Annual report 1994 [1994]

,
T he Division of Family and Children Services provided benefits and services to over 1.5 million Georgians in 1994. Financial assistance and support to families were delivered by 8,000 employees in all 159 counties. Almost one billion dollars was added to Georgia's economy by the activities, services and delivery of benefits to children and families.
I am very proud of our front-line staff in the counties who do the real work for the Division. They have accomplished much despite heavy workloads, and their work helped one out of every six Georgians in 1994.
Some of the following highlights from the year illustrate the significant progress we have made.
Innovative welfare reform initiatives were implemented to encourage parental responsibility.
The Division's welfare to work program, PEACH, was expanded statewide. 36,000 children from low-income families received subsidized child care. $2 53 million in child support payments was collected for AFDC families and families
at-risk of welfare dependency. Family preservation projects demonstrated new services to support families. Annie B. Casey Foundation funds permitted demonstrations aimed at restructuring
Georgia's foster care system. Although we are proud of these accomplishments, much remains to be done. As always, our staff remains dedicated to the goals and objectives of our Division and committed to serving Georgia's families and children.
f!!;tt/J(iy
Michael Thurmond Director Division of Family and Children Services

I

Division of Family and Children Services
Total Funds= $991,029,025
Division of Family and Children Services
Budget Allocations Total Costs= $991,029,025
Child Support Operations - $44.2 million State Operations - $46.7 million Contracted Client Services - $22.4 million
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Division of Family and Children Services
Total Positions - 8,034

Georgia Department of Human Resources

Board of Human Resources

Budget/ Financial Services
Policy and Government Services
Division of Aging Services

Commissioner's Office
Division of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse

Office of Regulatory Services Office of Personnel
Administration

Division of Public Health

Division of Rehabilitation
Services

3

County Clusters

1 Northwest Georgia
2 NWGUN 3 Mountaintop 4 Foothills 5 Hall-Forsyth 6 Magnolia 7 Diamond 8 Chattahoochee 9 Flint River lOGSUA 11 CSRA 12 Seed 13 GCOE 14 Triple E

15 South East 16 McBell 17 Okefenokee 18 Coastal
Commonwealth 19 Bell South 20 81.6 21 SGA 22 Sowega Six 23 Colquit!Thomas 24 Satilla 25 The Pentagon URBAN
Bibb Chatham Clayton Cobb DeKalb Dougherty Fulton Gwinnett Muscogee Richmond

Grady
22
4

5

Programs & Initiatives

Welfare Reform Initiatives
Family Cap - A parent who has received Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) for 24 months after 12/31/93 will receive no additional benefits if she has an additional child while on welfare. The cap will affect families after 1/1/96. Approximately 14,765 women who have received AFDC for more than 24 months give birth each year. An estimated 10 percent fewer births will occur.
Estimated annual savings from the births prevented and from sanctions: $4.9 million in state funds and $7.7 million in federal funds, mostly from Medicaid, AFDC and food stamps. The additional child will be covered by Medicaid. The family may be eligible to additional food
stamps. This would reduce the net loss of additional benefits from an average of $45 to $26 for a family of three. Births resulting from verifiable rape or incest are exempt. Family planning services are offered to all AFDC applicants and recipients free of charge.
Employment requirement - Able-bodied AFDC recipients with no children under age 14 who quit or refuse to take a suitable full-time job paying at least minimum wage will be sanctioned. Recipients who fail to accept employment will
receive no AFDC assistance for three months after the first refusal and for six months for each subsequent refusal, or until they comply. Children will continue to receive assistance. All family members will continue to be covered by Medicaid and to receive food stamps, if eligible. Exemptions: Parents of children under age 14 or who take care of ill or disabled household members. Recipients who are in school or in a job training program full-time. Recipients who are incapable of performing the job offered due to medical reasons or have no transportation to the job.

