0555b664__Alcohol_and_Other_Drug_Issues__Program_Improvement_Plan__PIP_
[State] South Dakota The Statewide Assessment notes that CPS has attempted to address the largely rural nature of the sate through better coordination of programs. Examples of this include the drug and alcohol treatment residential programs for unmarried pregnant mothers implemented in collaboration with the Office of Alcohol and Drug Treatment. In regard to providing efforts to keep children at home, the item was rated as a strength for 17 (63%) of the 27 applicable cases and an Area Needing Improvement for 10 (37%) of the 27 applicable cases. In 12 of the 17 cases for which this item was rated as a Strength, the rating was assigned because family service needs were assessed at the time of the report and parents were referred for a variety of services including substance abuse treatment, mental health, employment, anger management, domestic violence, housing, and public assistance services. In risk of harm to children 19 (47.5%) of the cases rated as a strength for this item, reviewers indicated that risk of harm was appropriately assessed and services were provided to parents to reduce risk. These services included anger management, substance abuse treatment, parenting classes, and mental health treatment. Three stakeholders attributed the incidence of re-entries to "quick permanencies" (e.g., no later than 12 months to reunification), particularly in situations in which parents have substance abuse and/or mental health problems. For the array of services, parents were most frequently referred for substance abuse treatment, mental health, anger management, domestic violence, employment, housing, and public assistance services. Related to information system issues two of the uses for FACIS noted by stakeholders were (1) monitoring dates for children who have been in foster care to ensure compliance with ASFA; and (2) learning more about cases, particularly the numbers of cases that involve domestic violence and substance abuse. Stakeholders and case record reviews also indicated that there are a wide variety of services available to children and families in the State. The services identified include therapeutic foster care programs and assessment, a wide range of mental health programs, substance abuse treatment programs. The state is largely rural, and to address this problem there has been a coordination of programs, including drug and alcohol treatment residential programs for unmarried pregnant mothers implemented in collaboration with the Office of Alcohol and Drug Treatment. Two key concerns were identified in interviews with stakeholders, the second concern, raised by only two stakeholders, pertained to the scarcity of free services. Stakeholders noted that many families cannot afford the counseling and drug and alcohol treatment services that are available, and even the sliding scale fees charged are more than families can afford. Needs and services were noted as a weakness in regard to a failure to address parents' drug and alcohol issues before closing cases (3 cases).
Information from all of the family member interviews are �filtered� into 6 elements, which provide the basis of the risk management rating for the child in the home. Nature is the 2nd element� The nature element describes the surrounding circumstances of the abuse, what was occurring in conjunction to the event of maltreatment. For example, did the ongoing use of drugs or alcohol contribute to the maltreatment? Adult Functioning is the 6th element� Adult functioning relates specifically to the day to day functioning of the parent outside of their parenting role. This element would include information about employment, communication, relationship history, domestic violence, criminal history, mental condition, substance abuse, etc. Under the strategy to improve service provision to support safety of children while they are in their homes, the PIP states that South Dakota, like most states, operates within an economic environment not likely to produce or increase in essential services in particular mental health and substance abuse resources, but they will work to increase the effective use of alcohol and drug outpatient and inpatient services Supervisors from Child Protection Services and Chemical Dependency Counselors from Core Agencies have listed barriers to providing services to clients Groups have developed a corresponding action plan to eliminate these barriers Staff from the state offices of CPS and Alcohol and Drug monitor the progress of the twelve localized groups established so that follow-up assures groups are continuing to communicate and implement their action plans. Teams continue to meet monthly, are conducting cross-trainings for agency staff, and are providing presentations to educate other agencies and/or groups about the relationship between alcohol and/or drug abuse and child abuse and/or neglect CPS scheduled an on-site with the National Resource Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare to meet with CPS, the state Division of Alcohol and Drug and the State Court Administration in South Dakota to discuss the involvement of the courts in collaboration efforts to deal with substance abuse in child abuse and neglect cases. The Resource Center will work with the state group to further address local issues that affect collaboration and service provision to this target population. Methamphetamine Exposure Protocol is being drafted to assure the safety of social workers if exposed to clandestine labs, and to set guidelines for workers and medical professionals when dealing with children removed from homes where methamphetamine is being manufactured. The PIP states they will establish a process with the tribal courts to increase compliance with the TPR requirements and requirements to allow foster parents, pre-adoptive parents, and relatives to be heard at review hearings, noting that a large percentage of cases under tribal courts jurisdiction involve alcohol related neglect.
A Review of Alcohol and Other Drug Issues
Program Improvement Plan (PIP)