Illinois Department of Children and Family Services Permanency Enhancement Project (PEP)

1. Illinois Department of Children and Family Services Permanency Enhancement Project (PEP) Prepared by: Doris M. Houston, Ph.D. 12-22-09 Illinois State University School of Social Work Statewide Action Team Overview

2. "For these are all our children, we will all profit by or pay for what they become." — James Baldwin Community Partnership Model: • “The Community Partnership Concept reflects a decision making process that brings together local government, state agencies, elected officials, community agency directors, and local residents to collectively identify and implement a set of strategies perceived as being most effective in supporting children and their families” (Daro, Bu d d e, B a k e r, Nesmi th, & Ha r d e n,/CSSP 2 0 0 5, p.6 ).

3. Illinois Permanency Strategy

4. Track/review local permanency data Convene local stakeholders, decision makers, resource providers, DCFS involved families/youth (Action Team) Identify local permanency barriers Develop a strategic plan of action to remove barriers (Action Plan) Track and document change (Outcomes) Action Plan Process

5. Goals &Outcomes

6. Changing Policy/Procedures Improving Practice Communication/ Engagement Professional Development/Training Resource and Service Development Political and legislative advocacy Targeted Action Plan Areas

7. Court- Communication, collaborative decision making, policies, and practice. Agency- Culturally responsive practice, accountability, community partnership. Law enforcement - Communication, collaboration to support family permanency. Families – Culturally responsive support, family advocacy, differential response, fatherhood empowerment. Service Provider- Culturally responsive service, communication, community accountability. Community – Awareness, ownership, empowerment. Partnerships

8. REGIONAL OVERVIEWS

9. Central Region

10. Central Region Team Development • Relationship buildingwith courts, community stakeholders to accomplish action plan goals. • Each community addresses two permanency goals (disproportionality goal is required). • Teams receive annual strategic planning to focus efforts and strategies

11. Central Region Partnerships/Success • Court Partnerships and trainings (Galesburg) • Intact family support (Champaign, Rock Island); Parent mentoring (Bloomington) • Family Treatment Court (Danville) • Faith community outreach (Decatur, Charleston) • Ongoing review/discussion of permanency data (See 2009 fall report: ISU)

12. Southern Region

13. Southern Region Team Development • Utilizing 4 main permanency goals and encouraging teams to choose two. • Focusing on building relationships and community networking.

14. Southern Region Partnerships/Success • Law Enforcement- Working with area police departments to have workers come out on open cases to reduce hotline calls. • Public Aid- arranged for families to keep their benefits if they are on track to have their child returned. • Recruitment: Increasing diversity among action teams members. • Courts: Quarterly meetings with the judges

15. Northern Region

16. Northern Region Team Development • Teams are still in developmental stage and are only required to choose one permanency goal.

17. Northern Region Partnerships/Success • Team Planning: Training on strategic planning and helping teams utilize logic model • Parents: Biological Parent Advisory Council involvement with action teams • Schools: Educational advisors making sure that school issues are addressed at meetings. • Community Outreach: Goal to build trust and partnership with the community.

18. Cook Central Region

19. Cook Central Region Team Development • Currently working on solidifying teams and reaching out to birth parents • The goal for all 3 teams in the Cook Central Area is to Remain Home

20. Cook Central Region Partnerships/Success • Team Planning:Measurable objectives • Training: Community based agency trainings on mandated reporting, family advocacy centers, and helping teams understand data. • Psychological First Aid to all Action Team members. • Educational advisors to all Action Teams

21. Cook North Region

22. Cook North Region Team Development • 3 teams all chose same two goals (reduce over-representation, and maintain home) • Currently Cook North has about one year of engagement. • Looking for leaders/co-chairs for the teams. • Currently the co-chairs are a representative from DCFS and the LAN Liaison. • Action plans developed (2008): Information gathering; recruitment/outreach

23. Cook North Region Partnerships/Success • Marketing: Brochure for community stakeholders shows what the action team is trying to do; shows data on disparities • Outcomes: Established action steps, benchmarks, measurable outcomes • Evaluation: Develop methods of evaluation • Support and Encouragement

24. Cook South Region

25. Cook South Region Team Development • 3 teams, currently developing with the suggested goal of remain home

26. Cook South Region Partnerships/Success • DCFS worker Survey • Region Wide Brochure • Public Guardian; DCFS Legal; Judge Thomas participation and partnership • Focus on remain home as the goal • Project to support parenting of teen wards as it relates to the goal of remaining home. • Plan to develop a parent handbook about what to expect when going to court

27. University Partnerships

28. Statewide Action Team Web Site • Information Dissemination • Community announcements • Team meeting minutes • Best practice research • Permanency data/reports http://adoptionresearch.illinoisstate.edu/PEP/index.shtml

29. Next Steps • Reformulating action plans ( 2 year updates) • Field office outreach • Intensive evaluations with well developed action teams • Statewide outcome evaluation (University Partners) • Information dissemination of Action Team Model