Shared Family Care: Shared Family Care: An Innovative Model for An Innovative Model for

Supporting & Restoring FamiliesSupporting & Restoring Familiesthrough Community Partnershipsthrough Community Partnerships

Shared Family Care: Shared Family Care: An Innovative Model for An Innovative Model for

Supporting & Restoring FamiliesSupporting & Restoring Familiesthrough Community Partnershipsthrough Community Partnerships

Amy Price, Associate DirectorAmy Price, Associate DirectorNational Abandoned Infants Assistance Resource Center National Abandoned Infants Assistance Resource Center

School of Social WelfareSchool of Social WelfareUniversity of California, BerkeleyUniversity of California, Berkeley

October 15, 2003October 15, 2003

For more information, contact Amy Price at amyprice@uclink.berkeley.edu or 510-643-8383, or go to

http://aia.berkeley.edu/information_resources/shared_family_care.html

Use of Shared Family CareUse of Shared Family Care

Prevent SeparationPrevent Separation

Restore/ReunifyRestore/Reunify

Decide to RelinquishDecide to Relinquish

Key Elements of SFCKey Elements of SFC

Community PartnershipsCommunity Partnerships

Engagement of Families as PartnersEngagement of Families as Partners

Use of Teams in Decision MakingUse of Teams in Decision Making Intensive Case Management & Support Intensive Case Management & Support

ServicesServices Housing and AftercareHousing and Aftercare

Community PartnershipsCommunity Partnerships

Public/Private (CW Agency & CBO)Public/Private (CW Agency & CBO) Mentors (community members)Mentors (community members) Other local agencies including:Other local agencies including:

• Job training and employmentJob training and employment

• Substance abuse treatmentSubstance abuse treatment

• HousingHousing

• EducationEducation

Engagement of FamiliesEngagement of Families

Participant Selection & Matching ProcessParticipant Selection & Matching Process

Rights and Responsibilities AgreementRights and Responsibilities Agreement

Individualized Family PlanIndividualized Family Plan

Use of Teams in Decision MakingUse of Teams in Decision Making

Individualized Family Support TeamIndividualized Family Support Team• Family membersFamily members

• MentorMentor

• Child welfare workerChild welfare worker

• Case managerCase manager

• Others invited by familyOthers invited by family

• Others invited by staffOthers invited by staff

Monthly Team MeetingsMonthly Team Meetings

Intensive Case Management & Intensive Case Management & Support ServicesSupport Services

Caseloads of 5-6Caseloads of 5-6 Meet with family avg. of 10 hours/weekMeet with family avg. of 10 hours/week On call 24/7On call 24/7 Monthly support meetings for participantsMonthly support meetings for participants Monthly support meetings/trainings for Monthly support meetings/trainings for

mentorsmentors

Housing and AftercareHousing and Aftercare

Housing specialist begins 30 days into Housing specialist begins 30 days into placementplacement

Linkage with local housing agencies and Linkage with local housing agencies and landlordslandlords

6 months of aftercare6 months of aftercare Linkage with community and faith based Linkage with community and faith based

organizationsorganizations

Who are the Mentors?Who are the Mentors?

Average age 46Average age 46 Single and married (about half)Single and married (about half) 73% African American, 15% Caucasian, 73% African American, 15% Caucasian,

7% Latina, 4% Asian/PI, 1% other7% Latina, 4% Asian/PI, 1% other Most work full or part time or are retiredMost work full or part time or are retired 25% have experience as foster parents and 25% have experience as foster parents and

2/3 have worked in human services2/3 have worked in human services StableStable

Shared Family Care PlacementsShared Family Care Placements through May 2002 through May 2002

(n=87)(n=87)

Graduated (50)

In Placement (6)

Terminated (31)

Who is Placed in SFC?Who is Placed in SFC?

Mostly single women (a few single men)Mostly single women (a few single men) Average age of 28Average age of 28 58% African American, 26% Caucasian, 13% 58% African American, 26% Caucasian, 13%

Latina, 3% otherLatina, 3% other 2 children an average age of 42 children an average age of 4 Uneducated, homeless, poor, and isolated from Uneducated, homeless, poor, and isolated from

family and communityfamily and community 1/3 with criminal background1/3 with criminal background 2/3 with substance abuse history2/3 with substance abuse history

OutcomesOutcomes

Family stability/self-sufficiencyFamily stability/self-sufficiency• Income and EmploymentIncome and Employment• HousingHousing

Child safety & well-beingChild safety & well-being• Child welfare involvementChild welfare involvement

Percentage of Graduates EmployedPercentage of Graduates Employed (N=25)(N=25)

36%

76%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

Pre-placement At Graduation

Average Monthly Income of Average Monthly Income of Program GraduatesProgram Graduates

