Legislative Appropriations Request for FY 2012 -13 and

Legislative Appropriations Request for FY 2012 -13 and an Overview of Agency Projects to Increase Efficiencies Stakeholder Forum October 7, 2010 1

Stakeholder Forum, October 7, 2010 Today’s Presentation: • Welcome – Commissioner Heiligenstein • 10% Budget reduction & LAR overview – Commissioner Heiligenstein • Permanency Care Assistance – Liz Kromrei, CPS Director of Services • CPS Training enhancements – Cyndi Reed, Center for Learning and Organizational Excellence • Child Care Licensing efficiencies – Angie Lindemann, CCL Program Specialist • Records efficiencies – TJ Wasden, Records Management Officer • APS efficiencies – Tommy Reed, APS Regional Director • Public questions and comments 2

10% Reduction Schedule $78 million • Cut state office administrative and overhead costs by $5 million • Reduce prevention and early intervention (PEI) services by $73 million • Applied to all PEI program strategies equally and the FTEs that support these programs, with the exception of the 100% federally funded Child Abuse Prevention Grants to Community-Based Organizations (Strategy 3 -1 -4) • Results in an 84. 1% reduction • This approach protects those that we know have already been abused or neglected or are at imminent risk of serious harm 3

Exceptional Items Exceptional Item 1 Maintain FY 10 -11 Funding for Adoption Subsidies - Return to Regular FMAP After ARRA Expiration • $14. 0 million GR, $35. 6 million All Funds to replace the one-time ARRA funds Exceptional Item 2 Maintain FY 10 -11 Funding for CPS Direct Delivery Staff Restore ARRA TANF • • $48. 0 million GR, $56. 2 million All Funds to replace the one-time ARRA funds Avoids a reduction of 565. 0 currently authorized CPS direct delivery FTEs 4

Exceptional Items Exceptional Item 3 Maintain FY 10 -11 Funding for Day Care Services - Restore ARRA CCDBG and Other One-Time Funds · $12. 0 million GR and All Funds to replace the one-time ARRA funds · $5. 3 million GR, $6. 3 million All Funds to replace other one-time funds · Would allow us to continue providing day care services at the same level expected for FY 10 -11 Exceptional Item 4 Annualization of Phased-In Staff • • $3. 7 million GR, $4. 3 million All Funds to maintain the phased-in staff appropriated for FY 10 -11 Avoids a reduction of 44. 5 currently authorized CPS, APS, and Statewide Intake direct delivery FTEs 5

Exceptional Item 5 Maintain Current Caseloads per Worker • Additional direct delivery staff needed to address caseload growth • 248. 1 FTEs in FY 12 and 257. 8 FTEs in FY 13 for CPS Investigative staff to maintain an average daily caseload of 21. 1 • 216. 6 FTEs for Family Based Safety Services staff to maintain an average daily caseload of 18. 7 • 122. 1 FTEs for Substitute Care staff to maintain an average daily caseload of 26. 9 • 110. 3 FTEs for APS In-Home staff to maintain an average daily caseload of 33. 6 • Total of 697. 1 FTEs in FY 12 and 706. 8 FTEs in FY 13 • $69. 8 million GR, $80. 3 million All Funds 6

Exceptional Item 6 Caseload Growth for Adoption Subsidies and PCA • Forecasted caseload growth above the baseline request for adoption subsidies is 4, 783 children in FY 12 and 7, 654 in FY 13 • Forecasted caseload growth above the baseline request for PCA is 1, 032 children in FY 12 and 1, 493 in FY 13 • Both of these programs provide permanency for children in foster care • $44. 7 million GR, $76. 9 million All Funds 7

Exceptional Item 7 Caseload Growth for Relative Caregiver Program • Forecasted caseload growth above the baseline request for the average monthly number of children receiving Relative Caregiver monetary assistance is 147 for FY 12 and 191 for FY 13 • Forecasted annual increase in day care for relative caregivers who work full time is 257 children in FY 12 and 254 in FY 13 • $4. 1 million GR and All Funds 8

