Q&A
Strategies for improving communication and support within ACS and with youth
0:26:24
ยท
3 min
Deputy Commissioner Mendez outlines various strategies implemented to improve communication and support within ACS, with providers, and with youth in the foster care system.
- Implementation of 'third Thursdays' meetings to directly communicate expectations to case planning staff
- Introduction of 'dinner with the DC' events to engage with and hear concerns from older youth
- Emphasis on following up on youth concerns and providing support even after they've left the care system
- Creation of multiple touchpoints with providers and agency staff to ensure alignment with ACS's vision and values
Ina Mendez
0:26:24
Is this on?
0:26:25
Mhmm.
0:26:25
Thank you, commissioner, and thank you for your question, council member Steven.
0:26:30
So to follow-up on, the the commissioner has a vision that, aligns with my personal values and my professional values.
0:26:37
And so the division of family permanency is very aware of the strategic plans, and we have touch points with providers in very different ways.
0:26:46
And so we're able to speak with agency leaders, agency staff.
0:26:51
So if there is an issue that gets to the commissioner's attention, my attention, the office of shared response can follow-up on individual cases.
0:26:59
We have the Office of Family Team Conferencing.
0:27:01
They sit in on case conferences at certain key points.
0:27:05
There are times when I may reach out to an ED.
0:27:08
To give a very concrete example, we had been sharing some information about a new expectation probably starting sometime in fiscal year twenty four.
0:27:17
We had a larger meeting, and it was clear the information I was sharing didn't trickle down.
0:27:22
So I started something called third Thursdays, and that is for all case planning staff to join so they can hear directly from our team.
0:27:29
This is what our expectation is around this.
0:27:31
This is what our expectation is around that so that we can continue to have the conversations.
0:27:36
Youth reach out.
0:27:37
They reach out to the commissioner.
0:27:39
I started something in this fiscal year called dinner with the DC.
0:27:42
They're small group meetings.
0:27:43
We're starting with older youth.
0:27:44
They come together, and we we eat.
0:27:47
I go to the various tables and hear their concerns and what needs to be followed up on.
0:27:51
It it gets followed up on.
0:27:52
So we're really trying to create an opportunity.
0:27:54
There are times when providers will reach out and say, well, how can we do x, y, and z?
0:27:59
And I often say, pay for it.
0:28:01
We'll get it approved.
0:28:02
Right?
0:28:02
And so we do that, and we haven't had any too many problems yet.
0:28:06
And so that's what we really wanna do because to support older youth, to support youth who have exited care but are now coming back and reaching out for help.
0:28:13
We had a young man from Jan December, January, February.
0:28:17
He had to work with our community based organizations to help him.
0:28:20
He's about 24 now.
0:28:21
He's no longer in care.
0:28:23
But last week, I got a picture of his keys in the the kitchen in the background.
0:28:27
So Anthos Home was able to move him in.
0:28:29
That's a culture shift because these kids aren't in care.
0:28:32
They're 21, but we're continuing to work with them.
0:28:34
And it's conversation by conversation, example by example to let everyone know within FPS, within ACS, that this is an expectation.
Jess Dannhauser
0:28:42
And while we haven't closed any agencies, chair, if I can, in the last few years, there used to be 50 foster agencies.
0:28:49
There's 25 today.
Althea Stevens
0:28:50
Is there a reason why it shrunk by by half?
0:28:52
Is was it you were trying to
Jess Dannhauser
0:28:54
I think sort of largely during about fifteen years ago, there were so many fewer kids in care.
0:29:00
There was a very intentional right sizing.
0:29:03
When we first introduced equip, which is now our scorecard, which scores and ranks each agency on various outcomes like safety and permanency and well-being, that work led us to make some decisions to shrink the system.
0:29:18
We are today moving contract capacity around based on how well they're doing in permanency, how well they're doing in recruiting and supporting foster parents.
0:29:28
And so we do have performance based contracting in place.
0:29:33
If an agency is demonstrating concerns in a particular area that are egregious, we have the right to end contracts, to use corrective action, and a variety of other tools.
0:29:45
Yeah.