Resource Family Approval Process Implementation

1
Resource Family Approval Process Implementation

• San Luis Obispo County

2
First Steps

• An internal steering committee was convened to
  develop the action plan and establish an
  implementation timeline. The steering committee
  consisted of Regional Managers, Supervisors, and
  Staff Development Program Review Specialists and
  Program Managers
• At the steering committee, several subcommittees
  were identified to focus on specific areas, and a
  lead person was identified for each subcommittee.

3
Implementation time line

• August 21 Stakeholders meeting
• August 26 Sept 6 Subcommittee meetings
• September 9-13 Steering Committee reconvenes to
  review recommendations and findings from the
  subcommittees
• September 16-20 Staff Development finishes
  creating tools, updating policies and procedures
  etc.
• September 23-27 Staff training
• October 1 - Implementation

4
Stakeholders Meeting

• San Luis Obispo County invited foster parents,
  Foster Family Agencies, Probation staff and all
  internal staff who would be impacted by the RFA
  change to a stakeholders meeting.
• At the stakeholders meeting SLO gave an overview
  of RFA, and went over our implementation plan and
  timeline. Stakeholder members were invited to
  sign up to participate in any of the
  subcommittees they were interested in.

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Subcommittees

• Home Approval/Home Study
• Renewals
• Forms and Packets
• Databases
• Complaint investigations
• PRIDE training

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Home Approval/Home Study Subcommittee

• Determined that DSS would create a combined
  permanency assessment form that will be used for
  all psycho/social evaluations
• Agreed that partner agencies would take both
  matched and unmatched permanency assessments
• Agreed Partner Agencies would take up to 5
  referrals each month for permanency assessments

7
Renewals Subcommittee

• Reviewed forms and internal processes and
  determined SLO is already meeting RFA
  requirements
• Recommended that renewals for RFA homes be
  tracked in new database since they have to be
  reviewed annually

8
Forms and Packets Subcommittee

• Reviewed and revised all currently used forms and
  packets
• Created a new health screening assessment

9
Databases Subcommittee

• Created streamlined database to
• Track RFA applicants through the entire
  application process, as well as alert when
  renewals are due.
• Generate the RFA ID number which is replacing the
  current license number

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Complaint Investigation Subcommittee

• Reviewed current processes, and the ACLs
  referenced in the Directives. (ACL 12-71 and
  13-27 about Harris hearings).
• Determined that our current practices will
  continue. Recommendation made to add information
  about the complaint investigation to the new RFA
  database.

12
PRIDE Training

• PRIDE classes made recommended changes
• DSS will contract with a health care professional
  to attend one of our PRIDE sessions to complete
  the health screening
• DSS will bring a mobile livescan unit to one of
  the PRIDE sessions to facilitate fingerprinting
• DSS will have one PRIDE session focus on
  completing the First Aid and CPR course needed
  for approval

13
Follow up Stakeholders meeting

• A follow up stakeholders meeting was held prior
  to implementation to report back to the
  stakeholders group about progress and changes
  made.

14
Staff Training

• Two half-day sessions were held for CWS staff to
  give an overview of the RFA process and to review
  all changes.
• Smaller training sessions were given to specific
  staff whose job functions were most severely
  impacted by the change.

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Implementation

• San Luis Obispo County went live on November 1,
  2013
• Conducted our first PRIDE session, which included
  both relative caregivers and the traditional
  foster family applicants
• Utilized RFA process for an placement
• Relative caregivers have been very receptive to
  the process, and have stated they like the
  additional supports being offered to them

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Steps ahead

• Develop information sessions for relative/NREFMs
  who had placements prior to November 1. Those
  sessions will roll out in December and will focus
  on how RFA impacts them, and will invite them to
  become RFA homes if they are interested
• Continue to revise internal policy and procedure
  documents and review how implementation is
  proceeding
• Meet with our partner agencies once a month to
  review how the permanency assessments are working