Washington State Department of Social and Health Services

Research & Data Analysis Division

Children's Administration promotes families and seeks to ensure the safety and protection of children. CA both provides direct services and works in partnership with community-based public and private organizations.

CA Services

Included in this presentation:

Excluded in this presentation:

  • Referrals Not Accepted (did not pass sufficiency screening)
  • Most Accepted Referrals where no caseworker was assigned
  • Child Care Training
  • Adoption Support Training
  • Public Health Nurses
  • Street Youth and Victim's Assistance
  • Domestic Violence - State, Domestic Violence Hotline
  • Sexual Assault Victim Services
  • Payments to assure availability of beds
  • Employment Child Care (now reported in ESA)

Back to top of page Adoption and Adoption Support: Children's Administration provides both Adoption Services and Adoption Support. (1) Adoption Services provide opportunities to permanently place in families children in DSHS's custody.Services include permanency planning, adoption preparation, placement supervision, and some limited post-adoption services. (2) Adoption Support encourages adoption of hard-to-place children from DSHS foster care and adoption of children who, because of age, race, physical condition, or emotional health, would not otherwise be placed for adoption. This service eliminates barriers to the adoption of such children by providing financial assistance; medical, counseling and rehabilitative services; and assistance with legal fees for adoption finalization

Back to top of page Child Care Services: This category includes Seasonal and Teen Parent Child Care as well as Therapeutic and CPS/CWS Child Care. Seasonal Child Care is provided to the children of parents who work only during certain times of the year (e.g. farm workers). Teen Parent Child Care is provided to the children of teenage parents.

CA also provides Child Care to two groups of children with special emotional needs. (1) Children at risk of child abuse and neglect receive Therapeutic Child Development. (2) Children whose families are in need of respite, treatment, or parent education receive CPS/CWS Child Care.

Note: CSDB client counts for Child Care Services include both the children being served and their parents.

Back to top of page Child Welfare Services (CWS) Case Management:  CWS Services are designed to strengthen, supplement, or substitute for parental care and supervision. CWS Services may involve substitute care such as Foster Care or Adoption placements.

Back to top of page Crisis Care Services: CA provides emergency placement resources for children pending family reunification or out-of-home placement to longer-term Family Foster Care or Group Care. Crisis Care includes Interim Care and Crisis Residential Centers (CRC) that are semi-secure or secure facilities. Three types of CRCs are utilized: Regional, Group, and Family beds. Crisis Care also includes costs associated with clothing or personal incidentals purchased for children placed in CRCs.

Back to top of page Child Protective Services (CPS) Case Management:  CPS workers provide family services to reduce risk and maintain children in their own homes. CPS cases are accepted for investigation based on a risk assessment which includes a sufficiency screen for new referrals, an initial risk assignment and response designation, and collateral contacts with key witnesses or information sources. CPS cases receive 24-hour intake, assessment, and emergency intervention services. Ongoing CPS includes direct treatment, coordination and development of community services, legal intervention, and case monitoring.

Back to top of page DLR Child Protective Services (CPS) Case Management: Division of Licensing Resources (DLR) CPS workers provide services similar to those provided by DCFS CPS workers. However, DLR CPS involves only those children who have been placed in some form of out-of-home care.

Back to top of page Family Reconciliation Services (FRS) Case Management: FRS helps families and their runaway or conflict-ridden adolescent members. FRS involves three components: (1) 24-hour Intake and Assessment; (2) longer-term Crisis Counseling provided by county-contracted counselors; and (3) Intensive Services provided by counselors who work closely with families to avoid imminent out-of-home placements.

Back to top of page Foster Care Services: Foster Care Services are provided to children and families who need short-term or temporary protection because they are abused, neglected, and/or involved in family conflict. The goal of Foster Care Support Services is to return children to their homes or to find another permanent home as early as possible. Children are served either in their own homes or in out-of-home placements. Also included are support services received by children while in foster care: clothing and personal incidentals, psychological evaluation and treatment, personal care services, transportation, and payments made to foster parents for respite and for additional supervision for special activities.

Notes: (1) CSDB client counts for Foster Care Support Services include both the children being served and their families. (2) Children receiving Foster Care Support Services may be served in their own homes as well as in out-of-home placements. (3) Foster Care Support Services may be provided without prior Child Protective Services (CPS) involvement.

Back to top of page Foster Care Placement Services: Foster Care Placement Services are provided when children need short-term or temporary protection because they are abused, neglected, and/or involved in family conflict. The goal of Foster Care Placement Services is to return children to their homes or to find another permanent home as early as possible. Children are served in out-of-home placements. Placement types include traditional Foster Care Placements as well as placements in Family Receiving Homes.

Notes: (1) CSDB client counts for Foster Care Placement Services include only the children being served, not their families. (2) Children receiving Foster Care Placement Services are served exclusively in out-of-home settings. (3) Foster Care Placement Services may be provided without prior Child Protective Services (CPS) involvement.

Back to top of page Group Treatment Care:  Includes Group Care, Treatment Foster Care, and Special Models of Group Care. Treatment may occur in either in-home or out-of-home settings with length of service ranging from 3 to 18 months. Group Care (Levels 2 and 3 as well as Residential Treatment) and Treatment Foster Care placements serve children with emotional and/or behavioral difficulties which exceed the service or supervision capacity of regular foster care families. Special Models of Group Care includes the following specialized treatment services for children with particular difficulties: special model residential treatment and aftercare; special treatment facilities for children who are both developmentally disabled and mentally ill; special care for medically fragile children; and out-of-state group care. Group Treatment Care may also include the following:

 

  • Children's Hospitalization Alternatives Program (CHAP) In-Home Services: As an alternative to foster placement, children receive the full range of CHAP services while living at home.
  • In-home Continuum of Care (wrap-around) Services: CA funds in-home service plans for children leaving residential treatment facilities.
  • Sexually Aggressive Youth (SAY): Payment for tests, equipment, or emergency intervention services related to the treatment of children who have been sexually aggressive to others.
  • Early/Enhanced Discharge and After Care (EDAC) services.
  • Services for autistic children
  • Additional supervision
  • Clothing and personal incidentals
  • Transportation
  • Legal services

Back to top of page Home Based Services: CA provides individualized services to help families who are at risk of child placement or are in need of reunification. Home Based Services may include traditional child welfare services, such as parent aides or counseling, and/or support centered around basic needs, such as clothing, shelter, employment, and transportation. Home Based Services also include various family preservation services

 

Additional Services in Program Total

Some services are small and unlike others. Programs may choose to include these in the program total only, rather than include them with dissimilar services. Client counts and expenditures for the following services are reported in the program total only:

  • Personal Care  Nurse Oversight: Authorizations for Title XIX Personal Care Nurse Oversight services for children with special needs.
  • First Steps Social Services: Evaluation by a CSO First Steps social worker of all pregnant household members who apply for or are receiving financial, medical, and/or food stamp benefits. Clients receive an assessment and are linked as necessary to case management or other health support services.
  • Child Care Registration: Payment of a fee to register a child in a licensed Child Care facility.
  •  Child Care Registration  Infant Bonus: Payment of a $250 infant bonus to a licensed or certified Child Care provider.
  • Independent Living Skills (ILS) Support: Payment for enhanced non-maintenance services for children 16 or older living in a CA-paid placement who are not receiving contracted ILS services.

Changes from the Needs Assessment Data Base (NADB) produced for Fiscal Year 94:

Changes from CSDB for Fiscal Year 99

 Source: CSDB  - State Fiscal Year 2000