LA County Board

18. Improving How We Protect Los Angeles County’s Infants and Children, Birth to 5 Recommendation as submitted by Supervisors Hahn and Horvath: Direct the Director of Children and Family Services (DCFS) to review its existing written policies and practice guidance to explore opportunities to make updates and changes that reflect what the department has learned about young children in care through the work of its Young Children in Care (YCIC) Birth to Five Program. DCFS is to report back to the Board, in writing, in 120 days, on the results of this review and, in doing so, address the following: Smooth transitions between the Emergency Response, Dependency Investigations, and Continuing Services stages of a case; Review of cases with a history of frequent open and closed cases; Improving case closure processes; Levels of review in cases involving allegations of domestic violence; and Improvements to the Child and Family Team (CFT) meetings process to ensure CFTs are held per best practices including consideration of attendance by the staff involved in the current stage of the case, Parents in Partnership (PIP), and members of the YCIC Birth to Five Program. Direct DCFS, in consultation with County Counsel and Office of Child, Family, and Youth Well-Being, to conduct random case reviews in every regional office to assess whether emergency response investigations closed on the 29th or 30th day of the 30-day mandated timeline were, in fact, fully investigated and ready to be closed. Direct DCFS, in consultation with the Directors of Public Health, Mental Health, and other relevant departments or stakeholders to develop a plan to provide immediate connection to home visiting and childcare services for families who identify a need for those services during the DCFS Emergency Response or Dependency Investigation phase, especially if DCFS intends to close the case without prolonged intervention. (26-3687)