1 LOCAL BOARDS RECOMMENDATION Create local boards Clarify

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LOCAL BOARDS RECOMMENDATION Ø Create local boards § Clarify the purpose, powers, and duties of existing county-level DFCS boards § Consists of five to seven members § Report programs’ outcomes annually by December 15 th Ø Provide a list of constituent groups to the county-level DFCS boards PROGRESS Successfully Completed Ø Training has been completed for Regional and County Directors Ø Local Board Handbook and training material have been updated Ø Current Board Members will continue to serve until their term expires 2

REGIONAL ADVISORY BOARDS RECOMMENDATION Ø Create regional-level DFCS advisory boards that: § Consists of at least five members § Meet quarterly § Improve communication between the county departments within the region § Improve and streamline service delivery § Provide for the consistent application of state policy of DFCS in each region PROGRESS Successfully Completed Ø Regional Advisory Board members have been identified and will meet quarterly 3

DFCS STATE ADVISORY BOARD RECOMMENDATION Ø Create a state-level DFCS advisory board § Consists of twenty members § Review and make recommendations § Meet at least quarterly Ø Division Director or Governor and DFCS Director § Provide a quarterly report to the board in advance PROGRESS Ø Recommendation have been successfully made to Governor’s Office of Appointments 4

DFCS DIRECTOR RECOMMENDATION Ø Appointed by and reports directly to the Governor Ø An employee of DHS Ø DFCS director required qualifications PROGRESS Successfully Completed Ø Accomplished through SB 138 5

DFCS-DHS RELATIONSHIP RECOMMENDATION Ø Provide that DHS maintain authority over DFCS § DFCS budgeting and appropriation of funds § Rules and regulations for the operation and management of DFCS PROGRESS Successfully Completed 6

DATA SHARING BETWEEN AGENCIES RECOMMENDATION Ø DHS is required to develop and implement a workable state-wide system Ø Establish an interagency data protocol to collect and share data Ø DHS will continue to partner with various agencies for the care and protection of children Ø DHS and other agencies may notify the chairperson of any recommendations PROGRESS Ø Agreement established with Georgia Department of Public Health (GDPH) and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) to aide Child Fatality Review Panel Ø GDPH will provide the Division with death certificate data and certified birth certificates Ø Agreement to share data in place with the Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ), Department of Education (DOE), Department of Community Health (DCH) and Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Department (DBHDD) regarding Children in Need of Services (CHINS) Ø Data-sharing agreements/policies are being researched for the Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL) and the Georgia Crime Information Center (GCIC) Ø Meeting requested with department leaders regarding protocols and procedures, specific data information to be shared, authorized authorities, reasons for sharing data, and compliance with all state and federal law 7

CUSTODIAL RECORDS RECOMMENDATION Ø Review statutes, rules, or regulations allowing DFCS to § Share children’s mental and physical health and conduct records with foster care providers § Share children’s mental and physical health and conduct records with child care providers Ø Promulgate legislation regarding care providers access to record in relations to children in care PROGRESS Ø A draft of Policy 2. 6 Confidentiality and Safeguarding of Records was updated and is in the process of being approved that incorporates mandated requirements to allow foster parents access to the medical and educational records of foster children in their care. Ø Authority already exist for child care providers OCGA Section 49 -5 -41(c) (4) 8

CHILD ABUSE REGISTRY RECOMMENDATION Ø Maintain the names of those convicted or substantiated cases of child abuse and/or neglect Ø Compliant with constitutional requirements SB 138 Section 11 PROGRESS Ø In analysis with OIT regarding the necessary technical requirements and cost/budget to build the application Ø High level business requirements have been identified. * Funding has not yet been designated for development, maintenance, and resources for the registry. 9

CASELOADS RECOMMENDATION Ø Support Governor’s Plan to hire DFCS staff to achieve § Caseload ratio of fifteen cases to one caseworker § Supervision ratio of five caseworkers to one supervisor PROGRESS Ø Filled 141 positions allocated to the Region Ø Currently filling the 34 positions allocated to the Special Investigation Unit Ø Current casework to caseload ratio is 19. 5: 1 (average) 10

COMPENSATION & CAREER PATH RECOMMENDATION Ø Increase compensation for caseworkers and supervisors to be more in alignment with industry standards Ø Career advancement opportunities Ø Encouragement for advancement in certifications and/or advancement degrees PROGRESS Ø Child Welfare incentive payments were processed effective 7/1/15 Ø A meeting with Human Resources took place on 8/18/15 to continue work on career ladder completion 11

