r einvigorating l inkages : using communication (and other) strategies effectively
TRANSCRIPT
REINVIGORATING LINKAGES:Using Communication (and other) Strategies Effectively
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PANEL INTRODUCTIONSShasta County
Rod Delfer, Linkages Coordinator, Foster Care Eligibility Supervisor, CWS
Robin Bostain, CalWORKs Employment & Training Specialist and Family Stabilization Supervisor, CalWORKs
Tracy Thomas, Linkages Employment & Training Social Worker, CalWORKs
Janet Stortz, Social Work Supervisor, CWS
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PANEL INTRODUCTIONS (CONT.)
Tulare County
Debbie Benavente, Linkages Coordinator, CWS
Tessa Houston, Linkages Coordinator, CalWORKs
Orange County
Ericka Danczak, Linkages Coordinator, CalWORKs
Prashant Kamboya, Linkages Coordinator, CalWORKs
Michael Meyers, Linkages Coordinator, CWS
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SHASTA COUNTY – FACTS & FIGURES
Population: 178,980 (2013)
Unemployment Rate: 8.9% (Feb 2015)
Children’s Services Cases: 550 CalWORKS Cases: 2800
Active Welfare-to-Work Cases: 1029 Sanction Cases: 542 Exempt Cases: 517
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SHASTA COUNTY LINKAGES TREND
Decline in Linkages cases over last 2 years Slowing fell from average of 25 to 15
What’s Changed? Not identifying all potential families? Not following practices & protocols? How can we do better?
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UNDERSTANDING THE TREND
Which cases needed follow-up services?
Were some cases in need of coordinated case plan updates?
How well was the Behavioral Health Team involved?
Were workers feeling overwhelmed by additional requirements?
CalWORKs Linkages Coordinator & Welfare-to-Work Supervisor conducted Linkages case reviews
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WHAT DID SHASTA DO?
Improve sharing of information
Timely identification of potential Linkages clients
Rapid follow-up on Linkages requirements
Taking improvements one step at a time; guided by monthly team meetings
Developed our Linkages Work Plan around Communication
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WHAT DID SHASTA DO?
Aligned Linkages with Family Stabilization Program
Greater agency commitment to collaboration Social Workers like how FS helped families Stronger network of support for families with
teaming among: Employment & Training Worker Behavioral Health Team Social Worker
Follow-up services following reunificationBetter engagement between workers & parents
when benefits are clear visible
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WHAT’S NEXT FOR SHASTA? Continue to use work plan to guide our
efforts Improving processes and practices Encouraging better communication Strengthen connections with supportive services
Promote joint training Encourage staff to get to know each other Learn each other’s ‘languages’ Create a teamwork philosophy to better serve
our families
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SHASTA SUCCESS STORY Single mom with new baby
on the way; challenged by drug abuse, lack of resources & potential homelessness
Coordination across systems and services
Housing assistance provided through Family Stabilization
Case plan goals achieved within 6 months Cash assistance granted during 3rd trimester Housing secured preventing newborn from
being placed in foster care; supporting over-night visits with older child in care.
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QUESTIONS??
