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DATE: |
May 23, 2023 and June 13, 2023 |
27 |
SUBJECT
Title
APPROVE AN ORDINANCE AMENDING AND REPEALING PROVISIONS IN THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE CODE RELATED TO THE CHILD AND FAMILY STRENGTHENING ADVISORY BOARD OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY, THE POLINSKY CHILDREN’S CENTER ADVISORY BOARD, AND THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY FOSTER CARE SERVICES COMMITTEE (MAY 23, 2023 - FIRST READING; JUNE 13, 2023 - SECOND READING UNLESS ORDINANCE IS MODIFIED ON SECOND READING) (DISTRICTS: ALL)
Body
OVERVIEW
On March 26, 2019 (11) the San Diego County Board of Supervisors (Board) established the Child and Family Strengthening Advisory Board of San Diego County (CFSAB) to enhance the ability of the County of San Diego (County) to prevent and respond to child abuse and neglect and to ensure the well-being of children and families. Since its inception, the CFSAB has served as a platform for cross-sector collaboration and transparent monitoring of the San Diego County child welfare system. The CFSAB has allowed for streamlined collaboration and expanded transparent communication and oversight between stakeholders and the newly formed Child and Family Well-Being Department, ensuring foster care community feedback is received by all partners who collectively impact the intertwined elements of the foster care and prevention systems. The holistic approach of the CFSAB has acted as a conduit for reducing siloes amongst child and family serving stakeholders from various areas of the foster care and prevention systems by bringing together individuals and groups that were historically fragmented from each another. If approved, the amendments to the CFSAB ordinance will similarly incorporate the work of the Polinsky Children’s Center Advisory Board and the San Diego Foster Care Services Committee into work of the CFSAB.
In accordance with the Board’s Sunset Review Process, Policy A-76, the County Health and Human Services Agency periodically reviews Board Policies, County Administrative Codes, and Regulatory Codes to ensure policies and codes reflect current Board standards and practices.
Today’s actions seek Board approval to amend and repeal provisions of the San Diego County Administrative Code relating to:
• The Child and Family Strengthening Advisory Board of San Diego County;
• The Polinsky Children’s Center Advisory Board; and
• The San Diego County Foster Care Services Committee
The ordinance will be introduced to the Board on May 23, 2023, and if approved, will be scheduled for adoption on June 13, 2023. If the proposed ordinance is altered on June 13, 2023, a subsequent meeting date will be selected for the ordinance’s adoption.
This item supports the County’s vision of a just, sustainable, and resilient future for all, specifically those communities and populations in San Diego County that have been historically underserved as well as our ongoing commitment to the regional Live Well San Diego vision of healthy, safe, and thriving communities. This will be accomplished as these County Administrative Codes provide a framework for a county that is healthy, safe, and thriving, specifically for one of our most vulnerable populations, families involved with the foster care system.
RECOMMENDATION(S)
CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER
On May 23, 2023:
Approve the introduction of the Ordinance (first reading):
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING AND REPEALING PROVISIONS IN THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE CODE RELATED TO THE CHILD AND FAMILY STRENGTHENING ADVISORY BOARD OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY, THE POLINSKY CHILDREN’S CENTER ADVISORY BOARD, AND THE SAN
DIEGO COUNTY FOSTER CARE SERVICES COMMITTEE
If on May 23, 2023, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors takes action as recommended, then on June 13, 2023
Consider and adopt (second reading):
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING AND REPEALING PROVISIONS IN THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE CODE RELATED TO THE CHILD AND FAMILY STRENGTHENING ADVISORY BOARD OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY, THE POLINSKY CHILDREN’S CENTER ADVISORY BOARD, AND THE SAN
DIEGO COUNTY FOSTER CARE SERVICES COMMITTEE
EQUITY IMPACT STATEMENT
The recommended changes support the San Diego County Board of Supervisors’ framework for achieving better outcomes for the community. The recommended changes to San Diego County Administrative Code 84.500, Child and Family Strengthening Advisory Board of San Diego County (CFSAB), ensures the CFSAB receives feedback from stakeholders and community members regarding the implementation, progress, and resources of the Office of Child Safety’s programs and services designed to serve families in a consistent and equitable manner. The integration of the Polinsky Children’s Center (PCC) and Foster Care Services communities into the larger CFSAB continues to promote transparency for all involved, as the same information is shared among stakeholders and streamlined feedback is provided for consideration by the CFSAB.
