Defining “Services” Within Reasonable Efforts through a Safety Lens

NACC Member Webinar

Federal program requirements do not provide clarification regarding what constitutes reasonable efforts. State interpretation and definitions of reasonable efforts vary across all fifty states and the territories. A large majority of states have defined reasonable efforts with the primarily focus on treatment services provided to the family as the means to prevent removal or, in cases where children have been placed in out-of-home care, treatment services identified in the case plan to address the reason for out-of-home placement. The error in defining, and applying, reasonable efforts through a treatment service delivery lens is the absence of identifying the current safety concerns within the home that have resulted in the need to place a child and/or maintain the child in out-of-home care. During the webinar, the presenters will explore the definition of reasonable efforts through a safety lens by defining and identifying safety services within the context of reasonable efforts. The concept of safety planning as a service, and the correlation with reasonable efforts, will be discussed and practical examples will be provided to attendees.

Presenters:

Todd Darling, MSW, is a Child Welfare Specialist for ACTION for Child Protection. During Todd’s employment with ACTION, he has provided consultation, training, and curriculum development to multiple child welfare jurisdictions. Prior to joining ACTION for Child Protection, Todd served as the Statewide Training Manager for the Department of Children and Families in Florida. Todd has worked in training and curriculum design for the last 18 years and has worked in child welfare for 24 years. Todd has also served as Florida’s Northeast Region Training Manger for Child Protective Investigations. Todd’s additional experience includes foster care case manager, child protective investigator, and a child protection team case coordinator and assistant team coordinator.

Lindsay Hanson, JD, is a licensed attorney in the state of Florida. Lindsay recently joined the University of Florida Levin College of Law as a Staff Attorney. Prior to this, she practiced in the area of child welfare for more than 10 years with the Florida Department of Children and Families, where she managed 7 counties in north central Florida. During her tenure with the Department of Children and Families, Lindsay trained attorneys, judges, child protective investigators, case managers, and stakeholders. Lindsay has also previously worked as an Assistant Public Defender and in private practice.

Tarrin Reed, MSW is the Director of Project Management with ACTION for Child Protection. Mrs. Reed’s career in public child welfare includes responsibilities ranging from casework to supervision to program management. Prior to joining ACTION, she was a regional staff manager for the Office of Children’s Ser vices in Anchorage, Alaska, where she was part of the implementation efforts for a statewide-integrated child welfare program including safety-based assessment and behavior change interventions. Mrs. Reed oversees and provides expert consultation, technical assistance and training to public child welfare agencies and their stakeholders regarding systemic implementation of practice reform, particularly regarding safety decision-making throughout the life of the child welfare case process.

This webinar is free for NACC Members. Members, please log in when you register for this event. This webinar is $45 for non-members. This course has been accredited by the Colorado Board of Continuing Legal and Judicial Education for a maximum of 2 units of general credit.