Someday Morning May 23, 2016 Page 1 of 11

.

California Alliance Member Agencies

A Better Way

Advanced Education Services

Aldea, Inc.

Alliance Human Services

Alternative Family Services

Arrow Child & Family Ministries

Aspiranet

Aviva Family and Children’s Services

Bayfront Youth and Family Services

Bienvenidos Children’s Center

Bill Wilson Center

Boys Republic

Boys Town California

Casa Pacifica Centers for Children & Families

Casey Family Programs

Chamberlain’s Children Center

Charis Youth Center

ChildNet Youth & Family Services

Children’s Bureau

Children’s Receiving Home

Corbett Group Homes, Inc.

Crittenton Services for Children & Families

East Bay Agency for Children

Edgewood Center for Children

EMQ FamiliesFirst

Ettie Lee Youth & Family Services

Family Care Network

Family Life Center

Five Acres

Fred Finch Youth Center

Hathaway-Sycamores Child and Family Services

Haynes Family of Programs

Hillsides

The governor released the May Revision to his proposed State Budget for 2016-17 Friday, May 13. Included in the CDSS Local Assistance Estimates Binder for the May Revision is the Administration’s proposal for “interim” AFDC-FC rate structures under Continuum of Care Reform (CCR) for FFA programs, the FFA program model currently called “Intensive Treatment Foster Care,” and for the “Congregate Care” component for the STRTP program model.

We refer to the AB 403/CCR AFDC-FC rates structures as “interim” because CDSS believes that they, the Counties, providers, and the other CCR stakeholders have a lot to learn about what it will take programmatically and financially to implement a new system to achieve the goals of CCR.

CDSS intends for the AFDC-FC rates it is proposing to become effective on Jan. 1, 2017, and to remain in effect for three to four years, during which cost data and program experience will be obtained which could then be used to make modifications for long-term rates structures.

California Alliance Member Agencies

McKinley Children’s Center

Nuevo Amanecer Latino Children Services

Oak Grove Center

Olive Crest Homes & Services for Abused Children

Optimist Youth and Family Services

Pacific Lodge Youth Services

Penny Lane

Phoenix House of California

Promesa Behavioral Health

Rancho San Antonio

Rebekah Children's Services

Redwood Children's Services

Remi Vista

River Oak Center for Children

River Stones Residential Services

Rosemary Children’s Services

Sacramento Children's Home

San Diego Center for Children

Seneca Family of Agencies

Sierra Forever Families

Sierra Vista Child & Family Services

St. Anne’s

Stanford Youth Solutions

Stars Behavioral Health Group

Tahoe Turning Point

Thunder Road Adolescent Treatment Centers

Transitions Children’s Services

Trinity Youth Services

Unity Care Group

Valley Teen Ranch

Victor Treatment Centers

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Inland Empire Residential Center

Junior Blind of America

Kern Bridges Youth Homes

Lilliput Children’s Services

Lincoln Child Center

Maryvale

Provisional Member Agencies (pending accreditation)

Aaron’s Boys Home

Advent Group Ministries

Agape Villages, Inc.

Berhe Group Home

California Anchor Residents

Childhelp, Inc.

Children First Foster Agency

Children’s Home of Stockton

Children’s Institute, Inc.

Community Solutions

Concept 7

Courage to Change

Crossroads Treatment Centers

Dangerfield Institute for Urban Problems

David & Margaret Youth and Family Services

D’Veal Family and Youth Services

Elite Family Systems

Families for Children

Family Builders by Adoption

Fields Comprehensive Youth Services

First Place for Youth

Foster Hope Sacramento

Golden State Family Services

Greater Hope Foundation

Greater New Beginnings

Heritage Group Homes

The table below summarizing Home-Based Family care rates replicates and further amplifies a table in the Estimates Binder.

The existing age-based AFDC-FC rate structure for foster family homes and FFAs would be replaced with “Level of Care” (LOC) rates based on the needs of the child and family, and not the age of the youth.

