📋
Extracted from Consolidated Report
This investigation was originally published as part of a larger consolidated report containing multiple investigations. View the consolidated PDF for the complete document.
San Bernardino County Grand Jury
• 2015-2016
City of Chino Code Compliance Division
⚠️ Translation Notice: This content has been automatically translated. The original English text is the official version. Translation may contain errors.
⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.
Findings 14 findings
F1
Page 27
Client confidentiality and the appearance of intimidation is used as a justification by CFS management for not audio and/or video recording interviews.
F2
Page 27
Law enforcement disclosed that working relations with CFS could be improved.
F3
Page 27
Law enforcement is not normally involved in Child Dependency Court proceedings.
F4
Page 27
Specific case files that were requested by the Grand Jury took over seven months to be received.
F5
Page 27
CFS focuses on family unification and working with families. 2015-2016 San Bernardino County Grand Jury – Children and Family Services 19
F6
Page 28
CFS workers in the field are not furnished instant drug testing kits that would assist them in determining if a parent is under the influence. CFS “best practices” in regard to parents observed to be under the influence “does not necessarily” result in children being removed from the home, or law enforcement being notified.
F7
Page 28
Social workers in the field have heavy caseloads and “tremendous turnover.”
F8
Page 28
Efforts to increase the ranks of Senior Social Services Practitioners have not been on track with the goal of hiring new Senior Social Services Practitioners as of April 2016.
F9
Page 28
Field offices maintain food supplies consisting of non-nutritional snacks for children awaiting transfer.
F10
Page 28
Continuous field training and documentation writing is essential for social workers.
F11
Page 28
No follow up system is in place by the trainers to assess the effectiveness of the training of social workers.
F12
Page 28
CFS workers are evaluated for job performance once a year.
F13
Page 28
Confidentiality is used as justification by CFS to redact reports prior to distribution to authorized agencies, such as law enforcement.
F14
Page 28
There is no local independent review board that monitors CFS operations. 2015-2016 San Bernardino County Grand Jury – Children and Family Services
Recommendations 9
-
R1Page 26First field office - caseloads were 30-45, but one case worker reported having 60 cases
-
R2Page 26Second field office - caseloads were reported as 42-43
-
R3Page 26Third field office - caseloads were 55-60, and there were 43 vacancies at the time of the visit, which was approximately 22% of the budgeted CFS work force in this office The Child Welfare League of America recommends caseworkers handle no more than 12 cases involving investigation, 17 cases of family preservation and 12-15 foster care cases. In a written report given by CFS management it was noted that the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors, in September 2014, created the position of Senior Social Service Practitioners (Sr. SSP) to provide coaching, mentoring and training for “newer” social workers. It was planned to hire 65 of the Sr. SSP. At the time of the October 20, 2015 interview with CFS senior managers only two of the 65 authorized Sr. SSP had been hired. Later, in April 2016, it was reported by CFS management that CFS had “promoted 28 employees to Sr. SSP, and that there were 42 vacancies, with approximately 24 potential candidates for interviews.” In interviews with law enforcement and County Counsel it was stated that more training of social workers is needed, particularly in accurate documentation writing. A large number of new social workers require extensive training. Risk assessment training is provided to CFS social workers by the County Counsel office. This training was “started in September 2014 and was implemented because problems in CFS that resulted in the death of children.” Risk Assessment Training consists of a six point plan which is outlined in the Fundamental of Best Practices:
-
R4Page 26Civil Liability training
-
R5Page 26Regional staff training
-
R6Page 26Critical thinking/assessment training
-
R7Improve Risk Assessment Meetings (RAM) 2015-2016 San Bernardino County Grand Jury – Children and Family Services 18
-
R8Page 27Referring all high risk referrals to a RAM
-
R9Page 27Expand criteria for referrals to Children’s Assessment Centers A new program, Structured Decision Making (SDM), is being implemented in the spring of 2016. No other details on SDM were provided. It was disclosed in an interview with a County Counsel employee that no further action has ever been initiated by the trainers of CFS employees in order to assess the implementation and effectiveness of the training. Management stated that CFS employees are evaluated for job performance annually. In visits to CFS field offices it was learned that reports requested by law enforcement are routinely sent to County Counsel for review and redaction before being released. Law enforcement, during interviews, disclosed that redacted reports received from CFS obstruct criminal investigations. Management disclosed that all case reviews are conducted internally.