Child Immunization Requirement - Since 1992, preschool children must be up to date with immunizations to receive AFDC.
Teenage Mothers Residency Requirement To receive AFDC for themselves and their child, most unmarried teenage mothers must live with a parent, a legal guardian or another adult relative or in a supportive living program supervised by an adult. Exemptions to this requirement protect the mother and child from abusive living situations. Effective 1/94.
Work for Welfare - Able-bodied recipients of AFDC and parents who are at least two months behind in paying for child support for children receiving AFDC must work for 20 hours per month. The jobs in government or nonprofit agencies -will be identified by the DFCS local coordinating councils. The program will begin as a pilot in 10 counties and applies to recipients who have received cash assistance for 24 of the last 36 months. A recipient who fails to participate as required will
lose one month's cash assistance for the first violation, three months' cash assistance for the second violation, and 24 months' assistance for a third violation. A noncustodial parent required to participate may be held in contempt of court for failure to comply. Exemptions include parents caring for a child under 5 years old; those enrolled in PEACH or already working at least 20 hours a month; and those who do not have transportation. Ten pilot counties have been selected. An estimated 18-19,000 recipients would be eligible if the program were implemented statewide. DHR will request waivers from the federal Department of Health and Human Services. Work for Welfare will begin three months following receipt of the waivers. A waiver also will be requested to remove the $1,500 limit on the value of a vehicle owned by an AFDC recipient. Children up to age 19 can continue to receive AFDC if attending school. Effective 7/96 if federal approval is granted.

6

PEACH
The Positive Employment and Community Help (PEACH) is one of two main components of welfare reform along with Child Support Enforcement. It is a comprehensive employment program for AFDC recipients. In FY 94 PEACH services were available statewide. Skills development, child care, transportation and other supports are provided during participation in the PEACH program. Child Care is available for up to one year after employment. Since the implementation of PEACH, about 20,200 AFDC recipients have become employed.

The statewide operations of child support are performed through 70 offices in 46 Judicial Circuits. Legal assistance is provided by local assistant district attorneys or Special Assistant Attorneys General.
Office expenses are paid by federal incentive money based on collections and supplemented by a small state appropriation and federal match. In 1994 operating expenses were $5 5.2 million, including only $1.5 million in state funds and $53.7 in federal incentives and matching funds.
Child Care

Day care costs are the third largest expense, after housing and food, for low-income families. In FY 94 approximately 36,000 Georgia children from over ' 20,000 families received subsidized child care each month. More than 19,000 families are on a waiting list.
Subsidized child care is purchased through local ' county departments from neighborhood day care cen-
ters, family day care homes, and informal care arrangements such as care in a home by a neighbor, friend or relative. Parents pay day care costs on a sliding fee scale based on their income. Priority is given welfare recipients in the state's PEACH program, children in foster care and protective services, and low-income families who are in school, working or in job training programs.

Child Support Enforcement

Community Services

Child Support Enforcement (CSE) like the PEACH program is a main component of welfare reform. CSE helps people on public assistance become independent but also can prevent people from going on welfare.
Child Support Enforcement helps any custodial parent or caretaker who cares for a child and needs help with collecting regular child support from a parent who should contribute. Child support money collected goes directly to single parents and their children or back to the state and federal governments to reimburse for welfare payments. Services provided include finding a parent, getting a court order to require the parent to pay, child support and medical support, establishing paternity, collecting the child support ordered and enforcing payment through legal remedies.
The program has distributed more than $1 billion in child support payments to Georgia families since it was established in the 1970s.

Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) Twenty-one Community Action agencies and four
local governments receive approximately $10 million in federal CSBG funds to meet the unique need of all 159 counties. The federal law requires that 90% of the dollars must be contracted with Community Action Agencies, 5% are local discretionary funds and 5% are provided for state level administration. In Georgia, the local discretionary funds are contracted through local governments and the Community Action Agencies.
This program provides services to assist poor families by providing such services as employability, transportation, elderly, housing, alcohol and drugs, children, emergency assistance, homeless and prevention.
Support for Homeless People Twenty-one Community Action Agencies, non-
profit entities and local governments offered homeless

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and prevention services in 159 counties through funding made available by the McKinney Homeless Assistance Act, Community Services Block Grant and the State Homeless Shelter Programs.
The McKinney Emergency Community Services Homeless Grant Program, by federal law, requires that 100% of the dollars must be contracted with Community Action Agencies. In addition, 75% or more must be spent on services to homeless persons. Up to 25% of the funding may be spent for Homeless Prevention Assistance. Funds are used to meet the emergency needs of homeless people and to prevent homelessness. Services include case management, transportation, housing assistance and employment services. Community Services Block Grant and state dollars are used to

augment homeless programs and maximize services. These programs have been operational since 1988.
Job Opportunity and Basic Skills Community Services works closely with DFCS
Employability Services Unit to use Jobs Opportunities and Basic Skills GOBS) federal funds to support employment efforts by Community Action Agencies. County DFCS and educational agencies develop agreements with Community Action Agencies to purchase employment support services. Community Action Agencies are encouraged to use CSBG funds or other local/agency funds so they are able to draw down a greater proportion of federal funds for JOBS/Food Stamp Employment and Training Projects.

