When planning for child welfare involvement, who are the most critical partners a grant community should include?

SEPTEMBER2002

When planning for child welfare involvement, who are the most critical partners a grant community should include?

Partnering with child welfare has posed a challenge to many grant communities as they engage in the necessary collaboration to develop a system of care. Child Welfare has ongoing direct connections with a wide range of local and state service systems. Within the designated child and family-serving agency the primary players are

Child protective services (the investigative division),
Out of home care (foster care, kinship care, residential group care, therapeutic care, and adoptions),
Family services (prevention of out of home care), and
Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (public assistance).

These services intersect with

Local family courts,
Pro-bono legal services,
Local law enforcement,
Children's advocates, and
Prosecutors.

Although all these stakeholders are committed to the protection and well-being of children, they have different roles and legal mandates. For the collaboration to be effective, system of care planners must be aware of these mandates and responsibilities. In addition, an effective system of care will reflect those mandates both in services and in resource development and implementation. Child Welfare staff and stakeholders must be directly involved in the decision making that result in the development of resources, services, and other supports to be included in the system of care.

Some research estimates that as many as 80% of children in the child welfare system need some level of mental health intervention. This need is accompanied by a mandate to serve these children and youth within their local communities. This combination of need and mandate is one example of an excellent opportunity for collaboration resulting in a shared vision. Since child welfare organizations vary somewhat across states, it is vitally important to understand how and by whom decision making takes place. Access to and inclusion of real decision makers will enhance the capacity of the community to move system of care development forward.

Technical Assistance Partnership for Child and Family Mental Health

Child Welfare Frequently Asked Questions

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	SEPTEMBER2002 When planning for child welfare involvement, who are the most critical partners a grant community should include? Partnering with child welfare has posed a challenge to many grant communities as they engage in the necessary collaboration to develop a system of care. Child Welfare has ongoing direct connections with a wide range of local and state service systems. Within the designated child and family-serving agency the primary players are Child protective services (the investigative division), Out of home care (foster care, kinship care, residential group care, therapeutic care, and adoptions), Family services (prevention of out of home care), and Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (public assistance). These services intersect with Local family courts, Pro-bono legal services, Local law enforcement, Children's advocates, and Prosecutors. Although all these stakeholders are committed to the protection and well-being of children, they have different roles and legal mandates. For the collaboration to be effective, system of care planners must be aware of these mandates and responsibilities. In addition, an effective system of care will reflect those mandates both in services and in resource development and implementation. Child Welfare staff and stakeholders must be directly involved in the decision making that result in the development of resources, services, and other supports to be included in the system of care. Some research estimates that as many as 80% of children in the child welfare system need some level of mental health intervention. This need is accompanied by a mandate to serve these children and youth within their local communities. This combination of need and mandate is one example of an excellent opportunity for collaboration resulting in a shared vision. Since child welfare organizations vary somewhat across states, it is vitally important to understand how and by whom decision making takes place. Access to and inclusion of real decision makers will enhance the capacity of the community to move system of care development forward.