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AB 12 Question of the Week
Q: I am a case manager for a transitional housing program, working with a 19-year-old young man who would like to re-enter extended foster care. He told his social worker that he wanted to re-enter and was told that there is a “waiting period” before he can re-enter. I have never heard of this. Is this allowable? For the answer, follow this LINK.
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State Establishes Policies & Procedures to Prevent Child Sex Trafficking
The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) has released All County Letter (ACL) 16-85 to provide counties with the minimum policy and procedures requirements to comply with the preventing child sex trafficking provisions enacted by the Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act and incorporated into state law with the passage of Senate Bill 794, as well as recent changes made by Public Law 114-22 to the federal Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act.
The ACL builds on previous communication from CDSS, including ACL 16-08, and a stakeholder workgroup convened in March. ACL 16-85 outlines policies and procedures related to identification and documentation of children who are victims or at risk of Commercial Sexual Exploitation (CSE), defining the terms and detailing data entry procedures. Counties are encouraged to adopt the use of screening tools to assist in their investigations and screening of whether a child or youth may be a victim or at risk of CSE.
The ACL also provides policies and procedures on determining appropriate services, and providing training to assist county social workers and probation officers in identifying, documenting and determining appropriate services. Training resources are still in the process of being developed. Lastly, the ACL provides policies and procedures on reporting CSE children/youth to law enforcement, including for entry into the National Crime Information Center and reporting to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Counties are encouraged to continue adopting and tailoring their own local policies, procedures, and protocols to incorporate promising practices and best serve the needs of children and youth who are at risk or victims of CSE. The ACL includes a Frequently Asked Questions document on CSEC allegations and petitions as an attachment. Download the ACL and attachment by following this LINK.
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How Orange County Prevents Unplanned Pregnancy Among Foster Youth
Orange County Social Services Agency’s (SSA) Children and Family Services Division, the American Public Human Services Association (APHSA) and the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy recently collaborated on an article, “Ongoing Progress in Reducing Teen Pregnancy” which appeared in the October 2016 issue of APHSA’s magazine, Policy & Practice.
In the article, Orange County shares what they learned from participating – along with five other counties – in the California Foster Youth Pregnancy Prevention Institute, an 18-month learning community to reduce the rate of pregnancy among foster youth. The Institute is a project of the John Burton Foundation in partnership with APHSA and the National Campaign.
The article consists of 14 key lessons and unpacks how Orange County SSA now views pregnancy prevention as a breakthrough strategy to realize improved successful transition to adulthood outcomes, and as a result, has integrated strategies throughout child welfare practice by providing common ground, shared resources, cohesion, and deeper anchoring of the interventions.
Orange County developed data collection and analysis strategies, identified leaders and built significant infrastructure to execute their plans. Throughout their participation in the Institute they produced reproductive and sexual health policies and tools and implemented training modules.
In addition to prevention strategies, Orange County also implemented Pregnancy and Parenting Planning Conferences, a strategy developed by Los Angeles County. These voluntary, specialized conferences assist currently expectant and parenting youth with planning for healthy pregnancy and parenting outcomes, identifying resources and services, and preparing for a successful transition to independence. To learn more, download the article by following this LINK.
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It Takes a Village - Webinar on Collaboratives Supporting Foster Youth to & through College
A number of counties across the state are homes to unique collaboratives where organizations, agencies and institutions are joining forces to achieve a common goal. With the recent expansion of support and resources for foster youth attending college, and county agencies and service providers eager to see the foster youth with whom they work, succeed in college, the time is ripe for communities to consider how they can work together to better support current and former foster youth in post-secondary education.
On Thursday, November 10th from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. the John Burton Foundation is hosting a web seminar highlighting three community collaborations involving THP-Plus/THP+FC providers, county child welfare agencies, county offices of education, local college campuses and other stakeholders working together with the goal of improving post-secondary educational outcomes of current and former foster youth.
This webinar is the second in a series of seven web-based trainings focused on supporting current and former foster youth to and through post-secondary education. To register for this and the other webinars included in the THP-Plus & THP+FC Post-Secondary Education Training Series, follow this LINK. These webinars will be held the second Thursday of each month from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m., with the exception of the month of December.
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Report Makes Recommendations for Cross-System Collaboration, TANF & Child Welfare
The Center for the Study of Social Policy has released “20 Years of TANF: Opportunities to Better Support Families Facing Multiple Barriers”. The report takes a closer look at Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and recommends ways that states can optimize the flexibility of the program to serve the families living in deep poverty, families involved with child welfare systems and families with young children.
In the area of child welfare, the report recommends formal partnerships that structure cross-system collaboration between TANF and child welfare programs to support families in simultaneously meeting their concrete needs and their parenting needs. When a family becomes involved with child welfare, the agency or court places additional requirements on the parent to either keep their children in their care or have their children reunified if they have been removed.
Recommended practices are providing adult-only TANF benefits when children are removed and placed in foster care if the children’s return home is reasonably anticipated, training child welfare practitioners in TANF policy and procedures and co-locating TANF staff in child welfare offices.
The report also recommends allowing activities in a child welfare case plan to count as TANF work requirements and providing TANF program extensions for parents involved with child welfare systems, both practices in place in California. This reduces obstacles associated with having multiple case plans and conflicting requirements.
Lastly, the report recommends addressing the developmental needs of youth aging out of foster care in education and employment programs, through the development of public welfare and child welfare partnerships to ensure that youth are connected to safety net programs, and by providing individualized support for expectant and parenting youth. To read the report, follow this LINK.
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