Report 2013-110 Recommendation 21 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 #21 To: San Francisco Human Services Agency, City and County of

To improve the quality of the investigative information available to social workers the San Francisco County CWS agency should expand on its investigative narrative templates to include fields such as relevant criminal history, substance abuse, or mental health concerns.

1-Year Agency Response

Policy: The new Investigative Narrative (IN) has been completed and approved by the FCS Deputy Director on March 17, 2015. As recommended, we have revised the IN, expanded the IN templates, and added fields such as relevant criminal history, substance abuse and mental health. In addition to new drop down menus, we have added hidden text that guides/prompts the PSWs in thoroughly completing the tool. An Investigative Narrative Cheat Sheet, has also been created to assist PSWs when they are out in the field.

Policy Staff provided training for ER staff on how to document using the new IN on 3/31/2015. All FCS case carrying staff has been scheduled for training throughout the month of April.

Relevant Policies and DGs have also been developed to provide staff with detailed instructions for how the new IN is to be completed.

- See Supporting Documentation

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

6-Month Agency Response

Currently the Program Director over the Hotline and Emergency Response (ER) is working with ER supervisors, and the Training Coordinator to revise and refine the agency investigative narrative template. The new investigative narrative will expand on the narrative portion of the template and will prompt staff to provide critical and detailed information. The template will require that relevant criminal history, substance abuse, and mental health concerns be addressed. The group expects to have a final draft of the new investigative narrative by November, 2014.

Once completed, staff will be provided with desk guides and training on the new template.

CQI will monitor that the narratives are being completed thoroughly, accurately and timely.

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

60-Day Agency Response

To date we have hired a Policy Supervisor who will develop policies and procedures requiring supervisory review of the hotline tool. The supervisor will come on board June 9, 2014. Additionally, we are in the process of redirecting 5 Protective Services Worker (PSW) positions to the Policy unit. We expect to have them on board by July 21, 2014.

Once the policy unit is established it will revise the current investigative narrative template to allow for more thorough and complete documentation of assessments. The new narrative will include the recommended fields.

Once the narrative template is finalized, the Training Coordinator will provide training for staff in the proper use and completion of the narrative. The policy unit will also establish clear policies and expectations for its use.

We are waiting for approval to hire 6 Quality Assurance (Q.A.) staff including 1 supervisor and 5 analysts to ensure compliance with new policies. Once in place, Q.A. will conduct periodic reviews to ensure that quality narratives are being completed.

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

All Recommendations in 2013-110

Agency responses received are posted verbatim.