The Village Family Services

TLC Child & Family Services

Vista Del Mar

Walden Family Services

Westcoast Children’s Clinic

Youth For Change

Youth Homes, Inc.

Provisional Member Agencies (pending accreditation)

Human Services Project, Inc.

Inner Circle FFA

JT Residential Care Facilities, Inc..

MAC’s Children & Family Services

Martin’s Achievement Place

Mary’s Shelter

Milhous Children’s Services

MSK Solutions

North Star Family Center

Northern Valley Catholic Social Services

Oakendell

Parents by Choice

Plan-It Life

Plumfield Academy

Progress Ranch

The Resource Environment for Underprivileged Groups Enterprise (The REFUGE)

Triad Family Services

Sierra Child & Family Services

St. Andrews Residential Programs for Youth, Inc.

Sunny Hills Services

Valley Oak Residential Treatment Program

Westside Children’s Center

Woodland Youth Services, Inc.

Youth Services Network

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By way of comparison, the age-based Basic Rate in the current FFA rate structure, with a CNI-based COLA of 2.96 percent for 2016-17, plus the $189 Increment for the Child the amount will range from $896 for 0-to-4 year-old children up to $1,072 for children 15 years old and older. The proposed CCR Level of Care-based Basic Rates would range from $889 for LOC 1 up to $1,189 for LOC 4. The stipend for FFA foster parents, therefore, could be lower or higher under the proposed CCR LOC-based rates system than under the existing FFA Treatment rates methodology, depending on the age of the child and the LOC at which s/he would be assessed.

The Basic Stipend to the Resource Family in Levels of Care (LOC) 1 through 4 will be same for all families including:

Relatives (serving both federally and non-federally eligible foster children) approved as resource families by counties or FFAs;

FFA-approved resource families (now known as “certified” families)

County-approved resource families (now known as licensed foster families and Non Related Extended Family Members or NREFMS)

Item “C” on the table is misidentified as “Treatment Foster Care (TFC),” but CDSS has clarified with California Alliance staff that this category includes what is currently known as Intensive Treatment Foster Care (ITFC), will be flexible enough to continue to be utilized for Multidimensional Treatment Foster Care (MTFC), and will also form the foster care portion of the EPSDT funded Therapeutic Foster Care service that was created as part of the Katie A. settlement agreement.

It is our understanding that CDSS intends to amend the current ITFC language in the Welfare and Institutions Code to allow this program to serve children with significant levels of need that can be met in a home-based family care setting with intensive services and support, including but not limited to children who have serious emotional or behavioral problems, or children who have intensive physical needs such as chronic medical conditions.

The new name for this program has not yet been decided upon. It is anticipated that the maximum social worker-to-child ratio would be 1-to-8 for this program.

Although there are conflicting reports, CDSS has informed the Alliance that all Resource Families may be eligible for a County Specialized Care Increments (SCI), including youth placed in FFA-approved Resource Families, in addition to the Basic Stipend. FFAs would be required to pass through to their resource families any SCI provided by the County.

The dollar amounts in the line for “Social Services and Support” could be used flexibly for social work and other services and activities needed to meet the needs of the foster children and their families (i.e., resource, birth, and permanency families), including but not limited to activities which are allowable under federal Title IV-E or Title IV-B.

CDSS plans to have FFAs break out these types of costs in their annual cost reports so they use the data collected over time to ascertain how these funds are being spent and the average percent that could be considered eligible for a federal match. It is CDSS’s intent to use an aggregate percentage for all FFAs, not individual FFAs.

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CDSS staff appears to have made the assumption that the average minimum social worker to client ratio would remain 1-to-15 for the four LOCs and the average minimum social worker supervisor to social worker would be 1-to-8.