Trends

Since FY 89, PEACH clients who obtained employment increased three-fold, from 2,160 to 6,598. During the same time period, PEACH participation increased from 5,121 to 32,032.
Since FY 88, the number of children receiving child care subsidies increased from 8,000 to 36,000.
Child Support collections in FY 94 ($253 million) increased 13.4% over FY 93 ($223.2 million).

Since FY 90 ($122.6 million), collections have more than doubled. Expenditures for both the CSBG homeless program and housing program significantly increased from FY 90 to FY 93. The expenditure for the homeless program increased from $391,000 to $761,000. Expenditures for the housing program increased from $577,000 to $1.3 million.

Highlights from I 994

PEACH
In FY 94, PEACH services were available statewide. PEACH clients who became employed increased
71 % from FY 93 (3,855) to FY 94 (6,598). Ten counties were selected to pilot the Work for
Welfare Program which requires certain long-term AFDC adults to work 20 hours per month in community service placements. Federal performance standards for the Job Opportunities and Basic Skills Program were met.
Child Support Enforcement
Collections In FY 94, collections reached a record breaking $2 53 million.

In-Hospital Paternity Project In cooperation with the Georgia Hospital Association, CSE developed informational materials to help establish paternity for children born out of wedlock in every birthing facility in the state. The new project will furnish uniform informational materials for hospitals and parents. Staff from CSE offices have been designated to assist hospital staff with child support issues.
Ten Most Wanted Campaign In June 1994 Governor Miller initiated a "most wanted" poster campaign. CSE identified ten absent parents who owed over $10,000 in child support. Posters with pictures and descriptions of ten parents who owe child support were distributed statewide to dramatize the problem and encourage other nonpaying parents to come forward.

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W-4 Reporting In 1993 legislation was passed to require employers to report new hires and rehires to CSE weekly. In FY 94 about 40,000 absent parents with child support obligations of over $6 million per year have been identified and contacted by CSE. Georgia is the ninth state in the nation to enact this legislation.
Privatization Georgia is one of the first states to privatize child support collections by contracting with a collection agency to handle difficult cases. Over a period of six years the agency has collected over $50 million and an average of $2 million a month. CSE also added contractors to help find absent parents. During the first month of operation, the contractor located 34 absent parents who had eluded all previous efforts to find them. The Atlanta Judicial Circuit contracted with a private company to provide full services to families not receiving Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC). The program began operation in June 1994.
Lottery Winnings Lottery winnings by parents who are behind in child support payments are intercepted. The amounts owed are sent to families or to reimburse the state for AFDC payments. More than $50,000 in child support was collected from lottery winnings during the first year of the lottery.
Child Care
Developed proposals that increased child care funding by $70 million.
In collaboration with Public Health and the Department of Education, operated three teen parent programs and subsidized six additional teen parent programs in the state.

Studied the impact of decreased child care funding on working parents.
Developed a computer system to identify unregulated providers and track health and safety compliance.
Administered four home-based family support projects. Trained 150 new PEACH case managers to imple-
ment child care services for PEACH participants.
Community Services
The CSBG Program provided transportation services statewide to 12,293 low-income individuals in FY 93. The number of one-way trips was 462,734.
896 low-income individuals obtained a job after receiving training from either a CSBG, JOBS or McKinney Homeless employment program.
3,422 homeless families received case management services statewide in the McKinney Homeless Assistance Program.