Rod Delfer, [email protected]
Robin Bostain, [email protected]
Tracy Thomas, [email protected]
Janet Stortz, [email protected]
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TULARE COUNTY
Demographics Population 451,977 in 2012 Census Land Area 4,824 sq miles Median Household Income $43,550 55 cities & 123 townships
Child Welfare Services Practice
Team Decision Making Family Engagement Differential Response Family Transitional Supportive
Services Children
Out of home care = 1080 960 within Tulare County
TulareWORKs CalWORKs & Welfare-to-Work Family Stabilization
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THE TULARE COUNTY LINKAGE TEAM
Coordinators• Debbie Benavente, CWS• Tessa Houston, TW• Karen Whited, CWS
CWS Units (Teams)• Screening • Emergency Response • Court Report Writing • Voluntary Family Maintenance• Family Maintenance• Family Reunification• Team Decision Making (Coordinator)
TulareWORKs Office 1 Liaison & 1 Back Up
• Dinuba - DDO• Lindsay - LDO• Porterville - PDO• Tulare - TDO• Visalia – VDO(CWS & TW are not co-located)
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WAYS TO REINVIGORATE TULARE COUNTY LINKAGES Communication
Mutual Policy Coordinated Case Plan Meetings Monthly Exchange Monthly Team Meetings
Training CWS Overview TulareWORKs Overview
State Evaluation Dr D’Andrade & Tulare County Evaluation Team
Practice Protocol Evaluation Evaluation Work Plan
Data collection & comparison Communication
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THE UNIVERSAL TRACKING LOG
Novel Filr – Shared Drive User Access Levels (Administrator, read only,
etc) Multiple Users
Universal Tracking Log CalWORKs Staff / Title IV-E Interns Pilot (future program collaboratives) PurposeScreening Unit = ______ (Mo Count) Emergency Response Unit TulareWORKs
Mother's Name
Case Number
Code Imm
10-Day
Assign ER/IR Office
Zip Code
Assigned ER/IR Worker
Assigned Date
Eligibility Verification
DateTW Liaison TDM
Date
Service Component
Special Project Code added
CalWORKs Case# 1P/2P # of
ChildrenDistrict Office
First Name, Last Name 123456 10 Day
Porterville 93277
First Name, Last Name 5/1/15 1/2/2014
First Name, Last Name 5/10/15 FM Y 1B0000 2P 4 VDO
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SUSAN’S STORY
Thank you
Debbie BenaventeCWS Staff Services Analyst III
Tulare County Linkages [email protected]
(559) 624-7482
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ORANGE COUNTY FACTS Demographics
Population 3,113,991 in 2010 Census (updated with errata data by Dept. of Finance in 2014)
Land/Water Area 948 sq. miles Median Family Income $84,100 34 cities
Children & Family Services (CFS) Practice
Team Decision Making Family Engagement Differential Response
Children Out of home care = 2126
1017 with relatives 422 outside of OC
Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) CalWORKs & Welfare-to-Work Family Stabilization
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THE ORANGE COUNTY LINKAGES TEAM
Coordinators
• Ericka Danczak, FSS• Prashant Kamboya, FSS• Michael Meyers, CFS
CFS Units (Teams)
• Child Abuse Registry
• Court Services
• Emergency Response (I & II)
• Family Maintenance Collaborative Services
• Integrated Continuing Services
• Specialized Family Services
FSS: Liaison at each office
• Laguna Hills
• Cypress
• Santa Ana
• Anaheim (CFS & FSS are not co-located)
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REINVIGORATING LINKAGES BY:
Reaffirming our agency commitment
Training
Mutual Client Identification
Communication
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ORANGE COUNTY - TRAINING Linkages training module is currently used for all
new and newly promoted CalWORKs and Child Welfare staff.
Collaborate with training department on developing an e-learn refresher training for existing staff at all levels.
Cross-training CalWORKs and Child Welfare staff on computer systems.
Identify Linkages liaisons at each regional office to serve as a point of contact, as well as champion the Linkages model for others.
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ORANGE COUNTY – MUTUAL CLIENT IDENTIFICATION
What are the numbers?
There are approximately 800 mutual clients in Orange County. Connect with agency Research department and I.T. to
validate reports for mutual client reports. Special indicators are used to track mutual clients as
they move through the CalWORKs and Child Welfare systems.
Incorporated protocols for mutual client identification in updated policies and operational procedures.
Mutual Client monthly report is posted on a central portal that can be accessed by all staff.
Client identification is everyone’s responsibility, and it is verified every time a case moves (between programs and
workers).
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ORANGE COUNTY - COMMUNICATION
Reconvene our Linkages Steering Committee to: Stay current with all Linkages activities Discuss new resources and programs Focus on work plan deliverables Case Reviews – successes and challenges
Updated policies and operational procedures include:
Examples of coordinated case planning Mutual Client Liaison list
Information sharing: Linkages newsletter Webinars and conference calls Key legislative changes impacting mutual clients, i.e. drug felons
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QUESTIONS??
Prashant Kamboya, Linkages Coordinator, FSS
Erika Danczak, Linkages Coordinator, FSS
Michael Meyers, Linkages Coordinator, CFS