The Cases of Illinois, Texas, New York City, and New Mexico STATE AND COUNTY INNOVATIONS IN PRACTICE WITH LATINO FAMILIES
Welcome message from author
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
The Cases of Il l inois, Texas, New York City, and New Mexico
STATE AND COUNTY INNOVATIONS IN PRACTICE
WITH LATINO FAMILIES
How Jurisdictions Address ¡ Immigration Status & Services ¡ Foreign Consulate Involvement ¡ Special Immigrant Juvenile Status (SIJS) ¡ Relative Placement ¡ Language Access Unique Innovations
OVERVIEW
¡ 13,000 children in care ¡ Diversity in Immigration and Language ¡ Citywide Local Law 73 ¡ Resource rich ¡ Director of Immigrant Services
Source: http://www.nyc.gov/html/acs/html/home/home.shtml
NYC ADMINISTRATION FOR CHILDRENS’ SERVICES (ACS):
BACKGROUND
¡ ACS shall not inquire about a person’s immigration status unless… needed to determine program, service or benefit eligibility or to provide services
¡ CWS are provided without regard to immigration status
¡ Protections against disclosure of immigration status to DHS and guidelines for discussing the sensitive nature of immigration status with families.
¡ PRUCOL immigrants are eligible for public benefits
Source: ACS Executive Order 41 (2003)
NYC ACS: IMMIGRATION STATUS & SERVICES
¡ Broad policy for notification of custody of foreign national children § In some cases, may be required to notify when
children are dual citizens of U.S. and another country
¡ Worker notifies ACS court unit attorney, who notifies consulate.
Source: Immigration and Language Guidelines for Child Welfare Staff (2nd Edition)
NYC ACS: CONSULAR INVOLVEMENT
¡ Worker and ACS attorney screen for SIJS eligibility ¡ Case referred to outside immigration attorney, paid
for by foster care agency and reimbursed by ACS ¡ Guidelines and resources for child welfare agencies
to develop expertise in SIJS
Source: Immigration and Language Guidelines for Child Welfare Staff (2nd Edition)
NYC ACS: SIJS
¡ Can do placements with undocumented relatives
¡ However, must be able to demonstrate visible means of financial support other than the foster care rate
¡ Relatives in other countries can be considered as a discharge resource
Source: Immigration and Language Guidelines for Child Welfare Staff (2nd Edition)
NYC ACS: PLACEMENT WITH RELATIVES
¡ Language Identification Tool
¡ Family members not allowed to interpret for another family member.
¡ Bilingual worker recruitment ¡ Telephonic interpreter system ¡ Outstationed Spanish language interpreters to field
offices ¡ Secondary review of translations ¡ Language determination incorporated into data system
Source: Immigration and Language Guidelines for Child Welfare Staff (2nd Edition); Annie E. Casey Foundation (2007)
NYC ACS: LANGUAGE ACCESS INITIATIVE
¡ Asociación Tepeyac de New York ¡ Community Education Forums ¡ Cultural Competence Training ¡ Interpretation ¡ Family Case-Conferencing ¡ Assistance in Engaging Families ¡ Information & Referral to Support Services Source: Annie E. Casey Foundation (2007)
NYC ACS: IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP INITIATIVE
¡ 30,000 children in care ¡ Border state ¡ In 2000s, large increase in immigrant children, most
from Latin America (Mexico) ¡ Immigrant children and children of immigrants
underrepresented in foster care
Source: Vericker, Kuehn, & Capps, 2007; DFPS immigration policy lead
TEXAS DFPS: BACKGROUND
¡ Verification of immigration status is required for the purposes of service.
¡ Worker assessment guide for child immigration status.
¡ Services are provided without regard to a parent or child’s immigration status
Source: http://www.dfps.state.tx.us/handbooks/CPS/Files/CPS_pg_6700.asp#CPS_6700
TEXAS DFPS: IMMIGRATION STATUS & SERVICES
¡ Broad consular notification policy for foreign national children only.
¡ Lead immigration attorney notified by worker to contact foreign consulate.