The amounts in the line “Resource Family Approval” is intended to reflect the costs of the psycho-social assessment and is built into the AFDC-FC rate for each month the child is in care. After the initial approval, FFAs will be required to perform an annual update on each resource family. This rate does not reflect the cost to a county for contracting with a provider to approve or recommend approvals of county families. That service will still be negotiated on a county-to-provider basis.

There are no changes to PAARP in the May Revise as proposed by the governor. PAARP remains a separate funding source for unreimbursed costs for adoption programs, so how the new rate structure affects “unreimbursed costs” will be addressed at some future time by CDSS, CWDA and the California Alliance.

We understand it is the intent of CDSS to sunset the existing AFDC-FC rates for FFA Treatment and Nontreatment programs at the end of 2016 and make the proposed CCR Level of Care (LOC) rate structure effective for all FFA programs on Jan. 1, 2017, regardless of whether the FFA has obtained national accreditation by that date. The AFDC-FC rates under the proposed CCR LOC structure for FFAs which are not nationally accredited by Jan. 1, 2017, will be considered “provisional” until they obtain national accreditation, which they must do no later than Jan. 1, 2019.

CDSS has indicated that they anticipate that the stipend level being paid to FFA foster parents for individual children who are currently in placement would be “grandfathered” in and not reduced while such children remain in their care. It remains unclear whether FFAs would receive some special transitional funding to cover the costs of such “grandfathered” stipends or whether FFAs would be expected to absorb those costs.

This single issue exemplifies the myriad issues that will need to be identified and resolved in the CCR implementation process.

CDSS rate proposal for the Short-Term Residential Treatment Program (STRTP) includes only one level for the Congregate Care component of the program, which would be $11,770. While still puzzling, this decision should come as no surprise since CDSS has been headed in that direction since it issued its Residential Care Fiscal Model in February 2014.

With a 2.76 percent CNI-based COLA for 2016-17, the AFDC-FC rate for group homes under the current RCL system would be $9,182 for RCL 12 programs and $10,410 for RCL 14 programs. That makes the proposed $11,770 STRTP proposed rate 28 percent higher than the RCL 12 rate and 13 percent higher than the RCL 14 rate for 2016-17.

Alliance staff is concerned that there is nothing in the CDSS CCR rate structure in the May Revise which addresses the AFDC-FC rates for the “Community Care” component of the STRTP programs.

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Unlike FFA rates, STRTP rates will be transitioned in as requested by individual provider organizations over two years for group homes serving exclusively child welfare populations and three years for those exclusively serving youth placed by probation departments. Those programs serving both populations will probably have to complete the transition within two years, but again, this is one of the myriad unanswered questions.

Prior to adoption of a single assessment instrument, CDSS is working on a Level of Care (LOC) manual to help guide counties, providers and Child and Family Teams in the determination of the Level of Care and its associated AFDC-FC rate appropriate to meet the needs of a particular child and family. It is likely, the guide will utilize multiple indicators that will include various “domains” and other factors such as:

Emotional

Behavioral

Mental Health

Physical

Educational

Family Relationships

Child Development

Trauma

Social Supports

Permanency

Commercial Sexual Exploited Children

CDSS plans to share the draft LOC manual with stakeholders in the next week or so for comments.

Meanwhile, a 9-month pilot project is being implement with at least seven counties to test the CANS (Humboldt, San Francisco, Shasta) and TOP (Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, Yolo) instruments to help determine which of the two will be used as a standard assessment tool.

AFDC-FC rates under the RCL system for group homes receive automatic annual CNI-based COLAs under the federal court judgment which came out of the Alliance v. Wagner litigation. The foster family home “basic rates,” and the “FFA Basic Rate” component of the FFA Treatment rates, also receive automatic annual CNI-based COLAs as a result of the successful lawsuit by representatives of foster family homes and the settlement of the Alliance lawsuit regarding FFA rates.

CDSS took the position in the settlement of the Alliance FFA rates lawsuit that the federal requirement that Title IV-E “foster care maintenance payments” must “cover the costs of care” only applies to those types of costs that are allowable under that federal definition for care and supervision, and does NOT apply to funding included in the FFA and ITFC rates for services and supports.