New Directions

Looking to the future, the Division wants to change its role from one of a traditional welfare system to one that successfully helps people become selfsuf:ficient. Our plan is to continue to strengthen child support enforcement and focus on employment. In order to do this, we need to form partnerships with business and industry and renew collaborative efforts with other agencies.
Our Child Support Enforcement office continues to increase collections each year. In FY 94 $253 million was collected for AFDC families and families atrisk of becoming dependent on welfare. We have requested 100 new child support agents which we project would increase collections by $65 million in 1996.
Last year our employment program, PEACH, which now operates statewide, put 6,800 welfare recipients in jobs. It also provided adult education services, GED preparation, classroom education, and job skills training to 32,000 women. We plan to match our training with industry's developmental needs - helping to attract new businesses to Georgia. Based on predictions

1 for the twenty-first century, community economic development plans will give unprecedented opportunity for today's welfare recipients. Our job will be to ensure they have the skills to compete and become an important part of the state's economic growth. We are asking business to agree to provide jobs, and we will focus on providing training and support services such as child care and health care. We also want to encourage employers to take advantage of existing tax credits and incentives such as the 1994 child care tax credit, tax credits for job creation, and tax credit for retraining workers. Additionally, we need renewed commitments for collaboration with other agencies such as DOL, JTPA, Department of Technical and Adult Education, Department of Education, Community Action Agencies, non-profits and local organizations. Through shared goals and integrated planning, we hope to share available resources to meet the needs of Georgia's poorest families.

PEACH Participation

In thousands 35

30

25

20

15

10

5

0 1989

1990

32,032

1991 1992 1993 State Fiscal Year

1994

PEACH
AFDC Recipients Employed

8000 7000

6,598

6000

5000

4000

3000

2000

1000

0 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994
State Fiscal Year

10

Children in Child Care
Average Per Month

In thousands 40 35 30 25 20 15 10
5 0
1990

1991

1992

1993

State Fiscal Year

36,500 1994

In millions 300 250
200

Child Support Enforcement
AFDC and Total Collections
253 -AFDC -Total

100 50 0 1990

1991

1992

1993

State Fiscal Year

1994

I I

, . y ,

Child Support Circuits

Community Service Block Grant
Provider Agencies Service Areas

2 North Georgia CAA 3 Ninth District 4 Tallatoona EOA 5 Cobb County 6 Fulton Atlanta CAA 7 DeKalbEOA 8 ACTION 9 Clayton CSA 10 Henry County 11 Newton County 12 Spalding County 13 Community Action
for Improvement

14 Middle Ga. CAA 15 Overview 16 CSRA 17 Macon-Bibb 18 ESP 19 West Central
Georgia CAA 20 Heart of Georgia 21 Concerted Services 22 EO Savannah-
Chatham 23 Southwest Georgia CAC 24 Coastal Plain EOA 25 Coastal Georgia CAA

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13

Programs and Initiatives

Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC)
AFDC provides cash assistance to needy families with dependent children under the age of 18 who are deprived of the support of at least one parent. In FY 94, a monthly average of 388,965 Georgians received AFDC. Of these, 70 percent were children. Ninetytwo percent of all AFDC cases are families of four or fewer. The maximum payment for a family of three ($280/month) is 28% of the federal poverty level.
Aid to Families with Dependent Children Unemployed Parent Program (AFDC-UP)
The Unemployed Parent Program (AFDC-UP) provides short-term cash assistance to unemployed two-parent families. To qualify, one parent must be unemployed and have an established work history. Parents must also train and prepare for work to receive assistance. Maximum benefit payments are the same as those established for the regular AFDC program. The program was implemented in October 1990.
Food Stamp Program
The Food Stamp Program (FS) provides eligible low income households with the means to increase and supplement their food purchasing power through food coupons. The amount of Food Stamps received is based on income, household size and certain shelter expenses. As of October 1993, the maximum coupon allotment for a family of three was $295. In FY 94, Food Stamps worth approximately $649 million were issued. Redemption of federal food stamp coupons added $1.5 billion to Georgia's economy last year.
Refugee Services

refugees. These services include family counseling, health screening, social adjustment services, employment services and English language instruction.
Energy Assistance
The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program has three main components. The Winter Energy Assistance Program provides funds to low-income households to pay home energy costs.
The Emergency Energy Assistance Program provides immediate financial assistance to households in a life-threatening energy emergency or to prevent outof-home placement of a child or an adult.
The Weatherization Assistance Program provides home improvements to conserve energy which include installing ceiling insulation, caulking and weatherstripping.
Funding is provided through the Low Income Energy Assistance Program Block Grant, Petroleum Violation monies, and donations through the Home Energy Assistance Team program.
Medicaid
Administered by the Department of Medical Assistance, the Medicaid program provides many health services free to individuals and families with low income and limited resources. There are several categories of Medical Assistance for which individuals and families may qualify. Some of the services paid for by Medicaid include hospital, laboratory and physician services, and

