DCF & McKinney-Vento CIACC-Education Partnership Facilitator Model Partnership Handbook
Table of Contents Topic Page Executive Summary` 2 Executive Summary Outline 3 Local County Benchmark Tasks 4 Partnership Resources 5 County Steering Committee 6 Local County Co-Facilitator 7 County Steering Committee (Ongoing training) 8 Partnership Systems 9 Benchmark Implementation 10-11 Partnership Commitment 12-13 Establish County Steering Committee 14-15 Disseminate Partnership Activities 16-17 Identify Cross-Systems Training Liaisons 18-20 Curriculum Development 21-22 Cross-Systems Training Topics 23 Sample PowerPoints 24-27 Expanded Cross-Systems Training Topics 28-29 Develop Web-based Resource 30-31 Develop Pre/Post Skill Assessment Test 32-35 Assessment 36-37 Implement Ongoing Training 38-39 Contacts 40-41 1
Executive Summary The academic success of New Jersey s youth is heavily dependent on the ability of both the education and social service system to collaborate more effectively to provide essential support to children, youth and families during their time of need. As a result, multiple agencies, organizations and individuals must coordinate with multiple partners to be aware of services and the ability to access them. The New Jersey Department of Children and Families (DCF) s primary mission is focused on strengthening families and achieving safety, permanency and well-being for all New Jersey s children. As a result, DCF provides a wide array of services to support the needs of children, youth and families. Numerous families also experience homelessness, and homeless students may find it difficult to successfully achieve school proficiency standards. The McKinney-Vento Education of Homeless Children and Youth Program is charged with the responsibility of forming partnerships with agencies to provide quality homeless education programs. To meet the needs of homeless children and youth, partnerships were identified as the key to providing comprehensive intervention. Efficient use of resources through collaboration with local organizations and agencies extends the benefits available to displaced children and youth. It is recognized that the effective use of available resources coupled with accountability among collaborating agencies maximizes progress toward achieving service goals. The DCF has long sought a local partnership with school districts to establish collaborative efforts to serve the children and youth of New Jersey. A partnership with schools as a stakeholder shall allow for efficient, not duplicated, referral and cost effective interventions. The mission of this Children s Inter Agency Coordinating Council (CIACC) Education Partnership shall be to develop and implement an ongoing inter agency and networking training system that engages local school districts, public and private agencies. In doing so, it is expected that the engaged parties will utilize an efficient, referral and cost effective service model that will not be duplicative. The responsible staff for this CIACC-Education Partnership shall be the local County Steering Committee served by co-chairs and cofacilitators. It will be the responsibility of the County Steering Committee to disseminate program information and coordinate the ongoing training. This partnership shall use existing staff. Each liaison shall be equipped, through inter agency training and network building, with the appropriate skills to effectively service identified children and youth. As a result, county-based partnerships will develop to eliminate the current barriers that cause service confusion related to the awareness of services and the referral process. Through collaboration, shared responsibility and mutual understanding, local schools and agencies shall provide improved service using the resources of liaison contacts, service knowledge and a local web portal to meet the needs of children, youth and families. 2
Executive Summary Outline Problem: Local school and agency referral and service coordination difficulties Need: Extensive intervention needs Significant number of homeless children and youth Mission: To develop local school and agency ongoing cross-training partnership Trainees: Local school district staff and building liaisons Local public and private agency liaisons Benefit: Efficient, not duplicated, referral and cost effective services Scope: School age children and youth Responsible staff: County Steering Committee o County Co-chair Local education Local agency o Co-facilitator County CIACC Coordinator McKinney-Vento Regional Director Dissemination and ongoing training: County Steering Committee 3
Local County Benchmark Tasks Establish professional commitment to the Partnership Establish county steering committee Disseminate partnership activities Identify cross-systems training liaisons Curriculum development Develop web based resource and contact guide Develop pre and post skill assessment test Implement ongoing training Assess professional staff understanding of referral processes and services 4
Partnership Resources Children s Inter Agency Coordinating Council 21 County CIACC Coordinators McKinney-Vento Education of Homeless Children and Youth 6 Regional Directors 5
County Steering Committee Local DCF & Representatives Local School District Representatives County Co-chair Local Education Local Agency Co-Facilitator County CIACC Coordinator McKinney-Vento Regional Director Local Public & Private Agency Representatives Local Parent Group Representatives 6
