Linkages: CalWORKs and Child Welfare Collaboration To

Improve Outcomes

Child Welfare Conference 2008Monterey, California

Presenters

Danna Fabella, CFPIC, Linkages Project Director

Calaveras: Dave Godzina, Robin Bunting, and Mikey Habberstad

Del Norte: Susan Wilson, Cathi Strait, and Kathy Murray

Stanislaus: Jennifer Valencia, and Bergen Filgas

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History of the Project

• Genesis with Private Foundation– Learned of work in another state that provided

cross-systems services• Engaged Public Sector at State and Local Level• Funded Trip to See and Learn About Other

State’s Program• Facilitated Development of Shared Vision for

Serving Families in California

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History cont.

• Vision Created in 1998, 1999• Work began in 2000• Planning Phase 2000-2002• Three Stages of Implementation

– Pilot Phase 2003– Second Implementation Phase 2005– Current Implementation Phase 2006-2011

• Steady Expansion to Include 40 of California’s 58 Counties, Representing over ¾ of state’s population

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Poverty is a risk factor for child abuse and neglect:

Families with annual incomes below $15,000, compared to families with annual incomes above $30,000, are over 22 times more likely to experience some form of maltreatment.

(US Dept HHS)

Foundation of Vision

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Shared VisionChild Welfare Services can serve as an anti-poverty program in helping families to achieve Self-Sufficiency

Temporary Assistance to Needy Families can serve as a child abuse prevention program by providing families the resources they need to promote safety and well-being for their children

Pioneer Counties

• Alameda Stanislaus• Del Norte Tehama• Mendocino Yolo• Merced• Orange• San Francisco• San Luis Obispo• Santa Barbara• Sonoma7

Phase II Counties:

• Calaveras Sacramento• Contra Costa Siskiyou• Fresno Sutter• Humboldt Trinity• Kern Ventura• Los Angeles• Madera• Marin• Napa

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Phase III Counties

•El Dorado

•Imperial

•Nevada

•San Bernardino

•San Benito

•Santa Clara

•Sierra

•Tulare

Who’s Being Served by Linkages?

Child Welfare Families

CalWORKs Families

Mutual Families

Community Based Family Services

Information, Referral & Screening

Risk Assessment & Prevention

Ongoing Coordinated Services*

Linkages Focus:

*Assessment, Case Planning, Case Management, Direct/ Contracted Services10

Target Populations & Key Strategies

0 5 10 15 20 25

Mutual Sanction

Risk Assessment via CalWORKs

Mutual ER

Differential Response

Mutual FR

TDM / MDT

Mutual FM

Number of Counties

(Total Counties Reporting = 29)

See Snapshot Handout

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Other Innovative Populations & Strategies

Mutual homeless cases

Teen parents

Drug felons/drug court

FR aftercare

Relative caregivers

Truancy Court response

See Snapshot Handout

coordination12

Most Common Outcomes

0 5 10 15 20 25 30

Increase curing of W2W sanctions

Employment retention

Reduce time to reunification

Increase rate of reunification

Reduce child removals from home

Reduce recidivism (mostly CWS)

Number of Counties

(Total Counties Reporting = 29)

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How Linkages Matters

CalWORKs can provide services to help prevent families from entering CWS.

Approaching families as a team provides stronger intervention to help families with complex needs.

Coordinating services for mutual families can increase safety & improve economic self-sufficiency.

Joint outreach to sanctioned families involved with child welfare removes barriers to participation.

CalWORKs families working to reunify can receive non-cash services to promote returning home safely and quickly.14

How Linkages Matters

Family Maintenance mutual clients can access additional supports (e.g., cash assistance, employment services, MH, DV, SA, Medi-Cal or diversion services).

CalWORKs can provide post-reunification services, including child care & other safety plan services to reduce likelihood of recurrence.

Transition-age youth who are parents can routinely be assessed for and linked to CalWORKs supportive services to ensure economic self-sufficiency.

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For More Information

Danna.Fabella@cfpic.org

925-324-5258

Website: cfpic.org

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Questions?

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