CDSS has indicated that it does not intend to change that position with its proposed AB 403/CCR AFDC-FC rates. That means that the STRTP rate for “congregate care” would receive an automatic annual CNI-based COLA, but only the portions of home-based family care rates paid to Resource Families would receive such automatic annual COLAs.

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The other components of the home-based family care rates would remain subject to annual decisions by the Legislature and Governor on whether to grant a COLA to reflect increases in the costs of providing social services and supports and other program activities.

While this position by CDSS is not a surprise the long-term implications for the ongoing adequacy of AFDC-FC rates is very troubling. California has an abysmal record with regard to granting annual “discretionary” COLAs for AFDC-FC rates, even in fiscal years when State General Fund revenues are rising faster than inflation.

For further information, contact Doug Johnson at djohnson@cacfs.org or Jackie Rutheiser at jrutheiser@cacfs.org.

The federal Family First Act by Sens. Hatch (R-Utah) and Wyden (D-Oregon) that among its other provisions would allow states to claim a limited amount of federal foster care funding for prevention services, may be introduced this fall in the Human Resources Subcommittee of the House Ways and Means Committee as part of a larger package of child welfare legislation to include reauthorization of the Title IV-B Promoting Safe and Stable Families Act and authorization of the National Electronic Interstate Compact Enterprise (NEICE).

It is unlikely that the House bill will include the federal Therapeutic Foster Care proposal championed by California Alliance national partner FFTA (Foster Family Treatment Association) because of the proposal’s Medicaid linkage. Apparently, it is the House Commerce Committee that deals with Medicaid issues, while foster care is the province of Ways and Means.

California Alliance national partners anticipate that, unlike the less transparent Senate process, House committee staff will provide draft legislation for comment before the bill shows up in print. In the meantime, the Alliance continues to work with its national partners to provide input on the provisions in the Senate language.

For more information on the provisions of the proposed act, see the March 31 edition of Someday Morning.

The Alliance Executive’s Fall Conference will be held at the Marriott Laguna Cliffs Resort & Spa in Dana Point from Sept. 7-9, 2016. A special rate of $155 per night is available for attendees until July 29, but space does fill up quickly. Many Alliance member agencies have already secured room reservations, so don’t delay!

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The pre-conference Executive Management Series will be held Sept. 6 from 1:30-6 p.m. with the conference beginning Wednesday (Sept. 7) and concluding noon, Thursday (Sept. 8). All Alliance member agency executives and staff registered for the conference are then invited to attend program committee meetings focusing on key Alliance advocacy issues including details about AB 403 implementation.

A copy of the agenda for the Executive’s Fall Conference is attached to this edition of Someday Morning.

For room reservations, go to this LINK. Watch your email and Someday Morning for details about registration and sponsorships.

The UC Davis Resource Center for Family-Focused Practice is holding a workshop entitled “Wraparound and Safety Organized Practice (SOP): Expanding Our Frontiers” in several regions of the state. Dates and locations are:

May 31 in Redding

June 10 in Sacramento

June 23 in Fresno

June 27 in Anaheim

The purpose of this class is to familiarize those participating in Wraparound with Safety Organized Practice (SOP), what it is, how it works, why it is important, and how it can actually contribute to improved safety planning for Wraparound.

Participants will be able to:

Define SOP

Practice SOP-related skills

Integrate SOP practices into the practice of High Fidelity Wraparound.

The instructor, Sharon L. Morrison, Ph.D., is a consultant and licensed psychologist who has worked extensively with system-involved adolescents and their families as a director of residential treatment and outpatient mental health programs in private practice and as a Wraparound consultant. Dr. Morrison assisted in the design and implementation of the first home-based wraparound program in San Diego in 1996 and has been a Wraparound Consultant for more than 14 years.

To enroll, go to https://humanservices.ucdavis.edu/program-sections/1549. If you have any questions or have trouble creating an account, call Student Services office at 530/757-8777. Space is limited, so if capacity is reached, call Georgina Milam at 530/752-9726 to be placed on the waiting list.

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Alliance-member agency Phoenix House recently announced that Shawna R. Morris, MPA, FACHE, has joined the organization as senior vice president and executive director of California operations. She will oversee all programs and services in the state, including the operations of the four regional nonprofit corporations: Phoenix Houses of Los Angeles, Phoenix House Orange County and Phoenix House San Diego.

Phoenix House is the nation’s leading nonprofit provider of substance abuse treatment and prevention services, helping more than 7,000 men, women and teens each day overcome addiction and sustain recovery. Phoenix House has nearly 150 programs in 11 states, including California, Florida, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island, Texas, Vermont, and Virginia and the Metro DC area.

Ms. Morris has 26 years of experience in a variety of healthcare and behavioral health organizations. Her strengths include strategic planning, operational excellence, developing services and increasing business revenue, talent management and managing change. Her focus on servant leadership results in providing support to patients, staff and community partners, resulting in improvements in the quality and cost effectiveness of patient care.

Most recently, Ms. Morris served as vice-president for Mental Health Services at Burrell Behavioral Health in Missouri (2015-16) where she expanded wraparound services for adults, enhanced addiction treatment services and was instrumental in the expansion of eating disorder services, and collaborations with primary care providers.

In 1997-2014, she held a variety of positions at the Menninger Clinic in Houston, Texas, ranging from the director of marketing and business development to chief operating officer. In her role as COO, Ms. Morris was accountable for creating and executing the clinic’s strategic plan and building successful internal and external business relationships. She earlier served in high-level management positions at ValueMark Healthcare Systems, Inc. and Human Affairs International, Inc.

Ms. Morris is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (since 2013). She graduated from the University of Kansas with a master’s degree in public administration in 2002 and from Grace College with a bachelor’s degree in communications and psychology.

Two more Alliance-member agencies recently became nationally accredited. We’d like to

congratulate for completing accreditation through Joint

Commission and for completing COA accreditation.

Celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, has empowered children and families to develop the insights, life skills and permanent relationships to promote social, emotional, educational and economic well-being since 1996.

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The agency serves over 1,250 children, youth and families annually via advocacy programs, training and behavioral health programs which include outpatient, home-based, reunification and pre- and post-adoption services in Alameda, San Francisco and Solano counties. A Better Way is licensed to provide foster care, adoption and THP+FC services in 11 counties.

provides a broad range of residential and educational services to troubled and emotionally disturbed children and adolescents and their families. The CHS residential program offers family-centered treatment services for males and females, age 12 to 21. The CHS educational program operates a co-ed K-12 Non-Public School (NPS). Vision program operates two classrooms on the CHS campus, providing services for students with alternative educational needs.

The Sacramento Bee recently published an editorial by , chief executive officer of

California Alliance-member agency , concerning how the proposed minimum wage increase affects nonprofits.

In the editorial, Mr. Alexander asks the Legislature to recognize the financial burden it will place on nonprofits that rely on funding from state and federal sources. “The problem is that we are not receiving additional government funding to meet this increase in expenses,” he said. “And at the same time we are not willing to compromise the depth and breadth of the services that we provide or turn away those who depend on us to turn their lives around.”

To read the editorial, go to http://www.sacbee.com/opinion/op-ed/soapbox/article75915637.html#storylink=cpy.

And Just Remember…

As you know, The Editor loves one-liners or as we love to say, “paraprosdokians.” So, here are four

classics:

The first time I see a jogger smiling, I’ll consider it.

Joan Rivers

Don't sweat the petty things and don’t pet the sweaty things.

George Carlin

I don’t like country music, but I don’t mean to denigrate those who do. And for the people who like country music, denigrate means “put down.”