Local County Co-Facilitator Co-Facilitators: County Coordinator Children s Inter Agency Coordinating Council Regional Director Stewart B. McKinney-Vento Education of Homeless Children and Youth Program 7
County Steering Committee On-going training Private Providers Local District Homeless Liaison Stability Liaison Director Special Services Public Providers School Building Participation Linkage Sunnyfield High School Building Liaison Sunnyfield Middle School Building Liaison Sunnyfield Elementary School Building Liaison 8
Partnership Systems Schools Homeless Services Division Family & Community Partnerships Juvenile Justice Commission Public/ Private Agencies Family Court Parent Communication Parent Communication PTA, PTO & Special Ed Advisory Council Homeless Liaison Stability Liaison Local CIACC Partners Parent Communication Parent Communication Parent Communication FSO Office of Adolescent Services Division of Child Protection & Permanency Division of Children s System of Care County Dept. of Human Services Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Adult Transition Division of Developmental Disabilities Adult Transition DCF Office of Education 9
Benchmark Implementation 10
Benchmark Implementation County CIACC Coordinator, McKinney-Vento Regional Director and full Steering Committee shall coordinate the implementation of county-based benchmarks by: Review of suggested procedures for the implementation of each benchmark Coordinate county-based engagement of activities to systematically complete or confirm the completion of each benchmark 11
Partnership Commitment 12
Establish Professional Commitment to the Partnership County CIACC Coordinator shall: Invite McKinney-Vento Regional Director to participate in CIACC monthly meetings Invite all partnership systems to regular monthly CIACC meetings Seek the assistance of the McKinney-Vento Regional Director to identify three (3) local Director of Special Services, two (2) local District Homeless Liaisons and one (1) Educational Stability Liaison to participate in monthly CIACC meetings Distribute for discussion the CIACC, DCF and Education Partnership Local County Co-facilitator model to the full CIACC 13
Establish County Steering Committee 14
Establish County Steering Committee County CIACC Coordinator in cooperation with the McKinney-Vento Regional Director at a regular monthly CIACC meeting shall: Seek nominations (one from each category) for County Steering Committee Co-chair positions: Local education Local agency Seek nominations (one from each category) for County Steering Committee representative participation from: Local Division of Child Protection & Permanency Local Family and Community Partnerships Local Children s System of Care Local contact of Adolescent Services Local contact of Educational Stability Local School District 15
Disseminate Partnership Activities 16
Disseminate Partnership Activities County CIACC Coordinator in cooperation with the McKinney-Vento Regional Director at a regular monthly CIACC meeting shall: Distribute the CIACC, DCF and Education Co-facilitator Partnership model to the full CIACC for discussion and review County Steering Committee shall: Request to address the local school Superintendents to introduce the partnership Request to address the local school Directors of Special Services to introduce the partnership Request to address the local school District Homeless Liaisons and Educational Stability Liaisons to introduce the partnership Request to address the local Division of Child Protection and Permanency district to introduce the partnership Request to address the local DCF providers to introduce the partnership Request to address local providers to introduce the partnership 17
Identify Cross-Systems Training Liaisons 18
Identify Cross-Systems Training Liaisons County CIACC Coordinator and McKinney-Vento Regional Director in cooperation with the Full Steering Committee shall request: Local School Superintendents to provide the following data for the local school district Director of Special Services, Homeless Liaison, Educational Stability Liaison o Name o School address o Phone number o Email address Local School Superintendents to identify a school building liaison from each school building of their local district supplying the following for each identified liaison: o Name o School address o Phone number o Email address Department of Children and Families providers to identify partnership liaisons supplying the following for each identified liaison: o Name o Address o Phone number o Email address 19
Local provider agency to identify partnership liaisons supplying the following for each identified liaison: o Name o Address o Phone number o Email address County CIACC Coordinator and McKinney-Vento Regional Director in cooperation with the Full Steering Committee shall develop: Electronic directory of school and agency liaisons and representatives Secure web location for liaisons to reference directory information Reminder of liaison functions including: o Cross-system procedure resource o Knowledge of available systems o Knowledge of referral procedures 20
Curriculum Development 21
Curriculum Development County CIACC Coordinator, McKinney-Vento Regional Director and Full Steering Committee shall develop training programs for: Cross-systems training topics Local provider agency services Intervention services 22
CROSS-SYSTEMS TRAINING TOPICS NJ Department of Children and Families Division of Child Protection and Permanency Division of Children s System of Care Division of Family and Community Partnerships Office of Adolescent Services Office of Education Office of Advocacy Local School District Education McKinney-Vento Services Homeless Educational Support Services Special Education Child Study Team Major Support Services Guidance Attendance Psychiatric Emergency Screening Services (PESS) Transportation Intervention & Referral County Health Department Substance Awareness Section 504 Department of Human Services Counseling Services Academic Community/Private Services Extracurricular Juvenile Justice Commission Division of Developmental Disabilities Transition to Adult Services Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Transition to Adult Services Public and Private Providers Collaboration Methods Coordinated not duplicated referral and services 23
Sample PowerPoints 24
County Cross-systems Training Sample PowerPoint Start-up Information Local School Educational Support Services School services intensive overview PowerPoint o Displaced family/homeless o Special Education o Section 504 Procedures o Intervention & Referral Services o Attendance o Home Instruction o Transportation Homeless student service requirements Homeless student compliance Homeless student State Law and Code Homeless manual hard copy online Confidentiality Discipline requirements Home instruction I&RS Special Education Code Intervention and referral Services NJ Admin code Reporting potentially missing or abused children 25
Reporting substance abuse School agency entry protocol School referral process special education Section 504 procedure Substance awareness program Mini Presentations o Attendance o Discipline requirements o Home instruction o Homeless children and youth o Intervention & referral services o Record confidentiality o School service & protocol o Section 504 procedures o Transportation Child Abuse, neglect & missing children Training Modules on line (NJ Dept. of Ed) NJ Department of Children and Families Behavioral Health Module (CSOS) Behavioral Health Services (CSOS) Children and Trauma/reporting child abuse - (DCP&P) Reporting of child abuse (DCP&P) DCF Case practice (DCP&P) 26
Improving the Educational outcomes of children in Out of Home placements: An interagency guidance manual (to be on-line in the coming months) (DCF) Major Support Services Juvenile Justice System Family Crisis Intervention Unit Division of Developmental Disabilities Introduction to SERV & Behavior Support Services (BSS) Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services Suicide Prevention, Intervention and Postvention Collaborative Methods CIACC, DCF and Education Partnership 27
Expanded Cross - Systems Training Topics 28
Expanded Cross-Systems Training Topics NJ Department of Children and Families Division of Child Protection and Permanency Child Abuse/Neglect Hotline Family Helpline 2 nd Floor Youth Helpline Safe Haven Infant Protection Hotline Adoption/Resource Care Recruitment Differential Response (pilot) DCF Office of Advocacy Educational Stability Division of Children s System of Care Family Support Organization (FSO) Mobile Response & Stabilization Services (MRSS) Care Management Organization (CMO) Traumatic Loss Coalition Emergency Response Team Division of Family and Community Partnerships Child Abuse prevention programs Strengths based family support programs Culturally sensitive developmental programs Office of Adolescent Services Youth resource needs assessment Youth resource development Aging out/aging in focus Psychiatric Emergency Screening Services (PESS) Adult screening Acute child and youth emergent screening County Health Department Public Health Services/Early Intervention Substance Abuse Services / treatment Department of Human Services Welfare Assistance / Continuum of Care Education Homeless Education Special Education Migrant Child Study Team Guidance Attendance Transportation Intervention & Referral Substance Awareness Section 504 Counseling Services Academic mandates Title I Services Extracurricular School Nurse Coordinated School Health (CSH) SBYSP Transition planning Aging out services Adult Education Parent Information Services Partnership Collaboration Coordinated not duplicated referral and services Major Support Services Family Court Model Court Program Family Crisis Intervention Juvenile Probation Community Mental Health Centers Private Providers Domestic Violence shelters Homeless Shelters Food and clothing pantries Housing resources Aging out agency supports Post-secondary training Employment Housing Transportation Financial stability Physical health Mental health Life skills Legal services Familial supports Community supports Community College Services Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) Adult Mental Health Public/Private Agencies Parent Information Services Community/Private Services Juvenile Justice Commission Division of Developmental Disabilities Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Parent Information Services 29
Develop Web-based Resource 30
