Nebraska Family Portrait
Six-Month Report: July 2001-December 2001
The Nebraska Family Portrait is a comprehensive, time-sensitive action plan designed to strategically guide the work of Health and Human Services System staff in the provision of Protection & Safety services to Nebraska’s families and their children. This four-year plan, containing 202 activities, was initiated in July of 2001 and was presented to over 200 stakeholders at a meeting that month. Since that time, 41 informational meetings have been held in 27 communities across the state.
The six-month report provides an update on the progress that has been made in the Nebraska Family Portrait. The first year of the plan’s implementation is laying a solid foundation, with 98 of the 202 activities having a completion date in year one. There will be fewer activities to be completed, in subsequent years, but they will increase in complexity as they frame and finish the Nebraska Family Portrait.
For the period of July 1-December 31, 2001 there were:
- 47 Activities were to be completed in this time frame;
- 15 Activities were completed in advance of the due date;
- 25 Activities were completed by the due date; and
- 7 Activities required an extension of the due date.
The progress achieved during the first six months of the implementation of the Nebraska Family Portrait is described in the Nebraska Family Portrait: Six-Month Report. A few of the highlights include:
Safety:
- Flexible Funds established to meet families needs: Using existing resources, a funding category was established to allow the creative funding needed to design supports that are unique to the situation of specific children, youth and families targeted to achieving safety, permanency and well-being. These needs were previously being met on a very limited basis.
- Early intervention services highlighted: Videoconferences were held on September 17 and October 29, 2001 with multiple sites across the state to train Protection & Safety staff on the early intervention services that are available. Written materials were also distributed.
- Increased Supports to Foster and Adoptive Parents: HHS expanded the contract with the Nebraska Foster and Adoptive Parent Association (NFAPA). NFAPA held a conference on adoption 11/3/01 and over 100 people were in attendance. There are 25 active foster and adoptive parent mentors. NFAPA fielded 492 calls from foster parents for information and support from 7/1/01-12/21/01.
- Criminal Background Checks for Foster Parents: Director’s Task Force provided feedback on draft regulations, which were then revised based on feedback. The Public Hearing was held on regulations 11/15/01. It is anticipated that regulations will be in effect by the summer of 2002.
Permanency:
- Family Group Conferencing: Family Group Conferencing is a facilitated process where an extended family works to develop safety plans that protect their children. Contracts were established with the Mediation Centers across the state to deliver this service. From September 1-December 31, 2001 there were 64 families referred and 41 conferences were completed.
Well-Being:
- Point Prevalence Study: The annual survey of youth in out-of-home care was revised and completed electronically by Protection & Safety staff in December of 2001. The survey involved information being submitted on 4,729 youth. The data is scheduled for release by March 1, 2002 in accordance with the Nebraska Family Portrait timeline.
Policy & Practice:
- Supervisory caseload data collected: Data was collected, reviewed and reported regarding the supervisory caseload for Protection & Safety supervisors as compared to national caseload standards.
Training:
- Foster Parent Pre-Service Training: Plans were initiated to implement the PRIDE pre-service training curriculum. Training of Trainers was set for the first quarter of 2002 for an estimated 182 trainers. This includes participants from Agency Based Foster Care programs and the Nebraska Native American Tribes.
- In-Service Training for Protection & Safety Staff: A minimum training standard of 24 hours of training was set for Protection & Safety staff and related Resource Development staff. Training calendars were established within each service area with monthly offerings. Foster parents are now invited to participate in training along with Protection & Safety staff.
Quality Assurance:
- Case plans in the YRTC’s: Staff have been hired and trained at both YRTC’s to coordinate and monitor a system to ensure case plans are in place for youth.
Information Systems:
- N-FOCUS access provided to the YRTC’s: The YRTC’s received access to N-FOCUS in December and staff have been trained in its use.
The Nebraska Family Portrait is based on the following core values:
- Family Centered Care
- Use of Best Practices
- Data Driven
- Accountability
The seven focus areas provide the platform for action. These include:
- Safety
- Permanency
- Well-Being
- Policy and Practice
- Training
- Quality Assurance
- Information Systems
The Nebraska Family Portrait is written using a "logic model" format. The plan is based on assumptions in each of the seven focus areas and from these assumptions flow related activities that are intended to positively impact the assumption. The plan lists specifics regarding who has the lead for each activity and when it is due. An action column has been added in the six-month report to describe the relevant activities.
The plan is a living document and as such it is adjusted as necessary when new information is received. Performance measures have been defined for each of the assumption areas in the plan. Several activities are well underway for completion dates that occur later in the plan. There are activities that have been added to the plan since it was first written. The Nebraska Family Portrait Notebook details the specifics of each ongoing or completed activity. The
Six-Month Report and the
"Let us put our minds together and see what kind of life we can build for children."
-Sitting Bull
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