Permanency Partners Program (P3)

0080-507.22 | Revision Date: 07/01/14

Overview

This policy guide provides information on the Permanency Partners Program (P3), including how to handle referrals and case assignments, working with P3 youth and caregivers, providing Family Finding and other engagement efforts to P3 participants, and closing P3 services.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Policy

Permanency Partners Program (P3)  

Documenting P3 Case Activities

P3 Unit Responsibilities 

Procedure

P3 Referrals 

Case-Carrying CSW Responsibilities

SCSW Responsibilities

P3 SCSW Responsibilities

P3 Case Assignments

P3 CSW Responsibilities

Working with the Youth

P3 CSW Responsibilities

Working with the Caregiver

P3 CSW Responsibilities

Providing Ongoing Family Finding and Engagement Efforts

P3 CSW Responsibilities

P3 SCSW Responsibilities

Closing P3 Services

P3 CSW Responsibilities

P3 SCSW Responsibilities

Approvals

Helpful Links

Forms 

Referenced Policy Guides

Statutes

Version Summary

This policy guide was updated from the 03/05/12 version, as part of the Policy Redesign, in accordance with the DCFS Strategic Plan.

POLICY

Permanency Partners Program (P3)

The Permanency Partners Program (P3) provides services to the following populations:

• Older youth, twelve (12) years and older, including Nonminor Dependents, in Planned Permanent Living Arrangements (PPLA).

• Youth that have been Court ordered for P3 services.

• Siblings (of any age) with an open case whose sibling is receiving P3 services.

• Youth (of any age) placed in a group home (referred to P3 at the time of placement).

• Other populations periodically identified by DCFS who do not otherwise meet the P3 requirements.

P3 staff consists of part-time employees that are a mix of retirees and non-retirees. Most PS staff previously worked for DCFS. P3 CSWs are mandated reporters.

P3 SCSWs assign youth to a P3 CSW who is responsible for locating meaningful connections from the youth’s past/present to achieve lifelong permanence through reunification with a parent, adoption, or legal guardianship. P3 also seeks to identify connections with adults with whom the youth can develop lasting relationships throughout their life.

Youth are assigned to the following P3 programs, which are recorded on the Special Project Page on CWS/CMS:

• P3 pilot Retirees:

• Youth was selected to participate in the P3 Pilot which seeks to find legal permanent homes for you 12-18 years old, in placement over 24, and in a Planned Permanent Living Arrangement (PPLA). Services are provided by DCFS retirees.

• P3 Diligent RC Services:

• Youth has been identified as part of the diligent recruitment grant for upfront family finding services with the P3 program.

• P3 Upfront Services:

• Child has been identified in need of upfront family finding and engagement services to increase connections from DCFS case inception.

Documenting P3 Case Activities

P3 case activities should be documented as follows:

P3 Unit Responsibilities

P3 CSWs assume secondary assignment on cases they service, performing the following activities:

• Reading the case records to identify significant connections in the child’s/youth’s life, and identifying missing connections and adults who could become a significant connection for these youth.

• On-going collaboration with case-carrying CSWs through face-to-face conferring, emails, and written documentation:

• Includes assisting with referrals to the ASFA Division for relative/NREFM home assessments, Child and Family Team (CFT)A group of individuals, as identified by the family, and convened by DCFS, who are engaged through a variety of team-based processes to identify the strengths and needs of the child or youth and his or her family, and to help achieve positive outcomes for safety, permanency, and well-being. Meeting, Family Group Decision Making (FGDM), Family Preservation, etc.

• Collaborating with the youth to explore the youth’s wishes and desires and to follow up on leads obtained from the youth regarding the identities of missing adult connections.

• Utilizing Due Diligence and Internet search engines to locate missing adult connections (i.e. biological parents, relatives, adult siblings, family friends, caregivers, etc.)

• Conducting in-person, written, and telephone contacts with the identified adult connections, once located.

• Assisting with setting up initial contacts between the youth and adult connections and providing on-going support to both parties while the relationship is developing.

• Working in conjunction with the case-carrying CSW, the youth and identified adult connection(s) to explore permanency options.

• Supporting sibling relationships through facilitating visitation, or letter and telephone communication.

• This may include connecting youth with siblings with whom they have lost contact and/or that may have been adopted, as allowed by law.

• Documenting all case information on CWS/CMS and providing case related information to the regional CSW and SCSW.

Back to Policy

PROCEDURE

P3 Referrals

Case-Carrying CSW Responsibilities

1. Identify potential P3 cases.

2. If a case meets P3 eligibility criteria, complete a DCFS 5122-A, Permanency Partner Program (P3) Referral Form and attach the most recent court report to the referral.

• If the court ordered P3 services, attach a copy of the minute order.

3. Once the SCSW approves the DCFS 5122-A, submit the form to the P3 in-box.

SCSW Responsibilities

1. Review the DCFS 5122-A to ensure that it has been filled out accurately and all relevant documents attached to the referral form.

• If approved, sign the DCFS 122-A

• If denied, return the DCFS 5122-A to the CSW for correction.

P3 SCSW Responsibilities

1. Review the DCFS 5122-A to ensure the case referred meets eligibility criteria.

• If the case was approved, assign the designated P3 CSW as a secondary worker on CWS/CMS.

• If the case is rejected, email the case-carrying SCSW and CSW of the rejection and the reason for the rejection.

• If the referral is on a waiting list, provide monthly updates to the case-carrying CSW and SCSW on the status of case assignment.

2. Document the youth’s participation in theP3 program on the Special Project Page on CWS/CMS.

3. Email the case-carrying SCSW and CSW the name and telephone number of the assigned P3 CSW.

Back to Procedure

P3 Case Assignments

P3 CSW Responsibilities

1. Confer with the case-carrying CSW/SCSW to discuss the following:

• The purpose of P3

• The case-carrying CSW’s knowledge of adult connections and current permanency plans.

• The case-carrying CSW’s knowledge of youth’s siblings (including half and step siblings).

• If the sibling’s case(s) has been assigned to different case-carrying workers or closed.

• Visitation plans for siblings

• Plans for when and how the youth and caretaker will be introduced to the P3 worker.

2. Identify any other DCFS workers or collateral contacts that may be working with the youth and make contact with these individuals.

3. Read the entire physical case and mine the files to identify relatives and other significant adults.

• If the youth received services in another county, contact that county to try to review the physical case.

4. Review the CWS/CMS case record, including other accessible county records.

5. Document all activity as appropriate.

Back to Procedure

Working with the Youth

P3 CSW Responsibilities

1. In consultation with the youth, develop a youth-centered permanency planning process.

2. Visit the youth as often as case circumstances require but no less than once per quarter.

3. Obtain detailed information about relatives and other important persons in the youth’s life.

4. Where appropriate, ensure that the youth is engaged in grief and loss work using time-line discussions, life books, the development of a family tree, etc.

5. Refer the youth to Adoption Promotion and Support Services (APSS), the Placement Recruitment Unit (PRU), Mentor Programs, etc., as appropriate.

6. Inform the youth that P3 is a time limited process and that the P3 CSW is not the youth’s mentor or permanent connection.

7. Develop a P3 termination plan with the youth.

Back to Procedure

Working with the Caregiver

P3 CSW Responsibilities

1. Partner with caregivers (foster parents, group home personnel, and FFA social workers) throughout the process.

1. Prior to meeting with the youth, contact the caregiver and explain the P3 program and role of the P3 CSW.

2. Ask the caregiver about any current or past connections that they may know, including relatives or others who care about the youth.

3. Explore with the caregiver their feelings about being a possible permanency resource for the youth and/or their ability to assist in finding permanency for the youth.

2. Inform the caregiver when a possible connection is located and answer any questions they may have.

3. Determine how communication via mail, phone, or email and any planned visits will be handled between the youth and family.

4. Document all contacts with the caregiver in the Contact Notebook.

Back to Procedure

Providing Ongoing Family Finding and Engagement Efforts

P3 CSW Responsibilities

1. Contact all potential connections in person, by phone, and/or by mail.

1. Include enough information to help the person identify who the child is. Do not include specific information such as the child’s current address, telephone number, etc. until conferring with the case-carrying CSW.

2. Seek as much information as possible during the first contact.

3. Do not limit connections to placement options. Connections can come in a variety of forms (i.e. legally permanent family, placement, mentor, visitation, phone calls, cards).

4. Find out what the adult connection can offer the youth without pressuring him/her for placement.

5. Ask for information on who else cares about the youth, who should be contacted, and any other contact information the connection can provide.

6. Provide contact information of the primary CSW, if appropriate.

2. Search for connections by utilizing available services including:

• CWS/CMS

• Due Diligence Clerks

• Free internet searches

• 411

• US Search

• Social media sites (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, etc.)

3. Update the case-carrying CSW as to any significant developments such as the discovery of a previously missing relative, request for visitation, or an expressed interest in providing a permanent plan for the youth.

4. In consultation with the case-carrying CSW, make referrals and utilize appropriate resources such as ASFA, Wraparound, Child and Family Team Meetings, FGDM, Family Preservation, APSS, PRU, etc.

5. When P3 services are terminated, end date the youth’s participation on the Special Project page in CWS/CMS.

6. Document all activity as appropriate.

P3 SCSW Responsibilities

1. Advise and confer with the P3 CSW regarding their case activities to insure they are in accordance with the overall objectives of the P3 Program.

2. Monitor the online case records to insure documentation of activities by the P3 CSW into CWS/CMS and the P3 Tracking System.

Back to Procedure

Closing P3 Services

P3 CSW Responsibilities

1. Confer with the P3 SCSW to discuss the current case dynamics and the rationale for closure.

2. When a decision is made that closure is appropriate, notify the case-carrying CSW and SCSW of the P3 unit’s intent to terminate the P3 Secondary Assignment and the rationale for doing so.

3. Determine if the case-carrying CSW/SCSW agrees with closing P3 services.

• When there is agreement to the closure or no response is received within two weeks, summarize family finding and engagement efforts and the results and reason for closure in a Closing Summary in CWS/CMS under Case Notes, and in the P3 Tracking System.

• If the case-carrying CSW objects to the closure of P3 Services, discuss this objection with the P3 SCSW to determine whether to continue or terminate services.

4. Provide the P3 file to the P3 SCSW to review for closure.

5. When returned by the P3 SCSW, deliver the P3 hard-copy file in person or via County mail to the case-carrying CSW for consolidation with the original physical file.

P3 SCSW Responsibilities

1. Review the case closure with the P3 CSW.

2. Review the P3 hard-copy file and verify that the P3 CSW has entered a Closing Summary into the Case Notes section of CWS/CMS and on the P3 Tracking System.

3. End date the P3 assignment on CWS/CMS and all P3 Special Projects.

4. Return the P3 hard-copy file to the P3 CSW.

Back to Procedure

APPROVALS

SCSW Approval

• DCFS 5122-A, Permanency Partner Program (P3) Referral Form

HELPFUL LINKS

Forms

LA Kids

Adoption Promotion Support Service Referral

DCFS 5122-A, Permanency Partner Program (P3) Referral Form

Referenced Policy Guides

0070-548.01, Child and Family Teams

0070-559.10, Clearances

0100-525.41, The WraparoundWraparound is a multi-agency initiative. The Wraparound approach is a family-centered, strengths-based, needs-driven planning and service delivery process. It advocates for family-professional partnership to ensure family voice, choice and ownership. Wraparound children and family teams benefits children by working with the family to ensure Permanency. Wraparound is funded through Title IV-E funds. The average length of involvement with the program is 8 months. The primary focus of the program is to keep children out of residential placements and maintain them safely in their family and community. Services Program

0200-507.10, Identifying a Prospective Adoptive Family for a Child through the Placement and Recruitment Unit (PRU)

0300-506.05, Communication with Attorneys, County Counsel, and Non-DCFS Staff

0300-306.75, Due Diligence

Statutes

Welfare and Institutions Code (WIC) Section 366.22(a) – States that the court determines whether an agency has made reasonable efforts to maintain a child’s relationships with individuals other than their siblings and may make orders to ensure those relationships are maintained.

WIC Section 366.26(2) – Identifies individuals other than the child's siblings who are important to a child, 10 years of age or older, who has been in out-of-home placement for six months or longer, and the social worker’s responsibilities in working with the child to locate those individuals.

WIC Section 366.3(f)(3) – Identifies individuals other than the siblings of a child placed with a prospective adoptive parent or guardian who are important to the child, and the social worker’s responsibilities in working with the child to locate those individuals.

Back to Helpful Links