INTERNAL COMMUNICATION RECOMMENDATION Ø Improve internal communication related to employee performance and satisfaction PROGRESS Feedback on Vision, Mission, Guiding Principles in process Ø PR Consultant will develop final draft by 10/1/2015 Ø Information and feedbacks has been received by all levels of staff Branding Ø Branding consultant, Jeff Penix is conducting an assessment of the current state of the agency Ø A targeted branding strategy that will include an internal campaign will be developed and implemented beginning in early 2016 Ø An overview of branding was presented to front-line staff in July 2015 and to leadership in August 2015 Ø Overview of branding will be presented to supervisors in 10/2015 12

INTERNAL COMMUNICATION (continued) RECOMMENDATION Ø Improve internal communication related to employee performance and satisfaction PROGRESS Employee Recognition Ø Luncheon hosted by First Lady at Governor’s Mansion (June 2015) Ø Office of Family Independence employees are recognized in weekly updates Ø Child Welfare Employees are recognized with monthly awards 13

INTERNAL CULTURE RECOMMENDATION Ø Implement a system similar to the “Just Culture” model § Increases employees’ confidence § Reduces fear of retribution PROGRESS Ø Adopting a number of workforce resiliency practices that were successfully implemented in North Carolina and resulted in a dramatic increase in staff retention. They include: § Meaningful involvement of front-line workers and supervisors § Use of “appreciative inquiry” (focus on what is working well) § “Mistakes “ being viewed as an opportunity to learn § A focus on identifying and addressing systemic root causes 14

PROCESSES & TECHNOLOGY RECOMMENDATION Ø Partner with Georgia Tech Ø Improve the technological tools available to DFCS and its employees Ø Implement predictive analytics PROGRESS Ø The Master Services Agreement with Georgia Tech was signed on 7/1/15 Ø Digital Mobile Application Conference scheduled September 2015 Ø Lean Process Training scheduled September 2015 15

PRACTICE MODEL RECOMMENDATION Ø Adopt a standard practice model Ø Train staff on standard practice model Ø Design technology to fit the model PROGRESS Ø Implementing and currently finalizing the design of a comprehensive Georgia Practice Model informed by Solution-Based Casework (SBC) that is safety based and includes trauma informed elements. Ø Successfully hired 11 out of 15 Practice Coaches and two practice coach managers to provide ongoing coaching and SBC mentorship Ø Provided SBC Trainings to Leadership, Regional Directors & Practice Coaches (there are two additional manager retreats scheduled for October) Ø Established practice model workgroups 16

TITLE IV-E STUDENT TRAINING RECOMMENDATION Ø Bring the Title IV-E Child Welfare Student Training Program in alignment with federal requirements Ø Determine the amount of funding from participating schools of social work Ø Execute a contract with Georgia State University Ø Recruit students and implement the program beginning in Fall 2015 PROGRESS Ø Currently implementing: Five Universities are currently participating and interviewing applicants Ø UNIVERSITIES PARTICIPATING IN THE IV-E PPROGRAM University of Georgia (UGA) Albany State University (ASU) Valdosta State University (VSU) Georgia State University (GSU) Savannah State University (SSU) 17

SUPERVISOR-MENTOR PROGRAM RECOMMENDATION Ø Intense one-on-one support to supervisors (roughly two weeks at a time) § Mentors responsible for small caseloads (roughly three supervisors at a time) Ø Secure approximately $1. 1 million funding for mentor salaries, benefits, and travel costs Ø Establish job descriptions for mentors Ø Begin recruiting and hiring PROGRESS Ø SFY 2016 budget allocated $220, 000 to fund the pilot Ø Developed a project implementation plan to pilot the supervisor-mentor program in two counties Ø Currently recruiting for two full-time mentors Ø In the interim, two veteran trainers are serving in those roles. 18

PANIC BUTTON RECOMMENDATION Ø Work with Georgia Tech to develop a panic button for caseworkers safety PROGRESS Ø A Master Services Agreement (MSA) with Georgia Tech was executed and signed on 7/1/15 to begin building the panic button solution Ø The MSA includes customizing the notification technology to use the panic button and a pilot across the state for 50 buttons Ø A kick-off meeting that included DFCS field leadership and front line staff was held on 7/17/15 to introduce the panic button Ø GA Tech has begun work on designing the panic button. The pilot of the panic button is scheduled to begin January 2016 within 12 counties Ø Statewide implementation scheduled for rollout March 2016 19

SAFETY TRAINING RECOMMENDATION Ø Conduct training sessions § Educate caseworkers how to verbally deescalate tense crisis situations PROGRESS Ø Training began for Verbal Judo on July 27 and will continue through September 18, 2015 Ø Targeted training completion date is by the end of September 2015 Ø Verbal Judo “train the trainers” sessions for DFACS staff are scheduled for September 21 -25, 2015 20

LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERSHIPS RECOMMENDATION Ø Increase contact between DFCS staff and law enforcement § Arrange meet-and-greets § Conduct joint training sessions PROGRESS Ø “Meet & greets" are scheduled throughout the counties/ regions for September. They are to held at least annually Ø Notifying law enforcements of reports Ø Conducting joint DFCS and Law Enforcement investigations and ensuring case manager safety 21

SCORECARD RECOMMENDATION Ø To be published quarterly Ø Include trackable information and measures of workforce improvement, most important measures of agency improvement, performance measures, caseloads and turnover rates PROGRESS The following are scheduled for deployment: REPORT DEPLOYMENT DATE Ratio of Case Managers to Cases September 2015 Ratio of Supervisors to Cases September 2015 Ratio of Managers to Cases September 2015 CPS Investigation for Past 1 Month September 2015 Summary of Intake Calls for Past 1 Month (Number of Calls Received by CPS Intake Communications Center) Family Support Services Cases for Past 1 Month (Number of Family Support Cases) September 2015 Number of Family Preservation Cases Percentage of Children Who Return Home within 12 Months of Removal October 2015 November 2015 Percentage of Children Who Exit Foster Care and Re-Enter within 12 Months November 2015 September 2015 22

Dashboards of Scorecard 23

PUBLIC RELATIONS RECOMMENDATION Ø Develop and implement a statewide public relations campaign Ø Organize communities throughout the state to § Support the child welfare system goals and staff § Help educate others on the system PROGRESS Ø Blueprint for Change roadshows have occurred in Region 1 (Northwest Georgia), Region 5 (Athens area), Region 12 (Savannah area) and Region 7 (Augusta area) Ø Roadshows are scheduled for remaining regions during the remainder of 2015 and 2016. § During the four-day roadshow Director Cagle meets with legislators, local media, foster parents, the faith-based community, law enforcement, judges, staff and local leadership. § The intent of the roadshow is to share the plans of the Division to shore up gaps in service and practice as well as gather feedback from constituents. The feedback is used to develop action items to address concerns and follow back up with stakeholders and constituents. 24

PUBLIC & PRIVATE FUNDING RECOMMENDATION Ø Identify funding opportunities through federal programs and private organizations Ø To better qualify for funding § Ensure strong accountability for how funds are used § Routinely report progress and deliverables to any funding sources PROGRESS Ø Katrina Mitchell hired as Director of Strategic Partnerships to support grant solicitation efforts (start date 10/1/2015) Ø Submitted grant application to the Whitehead Foundation to fund development and implementation of a learning collaborative involving Division staff and key external providers/partners. • Increase knowledge and skill related to child welfare practice and subject matter • Strengthen partnerships targeting positive outcomes for families and children 25

PREDICTIVE ANALYTICS RECOMMENDATION Ø Determine best model of predictive analytics for application to child welfare practice Ø Evaluate models to improve decisions by DFCS personnel relating to child safety PROGRESS Ø Data collection from allied state agencies is complete Ø Collected data from public health, birth and death records for children under 18 being analyzed against child welfare data and will yield a data analysis for consideration of a composite set of factors that identify high risk families and children. Ø Next steps: apply data analysis to the building of a data model that will yield the best use of resources to address child safety Ø Future: use predictive analytics in foster care/adoptive cases to identify factors which lead to permanency 26

FAMILY SUPPORT RECOMMENDATION Ø Evaluate the Family Support practice Ø Determine if changes are needed PROGRESS Ø We are currently in the design phase of the practice model and reviewing it to determine if changes need to be made to Family Support 27

DFCS-SCHOOL COLLABORATION RECOMMENDATION Ø Require Child Protective Services investigation include contact information with the child’s school Ø Establish permissive limits on data-sharing Ø CPS investigators and school officials ability to exchange information about a child PROGRESS Ø A Draft of the Investigation policy chapters 5. 2 and 5. 6 is updated to includes this requirement currently in the approval process Ø Existing data sharing agreement with GA Department of Education (GA DOE) Ø Scheduled (Summer/Fall 2015): focus group with local education agencies (statewide) to determine what additional information is needed to better serve children/youth in foster care Ø Future: development of individual information sharing assignments with local education agencies 28

DILIGENT SEARCH FOR RELATIVES RECOMMENDATION Ø Expand the DFCS diligent search policy Ø Specify the information that must be collected for any relative search Ø Develop a statewide standardized report Ø Require permanency timelines (child’s established bond with non-relative caregivers) Ø Require expedited permanency timelines for young children (seven and under) Ø When to discontinue search PROGRESS Ø State/field office workgroup convened to develop a project plan to meet the recommendations Ø Identified strengths/challenges in Child Welfare Policy & Practice as they relate to the recommendations Ø TED Talk delivered to staff on the importance of family diligent search and relative placements 29