The Refugee Services Program provides cash and medical assistance to eligible refugees during their first eight months in the United States. In FY 1993, 1,800 refugees received this assistance. During 1994, $1.7 million in federal funds was awarded in contracts to public and private agencies for social services for 7,000
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. . .

prescription drugs. Families who receive AFDC and AFDC-UP are also eligible for Medicaid. Other individuals and families who receive Medicaid fall into the following categories. AFDC-Related Medicaid-Includes children in
foster care and some children in adoptive placements whose income exceeds AFDC standards. Right From the Start Medicaid covers prenatal care, delivery and postpartum services for pregnant women and comprehensive health care for children through age 18. AFDC-Related Medicaid also includes others who are not eligible for AFDC or Refugee Assistance but need assistance with medical expenses. Eligibility is determined by DFCS. Adult Medicaid - Includes individuals in skilled nursing or mental retardation facilities and hospice

care. Also includes people with Medicaid coverage due to special situations as outlined in the Social Security Act. The Adult Medically Needy Program provides payment for medical care to aged, blind, or disabled individuals whose income, after deducting allowable medical expenses, is below the income level. The Qualified Medicare Beneficiaries Program seeks to shield low-income Medicare beneficiaries from catastrophic hospital and doctor bills by paying Part A and B Medicare premiums, co-insurance and deductible payments. Eligibility is determined by DFCS. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) - All individuals who receive SSI are eligible for Medicaid. Eligibility is determined by the Social Security Administration.

Trends

The AFDC caseload increased 53 % from FY 89 (91,307) to FY 93 (139,355). In the past year, there was a less than one percent increase from FY 93 (139,355) to FY 94 (139,889).
The Food Stamp caseload increased 77% from FY 89 (172,083) to FY 93 (304,891). In the past year, these was a 4% increase from FY 93 (304,891) to FY 94 (317,906).
There was a 31 % increase in federal funds awarded in contracts for social services for refugees from

FY 93 ($1.3 million) to FY 94 ($1.7 million). Since FY 90, the number of households receiving
Winter Energy Assistance has fluctuated with a low of 57,000 households in FY 91 and to a high of 73,000 households in FY 90. The total amount of Medicaid benefits increased 93% from FY 90 ($1.4 billion) to FY 94 ($2.7 billion). In the past year, there was a 12% increase from FY 93 ($2.4 billion) to FY 94 ($2.7 billion).

Highlights from 1994

In cooperation with the Atlanta Project, developed Georgia Common Access, which is a consolidated application process for seven programs including AFDC, Food Stamps, Medicaid and WIC.
Outstationed staff to provide services to tornado victims in North Georgia.
Received federal approval for the contract to implement the new eligibility computer system (SUCCESS).
In FFY 1993, the AFDC program had an error rate of 5. 91 % which is below the federal tolerance level of 6.05%.
The AFDC and Food Stamps claim collections inter-

cepted $2.0 million in federal tax refunds to reimburse the state for fraudulent receipt of Food Stamps. Georgia was part of a 10-state agreement that was recognized as a federal prototype by Vice President Gore to design and develop an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) system for multiple programs. The Winter Energy Assistance Program served 71,752 households and provided $11.5 million in benefits. The Refugee Services Program served 7,000 refugees through contracts with public and private agencies for social services. Increased access to the Right From the Start Med-

i

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icaid program by locating staff in community settings and providing non-traditional hours. The Adult Medicaid Program completed 99.8 per-

cent of all applications within the standard of promptness. The program also completed over 99 percent of the cases with no errors.

New Directions

Economic support programs will continue to focus on efficiency and accuracy in response to the public's demand for accountability. The Division will also continue to look for ways to streamline the eligibility process by requesting waiv_ers to simplify policy and

1 combine application forms for multiple programs. Future plans include increased emphasis on train-
ing and new computer systems to provide state-of-theart automation.

