Fostering a Better Foster Care System*

Orange County has a shortage of foster families and this shortage will become more acute with the implementation of AB403. The shortage is particularly acute for special populations such as teens, sibling sets, and children with special medical or psychological needs. Response: Disagrees partially with the finding. While Social Services Agency/Children and Family Services (SSA/CFS) recognizes the shortage of placement resources for each of these special populations, the impact of recruiting resource families under the provisions of AB403 are not yet known. The intent of AB403 is that its implementation will result in an increase in the number of resource families available to serve this population. AB403 creates a uniform training and approval process for all types of caregivers (e.g. foster parents, relatives, non-related extended family members, etc.), who are now all considered "resource families," which SSA/CFS has already begun to implement.

Current Children and Family Services recruitment and retention efforts are inadequate and ineffective as evidenced by zero growth in available foster homes. Response: Disagrees partially with the finding. Social Services Agency/Children and Family Services (SSA/CFS) has consistently recruited new foster parents and retained them as either foster parents or adoptive parents. Of the 425 foster care applications received between 2011 through March 2016, SSA/CFS issued 420 foster care licenses. However, given the continued need, SSA/CFS recognizes that further efforts are necessary to increase the number of resource families, especially those available to support the special populations listed in F.1. Further, SSA/CFS recognizes that it is necessary to diversify and enhance its marketing methodologies in order to recruit new resource families, both for long-term permanency and those not interested in adoption, and is currently developing a detailed marketing plan.

Children and Family Services does not collect, analyze, or track data on the success of foster parent recruitment and retention efforts. Response: Disagrees partially with the finding. Social Services Agency/Children and Family Services (SSA/CFS) utilizes the Efforts to Outcomes (ETO) database. The intent of the ETO database is to identify the initial point of contact with the resource family all the way through placement in order to gather data to measure recruitment and retention efforts. SSA/CFS recognizes that it does not currently fully utilize ETO. However, SSA/CFS does use ETO to track several data elements of recruitment, including: point of contact, placement preference and caregiver ethnicity and language capacity.

Children and Family Services has not implemented the principles of the Quality Parenting Initiative in spite of its four year involvement in the project. Response: Disagrees wholly with the finding. The principles of the Quality Parenting Initiative (QPI) are to rebrand the concept of "foster parent" and increase collaboration with foster parents to be part of the team that supports children placed in their care. As a result of QPI, Social Services Agency/Children and Family Services (SSA/CFS) developed a QPI logo for a branding message, facilitated icebreaker activities (including the child's parents and foster parents in a discussion to support the child's transition at the time of placement) and implemented the use of foster parent mentors. Further, there is a bi-monthly QPI/Foster Care Advisory Board meeting and all SSA/CFS programs and multiple community stakeholders have been provided with an overview of QPI. SSA/CFS remains committed to continuing to reinforce the message and philosophy of QPI with CFS staff and the community.

Children and Family Services does not adequately serve the needs of hard to place populations such as teens, large sibling sets and children with medical and psychological disabilities. Response: Disagrees partially with the finding. Social Services Agency/Children and Family Services (SSA/CFS) does provide specialized services to support the needs of these populations. This includes, but is not limited to: Specialized Family Services (SFS) provides case management support and • placement services for children with medical and psychological disabilities. The Independent Living Program (ILP) that supports youth and young adults, ages 16 to 24, by linking them with ILP services, including support with employment, education, transitional housing and financial resources. Teen Court, which is a multi-disciplinary team approach to supporting the needs of older foster youth. Wraparound services to support maintaining youth in the least restrictive, most family-like setting. Transitional Housing Placement Plus (THPP), which allows for placement of minor dependents ages 16 to 18 to reside in community apartments where they can live independently with the support of the THPP contract provider. Temporary Shelter Homes dedicated to sibling sets. However, SSA/CFS recognizes the challenges with placing these populations and the need for continued development of placement resources for them. The implementation of AB 403 is intended to help address the placement needs for this population.

Children and Family Services has not utilized Samueli Academy as a resource to enhance educational opportunities for foster teens because they have not proactively promoted the school or provided transportation to the school. Response: Disagrees wholly with the finding. The Samueli Academy is a public charter high school in Santa Ana that serves foster youth and youth from underserved communities. There are multiple factors that impact where foster youth attend school, including: court orders, requirements regarding youth attending their school of origin, the educational right holder's preference and the youth's preference. Social Services Agency/Children and Family Services (SSA/CFS) has provided opportunities for the Samueli Academy to share information with social workers, who are encouraged to share this information and educate youth about this educational option. Further, SSA/CFS is committed to continuing to nurture its relationship with the Samueli Academy, supporting the process of identifying potential students and supporting any foster youth for whom the decision is made that their best educational option is to attend the Samueli Academy.

Children and Family Services has failed to clarify the role of Foster Family Agencies contracted by the County. Response: Disagrees wholly with the finding. The California Department of Social Services (CDSS), Community Care Licensing (CCL) Division licenses and monitors Foster Family Agencies (FFAs) in California. Social Services Agency/Children and Family Services (SSA/CFS) has a FFA Master Agreement which defines the provisions of care to be provided by FFAs when serving Orange County foster youth. Any state-licensed FFA can qualify for an agreement under the SSA/CFS Master Agreement. When determining placement options for dependents, SSA/CFS may consider a FFA based on the assessment of the multi-disciplinary team and SSA/CFS collaborating partners. SSA/CFS has defined and messaged the role of FFAs in Orange County's continuum of care and appropriately uses FFAs as placement resources.

Children and Family Services does not adequately monitor the 51 Foster Family Agencies contracted by the County to ensure that they are adequately meeting the needs of the children in their care. Disagrees wholly with the finding. Response: It is the responsibility of California Department of Social Services (CDSS), Community Care Licensing (CCL) Division to monitor Foster Family Agencies (FFAs). However, SSA/CFS recognizes that collaborating and supporting FFAs is a best practice and does provide support to FFAs. SSA/CFS screens each child/youth to ensure the appropriateness of the placement; this process applies to all placements, including FFAs, within the continuum of care. Additionally, SSA/CFS social workers visit with the children placed in FFAs on a monthly basis to ensure that the placement is meeting the needs of the child. SSA/CFS is committed to continuing to enhance its collaboration with the contracted FFAs.

The current caseload of Orange County social workers exceeds industry standards and will hamper efforts to implement AB403. Disagrees wholly with the finding. Response: Caseload averages can be calculated a variety of different ways due to the complexity of the child welfare system and the various functions of the assignments. In order to calculate average caseloads, Social Services Agency/Children and Family Services (SSA/CFS) used the total number of cases at a point in time of 7,263 divided by the number of filled positions at that point in time for mandated case management social workers of 498. This calculation results in an average caseload of 14.6, which is lower than the caseload standard of 16 referenced in R11 in the Grand Jury Report. SSA/CFS recognizes that 14.6 is an average caseload, so there are social workers with caseloads above and below that number. In addition, SSA/CFS does have additional support staff that assist in mandated case management work. SSA/CFS will continue to evaluate caseloads as AB403 and new mandates are implemented and as industry standards are updated.

Effective outreach is hampered by limited and outdated technology. Agrees with the finding. Response: RECOMMENDATIONS AND RESPONSES: