Child Welfare System Reform in Arizona, Iowa and California

Child Welfare System Reform in Arizona, Iowa and California

Arizona Child Protective Services (CPS) Reform

In January 2003, Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano created an Advisory Commission on CPS Reform to make recommendations on how Arizona can better serve its children and improve outcomes for safety, permanency and well-being. The Advisory Commission consisted of state legislators, service providers, law enforcement, representatives from the courts, and agency directors. The Commission developed a comprehensive Action Plan to reform the CPS system in Arizona in six areas: (1) ensuring a multi-disciplinary response to reports of abuse and neglect; (2) preventing child abuse and neglect; (3) clarifying the mission and role of CPS; (4) ensuring effective delivery of services to children and families; (5) providing adequate support for children and families served by the system as well as those who provide services; and (6) increasing community involvement.

Legislation enacted during a 2003 Special Session on CPS required CPS to investigate 100% of cases, mandated CPS and law enforcement conduct joint investigations of the most serious allegations, clarified the mission of CPS, addressed substance abuse, confidentiality of records, and the central registry and expanded the open hearings pilot project throughout the state. The legislation also appropriated $6 million for the reform efforts and $10.3 million for current CPS staffing and services.

To see the full reports, legislation and a slide presentation, please go to: http://www.governor.state.az.us/cps/

Iowa Better Results for Kids:
Redesign of the Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice System

In 2003, teams of state legislators, DHS administrators and workers, service providers, foster parents, juvenile court workers, law enforcement and others worked to develop a comprehensive redesign of the Iowa child welfare and juvenile justice systems.

Redesign goals included:

Pilot projects to reduce the proportion of African Americans and Native Americans who enter the child welfare system.
Focus on results and outcomes.
A “flexible funding” policy allowing social workers to use state dollars to provide services.
Divide and consolidate duties for social work staff who provide on-going services.
Reduce paperwork.
Give private providers a single case rate for children removed from their home and court-ordered to reside in residential or “group” care.
Create a community alternative strategy to allow children with low risk of abuse to be served outside of the state system.
Expand the community partnership concept, in which troubled families are surrounded by non-traditional resources - neighbors, ministers, coaches, and volunteer mentors.
Prevent disruption of education for children who enter the child welfare system.
Provide smoother transitions for children moved to new placements or “aged out.”

For more information, go to: http://www.dhs.state.ia.us/BetterResultsforKids/default.asp

California Child Welfare Services Redesign

Legislation enacted in 2000 created a Child Welfare Services Stakeholders Group which included former foster youth, social workers, juvenile court judges, mental health experts, legislators, union representatives and child advocates. They worked to develop a redesign of California’s child welfare services, a comprehensive, multi-year attempt to improve how services are delivered to children and families. Highlights include an increased focus on strengthening families and prevention, a new intake process (shifting from an adversarial “one size fits all” model), engaging extended families as partners, expediting permanency, supporting transitions, focusing on outcomes, improving support and training for the child welfare workforce and developing standardized approaches to reduce the statewide disproportionate representation of African American and Native American children.

Go to http://www.cwsredesign.ca.gov/ for complete information.