Below are a few examples:
Systems of Care
This project entails the application of traditionally mental health-focused principles and values to a child welfare environment.
- Using a community collaborative model to strategically guide and support partnerships between formal and informal stakeholders in caring for children and families.
- Resources to build a network for non-traditional resources which can wrap services around children and families involved in the child welfare and other child-serving systems.
- A heightened awareness to the needs of multi-need and multi-system involved children and their families.
Service Excellence
A customer service initiative focused on improving service to both internal and external customers through a balance between employee experiences, customer experiences and business operations.
- Heightened awareness of a quality customer experience and the relations between customer service and family-centered practice.
- Heightened awareness of the importance of a quality employee experience.
- An appreciation of the significant of business processes which support a quality employee and customer experience.
Geo District Re-Design
An internal re-organization of mandated child protective services resulting in blended teams of staff assigned to work in one specified Geo District.
- An internal re-organization of mandated child protective services resulting in blended teams of staff assigned to work in one specified Geo District.
- Created geographically-based teams of social workers assigned to work with families and other stakeholders in a specific district within the county.
- Enhanced communication and case transfers between social workers in working with families throughout the entire child and family serving continuum.
- Created the platform for transition of child welfare staff into the community.
Communities For Families & Kids
A reform of the foster care system based on the following values every child deserves a home, families need support, and all partners must work together to ensure that children have safety and permanency.
- Introduction to building relationships in the community where children and families live.
- Strengthening approach to recruiting and retaining neighborhood-based resource families including the use of a "shared parenting" model.
- Implementation of a Team Decision Making approach to out-of-home placements.
Multiple Response System
A reform initiative designed to promote family-centered practice as the primary approach to providing child protective services.
- Framework for family-centered and strength-based practice including a differential response to abuse & neglect referrals and meeting families "where they are."
- Retooled intake and risk assessment tools and processes to ensure the risk and safety issues were adequately addressed.
- More intentional partnership with Work First and the local police department for those families served jointly with the child welfare system.
