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DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES
CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES/SCREENING AND ASSESSMENT (FAMILY SERVICES TEAMS)
PROGRAM MISSION:
To ensure the safety of children by providing timely screening, assessment and
investigation of valid child abuse and neglect complaints and by securing care
to prevent or reduce the likelihood of abuse or neglect reoccurring. Child
Protective Services (CPS) intervention is mandated by law for valid referrals.
Child maltreatment is addressed through short-term crisis intervention, which
includes assessment, and development and implementation of goal specific
treatment plans to reduce risk factors and stressors associated with child
abuse and neglect. With the recent implementation (May 2002) of the legislated
Differential Response System (DRS), focus is on family strengths and community
resources to quickly stabilize, support and sustain families where possible.
When a child's safety cannot be assured during assessment or investigation,
alternative placements with relatives or foster care is secured.
The screening function is the
central access for entry to services provided by the three newly formed
integrated Family Services Teams (child protective services, family
preservation, and child placement). Valid referrals are assigned to a social
worker for assessment or investigation and expedient care. Family Services Team
members ensure comprehensive care of family situations through periodic team
staffing to assure safety of children. Team staffing includes divisional mental
health, substance abuse, and violence intervention therapists. When placement
outside of relatives is indicated to assure a child's safety, another social
worker on the same team familiar with the situation provides the appropriate
care and assures permanency.
Community education is provided to enhance public
awareness and early identification of abused and neglected children.
Intra/interstate home studies and court ordered assessments are additional
services provided.
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Child Protective
Services/Screening and Assessment
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FY 2002
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FY 2003
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FY 2004
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% Change:
|
|
Actual
|
Adopted
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Proposed
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'03 to '04
|
|
Personnel
|
$477,146
|
$636,470
|
$669,693
|
5%
|
|
Non-Personnel
|
72,013
|
72,419
|
75,793
|
5%
|
|
Purchase of
Service
|
14,315
|
57,000
|
57,000
|
-
|
|
Total Expenditures
|
563,474
|
765,889
|
802,486
|
5%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
State Share
|
425,275
|
434,726
|
434,726
|
-
|
|
Purchase of
Service
|
11,448
|
34,819
|
34,819
|
-
|
|
Total Revenues
|
436,723
|
469,545
|
469,545
|
-
|
|
Net Tax Support
|
$126,751
|
$296,344
|
$332,941
|
12%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Authorized FTEs
|
10.0
|
10.0
|
10.0
|
|
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Funded FTEs
|
10.0
|
10.0
|
10.0
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SIGNIFICANT BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS:
-
Increase in personnel is due to normal step increases
and a realignment of staffing between Divisional programs.
PERFORMANCE MEASURES:
Objective: To assure safety of children by timely completion
of assessments and investigations and by securing expedient care for validated
cases of child abuse and neglect.
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FY
2001
|
FY
2002
|
FY
2003
|
FY
2004
|
FY
2004
|
|
Actual
|
Actual
|
Estimate
|
Estimate
|
Target
|
|
Mission Outcome Measures
|
|
|
|
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|
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Number/percentage of children whose safety was
assured during assessment
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N/A
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N/A
|
467/100%
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480/100%
|
100%
|
|
Number/percentage of children whose safety was
assured during investigation
|
545/100%
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550/100%
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83/100%
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70/100%
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100%
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Percent of total assessments completed within
46-60 days
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N/A
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N/A
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98%
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98%
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98%
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Percent of total investigations completed
within 45-60 days
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85%
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85%
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85%
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98%
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98%
|
|
|
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|
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Workload Measures
Total new assessments
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N/A
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N/A
|
467
|
480
|
N/A
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|
Total new investigations
|
545
|
550
|
83
|
70
|
N/A
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|
Total
|
545
|
550
|
550
|
550
|
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Number of founded dispositions
|
140
|
150
|
47
|
50
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N/A
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-
Assessment is an added workload measure due to changes
in state regulations that led to the implementation of the Differential
Response System (DRS) in May 2002. For
assessments, services to reduce the recurrence of abuse and neglect are
provided without findings.
-
The significant reduction in investigations is due to
the implementation of DRS. Based on the
5-year pilot of DRS, it is projected that 85% of the cases will be assessments
whereas the remaining 15% will be investigations.
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The significant reduction in findings is because
findings in DRS are not made for assessments.
Focus is on services to reduce the risks of harm reoccurring.
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The completion rate for investigations is comparable to
other jurisdictions. Timely completion
is hampered by the inability to locate families and the need for coordination
with other agencies in complex, joint investigations.
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Targets reflect state mandated standards.
Objective: To protect children at risk
of child abuse and neglect by early identification, education and intervention
for identified high risk family situations involving substance abuse, chronic
mental illness and domestic violence.
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FY
2001
Actual
|
FY
2002
Actual
|
FY
2003
Estimate
|
FY
2004
Estimate
|
FY
2004
Target
|
|
Mission
Outcome Measure
|
|
|
|
|
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Number/percent of families for whom appropriate
service plans were implemented
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80/100%
|
80/100%
|
80/100%
|
80/100%
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100%
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|
|
|
|
|
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Workload Measures
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|
|
|
|
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Number of preventive assessments
|
80
|
80
|
80
|
80
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N/A
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Number of information and referral contacts
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925
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925
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1,500
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1,500
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N/A
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-
Information
and referral is an increasingly important component of the centralized
screening and assessment function of the unit.
FUTURE BUDGET CONSIDERATIONS:
-
There may be a significant increase in expenditures in FY 2004
for purchase of services due to implementation of DRS. With DRS, there is a focus on services to
reduce risk of harm to children and to promote improved family functioning.
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