Department of Children and Families Dedicated to supporting Children and strengthening Families

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Department of Children and Families Dedicated
to supporting Children and
strengthening Families

• STRATEGIC PLAN for
• STRENGTHENING THE DCF SAFETY NET
• Regional Forums
• November, 2008

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DCF Strategic Planning Process
Five (5) teams convened to address agency goals
Safety, Permanency, Well-being,
Community-Connected Services, and Effective
Leadership. Each team had a designated Senior
Sponsor, Team Lead, Team Facilitator, Team Scribe
Participation from RDs, ADs, APMs, supervisors,
social workers, and community representatives.
Strategic Plan reviewed in focus groups with
internal and external stakeholders October,
November 2008
Readiness Session / Training on CQI Planning
Process June 2008
Senior Staff (Strategic Plan Steering Committee)
identified agency goals and priority
objectives June 2008
Teams identified opportunities for improvement
and priority activities July, August 2008
SP Steering Committee reviewed, integrated,
prioritized 505 recommendations from teams.
September 2008
Strategic Plan for Strengthening the DCF Safety
Net November 2008
Work Plan Its ALL about IMPLEMENTATION!!
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TEAM RECOMMENDATIONS
COMMUNITY CONNECTED SERVICES
EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP
SAFETY
PERMANENCY
WELL-BEING
5 Objectives
5 Objectives
7 Objectives
5 Objectives
6 Objectives
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146 Priority Activities
58 Priority Activities
140 Priority Activities
107 Priority Activities
54 Priority Activities
Similar priority activities identified by
multiple teams. Identified priority activities
address multiple goals/objectives.
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STEERING COMMITTEE IDENTIFIED MAJOR THEMES FROM
TEAM RECOMMENDATIONS

• Relevant, Quality Services for Families
• Front Door
• Increase Placement Stability
• Define the DCF Practice Model (What Do We Do? How
  Do We Do It? Why Do We Do It?)
• Communication Information
• Professional Development
• Technology
• Performance Management / CQI
• Cross Systems Work
• Employee Wellness / Secondary Trauma
• Area Office Variation
• Education
• Diversity

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STEERING COMMITTEE IDENTIFIED MAJOR OPPORTUNITIES
FOR IMPROVEMENT

• Service Planning (an effective tool, a tool that
  better reflects our values, a tool that has
  Safety, Permanency, Well-being framework)
• Clarity regarding expectations and requirements
• Screen-in Criteria
• Front end Criteria ability to triage cases
• Stability and Permanency
• Systemic approach for evaluating parents
  capacity in relation to wellness
• (protective factors, positive development
  framework, self-sufficiency)
• More clinical supports to Area Offices
• Re-align / define activities to ensure clarity
  and consistency in practices
• Local focus on development of community services

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STEERING COMMITTEE IDENTIFIEDUNIFYING GOLDEN
THREAD

• Strengthen local delivery of services in order to
  support efforts to more effectively strengthen
  families
• Align policies, practices and resources to ensure
  our greatest effectiveness

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• INTEGRATION MAP STRENGTHENING THE DCF SAFETY NET
• Strengthening Families, Wherein Child Abuse or
  Neglect has Occurred
• Safely Stabilizing Preserving Families ? Safely
  Reunifying Families ? Safely Creating New
  Families
• The Departments strategic planning provided an
  important opportunity to thoroughly examine our
  current activities and effectiveness in a
  comprehensive and inclusive process. This
  process was designed to assist the Department in
  affirming our agency core values and commitments,
  identifying specific opportunities for
  improvement, identifying existing strategies that
  were effectively supporting achievement of
  positive outcomes, and creating an action plan
  that would integrate and focus the Departments
  efforts over the next three years. The
  strategic actions and priority activities of the
  Plan for Strengthening the DCF Safety Net are
  included in the Appendix. The graphic below
  provides a conceptual framework and an overview
  of the integration of those strategic actions and
  priority activities. This conceptual framework
  provides the organizing vehicle for our continued
  dedication to improving the lives of the children
  and families we serve.
• Agency Priority Organizing Major Points
  Major Areas
• Commitments Objectives Theme of
  Emphasis of Focus

