DCFS Advisory Board [IN-PERSON ONLY]

Cuyahoga County Children and Family Services Advisory Board

Health

Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024
4:00 p.m. — 6:00 p.m. EST

2079 E. 9th St. Cleveland, OH 44115 (Directions)

Cuyahoga County Headquarters, 4th Floor, Committee Room A

The Cuyahoga County Division of Children and Family Services Advisory Board (DCFS Board) was established by Ohio law as an advisory committee on children services. It can have up to ten members who shall provide independent perspective and feedback to the county and the Cuyahoga County Division of Children and Family Services leadership. The DCFS Board also serves as a link between the division and the community it serves. The DCFS Board is advisory in nature only and does not have any decision-making authority over DCFS or the county.

Note: This meeting is in-person only. Please note the location change from the original posting of this assignment. The meeting is at 2079 E. 9th Street, County Council Committee Room A (4th floor behind Council Chambers).

Documenters: Two additional hours of pay ($36) will be added to your assignment for attending in person. Be sure to bring your photo ID.

Board members:

Lakecia Wild
Debra Rex
Angela M. Newman-White
Andrew S. Garner, M.D., Ph.D.
Verna Darby
Natasha Davis
David S. Crampton
Beverly R. Charles
M. Gabriella Celeste

Find past Documenters coverage of this board here: https://cleveland.documenters.org/reporting/?agency=197

Check the source website for additional information

Reporting

Edited and summarized by the Cleveland - OH Documenters Team

Live reporting by Ayanna Rose Banks

Board receives update on kids' average length of stay at Jane Edna Hunter Building

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Hi, I'll be live-tweeting today's The Cuyahoga County Division of Children and Family Services Advisory Board meeting✨ for #CLEdocumenters 📷@CLEdocumenters &
@signalcleveland

07:46 PM Feb 7, 2024 CST

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This meeting was attended by Lakecia Wild, Debra Rex, Angela M. Newman-White, Andrew S. Garner, M.D., Ph.D., Verna Darby, David S. Crampton, Beverly R. Charles, M. Gabriella Celeste, Jennifer Croessmann and Debbie Barber

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You can find the agenda at

cleveland.documenters.org/documents/agen…

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After Introductions was the Governance Committee Update.
Angela Newman was nominated for Chair
Andrew Garner was nominated for Vice-Chair

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Andrew stressed the importance of developing a secession plan and working closely with the last Vice-Chair

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It was noted that virtual meetings has increased attendance and that it's a good option for future meetings. It was also decided that the board would meet at the count headquarters for there regular bi- monthly meetings in the future, if the space is available

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Next on the agenda was the Intervention Sub-committee Update- Review Q4 2023 Data Dashboard

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This is a chart of child protection oversight & evaluation: short form standard & metrics

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First the fourth quarter score of 78.2% for "face to face contact with child" was addressed. It was said that most of the time the documentation isn't sent in on time to be counted in the data or the cases are mislabeled

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They have intentions on improving their score through mentoring, group supervision and quarterly talks.

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It was noted that they made progress with initial kinship placements, which has been their main focus

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A question was asked: Are the goals in red unrealistic to accomplish?

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The answer was: We can achieve them, it's just about how. There has been shifting benchmarks which they had to address. They are creating a strategy towards focusing on adoption, good staff and focusing on next of kin.

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Another question was asked: Why is Face to Face with adults so low? It was stated that adults should be easier to access

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The answer was: We struggle maintaining contact with them.

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It was stated that there would be detailed quality investigations next quarter for more metrics

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The next question is: What are the stats on unification? (Meaning uniting the child back with their families)

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The answer was: They referred to the item "Permanency within 12 months of entering care" as reunification or legal custody.

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It was stated that the specific reunification stats are To Be Determined in an email sent at a later date

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It was motioned to pass the dashboard

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Next on the agenda was the Prevention Sub-Committee Update

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Here are the graphs for Progress in hiring and retain DCFS Staff

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It was noted that the goal is 509 positions and they currently have 401 positions. The numbers are lower than before.

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Raising the income offered has helped with hiring and retention.

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It was noted that 1/3 of people trained are leaving.
To this it was stated, that they are working closely with new hires and having Exit interviews and Stay interviews (to see why people are staying).

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It was also stated that it has been very helpful to have an increase in pay with different steps as they progress through their training.

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Here are the charts for Foster Parent Recruitment, DCFS & Law Enforcement Partnership and Engaging Fathers

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They have been working on getting police to cooperate with the protocols the board has been teaching them. There was an example of the protocols being followed in an incident in Shaker where the police took the kids to the Child Advocacy Center.

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They have been working hard to include fathers more in the process of everything. They have hired specialists to reach out to these fathers and work with them. One of them was in a different project for substance abuse. This new role is Fathers Engagement Specialists

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It was reiterated that fathers are potential resources, if nothing else, in the homing process.

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There was a question asked: Is there a legal obligation to be in contact with the father?

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The answer was: Yes. And also to reach out to extended family.

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The proper documentation is missing. The document is going to have more specific stats, especially regarding race. This is what they have at the moment and will be sending an updated version later

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There was a question asked: Some people don't understand the criteria for reunification. What is the system doing to make sure they understand everything?

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The answer was: That is part of the engagement process. They try to cater to those who have a disability to need extra assistance. Every action plan we give them is tailored to each specific case.

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Another question was asked: Is there someone who will walk through the action plans and really make sure they understand? In some cases seen, the parents can not read or understand the criteria and are scared to admit that they can't understand what to do.

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The answer was: Their detailed case plan will help to assist them in detail on what to do and where specifically to go.

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It was acknowledged that they have to make sure every has an understanding throughout the process.
The are going to put more thought into how they can utilize people who have been though the process and kept their child.

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Here are is the charts for Average Nights Per Stay by Month of Arrival

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They are working to get more specific data. For example How many children are returning, how many are hospitalized, how many are in juvenile detention etc.

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There was a question asked: What have we learned from a spike in the summer numbers?

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The answer is: They are working on a better way to get that data

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Here are the documents for Applying a public health Approach to Child “well-fare”

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It was suggested that they create a better connection to the heads of hospitals around the city to get cooperation with certain protocols that they are working to change

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There was a motion to pass the proposed amendment to specify the uses of programs in the documentation.

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Next on the agenda is the Director's Report. There are updates on reimagining Jane Edna Center, which will be a 24hr welcome center with 60 beds. This center will be help to those with unmet homing/housing needs with their mission being to help with rapid reunification.

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In December they experienced flooding caused by fire sprinklers, which setback there opening. They experience over 50000 of damage.

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This meeting was the 5th anniversary of this committee. The Cuyahoga County Division of Children and Family Services Advisory Board (DCFS Board) was established by Ohio law as an advisory committee on children services.

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This meeting ended at approximately 6:25pm

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Thank you for your patience! This was an In-person only meeting so it took me a bit longer than usual to document

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Have questions? Think we got something wrong? Send any inquiries on the meeting or these tweets to
@cledocumenters
. Or email us at cledocumenters@gmail.com

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Agency Information

Cuyahoga County Children and Family Services Advisory Board

cuyahogacounty.gov

weiskittel@jfs.ohio

See Documenters reporting

The Division of Children and Family Services Advisory Board (“DCFS Board”) established pursuant to O.R.C. 5153.05 as an “advisory committee on children services” and shall be comprised of up to ten members who shall provide independent perspective and feedback to the County and the Cuyahoga County Division of Children and Family Services (“DCFS”) leadership. The DCFS Board shall also serve as a link between Board and the community it serves. The DCFS Board is advisory in nature only and shall not have any decision-making authority over DCFS or the County.