CPS reports [Aug. 1999]

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ADVOCATES AID CPS IN GORDON

August 1999

Gordon County DFCS received 100 fewer CPS referrals last year. They credit the drop to a new kind of family worker assigned
to the school system. Now going into its third year,
the program is already producing a decrease in truancy, the dropout rate and chronic neglect cases. The program came about through collaboration among DFCS, the
Family Connection and Gordon County schools.
"When we got our original Family
Connection grant, we came up with
the idea of using paraprofessionals to work with families," County Director Steve Hatcher says. "The schools needed help with truancy, and this was a way to deal with the
problem."

The program hired 1Opeople with the title "family advocate." One
advocate was placed in each of the county's eight schools, one in the city's alternative school and one in the housing authority.
The advocates function as case managers, actually opening cases. They differ from CPS in that they handle only low-risk cases and usually keep cases open so they could conceivably follow a child through-
out the school years. Family Advocate Sharon Harrell
has a caseload of 30. She notes that a worker's typical day includes checking school attendance and calling the parents of the absentees. "Truancy makes up about 75 percent of our cases," she says.
Harrell works closely with the school social worker and counselor
but usually gets referrals from teachers. "They'll tell me a child needs glasses or has come to school in the same clothes four days in a row." If it's a case of poverty-related neglect Harrell links the family with
community resources while assigning children with emotional
problems to the counselor.

In the afternoon she may take a parent to one of the county's voluntary action centers to get clothes or food. She contacts the Family Connection or a local organization from the list of resources she has developed herself.
Sharon Harrell
Advocates also make home visits, which continue through the summer when the children are out of school.
Since family advocates encounter many of the same situations as CPS workers, it is easy to get

Continued on page 2

Steve Hatcher

Advocates in Gordon cont. from page I

discouraged. "A lot of the problems

vye se.e have gone on for genera-

tions m these families," Harrell says.

"But., when I get discouraged I

remmd myself that not everyone has

the same standards, so I try to steer

them gently to something better."

Family advocates have not

only made children's lives better

they have enabled CPS to addre;s

the more severe cases of abuse

or neglect.

"This has relieved the pressure on

CPS to address chronic neglect

related to poverty," Social Services

Supervisor Janice Hayes says. "And it

sfuanvdeisnpgasroeunrtcaeisdepafyuntdhs~

since other advocates."

Currently, the program is funded

with $50,000 from the county

school system, and $10,000 from

the Calhoun Housing Authority.

The balance of the funding comes

from Targeted Case Management

money that is available to Family

Connection projects. Advocates

are paid at the same level as DFCS

family services workers.

As of August 1, the advocates

were placed on the county school

system's payroll to allow them

to have the same work schedules

as school personnel. DFCS and

the school system are negotiating

an agreement that will allow

~ach ag~ncy to freely exchange

mformat1on.

Hatcher advises counties

interested in a similar program to

Determi!1e the needs in your commumty.

Figure out how you want to meet them. Who will lead? Who will be served? How will you pay for it?

Learr: to trust your partner agencies.
Give up turf guarding.
For more information, contact Steve Hatcher, 706/624-1200.

NEWLAWS-
WHATTHEY
MEAN FOR YOU
HB ~52, effective July 1, 1999, authonzes DFCS to provide shortte~m erpergency care for a child without first seeking a court order. The care may be provided only in case of an emergency or the illness of the child's legal caretaker and may not exceed seven calendar ~ays. !his ~oes not apply to situations m which the child is at
i!l1mir:ent risk; the procedures outlmed m 2102.4 are then required.
HB 279, effective July 1, 1999, amends the public records law. It tig~tens the three-business-days reqmreme.n~ to ma~e requested records ehg1ble for mspection and copying available to the person requesting them. CPS will make any ch.anges nece~sary to comply with th1~ ~Ill and will send the policy rev1s1ons to the counties as soon as they are available.
SB 113, known as "Crimes against Family Members," means that the aggressor in an act of fa!Ilily violence can now be charged with cruelty to children if a child under 18 witnesses the violence. This does not add new policy; however counties should be prepared for more reports from poh~e officers investigating domestic violence cases. County offices are encouraged to discuss local pr.ocedu~es for referring these cases with the1r protocol committee.

Social.services Director Clint Dye, Ph.D., speaking at the recent supervisors' meeting in Decatur.
SUMMER 8.1.T.E
Detective Mike Johnson with the Plano, Texas Police Department is the presenter for the summer sessions. The presentation "Teaming together to protect chi.ldren" will teach you how to improve your collaboration with faw enforcement. DFCS, the Georgia Academy and the Georgia Council on Child Abuse (GCCA) are sponsoring the training.
The August sessions are as follows: Mon., Aug. 16-Gainesville Tues., Aug. 17-Rome Wed., Aug 18-Macon Thu., Aug. 19-Atlanta Fri., Aug. 20-Tifton

