Legislature(2017 - 2018)SENATE FINANCE 532
04/16/2018 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB267 | |
| HB151 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | HB 151 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | HB 267 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| + | TELECONFERENCED |
CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 151(FIN)
"An Act relating to the duties of the Department of
Health and Social Services; relating to training and
workload standards for employees of the Department of
Health and Social Services and providing immunity from
damages related to those standards; relating to foster
care home licensing; relating to civil and criminal
history background checks for foster care licensing
and payments; relating to placement of a child in need
of aid; relating to the rights and responsibilities of
foster parents; requiring the Department of Health and
Social Services to provide information to a child or
person released from the department's custody; and
providing for an effective date."
10:30:01 AM
REPRESENTATIVE LES GARA, SPONSOR, discussed the
presentation "HB 151: Children Deserve a Loving Home Act,"
(copy on file). He informed that the full presentation was
included in member packets, the slides projected had been
selected for efficiency and brevity.
Representative Gara showed Slide 2, which showed an image
with the quote, "It is easier to build strong children than
to repair broken men," by Frederick Douglass.
Representative Gara shared that Casey Family Programs was
the largest nonprofit foster care program in the country
and operated in all 50 states. He said that a child
protection system should provide customer service and
should not be engaged in crisis management. He lamented
that Alaska faced similar challenges to most states when it
came to foster care but that some states had been more
successful than others. He shared that the bill would limit
trauma to children and families. He believed that the bill
would save the state money by reducing the number of
children in foster care. He said that the bill followed the
New Jersey model, which involved applying caseload
standards to retain caseworkers. He stated that the bill
was evidence based, and cited Slide 2, "Damaging Children,
Costing Money":
By age 21,
• 29% of Alaskan foster youth have been incarcerated
• 53% have been homeless (after leaving care)
• 37% have children of their own
• 40% are utilizing public assistance
• 34% were employed
10:33:36 AM
Representative Gara turned to Slide 4, "Vast Improvement
Within Our Reach: N.J. Adopted Caseload Limits & Training
similar to HB 151:"
-- Child Removals Down almost 50%
-- Caseworker Turnover Down to 8% from 25%
Representative Gara relayed that New Jersey had adopted
caseload standards so that caseworkers would not be
overwhelmed, which curbed burnout and the massive turnover
rate. He added that the number of youths in foster care in
New Jersey had been reduced by 50 percent and caseworker
turnover was down by 67 percent.
10:34:42 AM
Representative Gara reviewed Slide 5, "Placing Youth With
Relatives: A 30% Increase in N.J.," which showed a bar
graph entitled 'Figure 9: Initial Placement with a Relative
or Kinship Caregiver.' He stated that when caseworkers had
time to work with youth, rather than spend time on crisis
management, they had time to find placement with a relative
or kinship caregiver. He stressed that overwhelmed
caseworkers did not have the time to do the family, or
friend to family searches.
10:36:06 AM
Representative Gara displayed Slide 6, "How Excessive
Caseloads Harm Children & Families":
• Can't work with families to arrange frequent
visitation, which increases reunification
• High caseloads lead to more turnover 49% for
front-line workers at OCS
• Majority of those who leave OCS cite excessive
caseloads as #1 reason
• More turnover correlated with repeat maltreatment
• Inadequate time to investigate cases & work to keep
families together.
Representative Gara asserted that getting children back to
their families or into a permanent and loving home was the
number one priority. He said that with more time,
caseworkers could set up frequent visitation with their
lost child, which statistics had shown what the best
outcome for children. He stressed that high turnover led to
higher turnover and wasted money. He added that losing
workers resulted in cases being transferred to already
overwhelmed remaining caseworkers. He said that excessive
caseloads were the number 1 reason for employee turnover.
He lamented that the more turnover, the more repeat child
abuse and repeat neglect suffered by children.
10:37:59 AM
Representative Gara reviewed Slide 7, "Why The Workforce
Matters". He relayed that child welfare work was not easy
and turnover was costly; the cost for each worker leaving
the agency was approximately $54,000. Reduced turnover
meant a better turnout for all involved.
