Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS)

Residentially-Based Services (RBS) Programs Scorecards

Performance Measures Operational Definitions For CY 2007

1)Safety:

  1. Performance Measure: The County maintains a zero tolerance policy for substantiated abuse and neglect of Placed Children while under the supervision of the Group Home.

Operational Definition:99.68% of currently placed/discharged children served in 2007 were free from abuse and neglect as defined by WIC criteria and perpetrated by the current placement agency’s staff, volunteers, or affiliates.

Standard: 99.68%

b-1.Performance Measure: 100% correction of physical plant and safety deficiencies.

Operational Definitions:100% of the CAPs have been submitted timely. This indicator measures the timeliness of an agency’s submission of an acceptable corrective action plan. The agency has 30 days, absent an emergency, to respond in writing to the department, detailing how they have put the CAP in place, unless an extension of time is granted. Timelines are clearly articulated in Exhibit N.

Standard: 100%

b-2.Performance Measure: 100% of the corrective action plans successfully implemented.

Operational Definition:100% of the CAPs have been implemented. This indicator measures the timeliness of an agency’s implementation of the accepted corrective action plan. Group Home monitors/liaisons will be responsible for assessing implementation and recording whether or not it was completed, unless an extension of time is granted. Timelines are clearly articulated in Exhibit N.

Standard: 100%

c.Performance Measure: Child-to-child injuries while under the supervision of Group Home not to exceed the previous calendar year’s system average.

Operational Definition:98% of children are free from child to child injury or abuse inflicted/sustained by another child while under the Group Home’s supervision that necessitates the submission of a Serious Incident Report (SIR) and requires treatment by a health professional that goes beyond simple first aid.

Calendar Year Average: For calendar year 2006 the system average for all group homes was 98%.

2)Permanency:

a-1.Performance Measure: 62% of the youth who were discharged successfully met 100% of their Needs and Services Plan goals and were in accordance with their permanency plan.

Operational Definition 1: 62% of the sampled youth who were discharged met 100% of their Needs and Services Plan goals.

Operational Definition 2: 62% of the sampled youth were dischargedin accordance with their permanency plan.

Standard: 62%

a-2.Performance Measure: At least 62% of the Placed Children who were discharged were discharged to a less restrictive setting.

Operational Definition: At Least 62% of the sampled Placed Children who were discharged from the Group Home are discharged to a program/setting that is less restrictive than the current placement (i.e.: foster home, reunification, adoption, relative home, etc.)

Standard: 62%

b.Performance Measure: 80% or more of the total Placed Children are not replaced at the Group Home Provider’s request.

Operational Definition: 80% or more of the total sampled Placed Children are not replaced at the Group Home Provider’s request. Definition of replaced is discharged from the Group Home to a different placement at the Group Home Provider’s request via a Notice of Intent to Discharge and that results in a move. This does not include moving a child from one satellite home to another within the same organization.

Standard: 80% (“sampled” should be the standard measure).

  1. Performance Measure: Placed Children will remain in the family, relative, or foster placement 6 months after discharge, in accordance with the Needs and Services Plan.

Operational Definition: 87% of the Placed Children discharged in accordance with the Permanency Plan to reunification, relative placement, guardianship or adoption have not reentered the Foster Care system 6 months after discharge. 46% of the placed children discharged in accordance with the Permanency Plan to a foster care placement, guardian home, small family home, or court specified home, have not changed foster families 6 months after discharge from the Group Home, unless they have been subsequently discharged to reunification, adoption, guardianship or have been placed with a relative. For calendar year 2006, the Scorecard utilizes system wide averages only for this measure.

Calendar Year Average: For calendar year 2006, the system average for all group homes was 87% for permanency discharges, and 46% for foster care discharges.

3)Well-Being:

a-1.Performance Measure: 100% of the Needs and Services Plans completed in 30 days and every 90 days thereafter.

Operational Definition: 100% of the sampled Needs and Services Plans completed in 30 days and every 90 days thereafter. Completed is defined as collaboratively developed by Treatment Team, signed by relevant parties or documented evidence that a signature was requested, the department did not respond to the request and that the request is in the child’s file. The Plans must be postmarked, faxed or emailed within 5 business days of the deadline.

Standard: 100%

a-2.Performance Measure: At least 62% of the Placed Children successfully meet the Needs and Services Plan goals prior to discharge.

Operational Definition: 62% of the sampled currently placed children are making progress toward meeting the Needs and Service plan goals.

Standard: 62%

b.Performance Measure: At least 83% of the Placed Children with increased educational performance and/or attendance.

Operational Definition:At least 83% of the sampled Placed Children increased their educational performance and/or attendance. Educational Performance is defined as improved grades and/or improved test scores and/or promotion to the next level and/or high school graduation and/or progress towards IEP goals, if applicable, for those children who have been placed at the Group Home over 90 days. Attendance is based on previous school attendance records and/or the Group Home educational assessment at placement.

Standard: 83%

c.Performance Measure: 100% of the Placed Children receive Youth Development Services, or equivalent emancipation services.

Operational Definition:100% of the sampled Placed Children receive Youth Development Services, or equivalent emancipation services. Placed children refer to youth of the appropriate age who have been placed at the agency for at least 30 days. Equivalent emancipation services refers to any program that provides life skills training (i.e., cooking, budgeting/financial management, obtaining appropriate documentation, etc.), job readiness, and linkages to necessary community resources (i.e., medical, mental health services, public transportation, etc.) as outlined in the agency’s program statement. These services should be documented in the Needs and Services Plan.

Standard: 100%

d.Performance Measure: 100% of the Placed Children have completed current Health Care information, as requested by Welfare and Institutions Code Section 16010, during the placement period.

Operational Definition: 100% of the sampled Placed Children have completed current Health Care information, as requested by Welfare and Institutions Code Section 16010, during the placement period. Health Care information is defined as a health and education summary including, but not limited to, the names/addresses of the child’s health, dental, and education providers; the child’s grade level performance; the child’s school record; assurances that the child’s placement in foster care takes into account proximity to the school in which the child is enrolled at the time of placement; a record of the child’s immunizations and allergies; the child’s known medical problems; the child’s current medications, past health problems and hospitalizations; a record of the child’s relevant mental health history; and the child’s known mental health condition and medications [WIC 16010 (a)]. This summary is to be given to agencies as soon as possible, but no later than 30 days after initial placement of a child into foster care or within 48 hours of subsequent placements [WIC 16010 (c)]. Agencies are to document efforts or document evidence that a request was made to obtain missing information. If unable to obtain the necessary information, the agency must develop a summary document outlining the mental health, medical/dental, and educational services provided to the child while in placement at the facility. Agencies will get credit for requesting/obtaining Health Care information.

Standard: 100%.

RBS Performance Measures Operational Definitions, March 11, 2008

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