08-R294

2008 -- S 3045

Enacted 06/11/08

S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N

RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING DCYF TO UNDERTAKE SEVERAL REFORMS AND TO REPORT QUARTERLY TO THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Introduced By: Senators Perry, C Levesque, Sosnowski, Pichardo, and Miller

Date Introduced: May 22, 2008

     WHEREAS, The Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) is

the state agency devoted to the protection and care of the state's vulnerable children; and

     WHEREAS, The families served by DCYF have increasingly complex problems and

multiple challenges to overcome to provide secure and healthy environments for their children;

and

     WHEREAS, All children need safe and permanent families to nurture them and

safeguard their best interests; and

     WHEREAS, DCYF must work in concert with various state and community agencies in

these difficult budgetary times to meet the needs of the State's children; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That the Department of Children, Youth and Families continue reporting to

the Rhode Island State Senate on a quarterly basis on: (a) the tracking of new worker retention

levels; (b) the use of flex-time and overtime; and (c) the caseloads of the new group of social

caseworkers. These matters should also be the subject matter of public hearings. These reports

will be monitored for any improvement in the indicators of staff retention in Region IV; and be it

further

     RESOLVED, That the Department of Children, Youth and Families should set a goal of

eliminating within 3 months the backlog of foster homes awaiting licensure for more than six (6)

months and that a full reporting on progress toward this goal should be met in August of 2008;

and be it further

     RESOLVED, That where timely termination of parental rights is critical for long-term

stability for the child and improved outcomes, the Rhode Island Senate would respectfully request

that the Department provide annual reports regarding the Department’s progress toward meeting

or exceeding all permanency standards; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That DCYF shall report to the Rhode Island State Senate on changes in

policy and practice to ensure that all SSI children are identified and applications are processed to

maximize federal funding for services for children; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That DCYF will also report to the Senate, no later than August, 2008, with

recommendations on the possibility of recapturing costs by charging families with some of the

costs of care in cases of voluntary placement; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Department of Children, Youth and Families is respectfully

requested to establish and apply standards to their cases which will identify the severity of each

case; with cases assigned to family service workers in accordance with this severity ranking

process; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the department should utilize predictors of repeated need for

protective services such as brief lengths of out-of-home placement, younger children, parents

with substance abuse issues, and those referred for neglect as a means to target certain cases for

more intensive or specialized services to avoid a return to State care; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations

hereby respectfully requests the Department of Children, Youth and Families negotiate a family

centered work schedule for Family Services Unit workers, so the workers are available for family

and child visits during the hours the family members are available. If the practical requirements

of court appearances interfere with this schedule revision, the Family Court should be engaged in

the process of resolving this issue; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That foster families need to be partners with Family Service Unit workers

in the application of family-centered best practices, and as providers of care, foster families need

ongoing support from the workers; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and he hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to the Director of the Rhode Island Department of

Children, Youth and Families.

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LC02973

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