RECOMMENDATION 5: Design a prevention framework for DCYF that enhances cross-system collaboration and community-based supports. We recommend the first task of the newly formed Steering Committee be the creation of a DCYF prevention framework. This framework would further define prevention across the family-serving continuum, establishing objectives and success measures. Building on the DCYF Strategic Plan, Racial Equity Theory of Change, Family First Prevention Services Act plans, and sensemaking from Strengthening Families Locally, the framework would take a wide view of the full developmental continuum of children, youth and families, as well as the breadth of DCYF’s organizational mandate. An express goal of the framework will be to clarify the prevention programs available to assist with different acuity of needs — with primary, secondary, and tertiary data collection and programmatic offerings better defined. For example, the current disconnect between juvenile rehabilitation and prevention planning can result in a crisis orientation — and too often, removal — when youth need high-acuity services. A prevention framework would instead define ways to provide intensive services that prevent placement much earlier in the family and youth’s involvement with DCYF. A prevention framework must include rigorous analysis of prevention funding, starting with opportunities to claim federal funds via Family First (see Recommendation 7) and expanding to additional funding pipelines. This will require fiscal and budget analysts closest to the claiming efforts to contribute to framework development, alongside programmatic and data-focused colleagues. Finally, the prevention framework would address how families access service offerings. By examining service offerings from the perspectives of families (see Recommendation 3), the framework should consider navigation supports, points of connection to resources, and ongoing ways to keep resource options accurate, as a rapidly changing service array too often causes confusion and inefficiency for families. Navigators frequently experience barriers to coordination and resource availability. Each was cited as positively regarded by families, yet poorly defined coordination between them can hamper the effectiveness of both approaches. This will be particularly important as either or both approaches scale. Although navigation was reported as being more effective and engaging for families than many evidence-based programs, navigation offerings are currently available in only three DYCF regions. RECOMMENDATION 6: Enhance the engagement and referral pathways for secondary and community-based prevention. Today, DCYF child welfare staff members are encountering and screening out many families for whom an open child welfare case is not appropriate. Either at the conclusion of an investigation or as a result of a screened-out call at the hotline, the DCYF workforce has an opportunity to effectively provide timely and relevant
| 3 2
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online