STATE OF NEVADA

STATE OF NEVADA

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES DIVISION OF CHILD AND FAMILY SERVICES

2016

ANNUAL PROGRESS SERVICES REPORT

Reesha Powell

Deputy Administrator

Contents

SECTION I: INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................. 4

Nevada Demographics ..................................................................................................................................................... 4 Geography, Climate and Population ............................................................................................................. 4 Economy and Trends ...................................................................................................................................... 6 Welfare Indicators ........................................................................................................................................... 7

Child Welfare Administrative Structure.......................................................................................................................... 9 State Agency Administering Plans................................................................................................................ 9 Mission ............................................................................................................................................................. 9 Guiding Principles ......................................................................................................................................... 10 Child Welfare Agencies................................................................................................................................. 11 Children in Out of Home Care in Nevada .................................................................................................... 13 Legislative Activities ..................................................................................................................................... 14

Section II: Goals, Objectives and Methods of Measuring Progress ............................................. 15

PLAN FOR IMPROVEMENT............................................................................................................................................ 15 SAFETY .......................................................................................................................................................... 15 CHILD and FAMILY WELL-BEING ................................................................................................................ 19 CONTINUOUS QUALITY IMPROVEMENT.................................................................................................... 21 PERMANENCY ............................................................................................................................................... 23

Implementation Supports: ............................................................................................................................................. 25

Program Support: ........................................................................................................................................................... 26 Training and Technical Assistance ............................................................................................................. 26 Technical Assistance and Capacity Building Needs ................................................................................. 26 Evaluation ...................................................................................................................................................... 26 Child Welfare Waiver Demonstration Activities ......................................................................................... 27

PROGRAM AREAS............................................................................................................................28

Section III. SAFETY .......................................................................................................................... 28

Trends in Child Safety.................................................................................................................................................... 28 Referrals ......................................................................................................................................................... 28 Investigations ................................................................................................................................................ 29 Child Fatality .................................................................................................................................................. 31

Child Welfare Agency Progress towards SAFETY goals identified in the CFSP ..................................................... 32 CCDFS PROGRESS....................................................................................................................................... 32 DCFS RURAL REGION PROGRESS ............................................................................................................ 33 WCDSS PROGRESS...................................................................................................................................... 34

ASSESSMENT OF PERFORMANCE in SAFETY .......................................................................................................... 35

Safety Outcome 1: Children are first and foremost, protected from abuse and neglect. ...................................... 37 Item 1: Timeliness of initializing investigations of reports of child maltreatment ................................ 37

Safety Outcome 2: Children are safely maintained in their homes whenever possible ........................................ 39 Item 2: Services to families to protect children in home and prevent removal or re-entry into foster care ......................................................................................................................................................................... 39 Item 3: Risk Assessment and Safety Management................................................................................... 40

Section IV. PERMANENCY .............................................................................................................. 42

Trends in Permanency ................................................................................................................................................... 42

Child Welfare Agency Progress towards PERMANENCY goals identified in the CFSP ......................................... 43 CCDFS PROGRESS....................................................................................................................................... 43 DCFS RURAL REGION PROGESS ............................................................................................................... 43 WCDSS PROGRESS...................................................................................................................................... 44

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ASSESSMENT OF PERFORMANCE in PERMANENCY............................................................................................... 45

Permanency Outcome 1: Children have permanency and stability in their living situations ............................... 45 Item 4: Stability of foster care placement .................................................................................................. 45 Item 5: Permanency goal for child .............................................................................................................. 47 Item 6: Achieving reunification, guardianship, adoption, or other planned permanent living arrangement. ......................................................................................................................................................................... 48

Permanency Outcome 2: The continuity of family relationships and connections is preserved for children .... 56 Item 7: Placement with siblings .................................................................................................................. 56 Item 8: Visiting with parents and siblings in foster care .......................................................................... 57 Item 9: Preserving connections .................................................................................................................. 58 Item 10: Relative placement ........................................................................................................................ 59

Section V. CHILD and FAMILY WELL-BEING ................................................................................ 62

Trends in Child and Family Well-Being ........................................................................................................................ 62

Child Welfare Agency Progress towards CHILD AND FAMILY WELL-BEING goals identified in the CFSP ......... 64 CCDFS PROGRESS....................................................................................................................................... 64 DCFS RURAL REGION PROGESS ............................................................................................................... 65 WCDSS PROGRESS...................................................................................................................................... 66

ASSESSMENT OF PERFORMANCE in CHILD AND FAMILY WELL-BEING .............................................................. 66

Well-Being Outcome 1: Families have enhanced capacity to provide for their children's needs ........................ 66 Item 12: Needs and services of child, parents, and foster parents......................................................... 66 Item 13: Child and family involvement in case planning.......................................................................... 68 Item 14: Caseworker visits with child......................................................................................................... 69 Item 15: Caseworker visits with parents .................................................................................................... 72

