Citizen Review Panels: History, Research, Best Practices and Practical Advice
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Transcript of Citizen Review Panels: History, Research, Best Practices and Practical Advice
Citizen Review Panels: History, Research, Best Practices and
Practical Advice
Blake L. Jones, MSW, LCSW, Ph.D.University of KentuckyCollege of Social Work
A little bit about me
I am a …
Father and Husband
Professor/Researcher
Clinician
Program Coordinator
Musician
Son, Grandson, and Great Grandson of Musicians
Believer in the power of community service
“Never doubt that a small, dedicated group of citizens can make a difference. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has…”
~ Margaret
Mead
“How wonderful it
is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.”
~Anne Frank
“Everybody can be great. Because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve.
You don't have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve.... You don't have to know the second theory of thermodynamics in physics to serve.
You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.” ~Martin Luther King, Jr.
“This whole damn
citizen review thing is a joke! They (child protective services) don’t really want to hear what we want to say. We are just puppets to make them look good!”
~survey respondent
“ Those people (Citizen Review Panel members) need to get a clue. They don’t know the first thing about what we do, but they want to judge us. They should just mind their own business!”
~ Child Welfare Administrator
“The idea of citizen participation is a little like eating spinach — no one is against it because it is good for you.”
~Sherry Arnstein
What I want to
Accomplish this Session
History of Citizen Review Panels
Describe National CRP Community
Discuss research on CRPs
Give Practical Advice about How to Make the Process Work
Why is Citizen Participation Important?
It prevents an agency from becoming a “system unto itself”
It moves us toward “community based” services
Citizen can be advocates for the agency
It educates citizens about what is really happening with agencies
It’s democracy in action….
Challenges to Collaboration Citizens have trouble
understanding complexities of state agencies (“Feel like we’re treading water”)
Distrust from frontline workers and administrators
Time lag between when new initiatives are launched and citizens are informed (“we had to read it in the paper…”)
Some members see Panels as a way to “stick it to” the system
“The Toad and the Kangaroo”
Shel Silverstein
A failure to communicate?
Administrators often speak the language of:
Budget stress
Politics
“Circle the Wagons”
“We know best”
Incremental change
Citizen groups speak the language of:
Personal passion
Personal experience
“We want change NOW!”
“Coalitions are best”
Ready to use public shame if necessary
Building a Trusting Relationship with the Child Welfare Agency:
“The Iphone and the Toy Box”
Citizen Review Panels for Child Protective Services Citizen Review Panels were
formed through a 1996 amendment to the Child Abuse and Prevention Treatment Act (CAPTA)
3 panels per state by July, 1999 (some only needed one)
Each panel has the responsibility to review compliance of state and local CPS agencies with respect to:
state CAPTA plan (basically ANY child protective services)
Other criteria the panel considers important, which may include coordination with foster care and adoption programs and review of child fatalities and near fatalities
Requirements for
Citizen Review Panels Composed of volunteer members that
are broadly representative of the community in which they are operating
include individuals with expertise in the prevention and treatment of child abuse and neglect
Meet at least quarterly
Examine policies and procedures and, where appropriate, specific cases of both state and local agencies
Maintain confidentiality
Prepare an annual report with activities and recommendations
More Requirements Evaluate PRACTICES as
well as policy and procedure
Develop a means for public comment
Child welfare agency is to respond in writing to annual report within six months**
May include former victims of child abuse and neglect
Common Themes CRP coordinated by
someone from state child welfare agency
Struggle with “diverse” membership and involving “non-professionals”
Trouble in defining the “mission” and outcomes of CRP (“watchdog” vs. “advocate”)
Retention of members is difficult
Turnover in state agency (i.e., new administrations)
Difficulty in connecting with Child and Family Services Review
Panels Can Examine Any of the
Following Parts of the CPS System
Intake and initial screening
Investigation and/or assessment
Case determination
Service planning, implementation, and monitoring
Case closure
Crisis intervention; Emergency placement; Family stabilization
Coordination of services
Staff qualifications, training and workload
HOW can a Panel Review these
Things?
