all possible options other than LTFC

Step (3) Assess need for training, cross-training, or technical assistance for permanency planning for older youth in care.

3rd Quarter

  

Measurement/Monitoring Plan: SSIS, annual PRT reviews,

Role of the Supervisor: Review and revise concurrent planning protocols. Schedule training for staff and communicate expectations. Develop and participate in permanency consult process.

Role of Program Manager: Monitor supervisor compliance with PIP expectations. Develop and participate in permanency consult process. Communicate progress to Area Manager.

Role of Area Manager: Review and approve (if appropriate) recommendations for LTFC. Monitor Program Managers to ensure compliance with PIP expectations and work with area management team to implement and communicate progress to Area Director.

WELL-BEING

Well-being Goal#1: Engage all parents in needs assessments, services, case planning and visits with caseworkers.

Applicable Items and/or Systemic Factors:

MnCFSR Items: 17, 18 20

Baseline (Performance at the time of the review):

Item 17: 42.9%

Item 18: 42.9%

Item 20: 61.1%

Demonstration of Goal Completion:

Performance goal-Item 17: 10 % increase over 2010

Performance goal –Item 18: 10% increase over 2010

Performance goal – Item 20: 10% increase over 2010

Measured by MnCFSR 2011

Action Steps

(include persons responsible)

Qtr Due

Date Completed

Quarterly Update

(Identify reporting quarter, e.g. Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4)

1. Action step(s) related to involving fathers in assessments and services, case planning and worker visits

Fathers inclusion will be documented in SSIS case notes.

Step (1) Supervisors will review the DHS guidelines document regarding fathers with all staff.

Step (2) Supervisors will explore the MN Fathers and Family Network (MFFN) website with their staff and engage in group discussions as to how the information on this site might inform practice and improve efforts to engage, assess and service fathers.

Step (3) Investigators will identify fathers for each child and document in SSIS who the father is or effort made to identify the father, identify his location and his legal status. Efforts to continue identification of fathers will continue throughout the life of the case or until the father is determined.

Step (4) Status of every father will be documented at the pre-Perm consult. If information is incomplete, supervisors will work directly with case managers in steps to locate/engage father.

3rd Quarter

  

2. Action step(s) related to improving involvement of parents of children in LTFC

Framework and strategies developed to ensure parents are engaged in LTFC case plans

Step (1) LTFC cases will be reviewed to determine the extent of parental involvement.

Step (2) Case workers will develop an outline on parental involvement as part of the case plan.

Step (3) Supervisors and case workers will review and approve case plans for continued parental involvement in case planning services and worker visits.

4th Quarter

  

Measurement/Monitoring Plan: SSIS, ECF, PFU documentation

Role of the Supervisor: Review and work closely with staff to support identifying fathers. Review and utilize DHS and MFFN guidelines regarding fathers.

Role of Program Manager: Monitor supervisor compliance with PIP expectations, communicate results to Area Manager and CFSR Results Team

Role of Area Manager: Monitor Program Manager to ensure compliance with PIP expectations and work with area management team to implement specified tasks and communicate outcomes to Area Director.

WELL-BEING

Well-being Goal #2: Frequent, quality caseworker visits will occur with children, including at least monthly face-to-face visits with children in out-of-home placement.

Applicable Items and/or Systemic Factors:

MnCFSR Item 19

Baseline (Performance at the time of the review):

Item 19: 66.7%

Demonstration of Goal Completion:

In-home cases: Performance goal (Item 19): 10% increase (76.7%)

To be measured in October 2011 MnCFSR review

Placement cases: Performance goal (annual performance): 90% of children in foster care have a visit with their caseworker each and every month they are in care.

Ongoing measurement using the DHS Child Welfare Data Dashboard

Action Steps

(include persons responsible)

Qtr Due

Date Completed

Quarterly Update

(Identify reporting quarter, e.g. Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4)

1. Action step(s) to ensure monthly visits with children in foster care

Children in foster care will have monthly visits

Step (1) The child services supervisor will review monthly reports on face-to-face contacts per worker.

Step (2) Where contacts were not made, the supervisor will review with the worker barriers to achieving the goal.

Step (3) Monthly contact information submitted by tribal social workers will continue to be entered into SSIS by the designated Hennepin County Tribal Transfer Social Worker by mid-month.

Step (4) A work group, including Corrections Juvenile Probation and the Parental Fee Unit, will be formed to establish a format and a method for the entry of Juvenile Probation’s monthly visits with children/youth.

3rd Quarter

  

2. Action step(s) to ensure quality visits (at the child’s residence, time to talk with the child alone if appropriate, what workers are attending to during the visits, etc).