AFDC Cases and Individuals

In thousands

392,983 388,965

-Cases

-

Individuals

1989

1990 1991 1992 1993 State Fiscal Year

1994

Foo.d Stamp Cases and Individuals

In thousands 800 700 600 ,500 400 300

795,268

-Cases

-

Participants

100 0
1989

1990 1991 1992 State Fiscal Year

1993

1994

16

17

Programs and Initiatives

Child Protective Services
Child Protective Services (CPS) provides services to abused, neglected or exploited children. Staff investigate reports of abuse and assess the level of risk the family situation poses on the child. If there is no immediate danger to the child, family problems are addressed. If danger exists, a foster home is found to provide temporary care.
In calendar year 1993, local Departments of Family and Children Services received 76,868 reports of child abuse and neglect. DFCS screened out or referred to other services 21,182 reports because they did not meet the definition of maltreatment.

in the form of per diem and fees. There are also allowances for special needs, costs of school clothing and in-hospital care for children not covered by Medicaid. A few specialized foster care homes are paid an additional rate for emotionally disturbed or medically fragile children such as AIDS Foster Care.
Placement Services to Children is a broad category which includes children in the Faster Care system and other children for whom DFCS has legal responsibility. In FY 94, approximately 8,700 children were in foster care, and 16,300 children received placement services.
Adoption Program

Adoption is a social and legal process which establishes a new family, giving adopted children the same rights and benefits as those who are born into the family. At any point in time, approximately 400 Georgia children are waiting for permanent adoptive homes. In some cases, parents voluntarily give up their parental rights. However, the majority of children have been removed from their birth homes by the courts and parental rights terminated due to abuse, neglect, abandonment or the death of the parents.

The Prevention of Unnecessary Placement (PUP) Program

Foster Care
Faster Care provides temporary care for children whose families cannot care for them. Children in foster care are often victims of abuse, neglect or abandonment. A parent, guardian or juvenile court can place a child with a foster family or in a child-caring institution.
Children with serious problems need care in a group or residential treatment setting (Institutional Foster care). Payments are made to group care facilities and institutions. There are allowances for special programs, costs of initial clothing and in-hospital care for those children not covered by Medicaid.
Other children live with a foster care family (Family Foster Care). Payments are made to foster parents

PUP was started in 1985 to help children in danger of being placed in foster care. The program, which serves about 2,469 families a year, provides a range of services to families, including assistance in paying rent and utilities, buying food or clothes, and parent skill counseling. The average expenditure per family is about $1,250. A recent study of cases in PUP showed the program was successful 90 percent of the time in preventing unnecessary foster care placement one year after services began.
Homestead Program
The Homestead program offers in-home, short term, crisis intervention counseling and parent-aide

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services. Its goal is to prevent children from being placed in foster care or effect their reunification from care. The Homestead program is the most intensive service in a continuum of family focused services which includes Homestead, PUP, and Parent Aide Services. A recent study showed that 83 percent of the children served through Homestead have been able to remain safely at home.
The Multi-Agency Team for Children Program (MATCH)

Administrative Services, Children and Youth, Education, Human Resources, Medical Assistance, and the Governor's Office of Planning and Budget.
The Initiative also draws on national efforts to improve the well-being of children and families including the PEW Charitable Trusts Children's Initiative, Annie E. Casey Foundation's New Futures, and the newly enacted federal Family Preservation and Family Support Program.

The Multi-Agency Team for Children (formerly named the Troubled Children's Program) purchases and arranges Therapeutic Residential Intervention Services for children and adolescents (up to age18) with severe emotional disturbances. This is an interdivisional program which serves children referred by local representatives of the DHR agencies through a statewide network of local Multi-Agency Teams for Children.

Children's Initiative
The Children's Initiative is an effort to transform Georgia's service delivery system for children and their families. The current patchwork system is being replaced by a more responsive and flexible service delivery system designed and guided by communities and families. DFCS is helping plan and coordinate efforts with a partnership of communities, advocates, business leaders, foundations, elected officials, private, non-profit organizations, and state agencies. The six state agencies include the Georgia Departments of

Healthy Families
The Healthy Families project contacts families upon the birth of a child and provides health and parenting services. Hawaii's successful model contacts mothers in hospitals and assesses risk factors to determine which families can benefit from at-home counseling. The project reports that only 1% of families contacted become involved in a CPS case. In Georgia Healthy Families is administered by the Division of Public Health.

Trends

Child Protective Services reports increased by 240% since FY 84.
Sixty-seven percent of children placed in adoptive homes are placed with foster parents.
There was a 72% increase in the number of fami-

lies served by PUP from FY 89 to FY 94. There was a 30% increase in severely emotionally
disturbed children served by MATCH from FY 93 to FY94.

