Oklahoma kinship bridge : a Family Connections grant report.

              Oklahoma Kinship Bridge:
A Family Connections Grant Report
Karen Poteet,MA
Shannon Rios, PhD
Tosha Robinson, MA
Jeffery Jenson, MA
Volume 1, Issue 3
July 2013
Department of Human Services
Office of Planning, Researchand StatisticsThePracticeand Policy Research Quarterly highlightsprogram evaluation and research findingsonsocial and economic issues. It isdesigned toinformand providepolicy and academic researchaudiences with timely and high quality data and statistical, economic and social analyses.
Ifyou havequestions, comments, orsuggestionsregarding the report,please contact theDepartment of Human Services, Office of Planning, Research and Statistics at 405-521-3552.
DHS, Office of Planning, Research and Statistics
P.O. Box 25352
Oklahoma City, OK73125Oklahoma Kinship Bridge:
A Family ConnectionsGrant Report
Department of Human Services
Karen Poteet,MA
Child Welfare Services
Shannon Rios, PhD
Tosha Robison,MA
Office of Planning, Researchand Statistics
Jeffery Jenson, MA
University of Oklahoma, Center for Public Management...............................................................................................................................
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Table of Contents:
I. INTRODUCTION7
A.PROGRAM ACTIVITIES, SETTING AND POPULATION SERVED7
II. BACKGROUND AND LITERATURE REVIEW8
A.CONGREGATE CARE VS FOSTER CARE8
B.BENEFITS OFKINSHIP CARE8
III. PROJECTOVERVIEW9
A.GOALS AND OBJECTIVES9
B.PARTNERSHIPS13
IV. EVALUATION14
A.PURPOSES AND METHODOLOGY OF EVALUATION14
B.EVALUATION COMPONENTS17
C.FINDINGS20
V. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS27
VI. RECOMMENDATIONS28
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS29
REFERENCES30Oklahoma Kinship Bridge: A Family Connections Grant Report July 2013
I. INTRODUCTION
Kinship foster care can bean extremely valuableopportunity forchildren in out-of-home care.Children who are raisedwith kinship caregiversexperience stronger connectionsto familyandincreasedplacement stability than when living in traditional foster care homes orin congregate care.In an effort to increase kinship placement and strengthen those placements, theOklahomaDepartment ofHuman Services applied foraFamilyConnectionsDiscretionary Grant through theUnited StatesDepartment ofHealth and Human Services, Administration forChildren & Families, Children’sBureau. TheOklahomaDepartment ofHuman Services(DHS)wasawarded aFamilyConnectionsDiscretionary Grant over athreeyearproject period beginning September30th,2009.Thisfederally-fundedprojectisknown asthe Oklahoma Kinship Bridge. Itwasadministered byChildWelfare Services under theleadership ofDirectorDeborah G. Smith and ProgramsAdministrator Joani Webster.Theevaluation wasconducted bythe Office ofPlanning, Research andStatisticsunder the leadership of Dr. Shannon J. Rios.
TheOklahomaKinship Bridge project wasacollaborativeeffort that includedDHS, the University ofOklahomaCenter forPublicManagement, the National ResourceCenter forYouth Services, the Foster Care and Adoptive Association ofOklahoma,OK Foster Wishes, Safe KidsOklahomaandTulsaAdvocatesforthe Protection ofChildren.Thisproject integrated the IntensiveFamily-Finding and Kinship Navigatormodels. IntensiveFamily-Findingisaprocessofidentifying all relatives orkinofchildren inout-of-home care. Relativesandkin mayinclude anybiologically-related individualsorthose related bymarriage and can also includefictivekin relationships, teachers, coaches, mentorsorother peoplewho have aconnection with the childrenin question regardlessofbiological relationship.Thedual goalsofIntensiveFamily-Findingare to enhance permanency optionsand maintain continuityofrelationships, to the optimaldegreepossible, throughout achild’s life.Locating familyand friendsisdonein an effort to achieve emotional permanencyaswell, so that children havefamilyrelationshipsorother important connections during and after their stayin custody.Theprimarypurposes ofthe OklahomaKinship Bridgeproject wereto recruit, retainand supportkinship resourcefamiliesand to improve permanency and safetyratesforchildren in,orat-riskofentering,statecustody.By implementinginnovativemethodsto connect withfamilies, the project sought to increasepermanency and safetyratesforchildren in Oklahoma’schild welfare system,aswell as, accessto theuse ofneededservices and programsamong kinship families. Theproject wasimplementedwith strategic alignment to the2007Childrenand Family Services Review(CFSR)Program Improvement Plan regarding Oklahoma’s“use ofemergency shelter care forplacement ofchildren,includinginfantsand toddlers, asopposed to locatingaplacement that matchestheneedsofthe children.” TheOklahomaKinship Bridge project’sgoalsreinforced the DHSmission to help individualsand families in need help themselves lead safer, healthier, more independent and productive lives.
A.PROGRAM ACTIVITIES, SETTING AND POPULATION SERVED
At the end ofstatefiscalyear 2009, therewere9,712 Oklahomachildren in DHScustody.During2009, there were 4,501 confirmationsofabuse,neglect, orboth involving7,958 children. Most ofthese children entered DHScustody through an emergency shelter. This projectimplemented an initial IntensiveFamily-Findingmethodologyduring thefirst 24-hoursofchildren beingbroughtto theDHSemergency children'ssheltersinOklahomaand TulsaCounties. Children,who were in, orat-risk ofentering,DHScustody in Oklahomaand TulsaCountieswere the target population forthe projectbecause these countiesare Oklahoma’stwo largestmetropolitan areasand nearly half (42%) ofthe children with confirmed cases ofabuse,neglect, orboth (3,303) were residing in OklahomaorTulsaCounty (Referrals and Removal Data,DHSKIDS June 21, 2009).
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Moreover, due to uniqueplacement needs, the OklahomaKinship Bridge project sought to increase accessto,and use of,needed services and programsamong kinship resource families.Unlikeanon-kinship familywho hasplanned and trained fortheir duties, kinship familiesmayreceivelittle notice ortrainingprior to childrenbeingplaced in their home.Although theymay knowthe familyand thechildren, theymay not be prepared to understand the complexities ofthe child welfare and legalsystems, includinghow to get medical treatment forthe children, what benefitsthe childrenareentitled to receiveand the overallchild welfare process. Furthermore,kinship caregiversmayormaynot beprepared to parent children with special needs.Children in the child welfare system are often traumatized dueto abuseorneglectand family separation. Most kinship familiesare not prepared toaddressthe needs oftraumatized children.Kinship familiesalso havethe added benefit (orburden) ofhavingintimateknowledgeand familyhistory.These emotional tiescan make the job ofbeingakinship caregivermore difficult, but aretrulybeneficial forthe children. TheOklahomaKinshipBridge project was designed specifically to address the aforementioned issues.
TheOklahomaKinshipBridge project established Kinship Bridge Unitsthat assisted in theimplementation ofan IntensiveFamily-Findingapproachto facilitateswift, long-termkinship placementsfor children in care. Theunitsalso provided Kinship Navigation services which assistedcaregiversin learning about, locating, and usingprogramsand services to meet the needs ofthe children in their care, aswell asindividual and familyneeds. Additionally, staffmembers were charged with promotingeffective partnershipsamong publicand private agencies toensure kinship familieswere supported.