Merging the PCC Advisory Board and the Foster Care Services Committee into the CFSAB ensures all areas of the prevention and child welfare systems are included. The composition changes of CFSAB members to include adding a member from child abuse and juvenile justice prevention, supports the newly formed Child and Family Well-Being Department’s commitment to engaging in prevention work with children and families. The addition of prevention to the CFSAB will provide feedback and a lens set to reduce disproportionality in the foster care system by partnering with the community to prevent increased child abuse reporting in overrepresented communities and working with families to support efforts at keeping children safe from abuse or neglect and intervention by the Office of Child Safety.
SUSTAINABILITY IMPACT STATEMENT
Today’s actions strive for programs and operations that reflect the County of San Diego’s (County) values and priorities. By aligning with the County’s Sustainability Goals, the changes reflect more equitable, sustainable, and impactful practices. Specifically, the consolidation of advisory boards as recommended, aligns with Sustainability Goal #1 to engage the community in meaningful ways by streamlining information to and from the public to ensure that it does not get siloed into one committee or advisory board, when the areas of child welfare supports, services, resources, and staffing are intertwined. Today’s actions also align with Sustainability Goal #2 providing just and equitable access to county services, resource allocation, and decision-making by facilitating review of all components of the child well-being system in one setting, ensuring stakeholders’ input and feedback is received and considered by all appropriate parties. This consolidation provides increased transparency with all child and family serving stakeholders collaborating with the County to move forward towards the goals of community engagement and equitable access that will have lasting impacts on the assessment, evaluation, and continuous quality improvement processes of child welfare activities.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with the recommendations. There will be no change in net general fund costs and no additional staff years.
BUSINESS IMPACT STATEMENT
N/A
Details
ADVISORY BOARD STATEMENT
This item was presented to the Child and Family Strengthening Advisory Board of San Diego County on March 09, 2023; the San Diego County Foster Care Services Committee on March 10, 2023; and the Polinsky Children’s Center Advisory Board on April 04, 2023 as informational items.
BACKGROUND
On November 8, 1994 (35), the San Diego County Board of Supervisors (Board) established the San Diego County Foster Care Services Committee to enhance collaboration regarding foster care needs with foster parents and resource families. On June 29, 2010 (18), the Board established the Polinsky Children’s Center (PCC) Advisory Board to provide oversight and monitoring of functions and buildings at PCC. On March 26, 2019 (11) the Board established the Child and Family Strengthening Advisory Board of San Diego County (CFSAB) to enhance the ability of the County of San Diego (County) to prevent and respond to child abuse and neglect and to ensure the well-being of children and families. Since its inception, the CFSAB has served as a platform for cross-sector collaboration and transparent monitoring of the San Diego County child welfare system. The CFSAB has allowed for streamlined collaboration and expanded transparent communication and oversight between stakeholders and the newly formed Child and Family Well-Being Department, ensuring foster care community feedback is received by all partners who collectively impact the intertwined elements of the foster care and prevention systems. The holistic approach of the CFSAB has acted as a conduit for reducing siloes amongst child and family serving stakeholders from various areas of the foster care and prevention systems by bringing together individuals and groups that were historically fragmented from each another. If approved, the amendments to the CFSAB ordinance will similarly incorporate the work of the Polinsky Children’s Center Advisory Board and the San Diego Foster Care Services Committee into work of the CFSAB.
In accordance with the Board’s Sunset Review Process, Policy A-76, the County of San Diego (County) Health and Human Services Agency periodically reviews Board Policies, County Administrative Codes, and Regulatory Codes to ensure policies and codes reflect current Board standards and practices. Revisions to Board Policies and the County Administrative Code are recommended to reflect current Board standards and practices and to reflect changes in laws, policies, and regulations that govern County departmental operations and services.
As outlined below, the changes are being recommended to repeal the PCC Advisory Board and San Diego County Foster Care Services Committee, while integrating them into the CFSAB.
The Board established the CFSAB on March 26, 2019 (11) and last approved amendments to the ordinances on September 10, 2019 (10). Today’s actions request proposed revisions to Sections 84.701, 84.702, and 84.705 of the County Administrative Code, CFSAB and include:
• Adding to the role of the CFSAB to be the successor advisory board to the PCC Advisory Board and the San Diego County Foster Care Services Committee.
