Child Death Mitigation in Los Angeles County

Recommendations 8

• R1

  Page 222
  2: Child rights. The BOS, CEO, and the Director of DCFS should take steps for Los Angeles County to become a national leader in the promotion and perpetuation of children’s rights and adopt and maintain a charter for children’s rights. DCFS currently has a children’s rights charter specifically for children in its care in the child welfare system, but the County does not have one for all children. The United States is one of only three countries, including Somalia and South Sudan, which has not joined the international community in supporting the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), an international human rights treaty setting out the civil, polit- ical, economic, social, health, and cultural rights of children. The County of Los Angeles is often known nationwide as a trend-setter and a leader on social issues. Children’s rights should be one of these areas. Although the United States has not adopted the CRC, the County of Los Angeles should reaffirm and pro- mote its own child rights charter as an example for the nation. Children’s rights to a safe and nurturing upbringing should be a societal commitment. 1.2.1. The Director of DCFS should ensure the County’s child rights’ charter for chil- dren in its care is updated and operational within DCFS. The updated charter should also include tighter definitions of what constitutes psychological, emotional, or verbal abuse; neglect; and failure to thrive and are 194 2011–2012 LOS ANGELES COUNTY CIVIL GRAND JURY FINAL REPORT CHILD DEATH MITIGATION consistent with existing penal code definitions. Once tighter definitions and ex- pectations are developed, the BOS will have the ability to lobby for improved leg- islation. This updated charter will help clarify DCFS’s expectations of staff as they carry out their duties. 1.2.2. Although DCFS reports directly to the BOS, the BOS should direct the CEO and involved cluster Deputy CEOs to work with DCFS and the other County depart- ments to develop a children’s rights charter for the BOS to review, refine, and adopt.
• R2

  Page 226
  6. A check list for child death investigations. The Coroner, working with law enforcement officials and the Director of DCFS, should develop a check list for law enforcement and DCFS staff of unique factors to look for in child death cases. To address reports that law enforcement officers and DCFS staff members have varying levels of experience and skill in investigating child deaths, a new comprehensive check list could be a first step toward standardization of this important procedure and would provide a valuable training tool that could be improved over time.
• R3

  Page 228
  1. A 23-hour assessment center. The Director of DCFS should evaluate the potential for implementing a 23-hour assessment center for children who are at risk, and seek BOS approval based on the results of that evaluation. Such assessment centers, similar to Orangewood in Orange County, California, are staffed with skilled professionals, similar to DCFS CSWs, DMH psychiatric social work- ers, and DPH public health nurses. They can build trust and assess the child in a safe environment, and are more likely to make accurate assessments and appropriate placements if deemed necessary. This recommendation is similar to one made by the CGJ in 1999-2000. (Note: The in- tent of this recommendation is not to replicate the McLaren model of the past.) Given the size of the County, DCFS should pilot one 23-hour assessment center and, once fully operational, evaluate its relative effectiveness and determine if additional centers are warranted.
• R4

  Page 189
  The Department of Consumer Affairs provide unpaid internships for TAYs so they could gain first-hand experience in helping consumers resolve financial scams, and learn about how to protect themselves and their friends from consumer fraud. DCA consider establishing paid internships with a stipend.
• R5

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  The Department of Children and Family Services Youth Development Services Division, Independent Living Program reorganize the Emancipation Resource Directory to a more user-friendly document with the contact information for DCA listed as one of the first contacts in the directory, and that physical copies be bound for easy access and use by TAYs.
• R6

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  The Metropolitan Transit Authority Board of Directors follow through with their commitment slated to begin 7/1/12, to provide "no-cost EZ Transit Passes" on all municipal and rail systems to DCFS and probation youth transitioning out of the county systems, for youth ages 18-21, for longer than a 12 month period, and on a continuing basis until the youth reaches his or her 22nd birthday. 166 2011–2012 LOS ANGELES COUNTY CIVIL GRAND JURY FINAL REPORT AGING-OUT - TAY
• R7

  Page 189
  Exit Conference. An Exit Conference was held to discuss the findings and rec- ommendations. The Exit Conference included representatives who attended the Entrance Conference and were joined by Task Force members. Their feedback has been incorporated into the Final Report. The term “front-line” staff member refers to any DCFS employees who interface with the clients or their families, including CSWs, SCSWs, or CPHL staff. 2011–2012 LOS ANGELES COUNTY CIVIL GRAND JURY FINAL REPORT 183 CHILD DEATH MITIGATION
• R18-21

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  for a 12 month period. 2011–2012 LOS ANGELES COUNTY CIVIL GRAND JURY FINAL REPORT 165