¡ Contract with ISS for home studies when consulates are unresponsive § Except in the case of Mexico, they go through border
liaisons. ¡ MOU with various Mexican Consulates in renegotiation
§ 4 border liaison staff designated as direct contacts for Mexican consular requests (home studies, other services)
Source: http://www.dfps.state.tx.us/handbooks/CPS/Files/CPS_pg_6700.asp#CPS_6700; DFPS immigration policy lead
TEXAS DFPS: CONSULAR INVOLVEMENT
¡ 3 immigration specialists (non-attorneys) at the state level
¡ 1 state level immigration attorney
¡ Caseworker/regional attorney screening and referral to immigration specialist for assessment and processing of SIJS
Source: http://www.dfps.state.tx.us/handbooks/CPS/Files/CPS_pg_6700.asp#CPS_6700
TEXAS DFPS: SIJS
¡ Can do placements with undocumented relatives: unlicensed and unfunded
¡ CPS staff must explore all available permanency options,
including return to parents, relatives and/or significant others in the U.S. or in the country of origin
¡ Placement in foreign country based on published criteria for deciding whether to repatriate a child
Source: http://www.dfps.state.tx.us/handbooks/CPS/Files/CPS_pg_6700.asp#CPS_6700
TEXAS DFPS: PLACEMENT WITH RELATIVES
¡ May not use family and friends as interpreters ¡ Spanish language website ¡ Contracted telephonic interpretation services for
intake ¡ Need for and effort to provide language services
and assign bilingual workers documented in data management system
¡ Must attempt to match placements with language needs
Source: http://www.dfps.state.tx.us/handbooks/CPS/Files/CPS_pg_6700.asp#CPS_6700
TEXAS DFPS: LANGUAGE ACCESS
¡ Procedures for repatriation ¡ Procedures for transportation of undocumented
persons § Border checkpoint crossing issues
Source: Source: http://www.dfps.state.tx.us/handbooks/CPS/Files/CPS_pg_6700.asp#CPS_6700; DFPS immigration policy lead
TEXAS DFPS: UNIQUE CONTRIBUTIONS
¡ 16,000 children in care ¡ Large Latino population ¡ Illinois New Americans Integration Initiative ¡ Burgos Consent Decree
Source: http://www.migrationinformation.org/integrationawards/winners-illinois.cfm
ILLINOIS DCFS: BACKGROUND
¡ Families have the right to: § receive DCFS documents and correspondence in Spanish § receive services in Spanish § Have children placed with a Spanish-speaking, bilingual
foster family § have access to a Spanish-English interpreter § Brochures in English and Spanish
¡ Estabished § Office of Latino Services § Latino Consortium
Source: http://www.state.il.us/dcfs/library/index.shtml; http://www.latinoconsortium.org/; www.state.il.us/DCFS/docs/Burgos_Bro.pdf
ILLINOIS DCFS: BURGOS CONSENT DECREE
¡ Workers are required to establish ancestry of every child taken into protective custody.
¡ Guide for Parents who are Mexican Nationals, is distributed to all Latino subjects of reports
Source: http://www.state.il.us/dcfs/policy/pr_policy_policyguide.shtml
ILLINOIS DCFS: IMMIGRATION STATUS & SERVICES
¡ Broad notification policy for foreign national children from all countries
¡ Workers required to notify Office of Latino Services
upon § Taking protective custody of a Mexican or Mexican
American minor § Learning that a non-custodial parent lives in Mexico
Source: http://www.state.il.us/dcfs/policy/pr_policy_policyguide.shtml
IL DCFS: CONSULAR INVOLVEMENT
¡ 1st ever, established in 2001 ¡ Comprehensive provisions
§ Proof of Mexican nationality § SIJS § Cooperation with DIF
Source: MOU between the State of IL DCFS and The Consulate General of Mexico in Chicago
IL DCFS: MOU WITH MEXICAN CONSULATE
¡ Caseworker screens, refers to Immigration Services Unit
¡ SIJS policy guide with screening questions Source: www.f2f.ca.gov/res/pdf/PolicyGuideImmigration.pdf
IL DCFS: SIJS
¡ Immigration status of a relative caregiver should not hinder the placement of a relative child in the home as long as requirements for placement with relative and placement in unlicensed homes are met.
¡ Payment to immigrant relatives is processed through SSN or ITIN § If no SSN, DCFS assists relative in applying for ITIN
Source: www.f2f.ca.gov/res/pdf/PolicyGuideImmigration.pdf
IL DCFS: PLACEMENT WITH RELATIVES
¡ Policy requires developing case plan for emergency placement due to deportation proceedings if necessary
IL DCFS: UNIQUE CONTRIBUTIONS
¡ Border state ¡ Latino majority ¡ 2,300 children in care ¡ Rural/urban dichotomy
Source: Finno & Bearzi, 2010
NEW MEXICO CYFD: BACKGROUND
¡ State agency bound by laws of confidentiality—immigration status is confidential
¡ Serve children and families regardless of national origin or immigration status
Source: Finno & Bearzi, 2010
NEW MEXICO CYFD: IMMIGRATION STATUS & SERVICES
¡ Broad policy for notification of custody of foreign national children
¡ Joint MOU with 2 Mexican Consulates requires
notification for Mexican nationals § “Mexican national” means any person who was born in Mexico
or elsewhere of at least one Mexican national parent, regardless of immigration status in the United States of America.
§ Provisions for location of family members, evidence and documentation, home studies, placement monitoring, repatriation to Mexico
Source: MOU between Mexican Consulates in El Paso & Albuquerque and CYFD
NEW MEXICO CYFD: CONSULAR INVOLVEMENT
¡ Collaboration where a parent may have crossed the border with the intention of evading local authorities and laws involving child abuse
¡ Collaboration for Mexican parents whose children are born in US hospital or receive medical care in the US
¡ Joint participation in outreach activities: Mobile Consulates
Source: MOU between Mexican Consulates in El Paso & Albuquerque and CYFD
NEW MEXICO CYFD: CONSULAR INVOLVEMENT
¡ Immigration liaison (non-attorney) responsible for filing for SIJS
¡ Data tracking on immigrant children and families
¡ Monitor compliance with consular notification
¡ Coordinate efforts with foreign consulates ¡ Resource and training to field staff
Source: Finno & Bearzi, 2010
NEW MEXICO CYFD: IMMIGRATION LIAISON
¡ Cannot consider foster care or kin placement with undocumented relatives
¡ Can consider relatives in other countries with home
studies
Source: Finno & Bearzi, 2010
NEW MEXICO CYFD: PLACEMENT WITH RELATIVES
¡ Protocol for providing language services in local offices
¡ Contracted telephonic interpretation services for emergency use and investigations
NEW MEXICO: LANGUAGE ACCESS
Related Documents
