0555b664__Alcohol_and_Other_Drug_Issues__Program_Improvement_Plan__PIP_
[State] West Virginia Among all reasons identified for children coming to the attention of the child welfare agency, neglect (not including medical neglect) was cited in 29 (58%) cases, physical abuse was cited in 17 (34%) cases, substance abuse by parents was cited in 13 cases (26%). Primary reasons for opening the child welfare agency case included substance abuse by parent � 5 cases (10%). Case reviews indicated that the key problem was the lack of consistency among caseworkers in the appropriate assessment of service needs and provision of services. In some cases, the needs assessment was not sufficiently comprehensive to capture underlying problems, such as substance abuse, domestic violence, and mental illness that may contribute to the maltreatment. In other cases, service needs were identified in the needs assessment but not provided. In contrast, stakeholders identified the key problem as a lack of availability of services and a problem in attaining approval for initiating in-home services. The CFSR found that DHHR is not consistent in its efforts to identify and address the needs of families or to involve them in case planning. Service needs of families varied widely from parenting education classes for parents to substance abuse treatment services for children and parents. However, in 46 percent of the cases, reviewers determined that the needs and services of children, parents, and/or foster parents had not been, or were not being, adequately addressed by DHHR. Areas of concern included (1) the adequacy of assessments, particularly identifying underlying problems such as substance abuse and domestic violence; (2) the lack of appropriate follow-up in some cases to ensure that services were delivered and were effective; (3) an inconsistency among caseworkers in assessing the needs of fathers and involving them in services; and (4) a lack of attention in some cases to the service needs of foster parents. Stakeholders cited services that have significant gaps such as mental health and substance abuse treatment. There was evidence in the cases reviewed that risk assessments were not consistently identifying underlying issues in the family, such as domestic violence or substance abuse problems. In regard to providing services so a child can stay in the home was cited as an area needing improvement. The services provided did not match the needs of the family, particularly with respect to addressing underlying issues such as domestic violence, substance abuse, and mental illness (4 cases).� In addition, the agency is not always able to maintain children effectively in their homes and places children in foster care because the necessary services for parents are not always accessible, including drug screening, substance abuse treatment and mental health treatment. Services were lacking for drug screening, substance abuse treatment, and mental health treatment. The findings suggest that in their risk assessments, caseworkers are not consistently capturing the underlying issues leading to abuse/neglect, particularly issues such as domestic violence and substance abuse. Consequently, they also are not consistently recommending the most appropriate services to ensure risk reduction. A few stakeholders expressed concern, however, about the discrepancy between the time available to achieve permanency under ASFA guidelines and the time needed for parents with substance abuse problems to complete treatment and be reunified. Areas of concern included the adequacy of assessments, particularly identifying underlying problems such as substance abuse and domestic violence. Stakeholders in one county noted that the agency has developed a protocol with the local hospital to ensure an appropriate and effective response to cases in which infants were exposed to drugs or alcohol in utero. However, stakeholders also reported that the risk assessment model is not used in a consistent manner across DHHR caseworkers. In the physical health of the child, the state was rated as Area Needing Improvement because in 3 cases the child did not receive a comprehensive health assessment at entry into foster care and there was a critical need for that assessment (e.g., the child was an infant who was believed to have had a prenatal exposure to drugs or alcohol. In regard to training issues, the core curriculum for child protective services and foster care workers includes modules focusing on topics such as sexual abuse, CPS policy, child welfare law, legal court room training, foster care policy and practice, youth services, adoption, concurrent planning, permanency, transitional living, family preservation, home finding, family centered practice, social work ethics, adolescent development, and fetal alcohol syndrome. In one of the counties included in the on-site review, it was noted that the agency and the schools coordinate with one another to conduct training about drug related issues with the courts, schools and the child welfare agency.
SASSI will be used to assess the substance abuse of youth within 20 days of referral.� Another tool (as indicated) will be used to assess the family within 20 days of referral. Mandatory domestic violence and substance abuse training for child welfare staff. Integrate substance abuse and domestic violence training into new worker training. Modifications to FACTS (state SACWIS system) completed to indicate presence of domestic violence and substance abuse to be used for reporting and prescriptive interviewing. Full implementation of Comprehensive Assessment Planning System (CAPS) which will complete a child and family assessment, including substance abuse and domestic violence.
A Review of Alcohol and Other Drug Issues
Program Improvement Plan (PIP)