Bob Newhart

Someday Morning May 23, 2016 Page 10 of 11

I remember my staff asking me when I was going to retire. I said when I could no longer hear the sound of laughter. He said, “That never

stopped you before.”

Bob Hope

CALENDAR

2016

May

23-26 Middle Management Academy

Santa Clarita Registration: http://www.cccmha.org/Meeting_LandingPage.aspx?M=14

24 CARF BH/CYS 100 San Diego Information: www.carf.org/events

25 Improving Treatment Outcomes with Youth Substance Abuse and Delinquency

Jack London Aquatic Center, Oakland

Registration: Contact Minjon LeNoir at minjonlenoir@lincolnfamilies.org or 510/273-4700, ext. 4331

25-26 CARF BH/CYS 101 San Diego Information: www.carf.org/events

31 Wraparound and Safety Organized Practice (SOP)

Redding Registration: https://humanservices.ucdavis.edu/program-sections/1549

June

10 Wraparound and Safety Organized Practice (SOP)

Sacramento Registration: https://humanservices.ucdavis.edu/program-sections/1549

17 Project Fatherhood

Westin Los Angeles Airport Hotel

Registration: http://www.projectfatherhood.org/events/details/22

23 Wraparound and Safety Organized Practice (SOP)

Fresno Registration: https://humanservices.ucdavis.edu/program-sections/1549

27 Wraparound and Safety Organized Practice (SOP)

Anaheim Registration: https://humanservices.ucdavis.edu/program-sections/1549

28 Joint Commission Face-to-Face Meeting

Hilton Orange County

Registration: http://pages.jointcommission.org/0628WorkshopCA.html

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July

10-13 FFTA 30th Annual Meeting

Hyatt Regency, New Orleans, La.

Registration coming in March. Check www.ffta.org/conference

17-19 COA Conference

New York City

Information: www.coanet.org/2016Conference/

September

7-9 Alliance Fall Executive’s Conference

Marriott Laguna Cliffs Resort & Spa

For room reservations: LINK Registration and sponsorship information coming soon

GET 25% OFF! Enter code P4B3P4AN Current listings: Associate Director of Fund Development (Northern California), EMQ FamiliesFirst, Campbell Marketing & Fund Development Director, Sierra Vista Child & Family Services, Modesto Chief Executive Officer, Youth Homes, Pleasant Hill

Executive’s Fall Conference September 6-9, 2016 Page 1 of 2

AGENDA

BOARD RETREAT – 9:30 AM -1:00 PM

EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT SERIES

1:30 PM -6:00 PM

CONFERENCE – 8:45 AM-5:30 PM

WINE & WATER TASTING EVENT – 5:30 PM-7:00 PM

CONFERENCE – 8:15 AM-NOON

PROGRAM COMMITTEE MEETINGS: 1:00 PM – 5:30 PM

12:00 12:30 1:00 1:30 2:00 2:30 3:00 3:30 4:00 4:30 5:00 5:30 6:00

Lunch on

your own

Education Committee Mental Health Committee

Practice Improvement Committee

Education Committee 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.

Practice Improvement Committee 1:00 – 3:00 p.m.

Mental Health Committee 3:30 – 5:30 p.m.

Thursday, September 8, 2016

Tuesday, September 6, 2016

Wednesday, September7, 2016

PROGRAM COMMITTEE MEETINGS

8:00 AM – 1:00 PM

8:00 8:30 9:00 9:30 10:00 10:30 11:00 11:30 Noon 12:30 1:00

Joint Committee Residential Care/Juvenile

Justice Committees TAY Services Committee

FFA/Adoption Committees

Joint Committee (FFA/Adoption/MH/Res Care/JJ/) 8:00-9:30 am

Residential Care/Juvenile Justice Committees 9:30-11:30 am

FFA/Adoption Committees 9:45 am -12:45 pm

TAY Services Committee 11:30 am-1:00 pm

Friday, September 9, 2016