Exceptional Item 8 Strengthen Day Care Licensing Program • Growth in the number and size of child day care centers and in the number of reports of abuse/neglect in child care settings is requiring more time and expertise • Additional direct delivery manager positions are needed to reduce supervision span-of-control for better oversight and accountability • Additional direct delivery staff are needed to lower caseloads to strengthen protection of children in child day care settings • More training and program support resources are needed • Will allow Licensing to be more proactive in identifying and taking action on illegal operations • 120. 5 FTEs • $14. 3 million GR, $14. 5 million All Funds 9

Exceptional Item 9 Additional Purchased Client Services for Caseload Growth • Additional purchased client services are needed to serve forecasted increases in clients • Protective day care is needed for an additional 1, 727 children in FY 12 and 1, 701 in FY 13 to avoid an increase in removals • Foster day care is needed for an additional 1, 335 children in FY 12 and 1, 296 in FY 13 to have appropriate capacity of foster homes • Other CPS purchased services are needed to address safety issues so that children can remain in their homes or be reunited quicker • APS purchased services are needed to provide emergency resources until community resources can be accessed • $13. 4 million GR, $15. 6 million All Funds 10

Exceptional Item 10 Client Safety Initiatives • 11. 0 Child Safety Specialists for the Family Based Safety Services stage of service • Critical IMPACT improvements – the safety and risk assessment process, the case merge function, and case documentation for client contacts • 25. 2 attorneys and legal staff to provide timely due process for appeals of abuse/neglect/exploitation decisions • 9. 6 program support staff to keep pace with the increase in public inquiries, complaints, and case resolutions • Total of 45. 9 FTEs • $13. 9 million GR, $15. 1 million All Funds 11

Exceptional Item 11 Reduce Caseloads per Worker to FY 09 Average • 105. 2 FTEs for CPS Investigations to achieve an average daily caseload of 20. 5 by FY 13 • 180. 9 FTEs for APS In-Home to achieve an average daily caseload of 27. 5 by FY 13 • Client safety is greatly improved with lower caseloads that allow workers to spend more time on each case • Total of 286. 1 FTEs • $31. 2 million GR, $34. 2 million All Funds 12

Exceptional Item 12 Reduce Statewide Intake Call Center Hold Time • Forecasts show a 4% increase in call volume each year • When caller hold times are long, the abandonment rate increases, putting vulnerable children and adults at further risk of harm • Current average hold time is 9. 4 minutes with an abandonment rate of 34% • Additional FTEs for the Statewide Intake call center will lower the average hold time to 8 minutes with an abandonment rate of 25% • 60. 9 FTEs for FY 12 and 76. 3 FTEs for FY 13 • $7. 1 million GR, $7. 2 million All Funds 13

Exceptional Item 13 Optimize Certification Program for Staff Retention • Entry level direct delivery positions experience the highest rate of turnover within the agency • Around 30% of new APS and CPS caseworkers leave in the first year • Providing promotions through the certification program sooner in their tenure will help retain caseworkers • $3. 2 million GR, $3. 7 million All Funds 14

Exceptional Item 14 Increase Prevention and Early Intervention Services • Provides a 10% funding increase for prevention and early intervention services • STAR program would serve an additional 601 youth per month in FY 12 and 588 in FY 13 • CYD program would serve an additional 606 youth per month in FY 12 and 579 in FY 13 • Texas Families Together and Safe program would serve an additional 129 families per month in FY 12 and 128 in FY 13 • Other at-risk prevention programs would serve an additional 721 youth per month in FY 12 and 718 in FY 13 • $8. 4 million GR and All Funds 15

DFPS Needs Contained in Other Requests • Data Center Services – $0. 4 million GR and All Funds for transformation and remediation costs in FY 12 is contained in HHSC LAR Exceptional Item 6, Maintain IT Services for HHS Provided by DIR Data Center Services • IT Security – $1. 8 million GR, $2. 1 million All Funds for improvements to protect confidential information, efficiencies in staff email searches, improvements to data center security, and replacing aging power units and air conditioning for the Winter’s computer room is contained in HHSC LAR Exceptional Item 7, Improve Security for HHS IT Systems • Foster Care Rates – Contained in HHSC Consolidated Budget 16