CASE MANAGER
OF THE YEAR-
ALICE MOSLEY
Alice Mosley's former boss can't say enough good things about her. Mimi TarpleyBenkoski, now acting deputy director of Clarke County DFCS, says, "She is the most outstanding CPS worker I've ever seen."
Tarpley-Benkoski cites Mosley's dedication, commitment to finding solutions and "an instinct or judgement that you rarely see."
One example of Mosley's instinct mentioned by her former supervisor is what she describes as "the case that almost wasn't a case."
A report came in from a physician that normally would have been screened out because it did not contain any allegation of abuse or neglect. The doctor felt that the parents of a newborn he had seen could use some parenting instruction. Mosley's instinct told her to investigate and she assigned the referral with a 24-hour response time. The next morning when the investigator made a home visit, she discovered that the infant had been murdered, probably the night before. However, Mosley's action did result in saving the !ife of the family's older child.
Another family which she investigated herself had physically abused a hyperactive child in their care. Mosley linked them to a support group that taught them alternative forms of discipline. She also made it possible for them to get counseling and medication for the child.
"Later, when family members ran into Mosley away from the office they thanked her saying 'God sent you to help us,'" Tarpley-Benkoski
commented.

Alice Mosley (4th from left) s~s she was "dumbstruck when I heard I was case manager ofthe year." HerJanner Clarke County supervisors (including County Director Gwen O'Looney (jar left) and Mimi-Tarpley-Benkoski (3rd from the left) and co-workers attended the recognition ceremony.

CPS WINNERS
HONORED
Alice Mosley, formerly with Clarke County and now a CM with Colquitt County DFCS, was named CPS Case Manager of the Year 1999 at a special ceremony at the GCCA Conference on July 26 in Atlanta. She received a scholarship to the conference and was presented with a plaque.
"Honorable mention" went to Patricia Crawford, Richmond; Kevin Mccamy, Murray; and Patti Sipos, Cobb.
Recognized with "special mention" were Karan Albritton, Crisp; Mary Ann Fowler, Gwinnett; Gene Henson, Jackson; Cathy Howard, Fulton; Luella Jackson, Butts; Kimberly Odums, Sumpter; Dorothy Pitts, Thomas; Margaret Price, Berrien; LaMarchelle Shields, Fulton; Kathleen Sullivan, DeKalb; Edith Swarthout, Jackson; Melanie Weese, Brantley; Annie Williams, Telfair; and Pat Wood, Stephens.

PREVENTION MATERIALS AVAILABLE
An order form for the Parent'Hood materials is enclosed with each mail-out of CPS Reports. It has come to our attention that some of our readers do not realize what is available because they do not have access to the form. Currently in stock:
Information Sheets How to Report Child Abuse or Neglect
Ways to Prevent Child Abuse Facts about Fathers Child Abuse 1998 (just updated)
Improving the System (explains structured-decision-making)
Brochures Tips for Life in the Parent'Hood Protecting Children Oust updated)
Posters Boyfriend (81/2x11 ")
Tips for Life (81/2xl l" laminated, with parenting information)
All the materials are free. To order, list the item(s) you want and how many along with your name and address and fax to: Parent'Hood at 404-651-6815.

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Q. What do you do when a case doesn't fit the ratings scales?
A. A case will always rate somewhere on the scale. If the CM or supervisor is
aware ofinformation not captured by the 23 questions, it may be necessary to do an override. An override to high-risk must be made on a case rated low- or medium-risk if sexual abuse has occurred and the alleged perpetrator stm has access to the victim; there has qeen a serious nonaccidental injury requiring hospitalization or medical treatment or, the death (previous or current) ofa sibling as a result ofmaltreatment (see 2104.32 and Form 457). There are some situations where a decision to override to a lower rating may be made (e.g., when the assessment rates afamily moderate-risk, but there is little hope for improvement). The supervisor must approve all overrides.
Q. When do you complete Form 453 for an ongoing case? A. This form must be completed on every report received. This includes filling it out on additional reports made on an already open case (see 2103.3; 2103.12 and 2104.16). Note that one ofthe disposition choices on the 453 is accept and add to an already pending or open case.
Q. If the alleged abuse occurs in the home of the non-custodial
parent, should both families be investigated?
A. Not always. If the custodial parent lives in another county or state, it
may be necessary to request that the agency in that area interview the child to determine what is needed (medical treatment, psychological counseling) to address problems resulting from the maltreatment (see 2104.7). The
other county completes Form 590; it does not complete a Form 431. If the
custodial parent appears to have been negligent in allowing the child to be in the location where the maltreatment occurred, that parent should be investigated also.
Q. How do you transfer a case that is in middle ofan investigation? A. Immediately notify the county or state office where the family has moved to tell them an investigation was underway. Let them know the investigation's status, request that office to continue investigating, and
arrange to send them all the information gathered. Ifyou are aware ofa family's impending move, get their new address ifpossible and inform them
that you are requesting the investigation be continued in their new location (see 2104.22). For instructions to follow when afamily moves to an unknown location, see 2104.21.
Q. What should be done Ifyou get the two collaterals required
during an investigation but you do not get enough information from them? A. Ask yourself: Did you interview the right people? Did you ask the right questions? Did anyone you interviewed seem to purposely withhold information? Since you are trying to gather enough information to substantiate or unsubstantiate a case, you may need to do more than two interviews. For more help see 2104.23 and 2105.3.

Published by the Georgia Department of Human Resources, Office of Communications: Joyce Goldberg, director Renee Huie, editor
Tell us your story. What, or whom do you want to read about?
Fax your ideas and the name and number of a contact person to CPS Reports 404-651-6815.
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