Thank you Trish Ploehn

Trish Ploehn, the beleaguered director of the Los Angeles County's Department of Children and Family Services, has been removed from her position. Announced on December 13, the Los Angeles Times website was inundated with vitriolic comments condemning her tenure. Those are cheap shots directed at a public servant who dedicated her career to serving the most vulnerable children and families in the County.

The only thing you can fault Ms. Pleohn for is her decision to take on a position that was recently described as the most thankless job in the United States, let alone Los Angeles County, four years ago. The issue was never her leadership or the policies that she advanced at DCFS, but rather a system that is inherently unmanageable for children and families so much at risk that inevitably they will be harmed.

Clearly, what is needed is to look beyond filling the director position to address the unmanageable nature of the DCFS system. Without an organizational change, whoever becomes the next DCFS director will be doomed to fail; and the children and families served by DCFS can not afford yet another failure!

This interim period is a time to re-examine the DCFS system of care and begin the process of creating an organization that is efficient and effective. The following are suggestions of some things that may be considered in redesigning the system of care.

Make it smaller

The system is too large, too bureaucratic, and too inconsistent to be effective. Size matters and, in this case, smaller is better.

Streamline the system for delivering  services

DCFS should promote and monitor its two principal functions; prevention and protective services. Rather than actually provide services, DCFS should be limited to managing the network of providers, assuring compliance with standards of care. The department should leave the actual provision of services to the providers who have a direct, unencumbered relationship with those served.

Invest in an integrated communications system

Real-time information is absolutely essential to communicate effectively and keep children and families safe. There is no excuse for outdated technology!

Transparency rules

Although client confidentiality must never be sacrificed, all other information about DCFS and providers should be easily accessible to support a client-driven, family-focused and community-oriented system of care. Accountability is essential.

This is an extraordinary opportunity to develop a better organization to serve Los Angeles’ most vulnerable children and families. Let’s not squander it looking for a “savior” or trying to find the “silver bullet.”  Rather, let us embrace this task driven by the desire to truly improve the lives of those we serve.

Residential Based Services Initiated

After years of research and months of negotiations, the much-anticipated Residential Based Services (RBS) Open Doors initiative began on Thursday, December 2. Los Angeles is one of four counties in California participating in this demonstration project. Hillsides together with Hathaway-Sycamores and Five Acres are the three area providers that have been selected to participate in this study. This demonstration will be conducted over the next 24 months. The findings will then be used to redesign how services to children and their families that are struggling to achieve some level of stability and permanency are provided. Given the research that has been done on this model throughout the country, there is reason to expect that this demonstration project will lead to significant developments in how we keep families together and sustain them effectively.

Open Doors will provide up to 24 months of care, and nine of those months may be provided in the residential treatment setting. From the very beginning of treatment, the child and family are introduced to a team of professionals that will accompany them through the whole service period.

The expectation is that this kind of comprehensive approach will provide for greater effectiveness to stabilize the child and family and develop a plan of care, allowing the family to be reunified sooner than in the current service model.

Embedded in the demonstration are the guiding principles of safety, well being and permanency. Safety is a primary issue, without it no progress can be made. Much of the initial effort with families will be to establish and confidently maintain a safe environment in the home. Also, part of the initial treatment period is the establishment of a program of services that will allow both the child and family to achieve improvement and a lessening of the condition that led them into care. Finally, the goal is to establish long-term stability so as to avoid multiple disruptions for the child and family.

Virtually all families are motivated to stay together and function well. This program is tailored to provide resources for children and their families so in spite of the many challenges they confront they might see their dream of reunification realized.

We are very excited to be part of this initiative and invite all our supporters to embrace this mission of safety and successfully returning children to their families and communities.

The Spirit of the Holiday Season still among the Hustle and Bustle

Black Friday seems to be the start of the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. Millions of shoppers get in line on Thanksgiving night for retail stores to open the following day and get the deal of the year. People attend numerous festivities, go shopping for those on their list, or plan the entertainment and menu for the family’s get together. Regardless of which it is or all, some people never forget the vulnerable children and families, who in their time of need, get the love and support from total strangers.

At Hillsides we serve on average 86 children and transition age youth as well as 6,900 children and families living in Los Angeles County. Children living at Hillsides make their holiday wish list and staff plan winter outings to fill their holiday break from school. Transition age youth recreate traditions of their own while living at Youth Moving On. Of the families we serve, we select a hundred who are in most need during the holiday season to be adopted by other families, businesses, organizations and individuals.

Holidays are a reminder for many of our children that they are not living with their families, and thus, behavioral and emotional challenges are heightened. Transition age youth, for the first time, might be spending the holidays alone. Families in crisis are stressed even more with the pressure of the holiday.

The challenges are many and the resources are limited. As we have done in the past, we reach out to our donor community to rally support for the children and youth we serve during the holiday season. At this time when our faith traditions invite us to recall the light that dispels the darkness of our world, we call upon you to help us be a “light” for those we serve.

Wish lists, winter outings, traditions, and adopt-a-family program--none of these would be possible without the support of our donors. While you may be participating in the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, you still take time to think of the spirit of the holiday season. You give willingly to those in need, bringing light and hope to a brighter New Year.

For those wishing to make a difference this holiday season, you can do so by visiting our wish list, donating towards a particular item needed, adopting a family or sponsoring a winter outing. Call Laura Kelso, director of community resources, at (323) 254-2274 ext. 251 and see where the need is most. Thank you for restoring hope in the lives of so many children, youth and families.