[Archived] Alexandria Child Welfare Advisory Partnership Marks Six Months of Progress

City Press Release


	City of Alexandria, Virginia Office of the City Manager Alexandria City Hall 301 King Street, Suite 3500 Alexandria, Virginia 22314-3211 www.alexandriava.gov Telephone: 703.838.4300 Fax : 703.838.6343

CONTACT: Diane Cabe, OK Campaign Project Manager
Department of Human Services
Phone: (703) 838-0700 Fax: (703) 836 – 2355

Alexandria Child Welfare Advisory Partnership Marks Six Months of Progress

The Alexandria Child Welfare Partnership is marking six months of progress in its efforts to educate the community about preventing and reporting child abuse and neglect and to recruit foster and adoptive parents. The Partnership was established in August 2001 at the direction of the City Manager as one of the responses to the tragic death of a child in the City's foster care program. Members of the partnership include organizations and community representatives who are dedicated to keeping Alexandria’s children safe. Representatives from Stop Child Abuse Now (SCAN), Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), and Healthy Families of America have joined foster parents, child advocates and the Alexandria Department of Human Services in working on three major areas: Policy, Legislation and Education. Progress has been made in all areas.

Policy
The Child Welfare Partnership is charged with monitoring the City’s implementation of independent policy recommendations. The Division of Social Services has implemented several new policies, endorsed by the committee, to enhance the safety of children in its care, including:

Utilizing Risk Assessment Protocols
Alexandria is the first city in Virginia to use Risk Assessment Protocols to assess a child’s risk factors from a child’s entrance in the system until permanency is achieved. These powerful tools were developed by the National Resource Center on Child Maltreatment and the Child Welfare Institute. These protocols provide social workers a structured, objective framework for collecting, categorizing, evaluating, and integrating key information in a manner that helps guide many critical child welfare case decisions.

Conducting Interjurisdictional Risk Review
The City and the counties of Arlington and Fairfax have joined together to implement a collaborative interjurisdictional review of high-risk child welfare cases. This quarterly review process provides an objective review of high-risk cases to ensure that best practices are provided. In addition, the review teams identify barriers to services and brainstorm alternate service approaches. All agencies have benefitted from the increased sharing of information and expertise and this collaborative model is being explored for possible use in other parts of Virginia.

Implementing a Case Collaboration Policy
Another important change is implementation of a Case Collaboration Policy. The Department of Human Services now convenes all parties who are critical to a foster care case prior to a child’s reunification with the family. Collaboration meetings include the family, the foster parents, and attorneys for all parties, the children’s guardian and key service providers. A full discussion of the plan going forward allows all parties to share in the reunification decision and to assure reservations are addressed. The case collaboration policy was a recommendation of the Child Welfare League of America.

Legislation
The Alexandria Child Welfare Partnership initiated and supported legislation in the 2002 Virginia General Assembly that allows social service departments to provide additional protection to children who are being reunited with their natural families or placed in emergency foster care.

Placing a Child for Adoption or in Permanent Foster Care When Reunification with the Natural Parents is Inadvisable
At the City’s request, Virginia Sen. Patricia Ticer and Del. Brian Moran sponsored legislation (SB 130 and HB 1061), which was approved and signed by Gov. Mark Warner, which will allow local departments of social services to proceed more quickly in placing a child for adoption or in permanent foster care if a court finds that reunification is inadvisable because seriously harmful behavior toward the child or other children (e.g., abandonment, torture, chronic abuse, severe abuse, or sexual abuse) has occurred.
Obtaining Background Checks Prior to the Placement of a Foster Child
Sen. Ticer and Del. Moran sponsored legislation (SB 219 and HB 1043) which was approved by the General Assembly and signed by the Governor, which will require local social service departments to perform criminal history and child abuse records checks in any case in which the department is considering placing a child with an adult (including returning a child to a birth parent) on an emergency, temporary, or permanent basis. Background checks may also be required for all adults residing in the household where the child is to be placed.

EDUCATION
Our Kids – Our Business Education Campaign
The Partnership has launched Our Kids-Our Business, the OK campaign, to educate the community on preventing, identifying and reporting child abuse and neglect, as well as to recruit foster and adoptive parents. The committee is using a variety of communications tools: brochures, website, video, and community presentations, to take the message to all sectors of the community.

Logo - The first task was to obtain a logo that exemplifies the mission of the campaign. Phil Cohen and Ann Donohue donated their graphic arts talents and created the logo of a child in the protective embrace of a caring adult.
Website - OurKids-OurBusiness.org went online today (April 9, 2002).. The website was designed by David Mankin, who volunteered his time and expertise to create the extensive site that will prove to be a major resource to all who are interested in the topic.
Information Packages – A brochure, bookmarks, magnets, stickers, notepads, and pens have been developed to publicize the importance of identifying and reporting suspected abuse and neglect as well becoming a foster or adoptive parent. Telephone numbers and website addresses will be prominently displayed to allow immediate contact with authorities in the event of an emergency.
Television Appearances - Members of the Child Welfare Advisory Partnership have appeared on three local television shows discussing the campaign and the work of the committee. These shows have been rebroadcast on numerous occasions.
Community Meetings –Several special events are planned for April and May, including:
Honoring Our Heroes to recognize and honor the everyday heroes who make a difference in the lives of children in the Alexandria community. A reception and ceremony hosted by the Alexandria Division of Social Services and SCAN of Northern Virginia will be held today, Tuesday, April 9, 2002 at 6 pm, in the Vola Lawson Lobby at City Hall, 301 King St.. A proclamation will be presented at the City Council meeting to highlight April as Child Abuse Prevention Month.

The First Lady of Virginia, Ms. Lisa Collis, wife of Governor Mark Warner, will be the guest speaker at a program in May designed to encourage foster parenting in Alexandria. Finding Families Now and Forever: a Foster Care Community Information Forum is scheduled for Saturday, May 4, 2002, from 9 am until noon, in the cafeteria of Minnie Howard School, 3801 West Braddock Road, Alexandria. Also participating in the program will be Mayor Kerry J. Donley and Judge of the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court Nolan Dawkins. Interested Alexandrians are encouraged to attend.

Adoption Saturday- May 11, 2002 - celebrates the finalization of Alexandria’s most recent adoptions. On Adoption Saturday, several children will become a permanent part of their new families. The children being adopted came to the attention of the court due to some type of abuse or neglect. Fortunately, on this day in court, we will recognize and celebrate their new families and their bright futures. This special event also will honor those families who have opened their homes and their hearts to children in foster care, as well as the families, friends, and many professionals who made these adoptions possible. Adoption Saturday is hosted by the Alexandria Division of Social Services, in collaboration with the Alexandria Model Court.

The Child Welfare Advisory Partnership will continue the work of ensuring that Alexandria’s children can count on the professionalism of the City’s child welfare services by identifying opportunities for improving policies, practices, and laws affecting children in their care. We will also continue to educate the community about the important role everyone plays in protecting Our Kids.

-###-