• Adding to the role of the CFSAB to be informed regarding PCC in the areas of operation and maintenance of the facility, the annual business plan, expenditure of funds donated to PCC, and any material or removal of any part of the facility.
• Adding to the role of the CFSAB for the provision of quality foster placements, which was previously a function of the Foster Care Services Committee in the areas of serving as a forum to review topics related to foster care and resource family placements, reviewing and making recommendations on policies and programs affecting resource families and placement, and improving communication and teamwork amongst the resource family community, Health and Human Services Agency, other private placement entities, the education system, and other health care agencies.
• Modifying the nomination of membership roles to be appointed by the Chair of the Board and confirmed by the members of the Board, rather than the nominations being by the Co-Chairs of the CFSAB.
• Modifying the Co-Chair role of two members of the Board to allowing the CFSAB to select from CFSAB membership a Chair, a Vice Chair, and any other officers needed.
• Modifying the juvenile justice member role to include a child abuse and juvenile justice prevention member to enhance the role of prevention work in the CFSAB.
• Providing that each member of the Board shall nominate one (1) constituent as a Supervisorial District representative to be confirmed by the members of the Board, rather than having two members of the Board serving on the CFSAB.
• Updating “child welfare” language to reflect current Child and Family Well-Being Department, including prevention work as a focus of the CFSAB.
• Repealing Article XVII, San Diego County Foster Care Services Committee, Administrative Code.
• Repealing Article IIIt, Polinksy Children’s Center Advisory Board, Administrative Code.
The proposed changes to the Administrative Codes are detailed within Attachments A and B.
The Board established the San Diego County Foster Care Services Committee on November 8, 1994 (35) and last approved amendments to the ordinances on December 10, 2018 (10). The Board established the PCC Advisory Board on June 29, 2010 (18). Repealing Article IIIt of the PCC Advisory Board and Article XVII of the San Diego County Foster Care Services Committee are being requested effective 30 days after the adoption of Section 84.500 of San Diego County Administrative Code CFSAB amendments. The streamlined CFSAB with the incorporation of PCC Advisory Board and San Diego County Foster Care Services Committee, will allow for workgroups to take larger information and identify the impacts on specific child welfare populations and provide data-informed solutions to the larger group. Outcome driven solutions can then be considered in a holistic manner leading to more efficient and effective action to improve and/or mitigate barriers and gaps identified across the system.
Additionally, repealing the San Diego County Foster Care Services Committee and PCC Advisory Board to integrate their members and functions into the CFSAB would streamline and expand transparent communication and oversight between stakeholders and the Child and Family Well-Being Department, ensuring stakeholders’ input and feedback are received and considered by all appropriate parties.
Today’s recommended actions request the Board approve an ordinance to amend and repeal provisions of the County Administrative Code relating to the Child and Family Strengthening Advisory Board of San Diego County, the Polinsky Children’s Center Advisory Board, and the San Diego County Foster Care Services Committee.
LINKAGE TO THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO STRATEGIC PLAN
Today’s proposed actions support the County of San Diego’s (County) 2023-2028 Strategic Plan Initiatives of Sustainability (Economy and Resiliency), Equity (Health and Economic Opportunity), Empower (Workforce, Transparency, and Accountability), and Community (Engagement, Quality of Life, Communications, and Partnership), and the regional Live Well San Diego vision by ensuring County policies are transparent, efficient, inclusive, data-informed, outcome- and evidence-based, equitable, sustainable, and culturally responsive to support the health and social services provided to the residents of San Diego County.
Respectfully submitted,
HELEN N. ROBBINS-MEYER
Interim Chief Administrative Officer
ATTACHMENT(S)
Attachment A - APPROVE AN ORDINANCE AMENDING AND REPEALING PROVISIONS IN THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE CODE RELATED TO THE CHILD AND FAMILY STRENGTHENING ADVISORY BOARD OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY, THE POLINSKY CHILDREN’S CENTER ADVISORY BOARD, AND THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY FOSTER CARE SERVICES COMMITTEE - (Clean Copy)
Attachment B - APPROVE AN ORDINANCE AMENDING AND REPEALING PROVISIONS IN THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE CODE RELATED TO THE CHILD AND FAMILY STRENGTHENING ADVISORY BOARD OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY, THE POLINSKY CHILDREN’S CENTER ADVISORY BOARD, AND THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY FOSTER CARE SERVICES COMMITTEE - (Informational Copy)