Permanency Care Assistance Child Protective Services Liz Kromrei, CPS Director of Services 17

Permanency Care Assistance What is it? • Based on Federal and State Legislation – Federal Fostering Connections to Success and Increasing Adoptions Act of 2008 – 81 st Texas Legislature enacted Senate Bill 2080 and House Bill 1151 • New permanency option for children/youth who cannot go home or be adopted – Reunification with the family and adoption must first be ruled out as options – Relatives take permanent legal custody of a CPS foster child or youth for whom the relatives have been verified as foster parents and served as the placement for six months and receive a monthly stipend comparable to adoption assistance 18

Permanency Care Assistance What is it? (continued) • Positive outcomes – It provides true permanency in the eyes of the child and family because they have resolution and the CPS case is closed – Children/youth exit care more quickly, have fewer placement disruptions and maintain family connections – Stems the rate of caseload growth, positively impacts disproportionality, avoids administrative costs – As of October 7, 2010 there were 130 children in verified relative/fictive kin PCA foster placements, including 37 sibling groups totaling 107 of the 130 children 19

Permanency Care Assistance Examples of children in PCA placements 16 year old, African American male, removed on 4/30/01 Placements include: Emergency Shelter 2 3 months Therapeutic Foster Group Home Therapeutic Foster Home Residential Treatment Center Hospital Paternal Grandparent home 1 5 4 2 1 6 months 24 months 3 years, 7 months 8 weeks (current, PCA planned) Placement costs from removal through 7/31/10: $254, 483. 51 (ave. $3, 393/mo) Projected PCA costs until turning 18 (24 mos): $ 13, 080. 00 (ave. $545/mo) 20

Permanency Care Assistance Examples (continued) 9 year old, Hispanic male, removed with 5 siblings on 9/22/04 Placements include: Therapeutic Group Home Hospital Trial Home Visit Foster Home Relative Home (maternal cousin) 5 2 1 1 1 5 years, 2 months 2 weeks 3 months 5 months (current, PCA planned) Placement costs from removal through 7/31/10: $146, 963. 23 (ave. $2, 100/mo) Projected PCA costs until turning 18 (72 mos): $ 39, 240. 00 (ave. $545/mo) 21

CPS Training Enhancements Center for Learning and Organizational Excellence Cyndi Reed, CPS Training Manager 22

Ongoing Professional Development Better use of in-house expertise • Improved delivery of ongoing development courses – Saves contract dollars – Work with program staff to easily and thoroughly assess the needs of workers and supervisors – Practical program field experience that can easily transfer into the classroom – Expedite the review process and more readily create new curriculum – Reduce travel costs – Streamlining ensures that content is covered, while eliminating duplication • DFPS Operations manages the certification application process 23

Ongoing Professional Development Consolidation of training products • Acknowledges the expertise within DFPS • Identify curricula that have been developed and taught at the regional level • Analyze their appropriateness for use statewide • Look for most cost efficient delivery methods which may include using technology resources • Create and manage the curriculum library and update materials as needed 24

New CPS Basic Skills Development Thirteen-week program that includes both classroom and on-thejob (OJT) training • Began in 2008 with a Job and Task Analysis • Core training is 7 weeks (5 weeks in classroom, 2 weeks OJT) • Specialty training for CVS, INV, and FBSS (3 weeks in classroom and 23 weeks OJT) • Daily practice in accessing and utilizing CPS policy, tablet PCs, IMPACT, and other skills development activities • Knowledge and skills assessment – Daily quizzes – Written test upon completion of Core training – Hands On Skills test upon completion of Specialty training • Statewide implementation begins October 18, 2010 25

Child Care Licensing Efficiencies Child Care Licensing Angie Lindemann, CCL Program Specialist 26