10:38:21 AM
Representative Gara spoke to Slide 8, "Fewer Changes in
caseworkers increases the chances of permanency for
children," which showed a bar graph. He drew attention to
the bottom yellow bar, which showed that a child who had 1
caseworker for the duration of their time in the system
were 74.5 percent more likely to find permanent placement.
Vice-Chair Bishop interjected that students in Finland
stayed with their teachers for 7 years, which had led to
high international test scores.
10:39:41 AM
Representative Gara discussed additional positive outcomes
from New Jersey. The state had set state records from the
number of foster children that had been adopted. He added
that staff morale had been increased.
10:41:16 AM
Senator Stevens read Slide 9, "HB 151 will cost-effectively
and comprehensively fix problems, improve child and family
outcomes, and reduce waste and red tape."
10:41:29 AM
Representative Gara displayed Slide 10, "HB 151: What It
Will Do":
Sets manageable caseload limits, so caseworkers can
reduce removal rates, get youth out of foster care
faster, make fewer mistakes, and respond to the needs
of youth and original parents.
? For new caseworkers, 6 families in the first three
months and 12 in the first six months (Section 6)
? A statewide average caseload limit of not more than
13 families per worker
? These levels are consistent with national
recommendations, taking Alaska travel times into
account
Representative Gara stated that the state was closer than
ever to being able to achieve caseload and training
standards laid out in the bill.
10:42:42 AM
Representative Gara reviewed Slide 11, "Caseloads: FY 17
&18," which showed a table of the average caseload per
worker in FY17 and FY18.
10:43:24 AM
Representative Gara showed Slide 12, "Finding & Keeping
Loving Foster Homes":
• Often placement with a family member or friend is
healthier for a child & leads to reunification
(Section 13)
• Bill strengthens search for family members,
frequently
a casualty of excessive caseloads (Sections 7 &
12)
• Can make Olympians
• Simon Biles and Torie Bowie adopted by loving
grandparents within 1 year
10:44:25 AM
Representative Gara showed Slide 13, "Provides Caseworkers
with Necessary Training":
• Increases training for new workers to 6 weeks
(Section 16)
• Pre-2017 budget amendment was 3 weeks
• Directs DHSS to assign mentors to train and
help new staff
• Quality training at UA Child Welfare Academy
10:45:21 AM
Representative Gara looked at Slide 14, "Keeping Families
Together":
• Reduces removals -- Prohibits DHSS from placing a
child with an out-of-home provider if it
determines the child can remain safely at home
with an adult family member (Section 14)
• Maintains connections & support -- Enables the
sharing of contact info to encourage needed
contact with siblings and important former foster
families (Sections 15 and 2)
Representative Gara noted that too many children are
separated from their siblings and the bill required that
separated sibling get contact information for each other.
He wanted to encourage sibling connections. He related that
children should have contact information of former foster
parents. He stressed the importance of the "Prudent Parent
Standard" that would allow foster parents to act as a
parent in certain situations without having to first get
permission from a caseworker.
10:47:04 AM
Representative Gara showed Slide 15, "Cuts Red Tape":
• Makes it easier for foster parents to make day-
to-day decisions about a child's activities,
consistent with "Prudent Parent" standard used
10+ states (Section 8)
• Requires that decisions on foster care home
license applications be made within 45 days
(Section 20)
• Enables youth 14 and older to participate in
their case plan & permanent home goals
(Section 9)
10:48:31 AM
Representative Gara showed Slide 16, "Progress at Alaska
OCS":
Removals and discharges during each calendar year:
2017: Removals = 1,303; Discharges = 1,422
2016: Removals = 1,356; Discharges = 1,038
2015: Removals = 1,610; Discharges = 1,080
10:49:04 AM
Representative Gara showed Slide 17. He referenced material
from the National Child Workforce Institute that echoed the
problems created by high caseloads and turnover and the
harm to youth and families.
10:51:41 AM
AT EASE
10:52:42 AM
RECONVENED
Vice-Chair Bishop OPENED public testimony.
