Q&A
Discussion of ACS school-based preventative programs
0:29:17
ยท
6 min
Council Member Stevens inquires about ACS's school-based preventative programs, seeking clarification on their implementation and effectiveness. ACS officials explain the program's structure, including its connection to schools and flexibility in service delivery.
- The program connects providers to at least 3 schools each
- It includes 80 slots, with 8 having more flexibility due to city tax levy funding
- The program aims to reach families before ACS involvement is necessary
Althea V. Stevens
0:29:17
And so and and just, I guess, could you talk to me a little bit more about the school based program too?
0:29:22
Just because I would love to think, like, okay, how how do they connect?
0:29:26
Like, how does a parent connect?
0:29:27
Right?
0:29:27
Like, because sometimes it it's hard.
0:29:29
So are they doing outreach?
0:29:30
Is this something that, like, someone sees and they're like, oh, you should go talk to them?
0:29:33
Or, like, what does this look like?
Jess Dannhauser
0:29:35
Yeah.
0:29:35
I'm gonna ask deputy commissioner Linares to speak to that a little bit.
Luisa Linares
0:29:39
Thank you, commissioner.
0:29:40
Good morning.
0:29:42
So the school based, programs are the providers are actually in the schools, which allows for the staff at the schools to have constant interaction with the providers and be able to connect the families directly to to the program.
0:30:02
We have each of the 16 programs is connected to at least 3 schools, and some of the, I think, brilliant
Althea V. Stevens
0:30:10
So how many staff so how they're connected to 3 schools.
0:30:13
So with these contracts, how many staff are, staffers are on it?
0:30:17
So is it one person per school?
0:30:19
Are they there at the school 2 day 2, 3 days a week?
0:30:22
Are you guys not mandating that?
0:30:24
What what does what does that look like?
Luisa Linares
0:30:25
So we are in the process of program development because the program just started in July.
0:30:31
So we are working out with the providers some of the details as to how do we best service all of the families across these three schools.
0:30:39
There are some flexibility in terms of having the providers be sitting at different, locations.
0:30:43
They obviously have a main location for administrative reasons, but the expectation is that they are sitting in the different schools.
0:30:49
So do they have, like, a case load?
UNKNOWN
0:30:52
Are
Althea V. Stevens
0:30:53
they working with these families, intensively?
0:30:57
Do they come in to the principals like, hey, I have these fam like, what does this look like?
0:31:00
Because I still am not able to picture it.
Luisa Linares
0:31:03
Okay.
0:31:04
So we have this is a very unique program, and we we're super excited about it.
0:31:09
It's unique in many ways.
0:31:10
Part of it is that we have it's a 80 slot program.
0:31:14
Of those 80 slots, there are 8 slots that have, tons of flexibility.
0:31:20
They are funded by city
Althea V. Stevens
0:31:22
But 8?
0:31:22
8.
0:31:23
Mhmm.
Luisa Linares
0:31:23
They are funded by city tax levy, which means that we are not, binded, if you will, by OCFS regulations.
0:31:31
So with those 8, provide families can come in, and if there is a need for 1 or 2 issues, for instance, the family may have a need to be in a supportive program, a parenting program is on, the
UNKNOWN
0:31:40
providers can provide that
Luisa Linares
0:31:41
service on a continual basis.
0:31:42
So we have 8 8 slots, but really, we can serve a large number of families as they come in and out.
0:31:53
The other 17 are more the traditional child welfare prevention program.
0:32:00
Some of the differences between, some of the difference between school based and other programs is that the school based is not only in the school, but is also trying to get to the family before there's any involvement with us with ACS.
0:32:15
So these are what we call advocate cases that assist only on-site, and so we don't have the record in the system and so on.
0:32:24
And the family can connect directly to the to the provider, and there's there's an expectation.
0:32:29
There's ongoing, communication between the school staff and the, prevention staff.
0:32:35
We also ask them they do, different activities together.
0:32:39
We just had a launch event, this past month, where we brought the school principals and superintendents together with our prevention staff.
0:32:48
So the the idea is that we are constantly evolving in terms of how we're serving those families and that we are, engaging the families also in in thinking about the service itself.
0:33:01
I think Beth said by our commissioner, recently is that if we look the same in 3 years, then we haven't been asking families how the program should look.
0:33:11
So I think we have lots of flexibility.
0:33:14
It's an opportunity for innovation, and we're very excited, to, be able to have this program with us.
Jess Dannhauser
0:33:20
And I'll just add that one of the other key, differences is that there's actually an embedded benefits, worker in each program.
0:33:28
And so the focus on concrete needs, make sure we're addressing issues of income security, We're looking at trying to learn from that more broadly on our preventive services system.
0:33:39
Case planners do help with benefit access across the system, but this has somebody who is, dedicated to that specifically.
0:33:47
And that was based on feedback, after our concept paper from providers and advocates.
Althea V. Stevens
0:33:52
Yeah.
0:33:53
I mean, I think that I'm excited to hear about the program, but I still am having I'm struggling on thinking about, like, how does this fit into the bigger the bigger picture around a lot of the things because it all, like so it's like I just I wanna come out to see the program because I'm just struggling with, like, kind of, like, understanding how, like, all of this plays into, like, why isn't this just not a part of a community school?
0:34:20
Why you know, why are we not just partnering with community based organizations to have them in there?
0:34:23
Like, it just it's it seems duplicate again where it's, like, this is something that already is kind of happening in a lot of schools.
0:34:30
And so then why, like so why I can't from some you know?
0:34:35
Again, I just it's it seems very duplicate in some ways.
Jess Dannhauser
0:34:39
Yeah.
0:34:39
We'd love we'd love to have you out, of course.
0:34:41
In addition, I just wanna say that the each superintendent and principal had to determine that this is something they wanted in their school so that they didn't if they if they if it was duplicative, they weren't gonna do it.
0:34:54
And so
Althea V. Stevens
0:34:54
But a lot of times, especially principals and superintendent just want more services because they wanna be able to give people access.
0:35:00
And so did we so does that mean we didn't look at the data to see where there is not as much services to say, like, this actually makes more sense?
0:35:07
Because I have bad
UNKNOWN
0:35:08
schools in
Althea V. Stevens
0:35:09
my district where they have they're a community school, they have a Beacon, they have a 21st century contract, and then I have schools that have nothing.
0:35:15
And so it's how are we making sure that this is going where it needs to be, and like again, when you think about the community school model, like, a lot of that stuff that you're saying should be being done there.
0:35:27
And so I that.
0:35:28
That's what I mean.
Jess Dannhauser
0:35:29
Yeah.
0:35:29
I I agree with you, but I just wanna add that the community school model doesn't include some of the, sort of case management navigation of that.
UNKNOWN
0:35:38
Just add
Althea V. Stevens
0:35:39
it instead of, like, adding more agencies into more things, especially when it seems like a lot of times well, not seems like we know that a lot of the cross collaboration isn't happening in the way that it should be.
0:35:50
So, I mean, I see the chair of education is here, so I'm sure she's gonna ask questions, so I'm a leave that there and let her get to that.
0:35:57
But I mean, I think I'm excited about it because in the sense of, like, I know that ACS often has lot of programs that parents should be able to access without having to get a case, and so this is a way for them to get in.
0:36:08
But, again, if I I have some concerns, but we'll talk we'll talk and not like I said, Rita, I'm sure she'll have a bunch of questions.