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ADOPTION 2002
OUTLINE FOR REGIONAL OFFICE/STATE CONSULTATION
Suggested Content for Regional Office Discussions with State Agencies:
Prior to engaging in an on-site meeting or conference call to discuss adoption and guardianship baselines, targets and incentives, Regional staff should develop and/or expand their understanding of each State child welfare system as it relates to permanency issues (specifically, adoption, adoption assistance and other supports, guardianship, court procedures for termination of parental rights and appeals, adoptive parent resources, methods of recruitment and the foster care population including kinship care). This discussion should be a collaborative effort emphasizing trends, patterns, past successes, and barriers. The intent is to be inclusive in order to provide the groundwork for future efforts. Whatever of the following information is not available through AFCARS (Adoption and Foster Care Analysis and Reporting System), State policies and procedures, MEPA (Multi-Ethnic Placement Act) recruitment plans, management reports or publications, can be gathered during the meeting(s) or call(s).
Special attention should be paid to:
Differences between large cities or counties and the remainder of the State;
Special needs children; and
Managed care agreements, if any.
Service system delivery information:
Who provides adoption services (State workers, contractual agents, etc.)’ If State workers provide the services, determine if they are specialized adoption workers.
Describe the criteria used in making decisions on guardianships.
Describe the application, assessment, approval and selection process for a potential adoptive family, including specialized training (if any).
Describe the Adoption Placement Support Services including the availability of post-adoption services, as well as adoption support groups.
Describe the process for working with other States. Determine if the State is an ICAMA (Interstate Compact on Adoption and Medical Assistance) member.
Describe any specialized training that adoption workers receive.
Performance Data:
Determine how performance differs demographically. Are children adopted faster in one locality than in another’ Is the average time in foster care with a goal of adoption significantly shorter in certain cities/counties in the State’ These types of questions would be especially significant in State supervised, county administered States.
Possible program data to review:
Meetings with States:
During the on-site meeting or conference call, the outcome of discussions should be the development of a solid adoption baseline, five year targets and a common understanding of incentives to which the State may be entitled. The plans, targets and increments should be made part of partnership agreements and/or be part of the joint planning process required under title IV-B. The following are suggested steps for reaching this outcome:
Thorough review of AFCARS data with adoption staff and State data system staff.
Encourage collaboration between data system and program staff at the State and regional level.
Explore interim alternative data sources if AFCARS data is not available or the State questions its validity or reliability.
Decide what needs to be done to make the AFCARS data reliable. Use multiple and independent data sources if possible.
Discuss other initiatives/efforts currently underway to increase the number of adoptions.
System and program efforts over the past 2-3 years and whether data was collected.
If efforts have not been Statewide, are there plans to replicate them’
What efforts were successful’ Which ones worked best’
Establish baseline and discuss target number of adoptions to be completed over the 5 years (e.g. explore whether an incremental approach, graduated approach, straight percentages will be used).
Explore how the State plans to double the number of permanent placements in 5 years:
Tentative strategies,
Building on existing efforts, or
Where others can provide assistance.
Establish preliminary goals and targets by September 30, 1997.
Tie establishment, updating and refining of targets and strategies to the existing planning efforts such as partnership agreements or consolidated planning. Recruitment activities should be tied into title IV-B joint planning mandated under the law.
Discuss how the State has approached the following areas in the past and the outcome of the State's efforts:
Identified barriers to permanency,
Developed strategies to address these barriers and find permanent homes for children who have been in foster care a particularly long time,
Developed proposals to shorten the time between a child's placement in foster care and a decision for permanency,
Developed proposals for alternative permanency arrangements such as guardianship, when adoption is not possible, and
Planned and implemented initiatives to garner local and regional communities' interest in and support of adoption.
If the State has not undertaken activities in all of the aforementioned areas, explore planned activities and timeframes.
Explore how the State has approached system and multi-disciplinary strategies, such as focus groups and task forces, to gain input. Discuss how community leaders, parents, business and faith communities, Tribes, adoption professionals, legal professionals and other people outside of the traditional child welfare system become part of the planning.
If not already surfaced, identify the States' technical assistance needs from the regional offices, resource centers and other organizations.
Discuss with the State how interim progress will be reviewed and targets refined. Link target revisions to existing planning processes (e.g. partnership agreement amendments, consolidated plan updates).