10:53:57 AM
CHRISTY LAWTON, DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF CHILDREN'S SERVICES,
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES, spoke in support
of the bill. She discussed her 20-year history of working
in child welfare. She lamented that her experience had seen
heavy caseloads for limited staff that had resulted in
decreased quality and increased risk for children.
10:56:09 AM
Ms. Lawton continued her testimony. She discussed becoming
a supervisor and spoke of the changes that had been made to
improve the system. She said that workers faced challenges
that included personal threats for their personal safety.
Ms. Lawton described OCS as debilitated; a system severely
hindered due to lacking the right resources to operate
effectively. She stated that workforce retention in child
welfare had been a chronic problem for over 5 decades. She
believed that Alaska should be proactive in developing
solutions to the problems faced by the system.
10:58:47 AM
Senator Olson asked whether Ms. Lawton was familiar with
the New Jersey model referenced by the bill sponsor. He
asked whether the model could work in Alaska.
Ms. Lawton answered in the affirmative on both counts.
10:59:19 AM
Senator von Imhof stated that she had heard the bill in the
Senate Health and Social Services committee. She asked to
present an idea that she had crafted as a blend of all the
ideas that had been discussed.
11:00:21 AM
AMANDA METIVIER, FACING FOSTER CARE IN ALASKA, ANCHORAGE
(via teleconference), testified in support of the bill. She
stated that the legislation was a product of input form
young people who were currently living in the system. She
said that she is a former foster youth and a current foster
parent. She related that the bill would help to make
children safe and move them quickly toward permanency. She
thought that attention should be paid to children who aged
out of the system. She lamented that the average OCS worker
lasted 1.5 years. She believed that the limited workload
set out in the bill would improve the turnout for
caseworkers and children in foster care. She thought this
was the most comprehensive piece of child welfare reform
she had ever seen proposed. She strongly urged committee
support.
11:04:01 AM
JULI LUCKY, SELF, ANCHORAGE, testified in support of the
bill. She relayed her experience as a Court Appointed
Special Advocate (CASA) volunteered. She had also been a
foster parent. She stated that when she was a foster
parent, it was almost impossible to get services from OCS
due to their heavy workload.
Ms. Lucky continued her testimony. She related the
unfortunate challenges that faced children in the foster
care system that she had witnessed firsthand. She shared
that for some children, being placed in a good home still
meant being removed from the only family that they had
known and loved. She believed that the changes in the bill
would give children more input over their fate and the
ability to communicate with siblings who were housed with
other families. She relayed that when the foster child
living with her had left to find her forever home, that
home had proved hard to find, and the child had reached out
to her for help. She said that the child had eventually
found permanent housing and was doing well, and she
stressed the importance that children had contact
information of adults who had been a positive presence in
their lives.
11:07:50 AM
Ms. Lucky continued to speak to the bill. She spoke of the
rules that foster parents and children had to follow that
were heartbreaking in application because they led to
reoccurring disappointment surrounding missing slumber
parties, field trips, or visits to the state fair. She
discussed her experience as a foster parent and not being
allowed to remove the foster child from the municipality in
order to take her to the state fair. She discussed the
Prudent Parent provision of the bill, which she believed
would prevent preventable disappointment and heartache. She
believed that the bill would be of small cost to the state
but would make a big difference to the children involved.
11:10:17 AM
JANINE REEP, FACING FOSTER CARE, JUNEAU, testified in
support of the bill. She stated that the bill was likely
the single most important piece of legislation effecting
child protection that she had witnessed in her career. She
believed that the only thing that would improve the child
protection system was to put a statutory cap on caseloads.
She commented on the level of responsibility carried on the
back of a social worker. She warned of the repercussions of
children exiting the foster care system without ever having
established a health relationship with an adult. She
strongly urged the committee to support the bill.
11:15:32 AM
Senator Stevens referenced comments about family members
and friends not being contacted when placement was being
sought for children. He asked whether family members could
intervene in the process and demand to be heard.
Ms. Reep informed that the department had requirements to
notify grandparents and others, although situations were
time sensitive. She said that sometimes feasible family
members could be overlooked because of time constraints.
