Overview of Children’s Administration

1. Overview ofChildren’s Administration Randy Hart Interim Assistant Secretary DSHS / Children’s Administration

2. Children’s Administration Structure • Children’s Administration has: • Six regions throughout the state and a Headquarters office in Olympia • 45 Local Offices around the state – Mix of urban and rural locations • About 2800 staff throughout the state • Division of Licensed Resources is separate from the other child welfare functions

3. Map of Offices

4. Children’s Administration Structure • Work is organized into components: • Intake • Child Protective Services (CPS) • Family Voluntary Services (FVS) • Family Reconciliation Services (FRS) • Child and Family Welfare Services (CFWS) • Adoption and Adoption Support • Division of Licensed Resources (DLR)

5. Children’s Administration Intake • Intake: • Operates in local offices during the daytime • Calls are directed to Central Intake during evening and overnight • Intake staff receive calls from community • Screens the referral to determine if it meets a “Sufficiency Screen” to be investigated

6. Child Protective Services (CPS) • Child Protective Services (Investigation): • Receives referrals from intake • After hours social workers respond to emergent referrals in evenings and overnight • Conducts an Initial Face to Face interview of the child • within 24 or 72 hours (depends on risk rating) • Interviews child, parents, and other individuals regarding the allegation • Completes a safety assessment and risk assessment • Makes a finding regarding the allegations • Founded or Unfounded • Refers family to ongoing services and may begin dependency process • May place child in out of home care (court ordered; protective custody by police; or voluntary placement agreement)

7. Voluntary Services • Family Voluntary Services: • Conducts an assessment of the family • Creates a case plan with the family (Voluntary Service Agreement) • Refers the family to services • Services may include out of home placement through a Voluntary Placement Agreement (VPA) • Monitors case progress and ongoing safety of child • May begin dependency proceedings if child safety is compromised • Service agreements typically last about 90 days

8. Child Welfare • Child and Family Welfare Services: • Conducts an assessment of the family and child(ren) • Creates a case plan with the family • Refers the family to services • Monitors case progress and ongoing safety of child • Participates in dependency proceedings • Responsible for reporting progress to the court • Reviews progress and recommends a permanent plan • Reunification - return home • Termination of Parental Rights • Guardianship

9. Adoption • Adoption and Adoption Support • Adoption workers: • Conduct home studies • Prepare records for release of information to potential adoptive families • Adoption Support workers: • Oversee adoption support agreements • Review agreements at request of families

10. Families in Conflict • Family Reconciliation Services (FRS): Voluntary service to families and adolescents in conflict • Conducts an assessment of the family and child • Creates a case plan with the family • Refers the family to services • Short duration – often 15 hours of counseling • May provide information to the court for At-Risk Youth (ARY) or Child in Need of Services (CHINS) petitions

11. Urban – Rural Variation • Children’s Administration must provide services throughout the state • Services are organized differently in urban and rural offices • Rural offices may have as few as five staff who must perform all of the functions (intake, investigation, and ongoing services) • Fewer contracted services are available in rural areas • Requires social workers to take a different approach and role in case plans • Community members and informal supports must have a stronger role in case plans

12. Division of Licensed Resources • DLR - Licensing Functions • Foster Parent Licensing: • Initial licensing – includes home study • Respond to licensing complaints • Re-license families every 3 years • Facility Licensing • Licenses facilities such as group care facilities • Responds to licensing complaints involving facilities • DLR - CPS: • Investigate abuse or neglect allegations in licensed homes and facilities (includes child care facilities)

13. Children’s Administration Contracts Children’s Administration contracts for many services for families and children Availability of contracted services varies depending on the area of the state Currently Children’s Administration has about 1800 contracts throughout the state

14. Children’s Administration Contracts Contract Categories: • Family Support Services include: • Intensive Family Preservation Services (IFPS) • Family Preservation Services (FPS) • Parenting Programs • Evidence Based Programs • Services for children in foster include: • Child Placing Agencies • Behavioral Rehabilitation Services (BRS) • Other services to foster children and out of home caregivers

15. Work with the Community • In local areas Children’s Administration staff work with community members and organizations to better serve families and children. This includes: • Family to Family Initiative • Family Team Decision Making meetings • Build Community Partnerships - strategy group • Recruit, Develop, and Support (RDS) out of home placements – strategy group • Participating in local community networks • Partnering with schools • Connecting with faith based organizations that may support families

16. Children’s Administration Relationships with Tribes • Relationship is Government to Government • The Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) guides work with Native American children • Tribes may take jurisdiction for children who are members of the tribe • Tribes have contracts with the Children’s Administration to support tribal child welfare work • Several tribes contract with Children’s Administration as Child Placing Agencies and to provide other services

17. Location of Washington Tribes