OLYMPIA -- The Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) released its Braam data report  today noting that progress in moving forward with performance measures has been relatively flat since the baseline data was released in July 2006.

"We anticipate that significant movement will take a couple of years," said Cheryl Stephani, assistant secretary for the DSHS Children's Administration, "Expecting measurable movement between the initial baseline and performance year is not realistic. Many of the action steps call for policy implementation or operational changes to take place at varying times within the performance year and it will take time to see if strategies for improvement are working."

Stephani said the department is implementing Braam reforms. However, she said, key strategic initiatives are also needed to build a solid foundation so the reforms are sustainable into the future.

"We expect to see some improvement over the baseline as we get additional trained social work staff who use consistent practices across the state, complete a new management information system, and gain additional services that help families stay together," she said.

Funding was provided in the 2006 state supplemental budget to begin adding those new resources.

"The department is making progress in improving the overall system. We recently completed the two-year federal performance improvement plan, meeting the core measurements set by the federal government," Stephani said. "The federal Department of Health and Human Services said the plan shows that Washington has made 'remarkable strides' in improving the safety and well-being of children."

"We have focused on and are seeing results by more quickly responding to allegations of abuse and neglect," she said.

"We have numerous mandates to implement in addition to Braam and, in the end, we all want to address the basic issue of keeping children safe and stable in permanent homes," Stephani said. "Complying with all of the mandates generated by Braam, the program improvement plan, and new safety mandates has been immensely challenging for our staff, particularly since new workers are just coming on board this fiscal year. Staff continues to work extremely hard to protect kids and get their parents the services needed to successfully raise a family," she said.

Stephani said that the significant progress in improving the child welfare system should not be over looked. Successes include:

• Reducing repeat cases of child abuse by 25 percent because workers are responding to allegations of abuse or neglect within 24 to 72 hours.
• Completing the federal government's two-year improvement plan, resulting in "measurable improvements in the safety, permanency and well-being of children."
• Engaging parents, foster parents, friends, relatives and, when appropriate, the children in determining how to keep kids safe and families together.
• Redesigning investigative and case management roles to identify and help families get the services they need more quickly.
• Introducing evidence based programs that focus on families and the skills needed to be successful in solving problems and parenting children.
• Developing a new practice model so that social work practice is consistent across the state.

Stephani said that the report is an opportunity to discuss if adjustments are needed in the Braam agreement, if progress can be more accurately measured, and whether to prioritize a smaller number of benchmarks to produce greater, sustainable movement in the data.

"We can't lose focus now. We will continue working with the Braam panel to achieve sustainable and beneficial changes that improve the safety and well-being of our children and families."