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NIATx Coach CallOctober 31, 2012

Sustaining Change

1. NIATx case study: Betta Owens

2. Sustainability theory and new NIATx research: Jay Ford

3. Discussion, questions, comments

What are the implications for future coaching?

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Overview

Sustaining Change:Sustaining Change:Re-entry in Leslie Co. KYRe-entry in Leslie Co. KY

Betta Owens

NIATx Coach Call, 10/31/2012

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Re-entry

% of children re-entering foster care after family reunification

Federal target 10% KY State average is 15% Leslie County KY consistently higher

Baseline established 2007 thru 2009 = 25% Children re-entering increasing by 1% per year

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Project Timeframe

• Active change project:– 8/2010 thru 7/2011

• Sustain period:– 8/2011 thru present

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Sponsors

KY Dept. of Child Welfare’s DCBS

Susan Howard, Regional Administrator for Eastern Mountain Service Region’s Dept. of Community Based Services

KY River Community Care

Michael Kadish, Director of Kentucky River Community Care’s Families in Safe Homes Network (FISHN)

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Key players• State Dept. of Child

Welfare– Dept. of Community Based

Services• County Team Supervisor, Div.

of Protection & Permanency workers, nurse (DPP)

• Family Court– Judge, Co. Attorney

• Community Resources– KRCC– Family Preservation

Project– Schools– UK-TAP– LKLP

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Changes made:(from Sept. 2010 thru June 2011)

1. A.M. meeting of DPP worker & Co. Attorney prior to Family Court

2. Toolkit and checklist used by DCBS at time of referral

3. Convene pre-adjudication trial conference

4. Family Preservation Program involvement/presence at court

5. Service Team meetings

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Re-entry rates during active change(8/2010 thru 7/2011)

• 32 children were in or entered foster care during this period

• 22 of those returned home during that period

• 0 children re-entered

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Re-entry rates since sustaining(8/2011 thru present)

• 28 children were in or entered foster care during this period

• 10 of those returned home during that period

• 0 Re-entered

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Elements of the Sustain Plan(Based on Part 3 of the NIATx Change Project Form)

What was the financial impact of this change project?

• At end of project (8/2011) $76,000 had been saved

Who is the Sustain Leader?• Rita Jeffers, Leslie Co. Supervisor, Division of

Protection and Permanency

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Sustain Plan cont’d.What changes do you want to sustain?1.Weekly meeting of DPP worker & Co. Attorney

prior to Family Court

2.Toolkit and checklist used by DCBS at time of referral

3.Pre-adjudication trial conference

4.Family Preservation Program involvement/presence at court

5.Service Team meetings

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Sustain Plan cont’d.

What steps are being taken to ensure changes will stay in place?

• Procedures and definitions are documented for each of the 5 changes.

• Barriers identified and formally addressed in documentation (e.g. family presence foremost at service team meeting; what happens if FPP worker cannot be present at Family Court… )

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Sustain Plan cont’d.

What is the target sustain measure---the point at which the Change Team would intervene to get the project back on track?

• Re-entry of 10% or greater

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Sustain Plan cont’d.

What system is in place to effectively monitor the sustain measure?

• The Change Leader, Kristie Combs, tracks and reviews monthly data on families.

• Rita Jeffers oversees sustain procedures at the County level.

• Rita and Kristie meet monthly to discuss observations.