Report 2013-110 Recommendation 4 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 #4 To: Butte County Department of Employment and Social Services

To ensure that the statewide case management system contains accurate and complete information for each referral, the Butte County CWS agency should update its policies or otherwise provide clear guidance to social workers about the importance of ensuring that all alleged perpetrators, victims, and types of maltreatment are accurately recorded upon intake.

1-Year Agency Response

Butte County revised the Structured Decision Making (SDM) Policy and Procedure (No. CSD-05-04), effective September 24, 2014, to provide clear guidelines regarding supervisory review requirements and the Quality Assurance review monitoring process. Training regarding the new Policy and Procedure was provided to Child Welfare staff and Supervisors at the October 2, 2014 Program Meeting. Supporting documentation was submitted as part of the six-month review.

Butte County revised the Intake Policy and Procedure (No. CSD-14-21) which also addresses these issues. Training was provided to Child Welfare staff and supervisors at the November 6, 2014 Program Meeting.

Copies of the November 6, 2014 Program Meeting agenda and the revised Intake Policy and Procedure (No. CSD-14-21) will be submitted.

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

6-Month Agency Response

Audit results were reviewed with supervisors and social work staff.

The Investigations (IR/ER) Policy and Procedure (No. CSD-14-20) was revised, effective September 25, 2014, to provide clear guidance to social workers about the importance of ensuring that all alleged perpetrators, victims, and types of maltreatment are accurately recorded upon intake. Training regarding the new Policy and Procedure was provided to Child Welfare staff and Supervisors at the October 2, 2014 Program Meeting.

Copies of the October 2, 2014 Program Meeting agenda and the revised Investigations Policy and Procedure No. CSD-14-20 are attached.

A new Intake Policy and Procedure is under development which will also address these issues. This policy will be completed and staff trained by December 31, 2014.

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

60-Day Agency Response

Audit results were reviewed with supervisors and social work staff. Butte County has identified an interim team consisting of a Program Manager, two Administrative Analysts and the staff trainer to update policies and procedures, pending new staff to be hired for this function, anticipated to be hired by September 2014. This will include one new Administrative Analyst position that will be responsible for the oversight, development and review of all Policies and Procedures for Child Welfare. At this time, this policy and procedure is in the process of being updated, but is not yet completed.

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

All Recommendations in 2013-110

Agency responses received are posted verbatim.