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Highlights from 1994

Demonstrated successful family preservation/reunification projects such as Helping Families Help Themselves (Douglas County); Granny House (Fulton County): the Family Preservation/Reunification Program (Walton County); and the five pilot sites funded by Annie B. Casey Foundation to improve and restructure foster care services.
Restructured financial and service systems to increase federal funds available for child welfare in Georgia.
Earmarked new funds to provide more Child Protective Services workers and to fund preventive and family support programs.
Applied for Federal Family Preservation and Family Support funds.
Developed and implemented the Parent Aide Program which provides in-home support to families in 113 counties.
Expanded the Prevention of Unnecessary Placement (PUP) program.
Expanded the Homestead program from 31 to 61 counties to provide intensive in-home services to preserve families.
Designed Family Preservation and Community Awareness training.
Implemented 1993 laws to relax confidentiality; to require notification of law enforcement when there is an allegation of child abuse; to strengthen local child abuse protocol committees; and to involve the courts in any return of a child to parents or guardians.
Initiated joint training with law enforcement. Expanded a special project with Scottish Rite Chil-
dren's Medical Center to include Egleston Children's Hospital. A DFCS staff member provides educational programs and consultation on child

abuse cases. Completed nine child welfare training modules
with the Georgia Academy for Children and Youth Professionals. Provided Placement Services to 16,339 children. Reunited 5,000 children with their families. Implemented a Continuum of Foster Care. Developed the Foster Allegations Support Team (FAST) with the Foster Parent Association of Georgia. Expanded placement resources for severely emotionally disturbed children. Expanded resources to include new therapeutic foster care services, specialized treatment services, intensive and intermediate treatment centers for children diagnosed with both retardation and emotional disturbances, a new therapeutic group home, and a crisis stabilization and assessment center. Developed program certification standards for providers of therapeutic residential services (MATCH). Provided Independent Living Program services to 1,400 youth age 16 and over who are about to leave the foster care system. Expanded services offered by the Independent Living Program including additional financial assistance for youth attending college and vocational schools. Placed 587 children in adoptive homes. Contracted private agencies to recruit and train foster parents for children with special needs. Completed the federally funded Minority Recruitment Project and the Families Forever Project to improve adoptive services. Held two statewide meetings to match children with awaiting adoption families.

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New Directions

' .

Our child welfare system concentrates resources on child protection, basic family foster care, and therapeutic foster care for children with severe problems. This narrow spectrum of services targets children who are already damaged and are at-risk of bad outcomes when they become adults. Obviously some of these children will never escape dependence on public programs.
What is missing? Primary prevention services; Adequate resources to prevent placement once
a child comes to the attention of CPS; A full range of placement options if we have to
remove the child; Specialized contracted placement services to
match hard-to-place children with permanent adoptive homes when that becomes necessary.
Primary Prevention and Early Intervention
Many fewer children would become involved in the child welfare system if primary prevention programs were in place. An example of primary prevention is Hawaii's Healthy Families project which contacts families upon the birth of a child and provides health and parenting services. In order to finance similar programs, we want to work with the Governor's Children's Initiative and Family Connection projects. We also plan to receive funds from the new Federal Family Preservation and Support Grant.
Family Preservation/Reunification
Once family problems come to our attention we are charged with trying to strengthen and preserve the family and prevent a permanent out-of-home placement. Our primary programs which focus on family preservation are the PUP program, Parent Aide program and Homestead program which offers intensive in-home services.
It should be noted that Emergency Foster Care is also an important program that supports reunification. It permits our staff to temporarily remove the child while specific problems such as alcohol abuse, :financial crisis, and drug use are addressed.