Child Care Licensing Efficiencies Technical Assistance Library The Technical Assistance Library is a repository of documents utilized by Child Care Licensing to educate child care providers about best practice techniques and ways to comply with minimum standards while promoting the health, safety, and well-being of children in out of home care. The TA Library increases efficiency for CCL staff in the following ways: • Allows CCL staff to utilize the tablet PC to share documents • Allows CCL staff to utilize email and the DFPS Search Texas Child Care website to share documents • Improves consistency within the CCL program 27

Child Care Licensing Efficiencies e. Applications The e. Application is a tool available on the DFPS Search Texas Child Care website which allows prospective providers to submit an online application for consideration to provide child care in Texas. The e. Application tool has increased efficiency in the CCL program by achieving the following: • Improving the ease and flexibility for those prospective providers • Reducing processing and handling time required with paper applications • Streamlining the process by which background checks are submitted to DFPS 28

Child Care Licensing Efficiencies Online Orientation The Licensing Online Orientation Project is currently in development. The goal of this project is to provide an online orientation curriculum for prospective providers in the areas of listed and registered child care homes. The projected efficiencies with the implementation of this project include the following: • Improve the depth of information accessible online to prospective providers • Reduce the amount of time spent by CCL staff delivering orientation information • Increase the usage of the e. Application online tool 29

Records Redaction Improvements Records Management Group TJ Wasden, Records Management Officer 30

RMG Services Overview Serving the citizens of Texas: • Redacting case records: Over 15, 000 in FY 10 Serving those on the front line: • Storage & retrieval of historical case records: Almost 50, 000 in FY 10 31

Redacting Case Records Where we were… • Staff were required to copy every case file for redaction (4. 5 million pages in FY 10) • Staff redacted the paper with markers and white tape • Office space was used for storage rather than staff Where we are today… • From Paper to PDF ~ staff now scan case files • Staff redact electronically now • Files stored electronically now, freeing up floor space for staff 32

Storing & Retrieving Case Records Where we were… • Case records stored all over the state; some stored appropriately, others not • No consistency in request procedures, which impacts ability to review case history • Records took up the equivalent of space for approximately 150 staff Where we are today… • CPS case records are sent to five RIOs – Records & Imaging Offices • Closed case records are scanned and become instantly available for staff • Space was returned so it could be used by staff rather than boxes and file cabinets • Continued cost savings by storing electronically rather than physically 33

As You Go Adult Protective Services Tommy Reed, APS Regional Director, Region 2/9 34

Mobile Workforce • Technology allows caseworkers to spend more time in the field with clients. • Increases efficiency in documentation. • Provides opportunities to expand use of technology. “As You Go” = Adult Protective Services’ Ongoing Approach to Mobile Casework • All caseworkers are mobile and use Tablet PC’s extensively in field – where our clients are • Incorporate documentation with casework activity – Document during client visit or immediately after • Document at nearest convenient location • Affords more time with client 35

Supports/Enhancements Recent Supports to Mobile Casework Model • State issued cell phones for direct delivery staff – Enhances mobile casework model – Cell phones are the caseworker’s “business/office” phone – Conversion from monthly stipend = cost avoidance (Approx. $32 per mo. vs. $50) Recent Supports to Mobile Casework Model • Dictation Software for Caseworkers – Converting to speech recognition software as product now available that meets need – Advantage that the documentation is available immediately to staff – Cost avoidance using enterprise license and online training vs. former transcription service 36

Future Efficiencies Exploring the use of additional technologies to provide greater efficiencies in APS mobile casework • Mobile Scanners for caseworkers – Clients’ receipts, completed forms/applications, etc. can be electronically transmitted from the field • Audio Recording of client/witness statements in APS MH&MR cases – Eliminate time spent handwriting these statements – Increase the veracity of statements 37

Public Comment 38

Questions or Additional Comments? Email: STAKEHOLDER@dfps. state. tx. us Information will also be posted to our website at: http: //www. dfps. state. tx. us/About/Stakeholders/default. asp Thank you for your attendance today. We value your input. 39