In-depth review of a small number of cases**
Broader review of cases
Analysis of statewide data systems
Review of agency policy and procedures
Targeted Surveys
Quality assurance reviews
Community forums
Focus groups or interviews of staff, consumers, service providers, mandated reporters, foster parents, others
Models of Citizen Review Panels Nationally “Started from Scratch”
in 1999 (KY, TN, MN,AK)
Use of existing Boards (ID, FL, NC, AL, CO). This is COMMON. Boards used are Child Fatality, Foster Care Review, Children’s Justice Act, CPS Advisory Committees. Usually cover statewide issues.
Panels created through state legislation (NY, WY)
Total of 348 CRPs in 50 states, DC and Puerto
Rico
30 states provide staff assistance and 36 states provide financial assistance
NO states reviewed the state’s CAPTA Plan
Only 33 states provided a written response to the work of the Panels
A Snap Shot of CRPS NationallySource: Report to Congress on Effectiveness of Citizen Review Panels (2013)
Six states (19 percent) indicated that they had implemented or were
planning to implement in the future 75 to 100 percent of the recommendations.
12 states (37.5 percent) noted that they had implemented or would implement in
the future 50 to 74 percent of the panels’ recommendations.
Six states (19 percent) wrote that they had implemented or were planning to implement 25 to 49 percent of the recommendations.
Eight states (25 percent) reported that they had implemented or were planning to implement 0 to 24 percent of the recommendations.
13 of the 32 states (in response to 26 recommendations) indicated that they would need to evaluate recommendations before a decision could be made about implementation
Response to Recommendations
Research tells us that Citizen Review Panels generally do better when they
are… Given access to
information
Consulted EARLY in the policy development process
Given FEEDBACK about their recommendations
Provided staff and other logistical support
Part of a thoughtful, well-defined process rather than a “feel good” exercise
Examples of CRP Interests
Nationally
Relationship between CPS and foster parents (and how they are trained)
Mandated reporters and how they are trained
Caseloads of frontline workers
Racial Disparity in Out of Home Care
The use of kinship care in out of home care
Training of CPS workers cases involving meth
School system response to child abuse reporting
Review of the system tracking fatalities and near fatalities
Relationship of CPS and the court system
Trauma Informed Care
Examples of
Recommendations Made Nationally
Child welfare agency should implement an online mandated reporter training (GA)
Develop a brochure to be given to families who are chosen as “kinship care” (SC)
The Child Welfare Agency and the Department of Education should develop a joint training on child abuse to be given to teachers and other school personnel (NJ)
CPS caseworkers should receive additional training on identifying child and family needs related to mental health disorders, developmental disabilities, and substance abuse disorders (NV)
Use a “risk simulator” similar to the ones used by police to train social workers (KY)
What Makes a “Bad” CRP?
Unclear or conflicting goals
Poor leadership from chairperson
No follow through on commitments
“axe grinders”
Lack of communication from child welfare agency
Membership turnover (always “starting from scratch”)
The Elements of Successful
Citizen Review Panels
A clear focus and strategic plan
A trusting relationship with the child welfare system
Ability to view the “big picture” of incremental change within large bureaucracies
Staff and other logistical support
Ability to engage in ongoing dialogue (this is more than “trading reports”)
Ability to connect with other child advocates in the state
Meetings which are productive and move the group toward a common goal
An Example of a Successful CRP Topic
TOPIC: How frontline Kentucky child welfare workers are trained to respond to “meth” cases
KY CRP reviewed policy, talked with frontline workers and supervisors, law enforcement, first responders
RESULT: Changes in policy which made workers and children safer
The Importance of Strategic Planning
The CAPTA law is large and vague, leading to confusion and discouragement
CRPs should evaluate topics with “depth” rather than being “a mile wide and an inch deep”
Try to choose topics that are important to your state agency (remember communication?)
As one CRP member said, “Why do I need to volunteer my valuable time if all we do is show up and tear down CPS?”
Are your topic areas SMART?
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Realistic
Time Limited
A word about having a good meeting
Make sure everyone comes away from the meeting feeling it was PRODUCTIVE, or people will NOT COME BACK
Get agenda and minutes to members before the meeting
Make sure ALL members are heard (aka, beware the “blowhard”)
Have time each meeting for working teams to touch base on their work, and give a report
Invite frontline workers, legislators, foster parents, etc. to your meetings
How to Write a Good
Recommendation
A Caveat: CRPs are part of a larger picture of system change (don’t usually recommend changes which have not already been considered by someone)
Consider making “observations” instead of “recommendations”
Don’t make too many recommendations
Make sure recommendations contain the following elements:
Recommendations should be… Based on the work of
the Panel (not someone’s opinion or personal agenda)
Linked to some form of evaluation (surveys, policy review, focus groups, etc.)
