California Alliance Of Child And Family Services

Programs: Advocacythe california alliance of child and family services pursues an aggressive agenda of legislative and regulatory advocacy on behalf of its member agencies and the children and families they serve. Staff represents the alliance before the legislature, regulatory and administrative agencies, and the governor's office. Experienced and expert, staff members monitor the state budget and lobby both for and against legislation. The california alliance promotes programs and policies that are beneficial to children and families, guards the resources necessary for member agencies to meet the needs of the children and families they serve, and vigorously opposes legislative and administrative actions that are potentially harmful. State issues and legislation- successfully collaborated with legislative staff and other advocacy organization to restore $17 million funding for children's mental health crisis continuum of care start-up. - successfully collaborated with other stakeholders in advocating for the creation of the $31 million emergency child care bridge program for foster children - successfully advocated to keep the cni-based cola in statute for thp+fc - sponsored ab 501 (ridley-thomas) to establish mental health crisis residential services for children and youth - sponsored sb 612 (mitchell) to update and clarify regulations for thp+fc - advocated for alliance positions on provisions of multiple versions of ab 404 (stone), the clean-up bill for ab 403 and ab 1997 (stone, 2015, 2016), implementing continuum of care reform (ccr) - organized opposition of alliance member agencies to ab 1250 (jones-sawyer) that would make it virtually impossible for counties to contract out for services to children and families - advocated in support of legislation that would improve the lives of foster children, children with mental health needs, and other vulnerable children and youth - successfully advocated for defeat of legislation that would hamper efforts to address and combat the commercial sexual exploitation of children - successfully advocated in support of legislation that would require adherence to federal parity lawsdevelopment & implementation of public policy and regulation - continuum of care reform implementation - supported implementation of ab 1299, mental health services for foster youth placed out-of-county, and engaged dhcs in implementing ab 1299 - convened workgroup that successfully preserved paarp funding - successfully advocated for the cans to become assessment and outcome measurement tool for all youth receiving smhs - successfully advocated for thp+fc provider share of infant supplement for parenting nmds - provided comment and recommendations on implementation of 2016 legislation addressing psychotropic medication usage with foster youth - represented and advocated alliance positions at community care licensing bi-weekly meetings - participated on dhcs committees to develop the epsdt performance outcome system which resulted from sb 1009 (2012) - represented and advocated alliance positions at community care licensing regional meetings - supported effective implementation of ab 114 funding for educationally related mental health services - represented the alliance on the therapeutic foster care workgroup - reviewed and commented on revisions to the rules of the court and jv 220 forms (psychotropic medication for foster youth) - continued to support residentially-based services demonstration projects - represented alliance in implementation meetings re: chaptered legislation on psychotropic medications and oversightfederal issues - addressed changes to definition of exempt status for employees- continued opposition to federal foster care reform legislation that would penalize california- collaborated with national partners on issues of mutual interestlocal support, grassroots advocacy and collaboration- supported development of county-based organizations- provided grassroots advocacy support to member agencies- chaired nosac public policy committee- co-chaired state foster care month celebration in may, 2017- co-organized national adoption day awareness committee- established and participated in quarterly meetings with dhcs leadership to address member agency concerns. Represented the california alliance on state child welfare council and co-chaired permanency committee - continued collaboration with legal advocacy organizations on identification of low performing epsdt services counties, identification of barriers to care, and post-jurisdiction implementation of settlement agreement on katie a. Lawsuit - represented the alliance on the california wraparound advisory committee - represented the alliance on the cdss csec criminal background workgroup - represented alliance (by invitation) at various collaborative events - represented alliance on dhcs committee to redesign/update the specialty mental health audit protocol - represented alliance in groups related to sud services for youth - represented the alliance on dss office of the ombudsman strategic plan development stakeholder group - represented alliance on foster family-based treatment association (ffta) public policy committee - represented alliance on statewide extended foster care steering committee - represented the alliance on the child welfare council's csec action team - supported california mental health advocates for children and youth - represented alliance on dhcs/dss committees related to decreasing the utilization of psychotropic medications among foster youth - represented alliance on the foster youth education task force - represented the alliance on the breaking barriers advisory council, advocating for the appropriate positioning of community-based providers within emerging models of local child serving collaborative activities - represented alliance on ccr youth satisfaction survey committee - represented alliance as invited presenters at various webinars, training events and workshops - represented alliance in ongoing meetings of advocacy coalitions

member serviceswhen an agency joins the california alliance of child and family services, it joins a family of outstanding organizations that can be counted on for support, advice, and technical assistance. Member agencies receive all the following services and benefits:- representation on statewide policy issues before the administration, california legislature, and state administrative and regulatory agencies. - assistance interfacing with state agencies to get questions answered and problems resolved. - two annual membership conferences for executives that offer group home administrator and professional ceu's with reduced registration fees. - reduced rates at practitioner training seminars and conferences. - agency inclusion in the online member directory. - "someday morning" updates keeping member agencies abreast of current trends and policy developments. - comprehensive and detailed alerts and updates on budgetary, legislative, and regulatory issues impacting member agencies. -access to the alliance website for critical information and public policy position decision-making. - direct access to alliance staff with expertise in areas impacting member agencies. - opportunities to set policy direction guiding legislative and regulatory advocacy by actively participating on alliance committees and work groups in program areas of interest. - opportunity to engage in alliance sponsored practice improvement initiatives including acquisition of evidence-based practices, utilization of common evidence-based practice elements, gathering and analysis of practice-based evidence for interventions members have developed on their own, and participation in a national benchmarking project. Executive support - provided consulation and presentations to member agencies' board of directors and staff - provided technical assistance to alliance member agency executives and staff on changes required of ffas by ccr - conducted and dissemnated survey re compensation for mental health services staff - conducted day-long ffa and adoption agency workgroup on ccr related developments - provided technical assistance to alliance member agency executives and staff on a variety of afdc-fc rate setting issues - medicaid final rule - provided infomration and advice to alliance members regarding ccl issues - support member agencies' in gaining greated understanding of and access to the commercial insurance market - provided technical assistance to alliance members in los angeles county on wraparound funding

trainingthe california alliance is committed to building a highly skilled and appropriately compensated workforce of professionals. The alliance provides an array of training and continuing education opportunities specifically geared to improving the skills of direct care staff, clinicians, and administrators working in child and family services. Each year the california alliance holds two membership conferences for executives and senior managers incorporating plenaries and workshops on a wide variety of timely and important topics. Often the list of speakers includes members of the state legislature, high-ranking individuals from within the state administration, county welfare, mental health agencies, and juvenile probation agencies, or from partner associations. The general membership business meetings are held at these conferences. Plenaries and workshops at membership conferences are approved by the california department of social services for group home administrator continuing education credits and by the board of behavioral sciences examiners for lcsw and mft continuing education credits, and by the american psychological association for continuing education hours.