$520

$1,100

$0

$200

$400

$600

$800

$1,000

$1,200

Pre-Placement (N=23) At Graduation (N=19)

Percentage of Graduates Living Percentage of Graduates Living IndependentlyIndependently

18%

76%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

Pre-Placement (N=22) At Graduation (N=25)

Child Welfare Re-Entry RateChild Welfare Re-Entry Rate

8% re-entered foster care within 12 months 8% re-entered foster care within 12 months of completing the SFC program.* of completing the SFC program.*

In comparison, 14% of children in In comparison, 14% of children in California, and 17% of children in Contra California, and 17% of children in Contra Costa County, re-entered care within 12 Costa County, re-entered care within 12 months of reunification after regular non-months of reunification after regular non-kin foster care.** kin foster care.**

Service CostsService Costs

Mentor recruitment, training and supportMentor recruitment, training and support

Pre-placementPre-placement

PlacementPlacement

AftercareAftercare

Miscellaneous Administrative Miscellaneous Administrative

Mean Monthly Cost Per FamilyMean Monthly Cost Per Family

$445

$1,800 $1,681

$890

$1,800

$3,362

$0

$500

$1,000

$1,500

$2,000

$2,500

$3,000

$3,500

1 child 2 children

Basic Foster Care SFC Foster Family Agency

SFC includes cost of direct

placement services

Mean Total Cost Per FamilyMean Total Cost Per Family

$5,340$10,800

$33,620

$10,680$10,800

$67,240

$0

$10,000

$20,000

$30,000

$40,000

$50,000

$60,000

$70,000

1 child 2 children

Based on median duration of 12 months for basic foster care, 6 months for SFC, and 20 months for FFA

Basic Foster Care SFC Foster Family Agency

SFC includes cost of direct

placement services

Mean Total Cost Per FamilyMean Total Cost Per Family(with all administrative costs)(with all administrative costs)

$5,340

$18,000

$33,620

$10,680$18,000

$67,240

$0

$10,000

$20,000

$30,000$40,000

$50,000

$60,000

$70,000

1 child 2 children

Based on median duration of 12 months for basic foster care, 6 months for SFC, and 20 months for FFA

Basic Foster Care SFC Foster Family Agency

SFC includes all administrative

costs

Other CostsOther Costs Start-up costs: a minimum of $100,000 over Start-up costs: a minimum of $100,000 over

12-18 months12-18 months RespiteRespite Matched savingsMatched savings TransportationTransportation Meeting costsMeeting costs Administrative overheadAdministrative overhead

Potential SavingsPotential Savings

Keeps families togetherKeeps families together

Less entry or re-entry to systemLess entry or re-entry to system

More stable, productive familiesMore stable, productive families

Multi-System savings, e.g., $750 per month in Multi-System savings, e.g., $750 per month in homeless shelter (see next slide)homeless shelter (see next slide)

Mean Monthly Cost Per Family Mean Monthly Cost Per Family with Cost of Homeless Shelterwith Cost of Homeless Shelter

$1,195

$1,800

$2,431

$1,640$1,800

$4,112

$0

$500

$1,000

$1,500

$2,000

$2,500

$3,000

$3,500

$4,000

$4,500

1 child 2 children

Basic Foster Care SFC Foster Family Agency

Getting StartedGetting Started

Conduct community assessment of needs Conduct community assessment of needs and resourcesand resources

Educate key partnersEducate key partners Assess agency’s resources, readiness, Assess agency’s resources, readiness,

experience, capacity, and commitmentexperience, capacity, and commitment Explore funding sources (look beyond child Explore funding sources (look beyond child

welfare)welfare)

Program DevelopmentProgram Development

Allow 12-18 monthsAllow 12-18 months Establish collaborative relationships (formal Establish collaborative relationships (formal

& informal); clarify roles & responsibilities& informal); clarify roles & responsibilities Identify goals and anticipated outcomesIdentify goals and anticipated outcomes Design program (address target population, Design program (address target population,

length of placement, licensing, liability, length of placement, licensing, liability, aftercare, housing) to reflect outcomesaftercare, housing) to reflect outcomes

Develop policies and proceduresDevelop policies and procedures

Program Development (cont.)Program Development (cont.)

Establish mentor and client screening Establish mentor and client screening procedures and criteriaprocedures and criteria

Conduct focus groups to target mentor Conduct focus groups to target mentor recruitmentrecruitment

Recruit & train solid pool of mentorsRecruit & train solid pool of mentors Educate potential referral sources (CWWs, Educate potential referral sources (CWWs,

judges, attorneys, AOD counselors, etc.)judges, attorneys, AOD counselors, etc.)

Make the Make the commitment, start commitment, start

small, and have small, and have realistic realistic

expectations.expectations.