CPS reports [Jan. 1999]

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January 1999
SDM: 32 COUNTIES SURVEY REPORT

There was good news and more good news in the report on SDM presented in a week-long

the field, you provide good training and you have strong supervisors who are willing to embrace new

He cited a 1995 Wisconsin study showing that intensive social work, which includes increased client

series of meetings of DFCS

things to protect kids."

contact, reduced the recidivism rate

managers in December. Counties

Among the "unique challenges" is and generated more positive

are working hard incorporating the the state's high number of counties response from families.

new practices. And statistics bear which can make for inconsistency

Decreasing the number of fami-

out the positive results the system in how policy is applied. For exam- lies who cycle back through the

was designed to produce.

pIe, it can be hard for many small system is one way Georgia CPS will

Terry McHoskey from the

counties to set boundaries on the measure its results. In the CRC

Children's Research Center was the types of cases they will take, but

study, almost 35 percent of the

lead presenter at the sessions,

SDM gives them a way to do this. families who hacf a case opened

reporting on the results of a study

SDM's focus on increasing

during the study period had been

ofGeorgia cases from April 1997 to services to high risk families also

investigated at least twice before.

September 1998.

means that case managers can

The manager's sessions gave

McHoskey had high praise for the actually do more treatment, or as

supervisors and county directors

way Georgia has implemented

McHoskey calls it, "real social work." the chance to check their progress

structured decision-making.

using SDM against other counties.

"You've made signifi- - r - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - . For example, the screen

cant progress," he said

out/referral rate varied

at the Atlanta session.

widely, from one percent

"While you have unique

to 26 percent of reports.

challenges, you have a

While some of the differ-

strong state team. David

ences in the current data

is a leader nationally in

can be accounted for by

Continued on page 2

In attendance at the Columbus meeting are (L-R) Dottie Henson and June Ward, Ti'oup Couno/i Wanda Hogan, Thomas Couno/i Willie Rutledge, Ti'oup Couno/i and, Linda Harper, Muscogee Couno/.

Questions Continued from page 1

th~ how long a county has been

USing SDM, McHoskey still advises

c?unties to ask themselves why they

dIffer from the norm in any area.

"The more a jurisdiction looks at

its reasons for being 'out of sync'

the more as a lack

it can address of community

risessuoeurs~essuctho

refer people to," he says. "If there

are few resources in a locality, why

not go to the community and ask

for help?"

McHoskey emphasizes that SDM

is a flexible and ever-changing

system. For example, the safety

assessment grew out of a need

seen by workers in Michigan who

began asking what should be the

first action once a report of abuse

was substantiated.

"As issues or problems arise, we

can address them with new tools or

refine the ones we're already

using," he said.

THE SUGGESTION BOX
Managers at the December meetings held brainstorming sessions on ways to improve services using SDM. Here are some of their ideas:
1. Use treatment team meetings as part of collateral contacts.
2. Allow for a policy override of 24 hours reqUired response time for child under age three.
3. Develop a targeted assessment tool for families with substance abuse problems and effective ways to work with them on risk and safety.
4: Inc?rpor~te policy review/reviSlOns In UnIt meetings for staff clarification.

5. Change the policy requiring a certain number of face-to-face contacts from every 30 days to every calendar month to make it easier to meet the requirement and to monitor.
6. Have the state office provide quarterly question and answer formats and fax or e-mail to counties
7. Clarify policy on using PUP funds for drug screens in ongoing cases.
8. PUT COMPUTERS ON EVERY DESK!
YOUR SUGGESTIONS HAVE BEEN HEARD
The state CPS unit is working now to address suggestions 2,3,5, and 7.
CPS Reports will have a section in each iss~e devoted to answering your pohcy and practice questions as requested in number 6. The newsfetter is published every other month.
2-A policy override will be allowed on children under three if the child is in a safe situation.
3-The unit will develop a targeted assessment tool.
5-The system will go from a 30-day to calendar month cycle.
7-Workers will be able to use PUP funds for an unlimited number of drug screens.

REPORT RESULTS
Based on data collected from 32 counties between April 1997 and September 1998, SDM is having a positive effect:
-Sixty percent of all reports are being investigated.
-The substantiation rate is up (34 percent of the investigated ~ases). This is a plus because It shows that CPS is investigating a greater proportion of cases where maltreatment definitely occurred and that more "nonsense" referrals are bring screened out.
-The average screen out and referral rate is 10 percent. This indicates that more counties are referring families for brief intervention services using parent aide funds to' pay for them, and avoiding openIng cases where abuse or neglect have not occurred.
Note that because the counties began using the new guidelines at different times, the num~er~ an.d percentages are only indIcatIve at this point.
WORKLOAD STUDY UPDATE
The study ended in December and the data have been sent to the Children's Research Center. Their analysis should be completed by late January and CPS Reports will give you the details in the March issue.