11:16:51 AM
Vice-Chair Bishop noted that Senator Micciche had joined
the meeting.
11:17:04 AM
NATASHA SINGH, TANANA CHIEFS CONFERENCE, AK REGIONAL
COALITION, FAIRBANKS (via teleconference), spoke in full
support of the bill. She agreed with previous testimony.
She believed that OCS had the best intentions but not the
resources. She offered an example of rural workers that had
to travel every day to meet federal mandates to see
children, which left little time for casework. She
reiterated the lack of time and resources currently
available for child welfare in the state.
11:20:36 AM
TAMMY SANDOVAL, DIRECTOR, ALASKA CHILD WELFARE ACADEMY,
UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA, ANCHORAGE (via teleconference),
testified in support of the bill. She said that reformation
of the child welfare system would take the passage of the
legislation. She felt that when families in child welfare
were underserved youth moved on to juvenile justice,
homelessness, and corrections.
11:23:03 AM
RACHEL BEDSWORTH, FACING FOSTER CARE IN ALASKA, ANCHORAGE
(via teleconference), spoke in support of the bill. She had
aged out of the foster care system in October 2018. She
said that in her 12 years in foster care she had
experienced 47 placements and had 9 different social
workers. She recalled during 8th grade she had experienced
3 social workers in 3 months. She stressed that children
needed permanency and that consistency of caseworkers, and
realistic caseloads for those workers, would change the
foster care system for the better.
11:24:51 AM
DESIREE SHEPLER, DIRECTOR, RAISING OUR CHILDREN WITH
KINDNESS (ROCK MATSU), WASILLA (via teleconference),
testified in support of the bill. She believed that the
bill would result in better outcomes for Alaska's most
vulnerable children. She said that the OCS office in Mat-Su
was struggling with an increase in child abuse and neglect
cases. Over the past 5 years the number of OCS cases
statewide had increased by 5 percent.
11:27:11 AM
SARAH REDMON, FACING FOSTER CARE IN ALASKA, ANCHORAGE (via
teleconference), spoke in support of the bill. She had aged
out of foster care without a permanent connection to a
health adult. She was one of twelve siblings, 8 were
younger, and she had been the primary caretaker for her
younger siblings. She spoke of the effect of not having
connection with her siblings placed in other houses. She
discussed her worry for her siblings and stressed that the
legislation would help children and caseworkers to keep
siblings connected.
11:29:45 AM
ELIZABETH RIPLEY, MATSU HEALTH FOUNDATION, WASILLA (via
teleconference), testified in support of the bill. In 2013,
the foundation and community partners conducted a Mat-Su
health needs assessment that identified the number one
community health goal of making sure that all Mat-Su
children were safe and cared for. Since that time there
had been an increase in child maltreatment reports increase
form 2,840 in 2014, 3,528 in 2015. She said that the Palmer
Court Child in Need of Aid cases also increased from 216
cases in 2014; ;242 in 2015; 271 in 2016; increases in
these cases were largely due to the opioid epidemic. She
considered that the bill used evidence-based methods to
improve outcomes, support families, enable faster timelines
for permanency for children, and set caseworkers up for
success. She believed that the bill included provisions
that would prevent child maltreatment by allowing parents
to opt into referrals to community organizations that could
provide support services to families in cases where OCS
determined that services to protect the child were not
required. She urged strong support for the legislation.
11:32:18 AM
MICHAEL JEFFERY, SELF, BARROW (via teleconference), spoke
in support of the bill. He said that he had processed
juvenile justice and child welfare cases and was a member
of the Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee. He stated that
providing services on the North Slope could be challenging
and that the increased training proposed by the legislation
would help to retain workers that had experience working in
rural villages.
11:34:47 AM
Vice-Chair Bishop CLOSED public testimony.
Vice-Chair Bishop noted that the fiscal note would be
reviewed later. The bill discussion would continue at the
afternoon meeting.
CSHB 151(FIN) was HEARD and HELD in committee for further
consideration.