Report 2018-126 Recommendation 11 Responses

Report 2018-126: Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services: It Has Not Adequately Ensured the Health and Safety of All Children in Its Care (Release Date: May 2019)

Recommendation #11 To: Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services

To strengthen and improve its quality control processes, by November 2019 the department should enhance the focus of its case reviews to not only include a review of particular case outcomes, but to also determine whether critical assessments are accurate and thorough.

1-Year Agency Response

In January 2020, the CQI Division collaborated with various DCFS sections to evaluate existing case and referral review tools that were being utilized throughout the Department. This feedback was incorporated into the newly developed referral review tools, which also included questions related to evaluating the quality and accuracy of assessments throughout the duration of a referral or case. A goal of the revision effort was to integrate elements gauging the level or standard of worker assessments while still maintaining the tool's ability to assess compliance with critical mandates that have a direct impact on child safety. The CQI Division managers in each of the regional offices began use of the revised tools on February 3, 2020.

It is important to note that the Department will continue to evaluate the efficacy of the review tools and will update, as necessary, to ensure it aligns with the CQI Division's goals.

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

The department's newly developed review tools appear to address qualitative aspects of cases and referrals, including the accuracy and thoroughness of critical assessments.

6-Month Agency Response

In advance of full establishment of the new Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) Division, the Department has made efforts to enhance its case reviews to ensure that critical assessments are accurate and thorough. Components of the new review process have been initiated as a part of DCFS' efforts to address critical needs for the Antelope Valley (AV) offices. For example, this process included reviewing a random sample of 100 cases and referrals from each AV office and also doing an electronic case review of 20 referrals and 20 cases from both offices. The data was analyzed and a review report was published on September 26, 2019.

The new quality control process will be permeated throughout the Department. The CQI Division will evaluate case review tools currently in use and revise them as necessary to ensure case reviews conducted by that division include appropriate focus on SCSW functions, including critical assessments and other practice elements. These tools that will guide the case review process will be put into practice by the CQI Division, in collaboration with its Quality Improvement partners so together they can ensure consistency throughout our regional offices.

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

60-Day Agency Response

Upon establishment of the new Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) division, the division's managers will evaluate the referral/case review tools in use and build in, as necessary, additional components that examine the quality of Children's Social Worker (CSW) and/or Supervising Children's Social Worker (SCSW) assessments on investigations and casework.

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

All Recommendations in 2018-126

Agency responses received are posted verbatim.