Report 2015-115 Recommendation 11 Responses
Report 2015-115: Dually Involved Youth: The State Cannot Determine the Effectiveness of Efforts to Serve Youth Who Are Involved in Both the Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice Systems (Release Date: February 2016)
Recommendation #11 To: Alameda County
To identify their population of dually involved youth, Alameda County's CWS and probation agencies should designate the data system they will use for tracking the dates and results of joint assessment hearings.
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2021
Alameda County Probation recognizes the importance of working collectively with our partners in Child Welfare to continue efforts to address the dynamics between child abuse, neglect, and delinquency. We are aware of the complex needs of this population and the adverse consequences of family trauma, which may manifest in the juvenile justice system. Alameda County Probation worked in conjunction with a host of partners to develop procedures to address the population of youth who are in contact with multiple agencies within our county. The Crossover Youth Practice Model (CYPM) Protocol is designed to reduce disparity, improve outcomes for foster youth who commit delinquent acts, and mitigate penetration into the justice system.
The CYPM Protocol addresses youth who have current and simultaneous involvement in both systems, or dually involved youth which may also be dually adjudicated youth, depending on the level of involvement in both systems. Our staff actively search the statewide case management system for our youth to identify connections to child welfare. Subsequently, targeted efforts are taken to ensure that the assigned social worker is immediately notified, any delinquency matters are immediately rectified, and any crossover youth receive an expedited release. Information regarding crossover youth is now tracked and those results documented in our comprehensive case management system, Tyler Supervision, which was implemented on October 12, 2020. This new system allows our department to collect and track valuable data, including information from various entities outside of our agency, to better serve the needs of our youth.
ALAMEDA COUNTY SOCIAL SERVICES AGENCY
Alameda County Department of Children and Family Services inputs all data related to child welfare in the Child Welfare Services/Case Management System (CWS/CMS). The California Department of Social Services is currently reviewing potential systems to replace CWS/CMS.
- Completion Date: October 2020
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Fully Implemented
Alameda County has designated the Tyler Supervision System as the data system it will use for tracking the dates and results of joint assessment hearings. The county provided documentation showing that it has developed a process with the juvenile courts for sharing hearing information pertaining to juvenile clients. As this information is put into the Tyler Supervision system, county staff can track whether juveniles are either wards, dependents, or both (i.e. dually involved youth).
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2020
Alameda County Probation recognizes the importance of working collectively with our partners in Child Welfare to continue efforts to address the dynamics between child abuse, neglect, and delinquency. We are aware of the complex needs of this population and the adverse consequences of family trauma, which may manifest in the juvenile justice system. Alameda County Probation worked in conjunction with a host of partners to develop procedures to address the population of youth who are in contact with multiple agencies within our county. The Crossover Youth Practice Model (CYPM) Protocol is designed to reduce disparity, improve outcomes for foster youth who commit delinquent acts, and mitigate penetration into the justice system.
The CYPM Protocol addresses youth who have current and simultaneous involvement in both systems, or dually involved youth which may also be dually adjudicated youth, depending on the level of involvement in both systems. Our staff actively search the statewide case management system for our youth to identify connections to child welfare. Subsequently, targeted efforts are taken to ensure that the assigned social worker is immediately notified, any delinquency matters are immediately rectified, and any crossover youth receive an expedited release. Information regarding crossover youth is now tracked and those results documented in our comprehensive case management system, Tyler Supervision, which was implemented on October 12, 2020. This new system allows our department to collect and track valuable data, including information from various entities outside of our agency, to better serve the needs of our youth.
ALAMEDA COUNTY SOCIAL SERVICES AGENCY
Alameda County Department of Children and Family Services inputs all data related to child welfare in the Child Welfare Services/Case Management System (CWS/CMS). The California Department of Social Services is currently reviewing potential systems to replace CWS/CMS.
- Completion Date: October 2020
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Partially Implemented
Alameda County Probation Department's Juvenile Division provided evidence that it has implemented a new case management system, which it intends to use for recording joint assessment hearing information. However, Alameda County Social Services Agency did not indicate in its response that it intends to use this new case management system for recording joint assessment hearing information.
- Auditee did not substantiate its claim of full implementation
- Auditee did not address all aspects of the recommendation
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From November 2018
Alameda County did not provide an updated response to this recommendation.
- Estimated Completion Date: Unknown
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: No Action Taken
Alameda County did not provide an updated response to this recommendation.
Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From November 2017
Alameda County Department of Children and Family Services inputs all data related to child welfare in the Child Welfare Services/Case Management System (CWS/CMS). Currently, the California Department of Social Services is in the process of creating a new child welfare database, currently referenced as "New System." It is anticipated that when the New System database is complete, there will be an ability to track dually involved youth and the results of their court hearings. When that is completed Alameda County Department of Children and Family Services will put information regarding dually involved youth into the "New System" database.
- Estimated Completion Date: TBD by CDSS
California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Pending
Per Alameda County's response, its implementation of this recommendation is currently pending.
1-Year Agency Response
Alameda County stated that it will not provide any responses to the audit.
- Estimated Completion Date:
- Response Date: April 2017
California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Will Not Implement
We stand by our recommendation that Alameda County's CWS and probation agencies should designate the data system they will use for tracking the dates and results of joint assessment hearings. As we noted on page 24 of our report, county staff could not accurately determine the total number of dependency cases with joint assessment hearings or the results of those hearings because they did not always track this information. As a result, they could not accurately identify their population of crossover youth.
6-Month Agency Response
Alameda County stated that it will not provide any responses to the audit.
- Estimated Completion Date:
- Response Date: December 2016
California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Will Not Implement
We stand by our recommendation that Alameda County's CWS and probation agencies should designate the data system they will use for tracking the dates and results of joint assessment hearings. As we noted on page 24 of our report, county staff could not accurately determine the total number of dependency cases with joint assessment hearings or the results of those hearings because they did not always track this information. As a result, they could not accurately identify their population of crossover youth.
60-Day Agency Response
Alameda County stated that it will not provide any responses to the audit.
- Estimated Completion Date:
- Response Date: May 2016
California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Will Not Implement
We stand by our recommendation that Alameda County's CWS and probation agencies should designate the data system they will use for tracking the dates and results of joint assessment hearings. As we noted on page 24 of our report, county staff could not accurately determine the total number of dependency cases with joint assessment hearings or the results of those hearings because they did not always track this information. As a result, they could not accurately identify their population of crossover youth.
All Recommendations in 2015-115
Agency responses received are posted verbatim.