II. BACKGROUND AND LITERATURE REVIEW
A.CONGREGATE CARE VS FOSTER CARE
Researchshows that congregate caresettings,such asshelters, arenot anideal placement option forchildren. Sheltersare impersonal and potentiallyfrightening forchildren. Even if children do notstaylong, sheltersguaranteean extraplacement moveand havebeen shown to result in worse outcomesforchildren (HornbyZeller 2009). Children in,orat-riskofentering,state custody oftenhaveextensiveabuse histories. It isimperative toaddressthe impact oftraumaon thetrajectoriesofchildren in care(Cook, Blaustein, Spinazzola, and Kolk,2003). With protective factorsin place,children exposed to trauma can adapt in positivewayswhich can result in healthy functioning andproductivelives.One protective factor linkedwithadaptabilityisasecureconnection to emotionallysupportive adults(Cook, Blaustein,Spinazzola, andKolk,2003; Masten 2001). Kinship foster care can providechildren in care astable placement with an emotionallysupportive adult therebyfacilitatingresiliency in children exposed to trauma.Foster care can provide the stability that children in care needto flourish afterremoval fromthe home (Harden, 2007; Horwitz, Balestracci, and Simms, 2005; Barth, 2002).
B.BENEFITS OF KINSHIP CARE
Child welfare systemsshould take care not to re-traumatize fragilechildren.Kinship foster care provideschildren with increased stability compared to children placed innon-kinship foster care (Conway and Hutson, 2007; Testa, 2001).Kinship foster care ismore likelyto cultivate sibling relationshipsbecause siblings are frequently placed together in kinship foster care placements(Conwayand Hutson, 2007;Shlonsky, HerrickandPiccus, 2005; Webster, and Needell 2003).Kinship carealsobenefitschildren bypreserving cultural connections. Placing children with kinship caregiversimproveschildren’swell-being by fostering their connectionsto racial, ethnic, andcultural identities and
8| PageOklahoma Kinship Bridge: A Family Connections Grant Report July 2013
traditions(CaseyFamilyPrograms2004). Overall,kinship care providesstability, permanency,supportschildrenand familiesand assistsstatechild welfare systemsin fulfillingfederal requirementsfor children in care (Conway and Hutson 2007).
III. PROJECTOVERVIEW
A.GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
TheOklahomaKinship Bridge project had twomaingoals(seeFigure1). Thefirst goal wasto improvepermanencyandsafetyratesforchildren who were entering,orwere at-risk ofentering,Oklahoma’schildwelfare system.Thesecond maingoal fortheproject wasto increaseawarenessof, and accessto,needed resources, services and programsamong kinship families. Theproject also hadseveral secondary goals. In the short-term, the project sought to increase the number ofpotentialkinship caregiversand other familymemberswilling to beinvolved, at some level, in thesupport ofthe children.Theproject also focused on the elimination ofbarriersto swiftplacement with kin whilemaintainingfidelity tothe statutorilyrequired stepsin the placementprocess. Intermediate goalsincluded: 1) reducingsearch time forkinif the first placementwasunsuccessful; 2) enhancingthe leveloffamilyfindingpartnershipsthrough dissemination; 3) streamliningprocesses so impedimentstoplacement are handled asquicklyand prudently as possible and 4) increasing cooperation among multiple parties during the kinship placement process.
Figure 1: Project Goals andObjectives forthe Oklahoma Kinship Bridge Project
Goal 1: Increase permanency and safety rates for children in Oklahoma’schild welfare system.
Objective 1-Increase kinship homes for children whoare in,or at risk ofentering,DHScustody.
Objective 2 -Develop an IntensiveFamily-Finding team available24-hoursaday,seven days aweek toconduct arapidsearch processand seekalternatives to DHScustodyand shelter placementwithin the first day of referral to emergency shelters.
Objective 3 -Develop an expedited processfor screeningkinship families, thatincludesconductinghome safetyassessments, criminal background checks, child welfare background checksandchecking personal references.
Goal 2: Increase accessto,and use of,needed services and programs among kinship families.
Objective 1-Create aKinship NavigatorProgram to assist kinship caregiverswith information referral systems, and other services to close thegap between neededandavailableresourcesforcaregivers, includingTemporary Assistance forNeedyFamilies (TANF), health, legal, judicial, andeducational services.
Objective 2 -Implement an orientation for kinship resource families developed by the University ofOklahoma National Resource Center for Youth Services.
Objective 3 -Promote effective partnershipsbetween publicand private community and faith-based organizations to better serve the needs of kinship caregivers.
TheOklahomaKinship Bridgeproject established Kinship Bridge Unitsin Tulsaand OklahomaCounties. These unitswere implementedto increase the number ofkinship placementsforchildren who are in,oratrisk of,out-of-home care. Moreover, the unitssought to support kinship resourcefamiliesin caringforthe childrenplaced intheir care. These unitswerelocated attwo shelters: ThePaulineE. Mayer Shelterin OklahomaCounty and the LauraDester Children’sCenterlocated in
9| PageOklahoma Kinship Bridge: A Family Connections Grant Report July 2013
TulsaCounty. Ateam often staffmemberswereassigned to the OklahomaCounty unitwhileateamofseven staffmemberswereassigned to the TulsaCounty unit. All staffmembersmet the same criteriaforchildwelfare workersin the stateandwere requiredforchildwelfare staffandsupervisors. Havingthe OklahomaKinship Bridge Unitslocated in the two DHSoperated shelterswasagroundbreaking approach.
These unitsengaged several newstrategies to increase the number ofchildren placed in kinshiphomes. Theunitsinsidethe two emergency shelterswere the first placechildrenweretaken uponremoval bylawenforcement orchild welfarestaffin these two counties. The unitswere availabletorespond to the needs ofremoved children byprovidingcoverageto the shelter reception centers24-hoursper day,seven days per week. Theunitsoperated ascrisisunits, immediatelydevelopingaresponse to the children’splacement needs outsidethe emergency shelter ifreturningto the familyhome wasnot apossibility.Theunitsworked closely with the sheltersto coordinate placementsandensure the childrenwerereadyforplacement when akinship home waslocated.TheOklahomaKinship Bridge Unitswere not designed to replacethe directresponsibilities ofexisting partnersorchild welfare workers. Rather, the role ofthe Oklahoma Kinship Bridge Units wasto supportpartners and co-workersbytaking on neworadditionalresponsibilitiesto expedite existing stepsin theplacement process(see Figure 2).
Based upon best practiceswithin child welfare, the OklahomaKinship Bridge project facilitated theimplementation ofIntensiveFamily-Findingduring the first 24-hoursofchildren entering anemergencyshelter in Oklahomaand TulsaCounties. Project staffemployed multiple toolsto assist in locating kinship placementsfor children who werein, orat-risk ofentering, custody:1) useoftechnology to search forkinship relationships; 2)interviewswith parentsorcaregivers; 3) interviewswith the children;and 4) FamilyGroup Conferencing. Thesearch processinvolved askingboth theparentsand thechildren,asappropriate,to identifyall known relatives and kin. Although parentsmayhavebeen reluctant to share familyinformationat the time the childrenwereremoved,underOklahomastatutes, parentsare compelled to providealistofrelatives orpotential kinship relationshipsforthe children. Staffalso reviewed availableinternal and external recordswith parentsand children,asappropriate. Theunitsalsohad accessto the resourcesused byDHS Child SupportServicesand the Federal Parent Locator. Staffconducted interviewsand carefullydocumented findingsin Oklahoma’sStatewideAutomated ChildWelfare System (SACWIS), also known asKIDS. Local, statewideand nationalsearches were conducted to locate asmanyrelatives orkinship relationships as possible for children in custody.