Develop Web-based Resource & Contact Guide County CIACC Coordinator in cooperation with the County Informational Technology Specialist shall develop a web partnership home page to list the following: Intervention resources Liaison contact guide Training PowerPoint presentations Notice of meeting schedule Links to support services Homeless Liaison Handbook 31
Develop Pre/Post Skill Assessment Test 32
Develop Pre and Post Skill Assessment Test County CIACC Coordinator, McKinney-Vento Regional Director and Full Steering Committee shall develop : Pre and post assessment test measuring knowledge of: DCF services Educational services State, County and local services Referral methods Collaboration methods 33
Ocean County CIACC Education Partnership Pre Test Survey 2014 Have you attended an Intensive Series of the Partnership trainings? Yes, more than once Yes No I don t know Please indicate whether the following statements are true (T) or false (F): A person should call the local office to make a new report of child abuse and neglect to the Division of Child Protection and Permanency (DCPP). DCPP always has the authority to demand that a family receive help. T F DCPP caseworkers have the ability to interview children in school without permission F from their parents or guardians. T When a referral is made to DCPP, children are automatically removed from their T home. F DCPP keeps the source of a report of child abuse or neglect confidential. T F Unless a child is involved with DCPP, there is no service available to help parents find services in their community. T F Only classified students are eligible for behavioral health services. T F Children must have insurance or coverage under Medicaid in order to access T F behavioral health services. An evaluation by PESS will include a written determination of whether or not a child T F is stable to return to school. PESS and Children s Mobile Response provide the same service for the same kids. T F T F A family must give consent for Children s Mobile Response to be dispatched to their home or the child s school. A child study team evaluation can be requested at any time in a child s school career and as early as age 3. Commonly, students have both an Individualized Education Program (IEP) and a Section 504 Plan. Every school building (elementary, middle, high schools) has a Student Assistance Coordinator (SAC). NJ Education Code does not consider a family homeless when they stay with other family or friends because they do not have a permanent residence of their own out of necessity or hardship. Every school district has appointed a Homeless Liaison. School officials can refer to FCIU without parental permission. The Health Department provides services on a sliding fee scale dependent on family income and ability to pay. The Board of Social Services is the County s main organization to assist families experiencing financial struggles and homelessness. Bullying usually arises over a difference of opinion or a disagreement, and both youth contribute towards escalating the situation. Teaching conflict resolution skills to youth who are bullied is not a recommended action to address the bullying. 34 T T T T T T T T T T T F F F F F F F F F F F
Assessment 36
Assessment of Professional Staff Understanding of Referral Processes and Services County CIACC, McKinney-Vento Regional Director and the Full Steering Committee shall implement professional staff knowledge assessment by: Administrating pre/post referral, service and scope of agency activities assessment Compiling progress summaries of liaison and representatives knowledge and understanding change 37
Implement Ongoing Training 38
Implement Ongoing Training County CIACC Coordinator, McKinney-Vento Regional Director and the Full Steering Committee shall implement ongoing training: Identify appropriate curriculum to be presented during the annual meeting cycle Secure facility for selected annual meeting dates Develop a schedule of annual meetings including topic, date, time and location Develop notice that may be distributed through email to school and agency liaisons and intervention representatives Provide advanced notice of meeting schedule to: School district superintendents Agency administration Dept. of Education Executive Superintendents and Supervisors of Child Study 39
Contacts 40
McKinney-Vento Education of Homeless Children and Youth Program Regional Directors Reg. Counties Name Email Address & Phone 1 Warren, Sussex, Passaic, Bergen 2 Essex, Hudson, Morris, Union, Hunterdon, Somerset 3 Ocean, Monmouth, Middlesex 4 Mercer, Burlington, Atlantic 5 Camden, Gloucester 6 Salem, Cumberland, Cape May Diahann DeRuggiero Diane Scarangella diader@bergen.org diasca@bergen.org Bergen County School District 327 East Ridgewood Avenue Paramus, NJ 0765 201-343-6000 ext. 6588 201-996-6973 Joram Rejouis joram@ecesc.com Essex Regional Educational Services Commission 369 Passaic Avenue Fairfield, NJ 07004 973-405-6262 Richard Wesler Monique Harvey rwesler@brickschools. org m.harvey@trenton.k12.nj.us Brick Township Public Schools 224 Chambers Bridge Road Brick, NJ 08723 732-785-3000 ext. 2802 Trenton Public Schools 108 N. Clinton Ave. Trenton, NJ 08609 609-656-5451 Joan Geraci jgeraci@gcecnj.org Director of Special Projects Gloucester County School District 1340 Tanyard Road Sewell, NJ 08080 856-468-6530 ext. 1053 856-468-0851 fax Celeste Merriweather JoAnna Powell- Chestnut cmerriweather@bridg eton.k12.nj.us Office of Grants and Funded Programs Bridgeton Public Schools 41 Bank Street Bridgeton, NJ 08302 856-455-8030 ext. 2021 41