How Arizona a Obje jective ives s for or today ay Citizen - PDF document

7/9/2014 How Arizona a Obje jective ives s for or today ay Citizen Review w Participants will understand and discuss Panels ls  Foundation, history and federal mandates implemented by Federal government to improve child welfare Enhance and Impact ▪ Background and purpose of Citizen Review Panels (CRP)s ▪ How Arizona CRP’s and community involvement can impact child Child Welfare welfare ▪ Importance of the relationship between child welfare agencies and CRPs Sandra Lescoe, , MSW System ▪ Arizona CRPs work and activities and changes which have resulted from Gary Brennan, , FACHE HE, , CHC HC, , BA in Special Education their findings and recommendations Emilio Gonzales, , MSW 7/9/2014 1 7/9/2014 2 Citizen Revi view Panels (CRPs Ps) can support and play a role in the Founda datio tion n of child d prot otecti ction on and practi ctice ce rede design of the child d welfa fare system. Is the protection and well-being of children who come to the attention of The history and transition of child protection in America the child protection agency the sole responsibility of the agency? evolved and is divisible into three eras. Does the public understand the role and responsibilities of the child  The first era extends from colonial times to 1875 - referred to as the era before protection agency? organized child protection. Does the political atmosphere support and encourage citizen  The second era spans 1875 to 1962 - creation and growth of organized child protection through nongovernmental child protection societies. involvement?  The third era, 1962 - marks the beginning of the third or modern era, the era of http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W32Nv8ISiMM government-sponsored child protective services. HeinOnline -- 42 Fam. L.Q. 449 2008-2009 7/9/2014 3 7/9/2014 4 1

7/9/2014 First t key Federal Legislati tion on addressing ng abuse and Nation onal clima mate moved from focusing on Reunifi fication on neglect ct to Safety to The pendulum swings according to what the political and/or national 1974 Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (CAPTA) which: child welfare climate is at a given time. During this period there was:  Provided Federal funding to States in support of prevention, assessment, ▪ Concern over child fatalities in open cases, children “languishing” in investigation, prosecution, and treatment activities foster care, children returned to unsafe home environments  Provided grants to public agencies and non profit organizations for ▪ Increasing public concern called for more accountability in the child demonstration programs and projects. protection system  Identified the Federal role in supporting research, evaluation, technical ▪ Concerns that family rights were being intruded upon and family’s were assistance, and data collection activities; establishes the Office on Child Abuse and Neglect; and mandates the National Clearinghouse on Child being ripped apart Abuse and Neglect Information. CAPTA also sets forth a minimum definition of child abuse and neglect 7/9/2014 5 7/9/2014 6 Amendm ndment nts s made to CAPTA TA Federal requi uirement nts CAPTA Reauthorization of 1996 ▪ Each state was to establish 3 panels (some only need one) by July 1999 ▪ Each panel has the responsibility to review compliance of state and local  Required states to establish citizen review panels child welfare agencies with respect to:  state CAPTA plan  The panels provided a forum for citizens to help determine whether  other criteria the panel considers important, which may include state and local agencies are effectively discharging their child coordination with foster care and adoption programs and review of protection responsibilities. child fatalities and near fatalities 7/9/2014 7 7/9/2014 8 2

7/9/2014 Addi ditio tiona nal amendm dment nts implemente ted d to enhance nce child d welfare Requirements continued CAPTA Reauthorization of 2003 requires panels to: ▪ Panels are to be composed of volunteer members who:  are broadl dly representative ve of the community in which they ▪ Review and evaluate PRACTICE as well as policy and procedure are operating (private or professional citizens), and ▪ Develop a means for public comment and prepare and present an annual  include individuals with expertise in the preve vention and report which details their activi vities and recommenda dations treatment of child d abuse and negl glect ▪ Child welfare agency is to respond in writing to the annual report within six months ▪ Meet at least quarterly CAPTA Reauthorization of 2010 ▪ Maintain confi fide dentiality ▪ Required a study and report to Congress on the effectiveness of citizen review panels ▪ Panels may include adults who are former victims of child abuse and neglect 7/9/2014 9 7/9/2014 10 The CRPs can review, evaluate and exami mine any of the CRP reco comme menda ndatio tions follow owing parts of the child welfa fare re system ▪ Intake and initial screening ▪ Case closure ▪ Can address elements of policy ▪ Should be focused and specific or practice that was not followed ▪ Investigation or assessment ▪ Crisis intervention; ▪ Should deal with something that or unclear is within the agency’s control Emergency placement; ▪ Case determination ▪ Suggest modifying a policy Family stabilization ▪ Be factual to address policy, which was followed but was procedure or practice (avoid ▪ Service planning, identified as a concern or ▪ Coordination of services changes to Federal policy) produced a bad outcome implementation, and monitoring ▪ Staff qualifications, training ▪ Be derived from the panel’s ▪ Address issues not addressed in and workload work during the year. policy ▪ Utilization of technology to ▪ Have support from the entire determine outcomes ▪ Review hard copies of case ▪ Systemic issues pane l information 7/9/2014 11 7/9/2014 12 3

7/9/2014 Why citiz tizen n participatio tion? n? Collaboration Federal mandate noted the following: ▪ “By allowing the Panels to have complete access to child protection cases, by requiring Panels to publicize their findings, and by requiring states to respond to criticisms and recommendations of the Panels, the Committee intends to subject states to public criticism and political repercussion if they fail to protect children” House report 104-081, p. 1  The language set a precedent for a contentious relationship between the panels’ role and responsibilities with the child protection agency  Are we all speaking the same language? 7/9/2014 13 7/9/2014 14 Collabor borati tion on What t impacts cts good od and bad collabor boratio tion? n? Competing ting prioriti orities s and communi nica cati tion on Child welfare administrators Citizen groups often speak Competing priorities often speak the language of: the language of: Distrust  Budget stress  Personal passion Mindset  Politics  Personal experience Child Welfare Priorities  “We know best”  “We want change NOW!” Prevention service needs  Incremental change  “Coalitions are best” How safety, permanency, and well-being of children is defined or  Workload  Ready to use public shame understood if necessary 7/9/2014 15 7/9/2014 16 4

7/9/2014 Mind ndset t Distr trus ust Public Mindset et ▪ Child welfare shroud of secrecy which they claim is to protect the family’s privacy, but which is used by child welfare to ditch their responsibilities and accountability. ▪ Adhering to misguided and secretive policies that place confidentiality above the welfare of children and prevent public scrutiny and transparency 7/9/2014 17 7/9/2014 18 Public c minds dset t conti tinu nued Mindse dset t continue tinued Child Welfare mindset Citizens have trouble understanding the complexities and bureaucracy of state agencies. ▪ The public does not understand our job or our workload ▪ There is civic apathy ▪ Public is out to get us ▪ Public is under informed or misinformed ▪ “ Those people (Citizen Review Panel members) rs) need to get a clue. They ▪ Their perspective is shaped by what they read in the paper or don’t know the first thing about what what they think is the reality we do, but they want to judge ge us. They should just mind their own business!” ~ Child Welfare re Admini nistr trato tor r ▪ The government is constantly asking for more money 7/9/2014 19 7/9/2014 20 5