Relatives orkin whowere located, whether ornot they served asakinship placement,were viewed asasupport sourcefor the children. Forlocated kinship caregiversinterested in becoming aplacement forthe children, the unitsassessed the kinship caregiver’ssuitability asaplacement option. Next,staffengaged the potential kinship caregiver with the childrenin aprocessthat could lead to permanency,placement or a relationship.
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Figure 2: Kinship Bridge Unit Placement Process Map
Kinship Bridge Unit Placement Process MapIs the child safe in their current placement?NoYesDetermine non-custody placementDetermine custody placementWill the child be placed at the shelter?Place in emergency foster carePlace in out-of-home care resourcePlace in shelterPlacement LocatedGather family/kin informationContact family/kin from initial informationConduct intensive search with family finding toolsDocument family/kin for future referenceSend letter to relativesIdentify kinship caregiver placementPlace with kinship caregiverGive fingerprint cardsConduct house assessmentConduct record checksNoNoYesDoes the kinship caregiver agree to placement?Determine Placement NecessityYesNoKinship Bridge Unit’s Five Days
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In addition to Intensive Family-Finding, a process to expedite the approval process was undertaken by
the Oklahoma Kinship Bridge Units. Criminal background searches, personal reference checks, child
abuse and neglect registry checks and home safety assessments were conducted in an expedited
manner. The goal of the accelerated search was to ensure children the opportunity to be placed with
family or other kinship placements as soon as possible (see Figure 3).
Figure 3: Kinship Bridge Unit Process Map
Kinship Bridge Unit Process Map
Kinship Bridge Units Contacted
No
identified
placement
Potential
family/kin
information
gathered
Identified
placement
National
Crime
Information
Center and
background
check
Contact
family/kin
from
internal
information
Intensive
Search with
family
finding tools
Contact
family/kin
from tools
used
Document
family/kin
for future
reference
Letter to
relatives
Child
welfare and
criminal
records
check
Home and
financial
assessment
(fingerprint
cards given)
Provide
resource
and service
referrals
Joint
resource
and service
follow up
Transition
to child
welfare
services
case worker
Intensive
Family
Finding
Kinship
Navigator
In order to increase, retain and support the kinship families who care for children in out-of-home
placements, the Oklahoma Kinship Bridge project developed a Kinship Navigator Program. Kinship
Navigation services were designed to assist kinship caregivers in learning about, finding, and using
programs and services to meet the needs of the children in their care. Caregivers were also given
information about programs and services to address their own needs. This enhanced the capacity of
caregivers to provide for the children and for themselves by addressing physical barriers to placement,
such as a lack of needed resources, for example, beds and car seats.
Oklahoma and Tulsa Counties opted to implement the Kinship Navigator Program in slightly
different ways. In Oklahoma County, one staff member provided all the Kinship Navigation services
while the remaining team members were trained in Intensive Family-Finding. In Tulsa County, all
project staff were cross-trained and provided both Kinship Navigation services and Intensive Family-
Finding services. The units were responsible for contacting the kinship family at several key points
during the first 30 days of the children’s placement in the home. First, a staff member contacted each
new kinship caregiver shortly after placement to provide information and assistance specific to the
children in their custody and the kinship caregiver’s needs. Kinship Navigation services were provided
either through a home visit or phone call. Resources provided to the kinship resource families
included information regarding the child welfare system, legal processes, and referrals to, and
information regarding, available community resources. The Kinship Navigator staff worked with the
kinship families initially, but Kinship Navigators’ involvement was phased out at the conclusion of the
first 30 days of the kinship placement. At that point, the kinship provider was transitioned to a Child
Welfare Services worker with whom they would continue to work. The Oklahoma Kinship Bridge
Units worked closely with the foster care resource specialist and agency partners during case transfer
to coordinate activities and ensure families were receiving consistent services and communication.
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Oklahoma Kinship Bridge: A Family Connections Grant Report July 2013
An information booklet wasdeveloped to assist kinship providers. Theorientation included answersto frequently asked questionsand an introductionto,and overviewof,theKinship Care program.Information about regulations, guidelines, and the overallprocesses of the Kinship Care program were also included in the orientation booklet.
B.PARTNERSHIPS
TheOklahomaKinship Bridge Unit promoted effective partnershipsamong publicand privateagenciesto ensure kinshipcaregiver families wereserved. Theprojecthad several integralpartnershipsduring the three-year grant operationsperiod.TheOklahomaKinship Bridge Steering Committeewascomprised primarily ofinternalDHSpartnersgiven that DHSisacomprehensivehumanservicesagency.TheSteering Committeemet quarterlyand included representatives fromAging Services, Developmental Disabilities Services, Field Operations, FamilySupportServices, Child WelfareServices, Child Care Services, ChildSupportServices, 2-1-1 Oklahoma, National ResourceCenter forYouth Services, University ofOklahomaCenter forPublicManagementand the Foster Care andAdoptive Association of Oklahoma.
TheFoster Care and Adoptive Association ofOklahomahasalong-time partnership with DHS. Themission ofthisassociation isto improvethe lives ofOklahoma'sfoster and adoptive children byempoweringchild advocatesthrough support,training, and communication. Theassociationrepresentsover 10,000 foster andadoptive familiesin Oklahomaand seeksto: 1) encourage therecruitment, retention, trainingand professional treatment offosterand adoptive families;2) assistfoster and adoptive parentsand other concernedcitizenswork to improve services forfoster and adopted children; 3) assist, support and promote cooperation among foster care and adoption professionals, child welfare staff, service providers, volunteers, and juvenilejusticestaff;4)and promote aclear, balanced and accurate understandingofthe foster care and adoption systemsinOklahoma. On December 2, 2010, the Foster Care and Adoptive Association ofOklahomaprovidedseveral newcar seatsto the OklahomaKinship Bridge Unit inTulsain response to arequest forcarseatsto assist in expeditingplacement with kinship providers. Theassociation also assisted with dissemination forthe OklahomaKinship Bridgeproject byposting articlesconcerningthe grant project on their website and Facebook page.Thepresident ofthe association served on the OklahomaKinship BridgeSteering Committee, theOklahoma Kinship Bridge Advisory Committeeandco-presented aworkshop with the OklahomaKinship Bridge Project Manager regarding the grant at theNational Foster Parent Association Annual Education Conference in Chicago, Illinois in June 2012.
OK Foster Wishesbegan asan informalgroup to linkthe OklahomaCity community with needs ofchildren in foster care.In 2004, agroup ofmission-minded servant leadersheard about theneedforChristmasgiftsfor foster children who lived in rural communities. Although the majority ofOklahoma'sfoster children livein the metropolitan areasofthe state, other children lived in lessthriving areasand, assuch, fewer resourceswere available. OK Foster Wisheshashelped to fulfill manyChristmaswishesand over the yearshasexpanded to servechildren in every countyinOklahoma. OK Foster Wishes, in support ofand in partnership with theOklahomaCounty unit,provided "safetykits"forkinship familiesin need which included mandatory safetyitemssuch as, afire extinguisher, electrical outlet plugcoversand drawer locks. TheOK Foster Wishesproject, “Emergency Kinship Support” also provided kinship resourcefamiliesalist oflocal food pantries,restaurantswhich have"kids eat free"nights, and foster familysupport groups/organizations.Additionally, theyaccepted requestsfromthe OklahomaKinship Bridge Unitsto provide bedsorfood when needed to facilitate kinship placements.