Strengthening Initial Involvement w/ Families
Clarity, Consistency Communication of
Performance Expectations
Safety
Safely Stabilizing Preserving Families
Aligning Policies, Practices Resources to
Strengthen Local Delivery of Services to More
Effectively Strengthen Families
Permanency
Strengthening Case Practices Processes
Well-being
Safely Reunifying Families
Maximize Resources
Strengthening Internal Operations
Community-connected Services
Aligning Our Network of Services
Safely Creating New Families
Effectiveness Efficiency
Strengthening Performance Management Improvement
Effective Leadership
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INTEGRATION MAP9-C BUDGET CUTS STRATEGIC PLAN
IMPLEMENTATIONA SYNERGISTIC FRAMEWORKAKA The
Accordion Effect
Strategic Plan Drivers
Child Family Services Review / PIP
Consolidate Functions
Budget Crisis
Realign Policy, Practices Resources
STRATEGIC PLAN for STRENGTHENING THE DCF
SAFETY NET
Child Welfare Legislation
FY09 Deficit
9-C Targets
Redeploy and Reorganize
Mental Health Legislation
9-C Additional Targets
Strategies for Improved Efficiencies
Effectiveness
Improve DCF Basic Core Functions
Integrate Nationally Recognized Innovations
Case/Utilization Controls
Federal Legislation
Down Sizing
Opportunity / Challenge
Accelerate Implementation of Strategic Plan
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• INTEGRATION MAP STRENGTHENING THE DCF SAFETY
  NET
• Strengthening Families, Wherein Child Abuse or
  Neglect has Occurred
• Safely Stabilizing Preserving Families ? Safely
  Reunifying Families ? Safely Creating New
  Families
• Agency Priority
  Organizing Major Points
  Major Areas
• Commitments Objectives
  Theme of Emphasis
  of Focus

Safety
Strengthening Initial Involvement w/ Families
Safely Stabilizing Preserving Families
Clarity, Consistency Communication of
Performance Expectations
Aligning Policies, Practices Resources to
Strengthen Local Delivery of Services to More
Effectively Strengthen Families
Permanency
Strengthening Case Practices Processes
Well-being
Safely Reunifying Families
Maximize Resources
Strengthening Internal Operations
Community-connected Services
Aligning Our Network of Services
Effectiveness Efficiency to Improve Services,
Systems Programs
Safely Creating New Families
Effective Leadership
Strengthening Performance Management Improvement
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YEAR 1 ACTION STEPS
Year 1 Action Steps
Major Areas of Focus
Priority Activities
Implement Extended Screening Differential
Response
Define thresholds and critical pathways for
decision-making
Strengthening Initial Involvement w/ Families
Strengthen Front Door
Implement decision-support tools
Integrate assessment functions into ongoing
casework
Strengthening Case Practices Processes
Define teaming model determine where best to
incorporate
Strengthen Service Planning Delivery Processes
Strengthening Internal Operations
Implement form that is family friendly, reflects
values, incorporates providers, and meets federal
requirements
Align structures / processes for case and
progress reviews
Aligning Our Network of Services
Strengthening Performance Management Improvement
Strengthen case practices on Safely Preserving,
Safely Reunifying, Safely Creating New Families
Define DCF Practice Model
Define what, how and why of casework, grounding
each stage in trauma-informed, positive youth
development, parenting protective factors, with a
revitalized commitment to permanency
Ensure policies reflect new structures and
processes
Develop practice manual to complement policy
guidance
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YEAR 1 ACTION STEPS CONTINUED
Year 1 Action Steps
Major Areas of Focus
Priority Activities
Standardize core functions for Central,
Regions, and Areas
Align agency structures, resources, and core
functions
Define Management Model of accountability/transpar
ency
Strengthening Initial Involvement w/ Families
Promote Employee Wellness
Align Family Networks
Strengthening Case Practices Processes
Establish consistent CQI structures / processes,
ensuring inclusion of family voice
Enhance CQI Performance Management
Strengthening Internal Operations
Strengthen data quality / integrity to enhance
management and outcome reporting
Implement provider performance management
Aligning Our Network of Services
Enhance Community Engagement and System of Care
Development Strategies
Define community connected services in practice
model
Strengthening Performance Management Improvement
Enhance access to community-based services
Establish/strengthen Area Boards Statewide
Advisory Council
Ensure DCF is an effective partner in
cross-agency system of care development,
especially CBHI
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NEXT STEPS

• Finalize Budget Reductions (align with strategic
  plan)
• Finalize Strategic Plan Decisions (align with
  budget reductions)
• Ensure alignment of strategic plan with future
  plans for CBHI
• Ensure completion of CFSR Performance Improvement
  Plan based on Plan for Strengthening DCF Safety
  Net
• Conduct focus groups with internal and external
  stakeholders
• Disseminate Plan for Strengthening DCF Safety Net
• Develop implementation work plan and establish
  format / processes for quarterly status reports
• Annual Review/Update of Strategic Plan

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DCF DRAFT ALTERNATIVE RESPONSE MODEL
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DISCUSSION KEY STAKEHOLDERSPROVIDER
PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT