CPYP | Kern County

KERN COUNTY

Kern started its CPYP project by identifying 18 focus youth, who were 14 and 15 year olds in group homes. They also included their siblings in the project. Each case is assigned one permanency caseworker and one placement social worker. In addition, eight interns have each been assigned one case for family finding. Kern uses Entersect as their search engine for family finding and recommends it. However, the best tool for finding connections is still talking to the youth.

Kern has also hired a former foster youth to work in the CPYP project to insure that the project is youth driven and to guide a permanency youth committee.

Kern's youth committee has multiple goals:

support group
community education: the youth will talk to foster parents, agencies (group homes, foster family agencies)
permanency education for the youth: how to work on their own permanency
provide guidance for the project

The California Youth Connection (CYC) is actively involved with this committee.

3-5-7 Grief and Loss Model Pilot Study Update, July 2009

From March 2008 until March 2009 a pilot study for the 3-5-7 grief and loss model was implemented in Kern County. There were initially 20 children recommended for the pilot study; however, only 13 remained in the study for the entire year duration.

Of the 7 that left the study:

2 became wards
1 had an ICPC and moved with her father out of state
1 was placed out of county
2 failed to continue the process.

The purpose of the pilot study was to examine the effects of having lifebook work with children in foster care. The children were asked to complete a depression and relationship inventory; and caretakers and school personnel were asked to complete an Achenbach behavior index. The expectation was that the depression and relationship scores would improve through the process, and that the negative behavior scores would decrease. At this time, only 4 of the 13 children have completed both sets of inventories. This worker continues to collaborate with primary social workers in getting the inventories completed.

Of the inventories completed:

3 of the children had significantly improved on both the depression and relationship scores.
1 child had scores that reflected a more depressed mindset and negative view of her relationships; however, that child was nearing emancipation and it is likely that affected her state of mind and mood.

The number of disruptions/children's placements and issues of permanence were additional points of examination for the pilot study. It was expected that utilizing grief and loss work would result in a reduced number of placement changes for children and an increase in readiness for permanence (either emotional, physical, or legal).

Of the 13 children in the pilot study:

The majority did have a reduced number of placements within the one-year period.
There are 2 children whose primary worker has not yet communicated these outcomes.
Two of the 13 children were able to voice, for the first time, their desire for permanence with their current caretakers.
An additional sibling set of 3 finalized their adoption during the pilot study process.

Through the year-long pilot study of the 3-5-7 grief and loss model, there have been some very significant successes for our children. At this point we have been expanding the work to include more county social workers and foster family agencies. The two training units within Permanent Placement have been trained in the model and have been instructed to choose one child on their caseload to begin working with. At this point, six foster family agencies have sent staff to receive training in the model and were asked to begin implementing the work with children on their caseloads. An additional training will be provided in October 2009 for the remaining foster family agencies. There are monthly "lifebooker" meetings for those social workers (county and foster family agency) that are doing lifebook work to collaborate and share resources. May, June, and July had very good representation at these meetings and the overall attitude regarding the model has been positive.

Plans are underway for 2010 regarding which additional staff (group home, county, etc.) will receive training on the model. It is expected that by the end of 2009, approximately 30 more children will be able to begin the process and work on a lifebook. Given the success that the small pilot study experienced, with the expansion underway, even more success is expected in the future.

Success Story

Randy (not his real name), a sixteen-year-old boy, entered care when he was eleven and spent the last three years in group homes. His mother, whom he had not seen for two to three years, was not considered a viable placement; his father passed away ten years ago. By contacting the funeral home listed on the fatherís death certificate, the case worker was able to locate Randyís fatherís companionís ex-daughter-in-law, who eventually led the worker to the fatherís companion. It turns out that Randy's father's companion lives only an hour away and Randy has a half brother and half sister he never knew about. He now visits with his half siblings regularly. The case worker also re-connected Randy to his maternal cousins who had moved out of state a couple years ago and had fallen out of contact. As of April 2007 Randy was scheduled to be placed with his maternal relatives at the conclusion of this school year. The case worker stated that Randy has ìcome out of his depression . . . and is now reaching out to friends and the community. (He) has waited a long time to find his family; even family he never knew he had.

County Documents

Agency Brochures/Materials

Everyone Has Family . . . Our Kids Do Too!