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Safe KidsOklahomaisthestate'sleadingorganization in battlingthe number one killer ofchildren, unintentional injury. Grant fundspaid foroneofthe Oklahoma County Kinship Bridge Unit staffmembersto becomecertified asachild passenger safetytechnician.Certification included attendanceat a four-day training event and successfully passinga written examination with three skills evaluations. After the staffmember received the certification, the unitbecame eligibleto receivecar seatsneededthroughout the project through an ongoing donation fromSafe Kids Oklahoma.
TulsaAdvocatesforthe Protection ofChildren hasalong-standing partnership with DHS to improvethe livesofabused andneglected children inTulsaCounty through advocacy,resourcedevelopment,best practice service provision and community outreach.Thisgroup provided financial assistance tothe Tulsaunit to secure required child abuse and neglect registry checksfromother states. Thisfinancial assistance aided in the swiftplacement ofchildren with kinship familiesbythe Tulsaunit. TulsaAdvocatesforthe Protection ofChildrenalso operatesafoster familyresourcecenter thatprovidesbeds, mattresses,cribs, clothing, diapers, formulaand other items, which greatly assisted withthe expeditious placement of children with kinship resource families.
TheOklahomaKinship Bridge Steering and Advisory Committeesceased meetingwith the end oftheOklahomaKinship Bridge Grantperiod. However, due to thesustainability ofthe project, all project partnerships have continued on an ongoing basis.
IV. EVALUATION
A.PURPOSES AND METHODOLOGY OF EVALUATION
Thepurposes ofthe project evaluation were to inform program development, improveprogramsand services forOklahomachildren and familiesservedbyDHSand inform decision-makingamong keychild welfare leadership staff. TheOklahomaKinship Bridge project employed apre-postdesignforoutcome evaluation.
Theevaluationdesignwasbased on the logic model (seeFigure 4).Theresourcesused to support the project included funding,staffand data sources, and website and technical resources. State levelchildwelfare datawere collected at several time intervalsto assessthe FamilyFindingand Kinship Navigation componentsofthe OklahomaKinship Bridgeproject. There were two typesofprimaryparticipantsin thisproject: the removed children and the kinshipcaregiver with whom the children wereplaced.Secondary participantsincludedOklahomaKinship Bridge specialists, their supervisorsand theSteering and Advisory Committees. Thevariables selectedforthe analysisare described inFigure5. Thevariables listed relate to the experiences ofchildren in care and are classified into fourgeneral categories: placement, maltreatment, kinship connections, and caregiver support.
Thedata predominantly came fromOklahoma’sStatewideAutomated Child Welfare Information System (SACWIS), known asKIDS. All consideration wastaken toprotect the confidentiality and/oranonymityofresearch subjectswho participatedinthisdemonstration project. No known harmcameto subjectswho participated in research activitiesand there were no incidentsto report.Strictinformation security guidelineswere followed andall guidelines forhuman subjectsresearch werefollowed.
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Figure 4: Oklahoma Kinship Bridge Logic Model
15| PageOklahoma Kinship Bridge: A Family Connections Grant Report July 2013
Other data sourceswereshelter logs, diversion logs, focusgroups, implementation reports, and aKinship Caregiver Survey.Asimpletime-seriesdesignwasselected because the designallowsresearchersto collect quantitative dataat regular intervalsthrough repeated measures orsurveys followingaprogram, activity, orintervention (Nachmiasand Nachmias1987). Datawassynthesizedfrommultiple sources and allowed qualitative data to inform quantitative data. In thiscase,data fromsurveys, Children andFamilyServicesReviewmeasures, and focusgroupswere triangulated. Employingthismethodologystrengthensthe interpretation offindings, improvespolicy and programsbased on theavailable evidence,andhelpscontrol forthird variables orother factorsnot directlymeasured in the current evaluation.
Figure 5: Oklahoma Kinship Bridge Variables and Definitions
Oklahoma Kinship Bridge Variables and Definitions
Pre-implementation period
July 2008-July 2010 (25 months)
Oklahoma Kinship Bridge Project period
August 2010-Septebmer 2012 (26 months)
Placement Type:
Kinship Foster Care
Placement of removed childrenwith someonewho the childrenor children’s parents know. Placements are madewith people who are related to the childrenby blood, marriage, adoption, orby an emotional tie or bond. Source: KIDS
Emergency Foster Care
A short-termsubstitute care for the child in custody provided by a contract agency to meet the children's need through service coordination and delivery in conjunction with DHS. Source: KIDS
Placement Time Frame:
Less than 24-hours
Less than 1 day Source: KIDS
24 to 120-hours
1-5 days Source: KIDS
Over 120-hours
More than 5 days Source: KIDS
Unique Placements
The number of times childrenhavephysicallymoved to a new placement provider. Source: KIDS
Kinship Connections
The contact information of someone the childrenknow. Source: KIDS
Average Length of Stay
The average number of days childrenspend in shelter care before initial placement. Source:Shelter Log and KIDS(see Figures11 & 12)
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Substantiated Maltreatment
Any recent act, or failure to act, on the part of a parent or caretaker that results in the death or serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse or exploitation of a child. An act or failure to act that presents an imminent risk of serious harm for the child. Source: The Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act 2010
Kinship Caregiver Support
Measured with survey items (see Figure 6) Source: Kinship Caregiver Survey
B.EVALUATION COMPONENTS
TheKinship Caregiver Survey, alongwith apostagepaid return envelope,wasgiven to every kinshipcaregiver during the final home visit ofthe Kinship Navigator. Ninety-four surveys were returned foraresponse rate ofunder fivepercent.Thesamplesizeforthe Kinship Caregiver Surveywassmallerthan anticipated. Thesmaller sample sizelimitsthe generalizabilityofthe resultsto the overallkinshipcaregiver population in Oklahoma. However, ofthe kinship caregiverswho responded to the survey,feedbackwasentirely positivewith no negative answersreported. Theresultsofthe surveyarepresented in Figure6.The Kinship Caregiver Surveyasked caregiversquestionsabout the qualityofthe services provided bythe OklahomaKinshipBridge Units,aswell as, questionsaboutthecaregiver’swell-beingand abilityto providefortheneeds ofthe childrenplaced in their care. A majority had appliedforservices since becomingakinship caregiver andstated that it would bedifficult to providefortheirfamilywithoutthe supportsand services (Temporary Assistance to NeedyFamilies(TANF)-child only, child care, SupplementalNutriton Assistance Program (SNAP),etc. forwhich theyapplied. Almost all believed theyhad anadequate support system astheytook on thisnewresonsibility. An equal number ofcaregiversstated that theywouldrecommend becoming akinshipfoster parent to those in similar circumstances. Onelimitation ofthe surveywasthat it wasgiven within the first month ofbecoming a kinship caregiver.
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Figure 6: Kinship CaregiverSurveyResults
Oklahoma Kinship Bridge Caregiver Survey(n=94)
Strongly Agree
Agree
My Kinship Bridge Specialist talked to me aboutservices and resources that I may be eligible for.
87%
13%
The OVERALL service that I received from myKinship Bridge Specialist was very helpful.
