NewsletterPeer Review: The rollout of Community-Based Care is well underway across the state. A handful of districts have transitioned services to their lead agencies. In an effort to learn from the more experienced projects, the lead agencies and the department have developed a peer review process to provide guidance, technical assistance, and evaluate the readiness of new lead agencies.
UFF and District 15 DCF had the initial peer review site visit on July 15th & 16th. The rigorous day-and-a-half process was very helpful and informative to both the lead agency staff and the local department staff, as well as representatives from our Community Alliance. Overall, the peer review team appeared pleased with the working relationship between UFF and the local district and the progress being made towards "readiness". The team made recommendations based on their previous experience in transitioning services to Community-Based Care.
Funding: Although District 15 receives the lowest allocation of funds per child than any other district in the state, District 15 received a 10.3% increase in child welfare funding for fiscal year 03-04. After careful review of all funding streams, there is currently a difference of ($137,160) between the projected cost of the UFF System of Care versus the funds available for transfer from the department.
On July 28th, the UFF Board of Directors voted unanimously to continue their efforts to move towards a full services contract. This was based on several key factors that help to close the gap, reduce the financial risk and increase the likelihood of improving outcomes for families in District 15. Some of those factors include:
Approval of a Medicaid-funded 10-bed Therapeutic Group Home
The addition of 4 Therapeutic Foster Care beds
The ability to stabilize the frontline workers through increased pay
An increase in Family Intervention Specialists, a Substance Abuse funded program targeting families with children at risk of abuse due to parental substance abuse
An aggressive cleanup of client eligibility files by district staff prior to the transfer
An increase in Child Welfare Legal Services staff
The establishment of support services through the use of a "Bridge Contract" prior to a full transition contract as recommended by the Peer Review Team
Transition Plan: The bridge contract would allow support services to be fully developed prior to transitioning case management services. UFF and DCF are developing the bridge contract that would transition contract management, paralegal support, client eligibility determination, and other support functions to the lead agency.
The timeline for the transition plan is as follows:
August 15 - Execute the "bridge" contract
October 31 - Execute the transition contract
November 1 - Transition the Martin Service Center
January 1 - Transition the Okeechobee Service Center
March 1 - Transition the St. Lucie Service Center
May 1 - Transition the Indian River Service Center |
Our New Home
Bi-weekly Deliverables Meeting
Working out transition details
St. Lucie Job Fair
Okeechobee Job Fair
Staff applying for jobs with UFF
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