Something which is SPECIFIC (i.e., related to specific policy changes if possible)
Something that is feasible within the context of a bureaucracy and that Child Welfare can change
Recruiting New Members
Who is MISSING from your group?
Think about what agencies often interact with child welfare
Develop a PLAN for recruitment (press releases, targeted letters, guest speaking at community groups, church bulletins, etc.)
Remember WHY people volunteer: to make a difference. Don’t waste their time
Practical Advice
Do….. Focus on building a trusting,
honest relationship with your child welfare agency
Become an integral part of the Program Improvement Plan!!!!
Do a “project” during the year (i.e., host a conference, do a community service project, do something for frontline workers)
Develop a mechanism whereby you follow your recommendations over the years
Get a practicum student
Don’t…. Choose a work project that
is large and unmanageable
Spend your time in meetings “chasing rabbits”
Neglect the health of your group
Be afraid to ask for what you need, but….
Don’t get overly defensive if the answer is “no”
The national scene…
University of Kentucky is the organizing “hub” for Citizen Review Panels
National Citizen Review Panel Virtual Community (www.uky.edu/socialwork/crp)* Annual Reports* Training Materials* Sign up for Listserv* Information from Annual Reports* Articles, Tip Sheets
National CRP Conference will be held in Atlanta, May 19-21, 2014
Selected References Bryan, V., Collins-Camargo, C., & Jones, B.
(2011). Reflections on citizen-state child welfare partnerships: Listening to citizen review panel volunteers and agency liaisons. Children and Youth Services Review, 32, 1, 986-1010.
Bryan, V., Jones, B.L. & Lawson. (2010). Key features of effective citizen–state child welfare partnerships: Findings from a national study of citizen review panels. Children and Youth Services Review, 32, 4, 595-603.
Collins-Camargo, C., Jones, B.L, & Krusich, S. (2009). The “Spinach” of Citizen Participation in Public Child Welfare: Strategies for Involving Citizens in Public Child Welfare. Journal of Public Child Welfare, 3, 287-304.
Jones, B.L. & Royse, D. (2008) Citizen review panels: The connection between training and perceived effectiveness. Child Abuse & Neglect: The International Journal) 32, 1-2.
Bryan, V., Jones, B.L., Allen, E. & Collins-Camargo, C. (2007) Child and Youth Services Review Civic Engagement or Token Participation? Perceived Impact of the Citizen Review Panel Initiative in Kentucky. 29, 1286–1300
Jones, B.L. & Royse, D. (2008) Citizen review panels for child protective services: A national profile. Child Welfare, (87), 3, 143-162.
Jones, B. L. (2004) Variables Impacting the Effectiveness of Citizens Review Panels For Child Protective Services: A Multi-state Study. Children and Youth Services Review, (26) 12, 1117-1127.
Jones, B.L., Litzelfelner, P. & Ford, J.P. (2003) Making a Change or Making a Report: Change Perceptions of Citizens Review Panel Members and Child Protective Workers. Child Abuse & Neglect: The International Journal., (27) 699-704.
Litzelfelner, P., Collins-Camargo, C. & Jones, B. L. (2003) Models for Involving Citizens in the Child Welfare System in Kentucky: An Overview. Kentucky Children’s Rights Journal., Spring, 2003.
“Children are the living messages we send to a time we will not see”.
~John W. Whitehead, “The Stealing of America”
SWOT Analysis
StrengthsWeaknessesOpportunitiesThreats
Strengths Strengths:
attributes of the organization that are helpful to achieving the objective.
Example: You have a BUDGET, you are written into state law, stable membership
Weaknesses Weaknesses:
attributes of the organization that are harmful to achieving the objective.
Examples: unstable membership, budget problems, poor leadership, goals are at cross purposes with agency
Opportunities Opportunities:
external conditions that are helpful to achieving the objective.
Examples: Your state is getting ready to undergo its Child and Family Services Review
Threats Threats: external
conditions that are harmful to achieving the objective.
Examples: State budget crises, adversarial relationship with child welfare agency
What are the ways you
can… Capitalize on Strengths
Minimize weaknesses
Seize Opportunities
Defend against Threats