84%
16%
My Kinship Bridge Specialist was very professional
84%
16%
The reading materials given by my Kinship BridgeSpecialist were very helpful.
82%
18%
My Kinship Bridge Specialist assisted me incompleting the necessary paperwork to become akinship caregiver.
76%
24%
My Kinship Bridge Specialist was helpful aschallenges arose.
75%
25%
It washypothesized that aconcerted effort in rapid kinship placement would not increase placementinstability and would not increase the maltreatmentofchildrenwhileinDHS custody. Theresourcesused to support the OklahomaKinship Bridge project included funding, staff, data sources, awebsiteand technical resources. Outputsand outcomes foreach activity were tracked and assessed at theshort-term, intermediate,and long-termintervals.Theevaluation focused on the comparison of
18| PageOklahoma Kinship Bridge: A Family Connections Grant Report July 2013
outcomes forchildren prior tothe beginningofproject implementation then again post-implementation at various intervals.Results and progressrelated to the various program activities werecontinuouslyrecorded and tracked on asemi-annual basis. Several outcome-focused questionswere examined by the evaluation teamand are shown in Figure 7.
Figure 7: Outcome Evaluation Questions
Outcome EvaluationQuestions
Doesthe rapid placement ofchildren increase thenumber ofuniqueplacementsthat childrenexperience over a six-month period?
Doesthe rapid placement ofchildren increase thenumber ofconfirmed maltreatment episodesexperienced by removed children?
What changes will occur, in termsofplacement types, asadedicated team isfocused on kinshipplacement?
Thecentral focusforthe processevaluation wasto look at proposed ideas, bestpractices,and data todeterminethe best course ofaction in the rapid placement ofremoved children. Ofparticularconcern and interest were anybarriersorabnormal response timesthat were roadblocksin theapproval process for kinship homes. Process evaluation questionsare displayed in Figure 8.
Figure 8: Process Evaluation Questions
Process Evaluation Questions
What are the major barriers in the placement of removed children in less than 24-hours?
Isit more effective to have allOklahomaKinship Bridge Unitstaffcross-trained in both IntensiveFamily-Findingand Kinship Navigatorservices orto haveone dedicated Kinship Navigatorwiththe remainder of the unit working on IntensiveFamily-Finding?
What resourcesarereadily needed inthe event placement isattempted aftermost businesses are closed or on holidays?
Isthe benefit for usingan onlinepaid search engineto obtaincontact information ofpotentialkinship caregivers worth the expense?
Processevaluation also relied heavily on qualitativemeasures to collectdata regarding the existingbarriersto the rapid placement ofchildren with akinship caregiver. Instrumentsused in the datacollection processare:1)quarterlyimplementation reportscompleted bythe steering committee,OklahomaKinship Bridge supervisorsand OklahomaKinship Bridge Unit staff;2) semi-annual focusgroups with OklahomaKinship Bridge staff and the advisory board;and 3)aKinship Caregiver surveydistributed at the last home visit ofthe Kinship Navigatortomeasure customer service and caregiver well-being in which a postage-paid return envelope was supplied.
Quantitative data wasused when administrative decisionshad to bemade that would impact thepotential productivity ofeither site. Thiswasexemplified byachangemadeto the original assumption that the number ofworkersineach OklahomaKinship Bridge Unitshould beevenly distributed.Dataanalysisdemonstrated the OklahomaCountysite wasservingtwo to threetimesmore children than the TulsaCounty site. Assuch, an additionalstaffposition wasmoved fromTulsaCounty toOklahoma County viastaff attrition.
19| PageOklahoma Kinship Bridge: A Family Connections Grant Report July 2013
C.FINDINGS
Theevaluation team hypothesized that with the addition ofthe OklahomaKinship Bridge Units, safetyand placement stabilitywould remain constantwhen comparedto the pre-implementation timeperiod. Along-standing concern ofDHSchild welfare staffmemberswasthat the rapid placement ofchildren could potentiallydecrease placement stability. Theevaluation team examined the number ofuniqueplacementsexperienced byremoved children who were placed rapidlyforasix-month timeperiod.
Thenumber ofuniqueplacementsrefersto the number oftimeschildrenhad physicallymoved to anewplacementprovider. At times, childrenwereplacedin ahome thatwasan approved kinship resourceto provideboth emergency foster care and therapeutic foster care. Although the childrenmight havebeen initiallyplaced into an emergencyfoster care placementin thehome and then met the requiredcriteriaforatherapeutic foster care placement in the same home,it wascounted asone uniqueplacement because thechildrennever changed residences. Theaverage number ofplacementsforboth the pre-implementation period and during the project periodwasnot significant forboth the lessthan 24-hoursand 24to 120-hour time frames. Unique placements (see Figure 9) illustratesthe fact that children placed in the over 120-hour time frame experienced an averageofat least one additionalplacement compared to those in the under 120-hour time frame.
Thefindingsofthisproject indicated rapidkinship placementisasstable asthose kinship placementsthat occurred prior to the initiation oftheOklahoma Kinship Bridge grant project. Given that theaveragenumber ofplacementswassimilar, the OklahomaKinship Bridge Unitswere still ableto placemore children in asimilar time frame.Astudy by Winokur, Crawford, Longobardi, and Valentine(2008) found children placed in kinship care experienced fewer placementsover time. Thisoutcome will be measured and hopefully realized after the grant concludes.
Figure 9: Average Number ofUnique Placements whenRapidly Placed in Kinship FosterCare asFirst Placement (First Six Months)
Under 24 hours
24-120 hours
Oklahoma County (post-implementation)
2.00
2.10
Oklahoma County (pre-implementation)
2.00
2.07
Tulsa County (post-implementation)
2.00
2.07
Tulsa County (pre-implementation)
2.00
2.14
An additional assumption existed among DHSchild welfare staffthat childrenplaced rapidly mightexperience increased maltreatment. Maltreatment data wasexamined during the first fivedays in
20| PageOklahoma Kinship Bridge: A Family Connections Grant Report July 2013
which OklahomaKinshipBridge Unitshad theopportunity to make kinship placements(seeFigure10).
OklahomaCounty matched the pre-implementation rate ofzero maltreatment incidentsat the lessthan 24-hourtime period whilekinship placementsincreased from137 pre-implementation to 357 kinshipplacementsduringthe project. Kinship placementsforthistime period more than doubled with 315pre-implementation kinshipsplacementscompared to 647 kinship placementsduring the OklahomaKinship Bridge project period(see Figure 13).
TulsaCounty did not experience anysubstantiated maltreatment incidentsin the placementsmadebythe OklahomaKinship Bridge Unit. For the less than 24-hour time period, kinship placements increasedfrom19 kinship placementspre-implementation to 261 kinship placementsduring the project period.Forthe 24to120-hourtime period, kinship placementsincreased from77kinship placementspre-implementation to 173kinship placements during the project period(see Figure 15).
