Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program March 15, 2010 Division of Service Support,

March 15, 2010Division of Service Support, Office of Training and Professional Development

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Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program

PATHWAYS TO STRENGTHENING AND SUPPORTING FAMILIES IN ILLINOIS

Module 1A – Orientation to the Pathways Program


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Welcome and Training Overview

• Welcome and Introductions– Name– Job Role– Agency/Office

• Agency Guide to Training• Classroom Management/Housekeeping


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MODULE 1: ORIENTATION TO PATHWAYS PROGRAM


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• The initial Pathways training program includes both the DCFS staff and supervisors that will conduct the initial safety assessment; and the staff and supervisors from the private agencies that are contracted to provide the Pathways support services to the family.

• The program includes an initial four (4) consecutive-weeks of classroom training, followed by once monthly training/program briefings with supervisors, and quarterly training/program briefings with staff and supervisors.

• The follow-up work with supervisors and staff will be to reinforce the transfer of learning to practice, and to meet continuing in-service learning needs. Follow-up training will largely occur by web-conference technology.

Module 1: Orientation to the Pathways Program


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Staff will attend an initial four (4) consecutive-weeks of classroom training, consisting of the following:

Week 1 Pre-Test, Orientation to the Pathways Program, Job/Learning Competencies, Ethics, Voluntary Family Engagement

Week 2 DCFS Enhanced Safety Assessment Protocol, Family Engagement

Week 3 Assessment of Family Strengths and Needs; Voluntary Family Service Plan;

Week 4 Case Management, Case Review and Evaluation of the Voluntary Plan, Request for Time Extension, Case Exit Plan, Post-Test



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The initial four (4) consecutive-weeks of classroom training, utilizes the following Learning Modules:

1. Orientation to the Pathways Program

2. Voluntary Family Engagement, Including Family Consumer Council

3. DCFS Enhanced Safety Assessment Protocol

4. Assessment of Family Strengths and Needs

5. Voluntary Family Service Plan; Service Referral

6. Case Management, Case Review and Evaluation of the Voluntary Plan; Family Service Exit Plan;

7. Pathways Five-year Program Evaluation Plan



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The initial four (4) consecutive-weeks of classroom training, is competency based, derived from the job tasks that are expected to be performed by the staff assigned to the program.

There are two job competency documents upon which the training course content is based:

1. For the DCFS DR Specialists and Supervisors that will conduct the Initial Safety Assessment; and

2. For the Family Support Workers and Supervisors that will provide and/or arrange family services.



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The Mission of the Department is to:

• Protect children who are reported to be abused and neglected, and to increase their families’ capacity to safely care for them;

• Provide for the well-being of children in our care;• Provide appropriate, permanent families as quickly as

possible for those children who cannot safely return home;

• Support early intervention and child abuse prevention program activities; and

• Work in partnership with local communities to fulfill this mission.



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The Mission of the Illinois Pathways Program

Through an alternate response to a report of suspected child abuse and neglect, we will provide time limited family-centered services that will strengthen and support the ability of the strengthen and support the ability of the family to meet their needs for well-being family to meet their needs for well-being and safetyand safety



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The Pathways Mission:

Through an alternate response to a report of suspected child abuse and neglect, we will provide time limited, family-centered services that will strengthen strengthen and support the ability of the and support the ability of the family to meet needs for their family to meet needs for their well-being and safetywell-being and safety

The Mission of the Department is to:

Protect children who are reported to be abused and neglected, and to increase their families’ capacity to safely care for them;

Provide for the well-being of children in our care;

Provide appropriate, permanent families as quickly as possible for those children who cannot safely return home;

Support early intervention and child abuse prevention program activities; and

Work in partnership with local communities to fulfill this mission.

In What Ways Are The Two Missions Alike?



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The Illinois Pathways Program recognizes that one size does not fit all when responding to reports of suspected child abuse or neglect;

Prior to the Pathways Program, The Illinois response was to involve gathering of information and evidence and making a final finding for all types of reported maltreatment,

regardless of both what has been alleged, and the severity of the threat that is found to the child well-being and safety;

The Pathways Program will demonstrate that if an immediate child protection assessment determines the child is safe, the alternative response will end the investigation; and

The work will center on the voluntary participation of the family in an assessment of their immediate needs; and for a limited

period of time, receive family services that the family agrees will strengthen and support their ability to meet their needs for well- being and safety.



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Ask: What are the implications of the Pathways Program for Practice?How is this different from traditional Child Welfare/Child Protection practice?



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What does the phrase, “Life Happens” mean to you in your own life experience?

How is the meaning of the phrase “Life Happens” in your own life experience, different from the life experience of the families we serve in the Pathways Program?

What is the importance of providing voluntary Pathway services to families from the perspective that life happens, to any one of us?



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Family Centered; Time Limited Services; Trauma-informed Practice; Strength-based; Application of the Protective Factors Voluntary Services that are based on the

assessment of the family needs to strengthen and support their protective capacity; and

Solution-focused Services that the family has defined to solve their immediate problems.


Core Practices of the Illinois Pathways Program


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Family Centered means the whole family, all members are important to strengthening the family.

Everything we do centers on strengthening the family and their capacity to solve their own problems.

Family Centered practice is not new to child welfare in Illinois, this has been a core practice for more than 45 years. It is rather a matter of application of this core practice in the Pathways alternate response program.

Family Centered practice changes the thinking for staff that learned a child-focused model of child protection.


Family-Centered Core Practice


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Time-Limited means there is a limit to the maximum amount of time a family may receive services.

The life-time of the case will not exceed 60 days, unless administrative approval is given to a request for one (1) 30-day extension. The maximum length of service will be no more than 90 days.

For the family, it means utilizing their strengths and resources to meet their immediate urgent needs.

For the agency, time-limited practice changes the thinking and therefore the response from staff to the family.


Time-Limited Core Practice


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Trauma-informed means every contact with the family is an opportunity to render psychological

first aid. First aid means looking for and assessing the

adverse experiences of the members of the family that may have resulted in trauma; and

For the family, it means identifying urgent immediate needs they have to address trauma; and

For the agency, a sense of urgency in connecting the family with services that will strengthen and support their overall recovery and well-being


Trauma-Informed Core Practice


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Strength-based means the work we perform for the family is based on the strengths and resources of

what the family has to work with, not on what the family does not have;

This means using a standard tool to assess and record the strengths of the members of the family; and the needs for service upon which the family

can utilize it’s strengths to meet the needs; and For the family, a means of starting with what they

have to meet their immediate and urgent needs for well-being and safety, without being overwhelmed and therefore prolonging a crisis or causing other delays in time.


Strength-based Core Practice


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The Protective Factors include the following: Parental Resilience; Social Connections; Knowledge of Parenting and Child Development; Concrete support in the time of need; Social and Emotional Competence of Children; and The Parent-Child Relationship

For the family and agency, the application of these evidence-based factors provides a framework forwhat needs to be built upon to strengthen the

family (within the time limits of the case), and keep children safe .


The Use of the Protective Factors as a Core Practice


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Voluntary means the services we provide to the family is accepted and requested by the family;

This means the family participates in the Pathways program voluntarily, and is not otherwise

compelled to request or accept services; For the family, provides a means to end services

and exit the program without condition; and For the agency, provides a means to engage the

family members and elicit their participation and involvement in meeting the family needs, not the agencies needs.


Voluntary Family Service Core Practice


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Solution-focused means the services we provide to the family are based on the family’s agreed solutions to meeting their own needs;

This means the family will take full ownership of the results of their voluntary services, including the time limits for implementing solutions (services) to meet

their needs; For the family and agency, provides a means to

measure and sustain the results of the voluntary engagement and participation of family members

in solving their life problems.


Solution-Focused Core Practice


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Place hold for Graphic

Insert Pathways DR Case Flow Chart



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Ethics


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Ethics and Values Competencies

• Identify key concepts used in this unit.• Identify personal values, beliefs, assumptions and

biases.• Brainstorm techniques to aid workers in identifying

ethical dilemmas and conflicts of interest.• Apply OIG model of ethical decision-making.• Demonstrate ability to guide workers in the practice of

ethical decision-making.



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Review of Concepts



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Do You Know Your Own Values?



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When have your values clashed?



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The OIG Guide for Making Ethical Decisions



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Apply OIG Model to an Actual Ethical Dilemma



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Conflict of Interest

• A person in a position of authority is charged with making a decision about another person or situation,

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• That person has a vested personal interest in the outcome of the decision using the “reasonable person” standard.



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Coaching Ethical Decision-making

A Practice Opportunity



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Ethical Decision-Making

A Class Discussion



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Ethics and the Exemplary Environment

Class Discussion



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Pulling it all together



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OIG Redacted Report

What are the issues?



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Privacy and Confidentiality of Family Information

Child Welfare Professionals may be confronted with questions of Confidentiality several times each workday

Confidentiality is governed by several state and federal statutes, organized only by substantive area – such as HIPAA, MHDDCA, ANCRA, Substance Abuse Treatment Records (Federal and State), etc.