Continuum of Foster Care and Treatment Services
The great bulk of our resources are spent on the extremes of the service continuum. These are Basic Family Foster Care at $10 a day and Residential Treatment Programs (including MATCH placements) at $91-$303 per day. Basic Family Foster Care accounts for 42 % of expenditures, and Residential Treatment accounts for 50%.
The average yearly cost for basic care is $2,200 per child (15,000 children). The average yearly cost for MATCH and Residential Treatment is $41,000 per child (934 children). However, many children in basic care are not getting the care they need, and some children in residential care may be inappropriately placed.
The proposed system offers new options and would add:
Levels of Care within Basic Family Foster Care Diagnostic Foster Care Intensive Family Foster Care Therapeutic Group Care
Levels of Care within Basic Family Foster Care -
Upon assessment, children may be placed in 3 levels of care. This recognizes the different levels of responsibility that foster parents have within the "normal" foster care population.
Diagnostic Foster Care -This is temporary care provided by specially trained foster parents (5 5 hours of specialized training). The purpose is to provide temporary care in a family setting while parents address family problems (drug, alcohol, financial crisis). The agency assesses the child's needs and the desirability of reunifying the child with the birth family. State Cost: $1,622,333 or $2,075 per family served.
Intensive Family Foster Care -This is for children with extensive problems - physical, emotional and behavioral. The goal is to prepare children to live in a more normal family setting and to reduce the danger the child represents to his or herself and others.
Therapeutic Group Care - This special placement is for children with mental retardation or a severely emotionally disturbed diagnosis. Foster parents receive 60 hours of initial training and 45 hours of in-service training annually. State Cost: $1,097,830 or $17,154 per child.

l. I

Child Protective Service Reports
In thousands
80 70 60 50 40 30 20
10 0
1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993
State Fiscal Year
1994 Expenditures by Program Type
Family Foster Care -$32,495,484
PUP - $5,755,490 Family Preservation - $500,000
Institution/MATCH - $38,214,941
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Programs & Initiatives

Adult Protective Services

Legal Services

These services are provided to persons 18 years and older who are mentally or physically unable to protect themselves from abuse, neglect and/or exploitation.
If necessary, Georgia law permits probate courts to confer guardianship of certain adults to DFCS if another appropriate guardian is not available. In FY 94, DFCS County Directors had guardianship of over 650 adults.

This service is a resource for casework staff in implementing service plans for Child or Adult Services. It provides for the purchase of legal representation for casework staff in dealing with court-related matters on behalf of a child or adult. Services are purchased through cooperative agreements between the Department of Human Resources and the State Law Department. Payment rates are on a fixed schedule.
Domestic Violence

Domestic violence shelters provide temporary lodging, meals, medical care and counseling to victims of family violence. The shelters are operated by private, nonprofit organizations. Thirty-two shelters in Georgia receive public funding.
The Governor's Commission on Family Violence reviews laws, policies and legislation that impacts women and children who are victims of domestic violence. The commission has established protocols to guide law enforcement agencies, courts and prosecutors dealing with domestic violence cases, and is establishing a domestic violence task force in each judicial district.

Trends

Since FY 86, Adult Protective Services caseloads have increased 64% from 3,561 to 5,854.
More than half of the women and children seeking

shelter in battered women's programs have to be turned away due to lack of space.

Highlights from 1994

Provided Adult Protective Services to 14,758 abused, neglected and exploited disabled adults.
Coordinated the use of Title VII funds with the Division of Aging.
Participated on the Lt. Governor's Elder Abuse Task Force.

Increased state funding for local Domestic Violence Shelters and Programs from $325,000 in FY 94 to $682,000 in FY 95.
Developed a mechanism to enhance federal funding for Domestic Violence shelters by accessing previously untapped IV-A emergency funds.

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New Directions

Future plans are already underway to provide a fuller range of adult services. In the past a number of battered women's shelters have been unable to provide more than basic shelter. With enhanced funding, the shelters will be expected to provide several core services including emergency shelter, 24 hour crisis line, legal assistance, crisis counseling, services for children, referrals for social services, and community education. As family violence services move women to self-sufficiency, they also prevent welfare dependency.
In a joint request with the Division of Aging, we have requested additional Adult Protective Services staff in order to lower the caseworker to client ratio

and increase the amount of services. We have also requested funds for a Prevention of Inappropriate Placement Program (PIP) which would provide for a one-time, short-term purchase of services in crisis situations.
With the media and extensive community outreach, we want to continue to raise the public's awareness of these issues. With increased public support, we can fund demonstration projects to develop prevention, treatment and intervention programs. We also need more training for DHR staff, medical professionals, law enforcement, criminal justice, and school officials to better recognize and deal with family violence.

Funding for Family Violence Shelters in the Southeastern States

In Millions

Georgia

Alabama

Florida 7.2

13.7

Louisiana

North Carolina

Mississippi South Carolina

0.3 -

2.6

Tennessee

Virginia West Virginia

6.5 1.0-1.8

State Dollars State Population*

Arkansas shelters have chosen not to accept state funding.
* Source: 1993 Census Estimates
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