Figure 10: NumberofSubstantiated MaltreatmentAllegations During First SixMonths ofaRapid Kinship Placement
Time Period:
Less than24-hours
Oklahoma County (pre-implementation)
0
Oklahoma County (post-implementation)
0
Tulsa County (pre-implementation)
0
Tulsa County (post-implementation)
0
Theevaluation team proposed the establishmentofthe OklahomaKinship Bridge Unitswould narrow the focusofplacement to relymore heavilyon findingkinship placementsand increasingplacement stability forremoved children. Themost substantial findingwasthat akinship placementfocusreduced the number ofchildren usingemergency foster care dramatically(seeFigures14&16). There wasa62% decrease in the number ofchildren placed in emergency foster care during theprojectperiod. Moreover,kinship placementsincreased in both Oklahomaand TulsaCountiesduring the OklahomaKinship Bridge project period. Themost significant changecame fromTulsaCounty where, pre-implementation, there wasvery little emphasison rapid kinship placement. Duringtheprojectperiod, thenumber ofchildren placed with kinship caregiversin TulsaCountymore thandoubledaspresented in Figure 15.OklahomaCounty also experienced an increase in the number ofkinship placementsduring the projectperiodasshown in Figure13. Priorto implementationoftheproject, OklahomaCounty madeit apoint toplacewith kinwhenpossible. However, theOklahomaKinship Bridge project madeit possibleforboth countiesto haveadedicated team focused on rapidkinship placement.
Theaverage length ofstaywasalso examined bythe evaluation team. During the project period, 29.9%ofthe children whoentered DHScustody atthe PaulineE. Mayer Shelter in OklahomaCountywere primarilyplaced intokinship carein lessthan24-hoursofentering the shelter ascomparedto only20.6%ofchildren placed in kinship care in lessthan24-hoursprior to the implementation of the project
21| PageOklahoma Kinship Bridge: A Family Connections Grant Report July 2013
(seeFigure 11). Nearly half (44.5%)ofthe childrenentering the OklahomaCounty shelter during theproject period were placed into kinship care within24and 120-hoursofentering custody compared to26.2%ofchildren entering the shelter being placed inkinship care within the same time frame prior tothe Oklahoma Kinship Bridge project.
Thepercentageofchildren in OklahomaCounty whose average length ofstayprior to first placementinto emergency foster care in lessthan 24-hoursdecreased from12.2%prior to implementation oftheOklahomaKinship Bridge project to 3.4% duringthe project period (seeFigure 11). There wasaslight increase (0.9%)in thepercentage ofchildren with an average length ofstaybetween 24and120-hourswhose first placement was emergency foster care during the grant project.
In the TulsaCounty shelter, 57.6%ofchildren whoentered DHScustody duringthe project period were placed in kinship care in lessthan 24-hourscompared to 7.3% ofchildren whoentered care prior to the project beingplaced into kinship care in less than 24-hours(seeFigure 12). Slightlymore than one-third (33.9%)ofchildren that enteredcustodyduring the project periodwere placed into kinship care within 24and120-hourscompared to only13%ofchildren placed into kinship care during thesame time period prior to the implementation of the project.
Duringthe project period, the percentageofchildren placed into emergency foster care decreaseddramatically(39%) in TulsaCounty (seeFigure12). Priorto project implementation, 45.8% ofchildren whoentered the Laura DesterChildren’s Centerwere placed into emergency foster care in lessthan 24-hourscompared to 6.8% of children that entered during the project period. Moreover, 20.2% ofchildren that entered carein TulsaCounty were primarilyplaced into emergency foster within 24and120-hoursduring the OklahomaKinship Bridge project ascomparedto 26.2%ofchildren that enteredcare prior to the implementation of the project.
22| PageOklahoma Kinship Bridge: A Family Connections Grant Report July 2013
Figure 11: Pauline E. Mayer (Oklahoma County)Shelter–Average Length ofStay Prior toPlacement
Lengthofshelter stay priorto placement
Percentage of Children
Pre-Implementation
Post-Implementation
Kinshipplacement lessthan24 hours
20.6%
29.9%
Kinshipplacement 24-120hours
26.2%
44.5%
EmergencyFosterCareplacementlessthan24hours
12.2%
3.4%
EmergencyFosterCareplacement24-120 hours
13.4%
14.3%
Figure 12: Laura DesterChildren’s Center (Tulsa County)–Average Length ofStay Prior toPlacement
Pre-Implementation
Post-Implementation
Kinshipplacement lessthan24 hours
7.3%
57.6%
Kinship placement 24-120hours
13.0%
33.9%
EmergencyFosterCareplacementlessthan24hours
45.8%
6.8%
EmergencyFosterCareplacement24-120 hours
26.2%
20.2%
To ensure rapid placement within 24-hours, kinship caregiversneed to possesscertain qualitiesandcharacteristics. TheOklahomaKinship Bridge staffstated that rapid kinship placement wasmost easilyachieved when potential kinship providersdid not haveissueswith criminal and child welfarebackground checks. Rapid placement wassometimes still possiblein these cases; however, additionalstepswere required.Overall, there wasasignificant increase in theplacementofchildren with kinshipcaregivers in less than 24-hoursduring the project period(seeFigures 13& 15).
Rapidlyplacingremovedchildren with kinship caregiversposed manybarriersfor the OklahomaKinship Bridge Units. Major barrierswere identified in focusgroupsand implementation reports.
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Primarily,OklahomaKinship Bridge staffmemberslisted internal barriersasamajorobstaclethatslowed the placement process. Giventhat theOklahomaKinship BridgeUnitswere new,initially there were “growingpains” with regard to departmental interaction and communication. Over time,onceother departmentshad achance to experience how unit staffcould supporteffortsto placeremoved children, protocolswere established andexpectationsset on internal communication andprocesses. Another barrier wasaccessto criminalbackground checkprogramsafter hoursfortheTulsaCounty unit. In OklahomaCounty, and eventually in TulsaCounty, lawenforcement presentduring the removal performedcriminal background checks for the units.
Another barrierwasthe need forspecial approvalwhen further reviewwasnecessary regarding eitherthe child welfare orcriminal background check.Inthe initial process,request for reviewwasforwarded to an on-call member ofthe background checkcommittee.Theresponse time variedgreatly depending on the person who wason-call.Eventually,multiple changeswere madeto allowcommittee membersto be on-call in order to expedite the review process.
Outofstatechild abuse and neglect registry checkswere mentioned numeroustimesasachallengingaspect oftheplacement process. Thecentralfrustration wasthe lackofuniformity in each state’sprocessregarding registry checks. With fewexceptions, the diversity ofrequirementswasdifficult totrack, particularly in asituation where OklahomaKinship Bridge Unitsonly worked with acase forfive days.
Theevaluation team examinedthe effectivenessofeach unit’smethod ofimplementingIntensiveFamily-Findingand Kinship Navigation services. TheTulsaCounty unit wasfullycross-trainedin both IntensiveFamily-Findingand Kinship Navigation services.Theassumption wasthat havingstaffcross-trained in bothskillsetswould allowthe OklahomaKinship BridgeUnitstaffmember tofill in and provideservicesat amoment’snoticein the event aco-worker wasabsent oroccupied withanother case.TheOklahomaCounty unithadone person dedicated to providing all Kinship Navigation serviceswhilethe remainingstaffmemberswere dedicated to IntensiveFamily-Finding. The results for thisresearch question were derived from the Kinship Caregiver Survey(see Figure 6).
In reviewingthe KinshipCaregiver Survey(n=94), the resultsforoverallcaregiver satisfaction withKinship Navigatorservices were higher forOklahoma County than TulsaCounty. Thisfindingmust beinterpreted cautiouslydue to the lowresponse rate in general, but especially forTulsaCounty(n=17). Assuch, there wasno conclusivefinding asto whether ornot having all OklahomaKinshipBridge Unitstaffcross-trained in both IntensiveFamily-Findingand Kinship Navigation services wasmore effective than having one staff member dedicated to Kinship Navigation alone.