SSIS documentation will reflect the quality of the worker/client interaction during monthly visits

Step (1) In all in-home cases, supervisors and workers will discuss and provide a frequency plan for all children and it will be documented in the case plan.

Step (2) Semi-annually, the assigned worker will complete with each child, if age appropriate, child the Signs of Safety forms Three Houses/Three Teepees to assess safety and risk.

Step (3) Supervisors and managers will identify barriers to quality visits and develop process changes/trainings for improvement.

Step (4) Supervisors will view and discuss DHS videos on quality worker visits with staff in unit meetings.

3rd Quarter

  

Measurement/Monitoring Plan: SSIS data reports that include corrections entries and case reviews/Publication of reports and feedback shared with staff and others

Role of the Supervisor: Ensure all staff participates in training. Review case notes in SSIS on a monthly basis. Determine barriers to compliance. Provide feedback to staff regarding performance. Communicate results to Program Managers.

Role of Program Manager: Monitor supervisor compliance with PIP expectations. Meet with supervisors to implement changes. Communicate results to Area Manager. Monitor and evaluate accuracy and timeliness of entry of external worker visits.

Role of Area Manager: Monitor Program Managers to ensure compliance with PIP expectations. Work with management team to implement specified tasks and communicate outcomes to Area Director. Work with appropriate system partners to ensure SSIS entry of probation and tribal staff monthly visits with children in OHP.

SYSTEMIC FACTOR

Goal: Strengthen and sustain an internal process for the ongoing evaluation of child welfare practices and systems, leading to program improvements.

Applicable Items or Systemic Factors: Quality Assurance

Baseline (Performance at the time of the review):

Demonstration of Goal Completion:

Action Steps

(include persons responsible)

Qtr Due

Date Completed

Quarterly Update

(Identify reporting quarter, e.g. Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4)

1. Action steps related to completing improvement plans focused on strengthening systemic factors

Step (1) Update SSIS new worker orientation content and process to reflect Hennepin County’s migration to SSIS version 5.5

Step (2) Develop and provide new SSIS version training to all workers based on quarterly DHS releases

Ongoing

  

2. Actions steps related to addressing barriers to fragmentation in service delivery

Step (1) Support increased client service coordination between HSPHD and DOCCR through information sharing protocols

Step (2) Develop and implement a mechanism to inform both HSPHD and DOCCR when a youth enters the corrections system (through JDC, probation, investigation or supervision) and indentify dual involvement with the youth.

Step (3) Provide SSIS access and orientation training to key Juvenile Probation workers

Step (4)ICWA, Field and Child Services will develop methods to integrate services and conduct all staff meetings to discuss expectations, barriers and recommendations.

Step (5) Establish expectations and protocols for staff to collaborate across programmatic lines.

4th Quarter

2nd Quarter

4th Quarter

Ongoing

  

3. Action steps related to ensuring agency personnel receive necessary practice-based training

Step (1)Evaluate program wide the need for practice and clinical training and establish how supervisors will assess the need of each worker for child welfare foundation training (provided by DHS) as well as assessment of risk and safety, planning, relative search and case work with fathers.

Step (2) Ensure all new staff will attend child welfare foundation training (DHS)

Step (3) Implement supervisor training expectations when DHS’s supervisor training curriculum becomes available

4th Quarter

  

4. Action steps related to internal case review

processes

Step (1) Continue internal targeted case reviews using independent reviewer in CC-QA. Target is 20 case reviews per month using MN CFSR tool.

Step (2) Pursuant to approval of proposed policy and procedure on data sharing related to peer reviewed records, implement feedback system on cases reviewed. This will include data sharing between worker and supervisor to be used for feedback and individual training.

Step (3) Begin the process of identifying needs related to development of quantitative tools for supervisors and managers for auditing select items where there are ongoing compliance concerns. This process review requires development of a project plan consistent with HSPHD requirements.

5. Action steps related to enhancing quantitative review processes

Step (1) Improve and implement SSIS non-compliant error tracking methods

Step (2) Based on March 2011 AFCARS report, four items were identified for improvement include: missing SSI or other Social Security benefits information; missing placement reviews; time documentation of person discharge from placement; and missing permanency plans. Reduce the average error rate on below 5%

6. Action steps related to special documentation study.

Step (1) Complete work on timeliness of response initiated in early 2010 using root cause analysis of timeliness exceptions on an ongoing basis.

Step (2) Complete work on less than 8 day use of out of home placement stays initiated in2010 using root cause analysis of exceptions on an ongoing basis.

4th

Quarter

4th Quarter

4th Quarter

  

Measurement/Monitoring Plan: SSIS general reports and related error reports; CC-QA internal case review and SSIS audit processing reports.

Role of Area Manager: ensure compliance with PIP expectations and work with Area Director to implement specified tasks and communicate outcomes to Executive Team.

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