LET'S TALK-
ABOUT FAMILY

"The parent is always the
'honored guest,"' Culpepper says. "And we encourage him or her to

plans are made at the meeting for reunifying the family."
There are exceptions to every

CONFERENCING

bring a friend or family member as rule, however. Culpepper cites a

a support person."

recent case where the child was

DeKalb County is using a new method of working with parents whose children are in

The guidelines for the meeting are set out at the beginning of the
session. Participants are told that

going to be removed permanently, but the decision was made to go ahead with a conference. The

foster care. It is called family

this is not a court session but a

mother knew the child was not

conferencing and Supervisor

time to work together to develop

coming home and was able to

Glenda Culpepper says, "It's been plans for the family, set goals for

thank the foster parents for their

wonderful." In fact, she is so enthu- the parent to meet, assign responsi- kindness to her son. ''It was good

siastic about it she plans to use it bilities and set deadlines for

for the young man to hear his

with CPS families as well.

meeting the goals.

mother says this. Actually, it was

DeKalb contracted with an

"We try to set at least one goal

quite moving," she says.

Alabama organization, the Child

that can be reached easily so the

While parents are usually appre-

Welfare and Practice Group, for

parent is encouraged to make

hensive at first, in Culpepper's

training. The group allowed DeKalb further progress," Culpepper

experience their fears are soon

staff to accompany them to inter- comments. "They leave the session eased when they realize they are

views with families and modeled

feeling 'this is for me,' this is some- going to be listened to and taken

the process so it was simple for

thing attainable."

seriously. Also having friends or

county staff to put into practice.

Not all cases are appropriate for family members there who support

Culpepper points out that while family conferencing. Not appropri- them helps relieve anxiety.

the typical family conference itself ate are cases involving criminal

"They truly like being heard and

lasts two hours at the most, it is

charges or sexual abuse. Culpepper we actually talk instead of them

time consuming to arrange. Good explains that DeKalb decides which simply saying what they think we

planning includes arranging for a families to meet with based on how want to hear, " Culpepper observes.

meeting place on neutral ground, many people (e.g., staff, family,

Chatham County is also using

for example a library or church,

friends) are available to work with family conferencing. Counties inter-

deciding who needs to be there and the family and "whether we have

ested in finding out more about this

arranging for them to participate. something to work with."

way of working with families can

Participants can indude anyone

She adds, "We have to be careful contact Debbie Bennett, social

who is involved with the case. This what cases we choose because this services program director in

includes the supervisor and case

is a chance for the parent and child Chatham or Glenda Culpepper in

manager, CASA volunteer, family to confront each other and because DeKalb.1I

members and the child, if he is

oisldabeonuotu. gh to under-ss_t~a:n~d:w:h:at~i~t _ - - -__--__- - - - - - - - - - - l

ker wei Avery get readyfior anotherfamily conference.
Glenda culpepper (1) and co-war

QUESTIONS FROM THE FIELD
Q. When are we getting newforms?
A. They should be out within the month.
Q. When I need help, which consultant do I call in the state CPS unit?
A. HELLWIG, David, Unit Manager 404/657-3416
JARVIS, Rebecca, Protective SeNices Data System (PSDS) 404/657-3414
LIBER, D'Anna, Training 404/657-3413
NOLAN, Genie, Child deaths 404/657-3422
PARK, Kathy, PUP/Parent Aide, Homestead 404/657-7730
POINTER, Sandy, Famify seNice workers 404/657-3419
SLATER, Julie, CPSfoster home investigations 404/657-3481
FINAL CALL-1998 DATA
The system is behind significantly in data collection this year. It is imperative that information be entered immediately.
The final date for entering 1998 CPS data from Form 431 into the information system (PSDS) is Friday, February 5th, 1999. All 1998 data must be keyed in by noon. The system will shut down at noon to allow the 1998 data to be pulled.
If you have questions about the system, forms, screens or deadlines, call Rebecca Jarvis at 404-3414. Questions about user 10, accessing the system, having the system accept data, and other technical problems should be directed to Maria Pitts in DOAS. Her number is 404-463-6571.
Key it in, folks!.
LOOKING AHEAD
The first B.LT.E training of 1999 will focus on substance abuse. Mark your calendar for one of five Mondays in March.
March 1- Gainesville March 8 - Macon March 15 - Tifton March 22 - Savannah March 29 - Atlanta

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