There are many resourcesneeded to ensure the rapid placement of removedchildrenafter hours or onaholiday.Themost common resourcesneeded include: smokedetectors, fire extinguishers, safetylocksfordoors, beds,car seats, diapers, babywipesand cribs/play yards. Manyofthese itemswerealreadyavailablein the TulsaCounty unit through TulsaAdvocatesforthe Protection ofChildren. TheOklahomaCountyunitwas able to partner with organizations to receive donations so that neededitemscould bepurchased. These typesofresources were oftremendousassistance in the rapid placement ofremoved children.Accordingto focusgroupsand implementation reports, havingthese items readily available played a large rolein ensuring rapid placement was possible.
Onlinepaid search engines are commonlyused by child welfare staffforIntensiveFamily-Finding.Theevaluation team assessed the valueand benefit ofusingthistypeofservice.The overwhelming
24| PageOklahoma Kinship Bridge: A Family Connections Grant Report July 2013
consensuswasthat fee-based,on-linesearch engines forfamily-findingpurposes were not ashelpfulasanticipated in the rapidplacement ofchildren. It wasdetermined atotal offour placementswerethe direct result fromusageofon-lineenginesearches. Thebest and most productiveinformationcame fromthe immediate face-to-faceinterviewsofparents, familymembersand the childrenthemselves. Theoriginal ideaofusingthistypeofon-linesearch enginecame fromthe DHSchild welfare diligent searchstaff. Thisgroup locateskinwhen all other contactsare no longer availableorviable. It wasdiscovered that online, fee-based servicesyield more productiveresultsforchildren who have been in child welfare custody for an extended period of time.
Figure 13: Pauline E. Mayer Shelter(Oklahoma County)–NumberofChildrenRapidly Placed intoKinship FosterCare
Kinship Foster Care (pre-implementation)
Kinship Foster Care (post-implementation)
Less than 24 hours
137
357
Between 24-120 hours
315
647
Figure 14: Pauline E. MayerShelter(Oklahoma County)–NumberofChildren Rapidly Placed intoEmergency FosterCare
Emergency Foster Care (pre-implementation)
Emergency Foster Care (post-implementation)
Less than 24hours
81
50
Between 24-120 hours
161
220
25| PageOklahoma Kinship Bridge: A Family Connections Grant Report July 2013
Figure15: Laura DesterChildren’s Center(Tulsa County)–Number of Children Rapidly Placed intoKinship FosterCare
Kinship Foster Care (pre-implementation)
Kinship Foster Care (post-implementation)
Less than 24hours
19
261
Between 24-120 hours
77
173
Figure16: Laura DesterChildren’s Center(Tulsa County)–Number of Children Rapidly Placed intoEmergencyFosterCare
Emergency FosterCare (pre-implementation)
Emergency FosterCare (post-implementation)
Less than 24 hours
119
31
Between 24-120 hours
156
103
26| PageOklahoma Kinship Bridge: A Family Connections Grant Report July 2013
V.DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS
Findingsfromthisanalysissuggestthat removed children and their kinship caregiverswere positivelyimpacted bythe Oklahoma Kinship Bridge project. Rapid placement with kinship caregiversdid not increase placement disruptionsamong children in Oklahomaand TulsaCounties. Further, rapidplacement did not significantly impact the number ofmaltreatment experiencesbyremoved children.Thenumber ofchildren placedin emergency foster care in both Oklahoma and TulsaCountiesdecreased.Kinship placementsincreased forboth counties. TulsaCounty inparticular, experienced asubstantial increase in kinship placementsasaresult ofthe shifttoward rapid kinship placement goalsamong child welfare staff.
Manyofthe barriersto kinship placement were successfullyaddressedduring the project period.Kinship caregiverswith no criminal orchild welfare historiesexperienced the fewestplacementbarrierswithin 24-hours.Additionally, protocolsforinternal communication, workingwith lawenforcement forimmediate background checks(TulsaCounty) and special approvalreviewswere put into placeasaresult oftheOklahomaKinship Bridgeproject. One barrier that remained unchangedwasthe challengesofconducting out-of-statechild abuse and neglect registry checks.Notwithstanding, kinship placementsin lessthan 24-hoursincreased during the project implementation period when compared to the pre-implementation period.
All TulsaCounty staffmemberswere trained in both IntensiveFamily-Findingand KinshipNavigation. TheOklahomaCounty unithad one team member dedicated to Kinship Navigation whilethe remainingteam memberswere trainedin IntensiveFamily-Finding.Due to relianceon theKinship Caregiver Survey, resultsfromthisanalysiswere inconclusiveastowhether theOklahomaCounty method orthe TulsaCounty method wasmore effective.However, thisknowledgemaybeable to be ascertained in the future with continued data collection and analysis.
Manyresourceswere needed to facilitate kinship placement after the close ofbusinessand onholidays. Itemsneeded included home safetykits, beds, car seats, and other babycare items. Theresourceswere providedto kinship caregiversasaresult ofpartnership and collaboration withcommunity agencies and organizations.
TheOklahomaKinship Bridge project found that usingonline, fee-based search engines forfamily-findingpurposeswasinadequate regarding rapid kinship placement. Theseservices were found to bemost helpful in family-findingforchildren in care foran extended period and with no other contactson record.
TheOklahomaKinshipBridge Project increased permanencyand safety ratesforchildren inOklahoma’schildwelfaresystem.OklahomaKinship Bridge staffmemberswere trained and availablearound the clocktoprovideIntensiveFamily-Findingservices to all removed children brought intoDHS’semergencysheltersin Tulsaand OklahomaCounties. Theunitsoperated with asense ofurgency.Thebest analogy isto compare the unitsto firstresponder personnel. Whether police,paramedics, orfirefighters, it iscommon to seeall threecategoriesoffirst respondersworkingtogether. TheOklahomaKinship BridgeUnitslightened andexpedited theworkload oftheir fellowchild protectiveservices colleagues.Rapidplacement wasonlypossiblewhen multiple workerswereinvolved asateam in performing all ofthe required dutiesasexpeditiouslyaspossible. Thecomprehensiveand collaborative approach allowed formultiple OklahomaKinship BridgeUnit staffto perform variousrolessimultaneously. Thesupport provided bythe unitsaccelerated theprocess
27| PageOklahoma Kinship Bridge: A Family Connections Grant Report July 2013
forscreeningand approving kinship caregiversso that children couldberapidlyplaced with akinshipprovider.
Moreover, thisproject enhanced the capacity ofcaregiversto care forthemselvesand the children entrusted to them. TheOklahomaKinship Bridge project created andimplemented aKinship Navigatorprogram that increased caregivers’ awarenessofand accessto needed resourcesandsupports. Theproject, in partnership with the University ofOklahomaNational ResourceCenter forYouth Services, developed an orientation bookletfordistribution to kinship caregiversto assist them with the processofbecoming akinship resourceparent. Effective partnershipsand numerouscollaborativeeffortsto supportkinship caregiversin their roleswere forged asaresult ofthisprojectand continue due to the long-termsustainability of this project.
VI.RECOMMENDATIONS
OklahomaKinship Bridge project staffmembersprovidedrecommendationsto the stateand to theChildren’sBureau asaresult oflessonslearned during project implementation. Thissection highlightsthose recommendations.
