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Future of CPSAudrey Deckinga, Assistant Commissioner of CPS

June 4th, 2013

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Child Protective Services (CPS) Overview

CPS is the division within the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) that administers child welfare system and prevention programs.

Centrally administered and regionally managed, CPS:

•Investigates reports of child abuse and neglect

•Provides family support and family preservation services

•Places Children in Substitute Care including foster care

•Identifies adoptive families

•Manages prevention programs to address child abuse, delinquency, running away, truancy, and dropping out of school

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Commissioner Priorities

• Build leadership at every level

• Hire and retain the right staff and empower those staff to make good decisions

• Equip staff with the training, tools, and policy they need to make sound decisions

• Build strong partnerships and true collaborations to maximize resources and service to families

• Expect quality and innovation

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Current CPS Activities

• Address Delinquent Investigations

• Utilize Relative Caregivers as Placement and Permanency Resources

• Leverage CPS Resources by Strengthening Community Partnerships and Collaboration

• Continue to Build a Skilled and Tenured Workforce to Keep Caseloads Manageable and Develop Leaders at Every Level

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Key Legislation

A number of key bills tracked by DFPS this session have passed including:

SB 44• Requires DFPS and DSHS to study ways to prevent families from

relinquishing a child to DFPS in order to get mental health care, and requires DFPS to collect certain data.

SB 423• Permits DFPS to develop a flexible response system to make most

effective use of resources by investigating or responding to reported abuse or neglect (a/n).

SB 425• Strengthens the requirement that DFPS consult with certain entities in a

child's case in making placement decisions

Key Legislation

SB 426• Puts a process in place to promote evidence-based home visitation

programs.

SB 502• Requires a pre-placement visit and the provision of specified information

prior to a child's placement with a relative or other designated caregiver (kinship caregiver). Also increases kinship payments from $1,000 per sibling group to $1,000 per child.

HB 915 • Requires measures to increase monitoring psychotropic medications

and children and youth in DFPS conservatorship.

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Key Legislation

HB 1227• Allows for external access to IMPACT by stakeholders.

HB 2619• Expands the education-related interests for children and youth in the

conservatorship of DFPS by including additional education-related responsibilities for DFPS staff, guardians ad litem, attorneys ad litem, and school staff.

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Budget Outcomes

Approved Funding from the 83rd Legislature for DFPS Priorities:

•To Ensure Solid Foundation for Delivery of Current Services

o $28.3 million GR (General Revenue Funds)/ $41.1 million All Funds/ 104.9/111.2 FTEs

•To Improve Staff Retention

o $19.2 million GR/$22.2 million All Funds/ 6.1 FTEs

•To Enhance Service Delivery By Improving Infrastructure

o $14.5 million GR/$28.6 million All Funds/ 23.0 FTEs

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Budget Outcomes

Approved Funding from the 83rd legislature for DFPS Priorities:

•To Enhance Service Delivery By Improving Infrastructure

o $14.5 million GR/$28.6 million All Funds/ 23.0 FTEs

•To Keep Children Out of Foster Care

o $6.3 million GR/$16.5 million All Funds/ 132.3 FTEs

•To Increase Prevention Services Enhance Service Delivery By Improving Infrastructure

o $24.8 million GR/$24.8 million All Funds 10.0/10.0 FTEs