Practical needs preclude constant legal opinions

Today’s Goal: Practical working knowledge vs. digest of laws and rules



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Disclaimer

• This content is an overview of the most common confidentiality questions you may encounter. You should always review Rule and Procedure 431 (Confidentiality) and Administrative Procedure 6 (LEADS Use) for answers to specific questions



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General Confidentiality Rules

• Anything that you learn in the course of your employment or related to the families you serve is confidential and cannot be shared with anyone absent a LEGITIMATE CASE PURPOSE (LCP).

• Even with a LCP, may not be able to share certain types of information

• No Distinction between oral and written communications• If child safety dictates sharing information, you should always

consult DCFS Legal before concluding that you cannot share.



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Obtaining Confidential Family Information

• Distinction between Child Protection, Intact or Other Follow-up Services, Including the Pathways Program

• Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Confidentiality Act

• Substance Abuse Treatment Confidentiality Acts



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Informed Consent For the Release of Information • Use of Consents

– Never ask to sign a blank– Address to Department to your attention– With Mental Health or Substance Abuse, specify

documentation needed and time period– With Mental Health or Medical, specify conversation, if

necessary– Failure or delay may increase risk



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Release of Confidential Information

• Rule 431, With Written Informed Consent– Can share with states attorneys, court– Can share with doctors– Can share with other divisions of the Department– Can share with private agencies (POS)– When necessary for provision of services



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Release of Information with Extended Family

• Under ANCRA• Whether open case• Extent of services• Safety Plan



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Confidential Information Subject to Heightened Privacy

• AIDS information• Mental Health Treatment Information• Substance Abuse Treatment Information• Information revealing the Reporter• Information revealing the location of a victim of domestic

violence• STDs



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Confidentiality of Information in Juvenile Court

• Mental health records and communications of a parent, guardian, legal custodian or minor who is the subject of a juvenile court case shall be disclosed. A party can object and ask for an in-camera inspection of the records. All parties, Assistant State's Attorney (ASA), DCFS, GAL and probation officers may access mental health records in Department files. [Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Confidentiality Act, 740 ILCS 110/10(a)(11)]



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Parents

• Entitled to Mental Health Information relevant to the care and protection of the child



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Release of Information for a Legitimate Case Purpose

• Creative and Critical Use of Consents• MOA and Safety Plans• Thinking through end-users of info:

– Caretakers– Non-custodial parent– Treatment providers

Public Information – ConvictionsUse of LEADS PrintoutDescription of Behavior (Mental Health & Substance

Abuse)



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Case Scenario #1

• You are a Pathways worker for a family in which the mother has a substance abuse problem. The mother has voluntarily agreed that her four children will go to the grandmother’s house while she enters into treatment. Grandmother agrees to take in the children but is wary because mom has relapsed many times before. The Department does not have custody of the children. After four weeks, mom drops out of treatment. Can you tell Grandmother? What strategies may be helpful here?



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Case Scenario #2

• You are an pathways worker providing services to a family with an previous indicated finding of Cuts, Bruises and Welts against mother’s former boyfriend. A new boyfriend has moved into the home. Mother has known him for a year and he moved in one week ago. After conducting a LEADS check, you learn that the boyfriend has been convicted of home invasion and has had several protective orders issued against him (none active). Can you inform the mother of his criminal background?



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Administrative Procedure (A.P.) 6

• Conviction and closed arrest records are public information that may be shared whenever necessary to accomplish a legitimate child protective or treatment goal. Information that forms the basis for an arrest shall not be shared unless it may affect the health or safety of a child, a family member, or a person providing services to the family.



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Criminal History Information

• Inappropriate release of criminal history information could subject you to misdemeanor criminal fines and/or discipline up to and including discipline

• “Inappropriate release” means that information was not disclosed related to a legitimate case purpose



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Use of LEADS Printout

• The LEADS printout itself can never be released outside the Department

• Underlying documents (such as closed arrest reports, conviction information, sex offender registration documentation) can be shared when related to a legitimate case purpose.



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• While arrest only information, if valid, does not support a determination that the subject committed the underlying act, it may frequently alert the worker to intra-familial issues relevant to assessing child safety. The worker should access the arrest/police reports to determine the facts supporting the arrest at the time.

Administrative Procedure (A.P.) 6



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Case Scenario #3

• Mother has been assigned to Pathways for Inadequate Supervision. You learn that the father of the child lives nearby and, prior to Department involvement, he helped out with care (the child stayed with him and his mother about half of the time) although he has never been married to the mother. Mother admits that he is the father and that he cared for the child at least half of the time before the Department was involved – but she does not want him to know about the Pathways program. Can you talk to dad?


Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, Pathways to Strengthening and Supporting Families Program March 15, 2010 Division of Service Support,

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