FOSTER PARENT RECRUITMENT & TRAINING RECOMMENDATION Ø Develop robust public-private partnerships (faith-based and university partners) Ø Evaluate the IMPACT curriculum and make recommendations Ø Clarify DFCS policy regarding ongoing training for foster parents Ø Designate a responsible person for training coordination Ø Restore DFCS support for the Adoptive and Foster Parent Association of Georgia (AFPAG) annual statewide conference PROGRESS Ø In final stages of developing MOU with P 686/Fostering Together Ø Formulating a statement of need for a university partner to assess and evaluate the IMPACT curriculum Ø Supported increased foster parent attendance of 435 at the AFPAG Conference (Feb/2015), and (2014) the number of attendees were 188 Ø Hiring state level resource development team Ø Evaluating CHOA proposal to provide trauma informed training to caregivers and staff 30

ROOM, BOARD & WATCHFUL OVERSIGHT (RBWO) PLACEMENTS RECOMMENDATION Ø Conduct a study of all RBWO placements Ø Address any gaps in the continuum of care that are identified by the study PROGRESS Ø State Office Placement Resources Operation Unit operational as of April 2015 Ø Developed statement for the placement resources operations study Ø Proactively searching for a qualified vendor 31

DRIVER’S LICENSES FOR OLDER FOSTER YOUTH RECOMMENDATION Ø Develop partnerships with the private insurance industry § Remove barriers for older youths obtaining driver's licenses PROGRESS Ø Collaborated with youth RBWO providers, DHS & DOAS Risk Managers, and Deputy Director of Insurance Programs, GA’s County Associates to create the GA DFCS Auto Insurance Proposal for youth Ø DOAS is vetting the proposal with various underwriters Ø Met with Commissioner of Department of Drivers Services to identify and eliminate barriers from foster youth obtaining state-issued drivers license or state IDs 32

DFCS PUBLIC REPORTING RECOMMENDATION Ø Report DFCS performance on § Child fatality measures § Caseload standards for caseworkers § Use of psychotropic medications Ø Intake and investigation measures § Time from the report to the agency's first contact with child § Time from the initial report to closure of the investigation PROGRESS Ø Contracts with GSU of School of Public Health for CY 2014 & CY 2015 to provide added integrity to the annual child death report Ø Report information 2014 to be released in January 2016 Ø Office of Child Advocate (OCA) is leading child death initiatives to ensure staffing and follow-up does occur so action items are complete Ø Next steps scoreboard measures will be reformatted for a public-facing website 33

KENNY A. EXIT STRATEGY RECOMMENDATION Ø Develop an exit strategy Ø Assess and replicate reforms resulting from the consent decree PROGRESS Ø Currently in the process of negotiating a Kenny A exit plan with Children’s Rights Incorporated (CRI) Ø Developed reports in LENSES to track safety and well-being outcomes Ø Senior Leadership and Regional Directors participate in G 2 Meetings to acquire, share and implement strategies throughout the state Ø Improved Kenny A. and statewide outcome measures through continuous tracking and cadences Ø Piloting the Child Welfare Employee Selection Protocol (ESP) in an effort to attract and retain top talent to serve as Social Services Protection and Placement Specialist 34

EXTERNAL STAKEHOLDERS RECOMMENDATION Ø Engage external stakeholders systematically in the development of DFCS policy Ø Inform community members of their input into DFCS policy Ø Simplify and streamline DFCS policy for clarity PROGRESS Ø All policy being vetted with Empower. MEnt, relevant stakeholders Ø Reinforced input on policy and practice updates, and changes between external and internal stakeholders regarding the commitment of safety, permanency, and the well-being of children Ø Conducted roadshows in Regions 1, 5, 12, and 7 Ø Future: Follow procedures outlined 35

MOBILE TECHNOLOGIES RECOMMENDATION Ø Improve caseworkers’ access to information in the field using mobile technology for their ability to apply policy PROGRESS Ø All case managers initially equipped with cell phones now replaced with smartphones thus providing quick access to State emails and messaging Ø Smartphones provided to field staff contain a “hot spot” feature that staff can use to access SHINES in the field using their tablets Ø Attending Digital Conference sponsored by GTA 36

CASE MANAGEMENT DATABASE RECOMMENDATION Ø Ability to operate without constant interruption in the field Ø Supports DFCS’ policy standards Ø Adaptable to accommodate new legal mandates and best practices Ø Aligned with the agency’s practice models PROGRESS Ø Server and software upgrades were implemented for SHINES in March 2015 which resulted in an improvement in the application. Ø Process in place to work closely with the policy unit to ensure policy changes and new state or federal laws are reflected in GA SHINES Ø Next Steps: GA SHINES team will participate in workgroups to identify requirements for the new practice model 37

QUESTIONS & COMMENTS 38