Protecting and Strengthening Central Florida’s Families

1. Protecting and Strengthening Central Florida’s Families

2. Who is FSMO? • Lead agency for Community -Based Care in Florida’s Orange and Osceola Counties • Vision – …a safe home for every child

3. Service Areas FSMO is one of the largest CBCs in the state of Florida, managing formal child welfare services for over 3,200 children

4. Partner Agencies

5. Services • Adoption • Foster Care • Independent Living • Protective Services • Diversion Services

6. Benefits: Flexibility Latitude in Constructing System of Care (developing programs that meet the needs of the clients) Reinvestment of Unrestricted dollars Unrestricted dollars fund Diversion Programs Florida's IV-E Waiver for funding flexibility was implemented in October 2006 through changes in State contracts with the CBC lead agencies. Impact of the IV-E Waiver

7. Diversion • Moderate to High Risk Cases • Prevent Children From Entering the System of Care • Intended to help families build natural and community support • Diversion & DJJ • Monitors Child Safety

8. Diversion/Prevention Specialist • Daily communication with CPI’s on the “Front End” • Community/networking with local merchants/vendors in securing donations (services, money, goods) • Able to make joint visits with CPI’s (Assist in service engagement, assessing service needs, offer support/encouragement, assess safety concerns) • Arrange/facilitate wrap around services, facilitating trainings, Resource Roadshows

9. Diversion/Prevention Specialists • D/P Specialist are accountable for overseeing the authorization and utilization of diversion services to make best use of resources for at-risk families in the community D/P Specialist work as the liaison and resource to the CPI’s on preventing removals through community referrals for service provisions and case diversion to FSMO CBI Contract, TANF

10. Diversion in Action • Severely burned child special needs • Infant suffering from Epidermolysis Bullosa • Family without working toilets • Family without food during the weekend

11. Contracts • ICCP • Homemakers • INVESTeam (Intimate Violence Enhanced Services Team) • Eden Educational Services, LLC • Gulf Coast

12. System of Care Revision • The Service Center Model (Partnership and Strength/Needs Based Approach)

13. Resource Specialist • Originally, positions dedicated from transition to work with PI’s, working w/community families, prevention of removal, ICC-catch any cases coming into the system that can be diverted, data/tracking for CBI Referrals

14. MOVING FROM • Seeing families as the problem • Focusing on parents deficits • Plugging families into existing services • Expert model • Identifying families needs

15. MOVING TO • Seeing families as allies and part of the solution • Focus on needs of the children • Crafting, individualizing and tailoring services around specific needs • Collaborative Model • Connecting families to appropriate service providers

16. DJJ DIVERSION DJJ Support Liaison support and prevention liaison in regards to release issues from JDC, Court release and Commitment program.

17. DJJ Diversion Summary Report • From July 07 thru June 08 103 clients that the DJJ Support Liaison has been involved with in reference to prevention of release issues from JDC, Court release and Commitment program. • Diverted: From July 07 thru June 08, DJJ Support Liaison has diverted more than 83 children from paid care. • In-Care: From July 07 thru June 08, more than 20 children came into paid care for Sexual, DV, Parents in jail, Runway from other state, etc.

18. DJJ DiversionJuly 07 – June 08

19. DJJ Diversion Continued

20. On June, 13, 2007, a report was received in reference to a child detained at DJJ from another country. It was reported that the child had a Non-Specified Psychotic Disorder. The child hears voices and responds to internal stimuli and is very aggressive with other people. The child had hit his father and threatened to kill him. At DJJ, he was charged with two counts of battery charges on Law Enforcement and Detention staff. DCF and FSMO made a plan to return the child back to his homeland in Belgium, France where his mother resided. The plan was to have two representatives from FSMO and Devereux escort the child by flight. The task was completed; child was secure back in Belgium with the country’s child welfare system. Examples of Cases Diverted

21. On April 16, 2008, a report was received regarding a child who absconded from Chicago, Illinois. It was reported that the child was arrested for Battery and Resisting Arrest on LEO. While undergoing a screening, it was discovered that the child’s mental health issues were the cause of her behavioral problems toward the staff. On April 22, 2008, a joint meeting was called between DJJ Fla., DCF Fla., FSMO, DCFS Illinois, DJJ Illinois and Tallahassee Interstate Compact Office. This meeting was held to come up with a plan to send the child back to Illinois. Due to the child’s mental health issues, the child was not able to be transported by airplane. Dept. of Illinois decided to hire a secure transport service, which would transport the youth securely back to Illinois. All arrangements were made to have child transported. On May 13, 2008, the child was transported by air flight back to Illinois. Had FSMO and DCF not been involved and communicating with DJJ this child could have easily become a financial responsibility for Florida; the cost to get youth back to Illinois with the special arrangements was $ 14,000, paid by Illinois.

22. The Need in Central Florida The number of children entering the Juvenile Justice System has increased 30 percent since 2000. NEED: More prevention and intervention services

23. The Process When a call is made to the hotline … 1) A private investigator reviews the case 2) The case is transferred to court where a judge decides the final outcome 3) FSMO and partner agencies act under the judge’s orders and coordinate the placement of children at risk in the system and help to find permanent homes or work to reunify the biological family

24. The Need in Central Florida There are 400 foster families in Orange + Osceola Counties but approximately 60 additional children enter the system each month. NEED: More foster parents

25. The Need in Central Florida The number of older children entering the system is increasing. NEED: More foster parents open to hosting older children

26. Why Such a Need? • Approximately 60 kids come into system each month, while only 5 – 7 percent are placed each month • 9 percent of all state abuse and neglect reports come out of Orange and Osceola counties, while FSMO only accounts for 6 percent of children in the system

27. Innovative gallery-style photo exhibit that rotates throughout the community • Highlights 80 children in Orange and Osceola counties currently available for adoption • The Heart Gallery is a unique way to engage Central Florida in the child welfare system and help provide hope and happiness for kids in our community who need families

28. Orange and Osceola counties have over 200 unmatched children who are waiting for adoptive homes • There are a limited number of families available to special needs children

29. Other Heart Galleries are featured in over 70 different cities nationwide • In 2005, the children featured in the Heart Gallery of Tampa Bay resulted in 41% successful matches with families

30. For more information about the Heart Gallery of Metro Orlando visit… www.heartgallerymetroorlando.org

31. How You Can Help Open your heart contribute to local programs mentor a young person donate essential goods to foster programs Open your home become a foster parent help find foster families Offer your help make a financial contribution become a social worker become a board member of a child welfare organization

32. Contact Information Visit us on the Web… www.fsmetroorlando.org Or by phone … 1-877-6-MY-KIDS

33. Protecting and Strengthening Central Florida’s Families