Child Welfare News And Notes

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Kathy Hochul, Governor
Dr. DaMia Harris-Madden, Commissioner
October 2016 — Vol. 1, No. 1

Eight New Regional Permanency Resource Center Programs Announced

   The Division of Child Welfare and Community Services is pleased to announce that $4 million in adoption de-linking savings is being invested in new Regional Permanency Resource Centers (PRCs) across the state with $2.5 million of the funding awarded in the first round.


   The following programs will be providing services in 2016:

Program
Counties Served
Award Amount
Family Center, Inc.
All 5 Boroughs of NYC
$333,000
New Alternatives for Children
All 5 Boroughs of NYC
$333,000
NY Council on Adoptable Children
All 5 Boroughs of NYC
$333,000
Parsons
Albany, Fulton, Montgomery, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Warren, Washington
$300,000
Hillside Children’s Center
Allegany, Steuben, Chemung, Tioga, Broome
$300,000
Adoptive and Foster Family Coalition of NY
Tompkins, Chemung, Broome, Schuyler
$300,000
Adoptive and Foster Family Coalition of NY
Greene, Columbia, Sullivan, Ulster, Dutchess, Delaware, Orange
$300,000
Abbott House
Westchester, Ulster, Sullivan
$300,000


   A targeted RFP will be issued soon for five additional post-adoption/post-guardianship programs which to serve Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, Erie, Niagara, Orleans, Genesee, Wyoming, Livingston, Monroe, Wayne, Ontario, Yates, Seneca, Cayuga, Cortland, Onondaga, Oswego, Jefferson, St. Lawrence, Franklin, Clinton, Essex, Hamilton, Herkimer, Lewis, Oneida, Madison, Chenango, Otsego, Schoharie, Putnam Rockland, Nassau, and/or Suffolk counties.

Expanded Healthy Families New York a Plus for High-Need Communities

   

 The New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) is also using adoption de-linking savings to fund the expansion of four home visiting programs that support new or growing families in underserved communities as part of the Healthy Families New York (HFNY) program and the addition of one new program. There are 38 HFNY programs, serving more than 6,000 families each year in all five boroughs of New York City and 27 counties statewide. HFNY is a prevention program that supports at-risk families through its focus on child safety and well-being. Families enroll in the program during pregnancy and receive services until their child enters school or Head Start.

Expanding Programs
Program
County
Region
Award Amount
Behavioral Health Services North
Franklin County
North Country
$200,000
Children and Family Resources
Yates
Finger Lakes
$90,000
Family and Children Services of Niagara
Niagara and Orleans Counties
Western
$180,000
Family Service League Inc.
 
Suffolk
Long Island
$170,000
New Program
North Country Prenatal/Perinatal
Jefferson
North Country
$360,000
 

Senate Takes No Action on Family First Prevention Services Act of 2016; OCFS Maintains Stance Against Bill

   OCFS is leading efforts with like-minded states, counties in New York State and advocacy organizations in opposing the federal Family First Prevention Services Act (H.R. 5456), which the U.S. Senate did not act on in September. The bill passed the U.S. House of Representatives in July. The first provision of the legislation is optional. It would allow states to use Title IV-E funding to provide certain preventive services for a limited time but includes restrictions and a maintenance of effort requirements that limit the ability of New York State to take advantage of the option given its significant existing commitment to preventive services programming. The second provision of the bill is mandatory and would significantly reduce the likelihood of receiving federal funding for many foster children placed in residential programs (congregate care placements). The U.S. Senate may consider the bill by the end of the year. OCFS estimates the fiscal impact of the bill would be $250 million, with counties bearing most of the cost.

OCFS Applauds Kinship Care

   When Acting OCFS Commissioner Sheila Poole looked out over the audience at the Kinship Navigator’s annual celebration in Albany on September 8, she saw the rewards of hard work and the promise of more to come. “Standing here in front of you is such an affirmation and motivation for us in state government to really pay attention and keep advocating for more support and services,” the commissioner said. She praised the commitment of Director Gerard Wallace and the rest of his team. Among the awardees was a woman who has cared for her grandsons since they were born. State Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo were honored as Kinship Care champions and Cornell Cooperative Extension of Orange County was recognized as an outstanding organization.

 

 

Upcoming Events

Second Annual Permanency Summit

OCFS, Casey Family Programs and the Redlich Horwitz Foundation present the second annual Permanency Summit. Foster care professionals from New York State’s ten largest counties will gather to plan ways to improve outcomes for youth in foster care. The focus will be techniques that can move organizational culture toward permanency. The Permanency summit will be in Albany from November 17-18.

New York State Child Welfare Program Webinar

On November 22 from 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m, OCFS will host a webinar to update key stakeholders on priority child welfare programs and strategic initiatives for improving safety, permanency and well-being outcomes. An agenda and call-in information will be disseminated prior to the webinar. Please hold the date and feel free to share this information with your partners.

For further information, please contact Tara Carson at Tara.Carson@ocfs.ny.gov.