Overview
In March 2018, Gov. Kate Brown requested a monthly progress report on Child Welfare. In April 2019, the Governor issued Executive Order No. 19-03 which created a Child Welfare Oversight Board to assist her in making and implementing recommendations to improve Oregon’s system for supporting safe children and thriving families. The report is published monthly and was revised in June 2020 to share progress on the directives from the Governor and the Child Welfare Oversight Board.
This Month in Child Welfare
This report provides data through January 2023.
This month in
Guiding Principle One we saw an increase in the number of contacts received at ORCAH which is typical as students return after winter break. However, the percentage of assigned reports lowered slightly to 26%.
January marked the start of our new Certified Respite Care Program. A certified respite care provider is trained to provide temporary care and supervision of children and young adults in foster care. Respite care can be pre-planned or provided as crisis-support for a resource family.
This month we added new information regarding our family preservation work. Family preservation is both a program and approach that intentionally refocuses on and prioritizes equitably serving families and children in their homes and communities, instead of foster care.
This month in Guiding Principle Two, our hiring and separation data shows a marked increase in the number of new SSS1/caseworkers hired in January, with separations reported a bit lower than last month.
Resource and Adoptive Family Training (RAFT) facilitator training has been scheduled for 2023. These trainings provide a statewide opportunity for local staff to prepare for and deliver RAFT training to prospective reource families in their communities.
Lastly, in
Guiding Principle Three, the Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) program continues making progress in implementing CQI within districts across the state. The team has identified Marion County as the next implementation site. Invitation letters were sent and kickoff is expected in the spring.
Thank you for reading the
February Progress Report.