Probation Department Policy/Procedure Manual

2.14 Coastal Valley Academy Child and Family Teams

Location Division Wide
Section N/A
Subject 2.14 Coastal Valley Academy (CVA) Child and Family Teams
Purpose Identify requirements and establish guidelines for providing Child and Family Teams in cases where youth are placed in foster care or committed to the Coastal Valley Academy.
Effective Date 2/15/2019
Previous Effective Date

 

OVERVIEW:

Continuum of Care Reform resulted in changes to the Welfare and Institutions Code requiring county placing agencies to convene Child and Family Team meetings for all youth in foster care.  This follows the principle that “child welfare services are most effective when delivered in the context of a child or youth and family-centered, child and family team (CFT) that shares responsibility to assess, plan, intervene, monitor and refine services over time.” (ACL 16-84)

Probation chose to expand use of the CFT model to youth committed to the Coastal Valley Academy.

DEFINITIONS:

CFT means a group of individuals who are convened by the placing agency and who are engaged through a variety of team-based processes to identify the strengths and needs of the child or youth and his or her family, and to help achieve positive outcomes for safety, permanency and well-being - WIC 16501(a)(4).

A CFT shall include the youth, family members, the current caregiver, a representative from the placing agency, and other individuals identified by the family as being important.  When applicable, the CFT shall also include a tribal representative, behavioral health staff, Court Appointed Special Advocate and placement specific staff such as a foster family agency social worker or Short Term Residential Therapeutic Program representative.

 

  1. CONVENING A CHILD AND FAMILY TEAM

A CFT should be convened whenever the Deputy Probation Officer (DPO) is considering making a recommendation for a youth to be removed from the home and placed into foster care or committed to the Coastal Valley Academy (CVA).  Whenever possible, A CFT meeting should be held prior to identifying the most appropriate placement for a youth; however, at a minimum, the CFT must be consulted on this determination.  In all cases, a CFT meeting shall occur within the first 60 days of a youth being ordered into foster care or within the first 30 days of a youth being committed to CVA.

Note: A youth and family may already have a CFT established through another agency such as Behavioral Health or program such as Wraparound.  In this event, the DPO will use the existing team process, expanding or evolving where necessary to make sure the needs and services indicated are addressed.

  1. ACTIVITIES

The activities of a CFT shall include, but not be limited to the following:

  1. Providing input into the development of a child and family plan that is strength-based, needs-driven, and culturally relevant.
  2. Providing input into the placement decision made by the placing agency and the services to be provided in order to support the youth.

 

Some examples of topics or services to be addressed at a CFT meeting include family finding, least restrictive placement options, identifying supportive connections, school of origin decisions, psychotropic medication decisions, presumptive transfer of specialty mental health services responsibility, etc…  

  1. CONFIDENTIALITY

The DPO shall insure an up to date release of information (form 815) is on file that includes all members of the CFT.  WIC 832 authorizes members of a CFT to receive and disclose relevant information and records, subject to a valid release of information, in order to promote more effective communication.

  1. ONGOING CFT MEETINGS – FOSTER CARE

CFT meetings for youth in foster care should occur on an as-needed basis (such as when considering a placement change modifying a case plan, etc…) but shall be held at least once every six (6) months.  Note: For youth receiving Intensive Care Coordination (ICC), Intensive Home-Based Services (IHBS), or Therapeutic Foster Care (TFC), the specialty mental health services provider is required to hold a CFT meeting every ninety (90) days.

  1. ONGOING CFT MEETINGS – CVA

CFT meetings for youth in CVA should occur on an as-needed basis (modifying case plan, initiating furloughs, etc…) but shall be held at least every 45 days following the initial CVA CFT meeting.

  1. TIME STUDYING FOR CFT

Time spent in CFT meetings and traveling to and from CFT meetings should be documented under the following Tractivity Pro categories:

  1. CFT Foster Care (youth under FC placement order that are not currently in custody)
  2. CFT Non Foster Care (youth under FC placement order who ARE currently in custody OR youth not under FC order)

 

  1. DOCUMENTATION OF CFT MEETINGS

Foster care CFT meetings shall be documented in both Monitor and CWS/CMS. CVA CFT meetings and other CFT meetings for youth not in foster care shall be documented in Monitor. If a youth in CVA is concurrently under a foster care placement order, CFT meetings shall also be documented in CWS/CMS.

Monitor Instructions:

  1. Enter appropriate date in Journal Tab
  2. Write in “CFT Meeting” in “Title” box
  3. Select appropriate FCV_CFT option from meeting “Type, with” dropdown based on who was present at the meeting
  4. Select appropriate option from “Location” drop down
  5. Enter narrative information into the “Notes” section identifying who was present at the CFT meeting, what activities took place, and any modifications made to the case plan