Theinability toplace childrenprior to completion ofanyandallchild abuseregistry checksforstatesin which the prospective foster parent has resided in the preceding five yearsmeritsserious discussion. Moreover, consideration should begiven topotentiallyamending OklahomaState Statute to allowchildren to beplaced in kinship homes in Oklahoma if achild abuse and neglectregistry checkhasbeen requested butnot yet received if all other statutory requirementsare met. Thepossibleamendment might include allowingtheDirectorofDHSorhisdesigneeto grant anexceptionallowingkinship placement pendingthe receipt ofthe requested check ofanychildabuse registrymaintained by astateinwhich theprospective parent hasresided in theprecedingfiveyearsorbyspecifying acertain number ofyearsthe prospective parent hasto haveresided in Oklahoma(i.e.41/2 years) before placement could occur witharegistry checkpending if all other statutory requirements have been met.
Further, DHSshould reviewtheprocedureregarding the payment ofanyfees charged by other statesto secure required criminal background checksand/orchild abuse andneglect registry checks.OklahomaKinship Bridge staffand other DHS staffmembershaveadvanced their personal monieson behalf ofthe agency to secure these checksin an expedited manner. Thisburden should not beplaced on staffand the agency should develop aprocessto pay these charges withoutreliance on staffmembersadvancingtheir own personalfundsand then waiting forreimbursement. TheDHSIndependent Living program hasacontracted fiduciary agent who issuespaymentson behalf ofyouth receiving independent living services and thisprocesscould possiblyserveasaguideforchangeinagency processes.
Nationally, theAdam Walsh Child Protection and SafetyAct of2006requires statesto checkchild abuse and neglect registriesforall statesprospective foster oradoptive parentsand those residingwiththem haveresided in thepreviousfiveyears. Thislegislation further prescribed the United StatesDepartment ofHealth and Human Services(HHS)would create anationalregistry ofsubstantiatedcases ofchild abuse andneglect.An interim report to Congressregarding such implementationdeemed that the registry wasnot feasibleunder the statutory limitationsoftheauthorizinglegislation.TheOklahomaKinship Bridge Unitshad difficulty receiving timelychild welfare history informationfromsome jurisdictions. Additionally,some statescharge fees thatfurther slowthe placement process.
28| PageOklahoma Kinship Bridge: A Family Connections Grant Report July 2013
Alack oftimely responses and feeschargedposed barriersto swiftplacement with kinfamiliesfor children first entering the child welfare system in any stateorterritory.Theintent ofCongressisclearin that anationalregistry should exist evenif it wasdeemed not feasibleunder the limitationsoftheAdam Walsh legislation. Irrespective ofthe feasibility ofthe establishment ofanationalregistry,thisproject proposed theChildren’sBureau promulgate regulationswhich lead to enhancedoversight ofstatechild abuse and neglect registriesviathe required Title IV-Eplanssubmitted byeach state. A summary ofthe research surrounding kinship care byCasey FamilyProgramsindicateschildren inout-of-home care “generallybenefit when they are placed with kin,specificallywith respect tooutcomes around safety, placement stability,and maintenance offamilyconnections.” Theproject’sexperience with expedited IntensiveFamily-Findingand Kinship Navigation services wasconsistentwith children’ssafety, placement stability and preservation offamilytiesaswell astheprovisionsofthe Foster Connectionsto Successand IncreasingAdoptionsActsof2008. Thechild welfare fieldshould pursueIntensiveFamily-Findingactivitiesassoon aschildren enter custody orare identified asbeing at risk of entering custody.
Additionally, Kinship Navigation services are crucial to supporting kinship families. Efforts should befocused on providing such navigation services asresearch indicateskinship caregiversarelesslikely toreceive assistance and services from child welfare agencies and receive fewer supportive resources thanfoster parents. Given the shifttoward familycentered practice and the Foster Connectionsto Successand IncreasingAdoptionsAct of2008,supportive navigation services, such asthose provided bytheOklahomaKinship Bridge Units, forkinship caregiverscould result inenhanced outcomes, includingimproved well-being, forchildren placed in kinship care.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Theauthorswould liketo thank the United States Department ofHealth and Human Services,Administration forChildren & Families, Children’sBureau forfundingthe OklahomaKinship Bridgeproject. We would also liketo thank DHSProject DirectorsDeborah G. Smith and Joani Webster. Manythanks to DHSChild Welfare Services, the University ofOklahoma Center forPublicManagement, the National ResourceCenter forYouth Services, the Foster Care and AdoptiveAssociation ofOklahoma, OK Foster Wishes, Safe KidsOklahoma,TulsaAdvocatesfortheProtection of Children, the Oklahoma Kinship Bridge Steering Committee and the Oklahoma KinshipBridge Advisory Committee.We would also liketo recognize IylaGriffin (DHSOffice ofPlanning, Research and Statistics) forher assistance in the preparation ofthisreport.Finally, we would like to thank DenaThayer for her editorial assistance.Theviewspresented here are not reflective ofDHS, project funders or partners.
29| PageOklahoma Kinship Bridge: A Family Connections Grant Report July 2013
REFERENCES
Barth, R. 2002. Institutions vs. Foster Homes: TheEmpirical Base for the Second Century of Debate. Chapel Hill, NC: UNC, School of Social Work, Jordan Institute for Families.
Casey Family Programs. 2004. Commitment to Kin: Elements of a Support and Service System forKinship Care.
Conway, T.& R. Hutson. 2007. Is Kinship Care Good for Kids? Center for Law and Social Policy.
Cook, A., M. Blaustein, J. Spinazzola, & B. van der Kolk. 2003. Complex Trauma in Children and Adolsescents: White Paper from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, Complex Task Force. Los Angeles, CA and Durham, NC: National Child Traumatic Stress Network.
Harden, B. 2007. Safetyand Stability for Foster Children: A Developmental Perspective. Children,Families, and Foster Care. Retrieved fromwww.futureofchildren.org.
Herrick, M., & W. Piccus. 2005. SiblingConnections: The Importance of Nurturing Sibling Bonds in the Foster Care System. Children and Youth Services Review,27, 845-861.
Hornby Zeller Associated, Inc. 2009.Oklahoma Department of Human Services Performance Audit. February 2009.
Horwitz, S., K. Balestracci, & M. Simms. 2001. Foster Care Placement Improves Children’sFunctioning. Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, 155.
Masten, A. 2001. Ordinary Magic: Resilience Processes in Development. American Psychologist, 56, 227-238.
Nachmias, D. & C. Nachmias. 1987. Research methods in the social sciences (3rd edition.). New York: St. Martin’s Press.
Oklahoma Department of Human Services SACWIS System (KIDS). Unpublished. Referrals andRemoval DataJune 21, 2009. Oklahoma City, OK.
Shlonsky, A., D. Webster, & B. Needell. 2003. The Ties that Bind: A Cross-Sectional Analysis ofSiblings in Foster Care. Journal of Social Services Research, 29(3), 741-763.
Testa, M. 2001. Kinship Care and Permanency.Journal of Social Service Research, 28(1), 25-43.
Winokur, M., G.A. Crawford, R.C. Longobardi & D.P. Valentine. 2008. Matched comparison ofchildren in kinship in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Social Services, 89(3), 338-346.
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Thispublication isauthorized byOklahomaDepartment ofHuman Services Director Ed Lake and printed byDHSin accordance with state andfederal regulationsatacostof$136.80for60copies.Copieshave been deposited with the PublicationsClearinghouse ofthe OklahomaDepartmentofLibraries.