CARACTERIZACIÓN PRELIMINAR DE LOS RECURSOS HÍDRICOS DE LA CUENCA

Policy

PCSAs and private child placing agencies (PCPA) are responsible for preparing case plans when courts award temporary custody of a child to an agency. Courts review, approve, and journalize case plans.

ORC § 2151.412 requires the agency to develop, and the court to review, case plans for children to ensure safety and health concerns are adequately identified. Pursuant to ORC § 2151.412, all case plans for children in temporary custody must have the goal of eliminating, with all due speed, the out-of-home placement to return the child safely home.

ORC § 2151.353 requires temporary custody orders to be terminated within one year after the complaint filing date, or the date the child was first placed into shelter care,whichever comes first. However, at the temporary custody termination hearing, PCSAs may request a 6 month extension if: (1) there is clear and convincing evidence the extension is in the child’s best interests; (2) there is signifcant case plan progress; and (3) there is reasonable cause to believe the child will be reunified with a parent or permanently placed before the extension expires (ORC § 2151.415). The ORC provision allows up to one additional extension for the same above stated reasons. Extension reasons may also serve as compelling reasons not to pursue termination of parental rights.

As noted in earlier sections, agencies must provide supportive services outlined in the case plan to facilitate safe reunification of children with their families (OAC 5101:2-39-05, 5101:2-42-87). Preparing for the child’s return home begins at the time of removal. To support reunification efforts, agencies are required to:

• Arrange visits or other contacts, as needed, between the parent, guardian, or custodian and child to discuss what transpired between the time of initial placement and the present.

• Increase the length and number of home visits to help the child become reacquainted with his family.

• Meet with the substitute caregiver, parent and child on a monthly basis to determine case goal achievement.

PCSAs are required to complete reunification assessments when considering reunification and when a child is placed out of the home through either a voluntary out of home safety plan or a legally authorized out of home placement for 30 days or more. Agencies strive for reunification with the family, when appropriate. Caseworkers document the family's reunification readiness by assessing: (1) past and present safety; (2) parents’ compliance with court orders; (3) the child’s and parent’s acceptance of the reunification plan; (4) the capacity of the parents to provide for the child’s basic needs; (5) the parents’

and other household members’ willingness to use their protective capacities, resources, and strengths to provide support to the child; (6) family dynamics, which may change when the child returns home; and (7) the parents’ demonstrated ability to meet the child’s needs. Caseworkers also complete a safety reassessment at this time (OAC 5101:2-37-04).

Practice

Ohio’s first Program Improvement Plan (PIP) for the previous CFSR established a goal for Ohio to increase the percentage of reunifications, guardianships, or permanent placements with relatives within 12 months of entry into foster care from 73.0 percent to 75.4 percent. Although Ohio’s final PIP report indicated a compliance rate of 74.24 percent, Ohio implemented all of its PIP action steps, including:

• Developing a parental rights brochure to provide to parents at the time of initial agency contact, to educate them about the child welfare process and their rights.

• Developing learning competencies within the Ohio Child Welfare Training Program (OCWTP), to help caseworkers identify, assess, and involve kinship caregivers in the case planning and placement process.

• Providing county-specific focused technical assistance to two PCSAs (with the greatest adverse impact on Ohio’s results) with the lowest performance on reunifying children within 12 months of removal from home.

• Developing county specific QIPs to improve performance in CPOE Stage 5 and CPOE Stage 6 Reviews.

PCSAs implemented the following CPOE Stage 6 performance improvement strategies: (1) conducting team meetings to monitor progress and to initiate improvement efforts; (2) developing a tracking system to monitor 12-month reunification time frames; (3) studying reasons for court continuances; and (4) expanding supportive services for relative caregivers.

Key collaborators in reunifying and making permanent placements include: PCSAs, courts, and families.

PCSAs also work with other social service agencies to provide families with supportive services to promote reunification.

Changes in Performance and Practice

During this time period the CAPMIS Reunification Assessment Tool was refined and implemented by counties using SACWIS.

Evaluation

In FFY 2006, Ohio’s overall reunification rate within 12 months was 75.6 percent, which exceeded the PIP goal of 75.4 percent by 0.2 percentage points (FACSIS data).

Ohio

FFY2000 FFY2001 FFY2002 FFY2003 FFY2004 FFY2005 FFY2006

Target = 75.4%

All Reunifications 12-Month Reunifications Percentage of Reunifications <12 Months

In FFY 2002, more than 11,000 children were reunified or permanently placed with relatives within 12 months of their entry into foster care. Unfortunately, from FFY 2003 through FFY 2005 the number of timely reunifications gradually declined. In FFY 2006 the reunification rate remained flat from FFY 2005.

Small and medium-small counties consistently performed better than the larger counties in reunifying children within 12 months. However, from FFY 2004 through FFY 2006, the major metro counties showed the most dramatic improvement, from a low of 66.3 percent to a high of 72.0 percent. Major

metro counties were the only group demonstrating improved performance during both FFY 2005 and FFY 2006.

Ohio

Reunifications in Less Than 12 Months by County Size

MAJOR METRO METRO LARGE MEDIUM MEDIUM-SMALL SMALL

FFY2000 FFY2001 FFY2002 FFY2003 FFY2004 FFY2005 FFY2006

From FFY 2000 through FFY 2006, of the 70,321 children reunified within 12 months, children under the age of 1 were reunified almost 100 percent of the time. During FFY 2006, children under the age of 1 (100 percent) and children 13-15 years old (78.1 percent) were reunified at rates exceeding the federal standard of 76.2 percent. In FFY 2006, reunification within 12 months was most difficult for children 16-18 years old (70.7 percent).

Ohio

Reunifications in Less Than 12 Months by Age FFY 2000 - FFY 2006

4,241 9,935 7,436 6,787 6,407 10,020 7,107

885 4,244 10,331 9,374 8,908 9,817

12-Month Reunifications All Reunifications Percentage of Reunifications Finalized <12 Months

Examining Ohio Child and Family Services Review Data Profiles for the first Round of the CFSR reunification standard, reveals Ohio has steadily increased reunification rates until FFY 2007. There has always been a discrepancy between Ohio’s FACSIS and AFCARS reunification data. ODJFS has never

obtained the coding structure to permit data analysis using AFCARS reporting methodology. In addition, some Ohio agencies were using the FACSIS “Court Terminated” code, instead of selecting a code that would indicate where the child was placed following custody termination. Efforts were made to correct this practice.

Ohio Child and Family Services Review Data Profiles Permanency Composite 1, Component A:

Timeliness of Reunification reveals Ohio’s erratic performance in this area. Data quality issues were identified for FFY 2007ab results.

CHILDREN REUNIFIED WITH PARENTS OR CARETAKERS IN LESS THAN 12 MONTHS