Report 2013-110 Recommendation 11 Responses

Report 2013-110: Child Welfare Services: The County Child Welfare Services Agencies We Reviewed Must Provide Better Protection for Abused and Neglected Children (Release Date: April 2014)

Recommendation #11 To: Orange County Social Services Agency

To ensure that its social workers are following its policy regarding timely follow-up visits, the Orange County CWS agency should provide training or other clarification of its policy and have its supervisors regularly review whether their staff are complying with this requirement.

1-Year Agency Response

Social Services Agency (SSA) made minor modifications to Abuse Investigations: Practice Guidelines Policy and Procedure (P&P) Number A-0412, which addresses timely follow up visit attempts. Language was added emphasizing the importance of conducting follow up visits at varying times and locations (if needed.) The revised P&P was finalized and published July 15, 2014. All Emergency Response (ER) supervisors and social workers were trained on the revised P&P, July and August 2014. All Differential Response (DR) supervisors and social workers were trained on the revised P&P by October 2014.

SSA developed an ER audit tool which is used by managers, supervisors, and the Quality Support Team (QST). This includes monitoring compliance with required follow up visit attempts.

QST completed the first audit of ER/DR practices (October 2014) including compliance with timely follow up visits. A second audit is currently being conducted. The ER/DR managers and supervisors also completed reviews using the ER audit tool in January 2015.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Fully Implemented

The Orange County CWS agency revised its policy to address the audit recommendation. In addition, it implemented a review tool which instructs supervisors to check whether social workers make timely follow-up attempts at varying times and locations.

6-Month Agency Response

Orange County SSA made minor modifications to the Abuse Investigations: Practice Guidelines Policy and Procedure (P&P) Number A-0412, which addresses timely follow up visit attempts. Language was added emphasizing the importance of conducting follow up visits at varying times and locations (if needed.) The revised P&P was finalized and published on July 15, 2014. All Emergency Response (ER) supervisors and social workers were trained on the revised P&P in July and August 2014. All Differential Response (DR) supervisors and social workers were trained on the revised P&P in September 2014.

Orange County SSA has developed an ER audit tool which will be used by managers, supervisors, and the Quality Support Team (QST). This includes monitoring compliance with required follow up attempts.

QST will complete semi-annual audits in October 2014 and April 2015 to monitor compliance with follow up attempt requirements.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Partially Implemented

60-Day Agency Response

Orange County SSA made minor modifications to the Abuse Investigations: Practice Guidelines Policy and Procedure (P&P) Number A-0412, which addresses timely follow up attempts. Language was added emphasizing the importance of conducting follow up visits at varying times and varying locations (if needed). The Emergency Response (ER) managers will review the P&P with supervisors and social workers within an ER all staff meeting. The anticipated completion date for this is July 22, 2014.

Orange County SSA is developing an ER audit tool which will be used by managers, supervisors, and the Quality Support Team (QST). This will include monitoring compliance with required follow up attempts. It is anticipated that the tool will be fully developed by July 2014.

QST will complete semi-annual audits in October 2014 and April 2015 to monitor compliance with follow up attempt requirements.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Pending

All Recommendations in 2013-110

Agency responses received are posted verbatim.