Well-Being Outcome 2: Children receive appropriate services to meet their educational needs. ....................... 73 Item 16: Educational needs of child ........................................................................................................... 73

Well-Being Outcome 3: Children receive adequate services to meet their physical and mental health needs. . 74 Item 17: Physical Health of child ................................................................................................................ 74 Item 18: Mental/behavioral health of child ................................................................................................. 75

Section VI. SYSTEMIC FACTORS ................................................................................................... 77

ASSESSMENT OF PERFORMANCE.............................................................................................................................. 77

Systemic Factor A: Statewide Information System ................................................................................................... 77 Item 19: Statewide information system...................................................................................................... 77

Systemic Factor B: Case Review System ................................................................................................................... 80 Item 20: Written case plan ........................................................................................................................... 80 Item 21: Periodic reviews ............................................................................................................................ 82 Item 22: Permanency hearings ................................................................................................................... 84 Item 23: Termination of parental rights...................................................................................................... 86 Item 24: Notice of hearings and reviews to caregivers ............................................................................ 88

Systemic Factor C: Quality Assurance System ......................................................................................................... 93 Item 25: Quality Assurance System ........................................................................................................... 93

Systemic Factor D: Staff and Provider Training......................................................................................................... 98 Item 26: Initial Staff Training ....................................................................................................................... 99 Item 27: On-going staff training ................................................................................................................ 104 Item 28: Foster and adoptive parent training .......................................................................................... 109

Systemic Factor E: Service Array and Resource Development ............................................................................. 114 Item 29: Array of services.......................................................................................................................... 114 Item 30: Individualizing services .............................................................................................................. 123

Systemic Factor F: Agency Responsiveness to the Community ........................................................................... 125 Item 31: State Engagement in Consultation with Stakeholders ............................................................ 125 Item 32: Coordination of CFSP services with other Federal Programs................................................ 134

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Systemic Factor G: Foster and Adoptive Home Licensing, Approval and Recruitment...................................... 136 Item 33: Standards applied equally .......................................................................................................... 136 Item 34: Requirements for criminal background checks ....................................................................... 138 Item 35: Diligent recruitment of foster and adoptive homes ................................................................. 139 Item 36: State use of cross-jurisdictional resources for permanent placements ............................... 142

APPENDICES................................................................................................................................... 146

APPENDIX A: Glossary of Acronyms ........................................................................................................................ 146 APPENDIX B: CHILD ABUSE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT ACT (CAPTA) PLAN REPORT.......................... 149 APPENDIX C: Chafee Foster Care Independent Living Program (CFCIP) & Education Training Voucher Program (ETV)............................................................................................................................................................... 153 APPENDIX D: Nevada Child Welfare Protective Services Workforce ..................................................................... 169

CCDFS Child Welfare Protective Services Workforce:............................................................................ 169 WCDSS Child Welfare Protective Services Workforce:........................................................................... 170 DCFS Rural Region Child Welfare Protection Workforce: ...................................................................... 172

ATTACHMENTS............................................................................................................................... 175

ATTACHMENT A: Citizens Review Panel Report ...................................................................................................... 175 ATTACHMENT B: DCFS Response to Citizens Review Panel Report..................................................................... 175 ATTACHMENT C: Foster and Adoptive Parent Diligent Recruitment Plan............................................................. 175 ATTACHMENT D: Health Care Oversight and Coordination Plan ........................................................................... 175 ATTACHMENT E: Disaster Plan .................................................................................................................................. 175 ATTACHMENT F: Training Plan................................................................................................................................... 175 ATTACHMENT G: Financial Information .................................................................................................................... 175

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SECTION I: INTRODUCTION

Nevada Demographics Geography, Climate and Population

Nevada, also known as The Silver State, is located in the Western, Mountain West and Southwestern region of the United States of America which became the 36th state of the union on October 31, 1864. Nevada is made up of an area of 110,567 square miles, making it the 7th largest state geographically, the 35th most populated and the 9th least densely populated of the 50 United States. The land areas of Nevada make up 109,806 square miles and 761 square miles or 0.69% of Nevada is covered by water. Nevada is about 490 miles long and 320 miles wide. The highest point in Nevada is Boundary Peak, part of White Mountains, sitting at 13,147 feet above the sea level. The lowest point in Nevada is 479 feet above sea level at the Colorado River located at the southern end of the state. Major lakes in Nevada are Pyramid Lake, Lake Mead, Lake Mojave, Lake Tahoe and Walker Lake. Major rivers in Nevada are the Colorado River, Columbia River, Humboldt River and Truckee River. The Nevada landscape is represented by sandy deserts, rugged, snow covered mountains, forested mountain slopes, and grassy valleys. Located almost entirely within the Great Basin, Nevada can be divided into three main land regions; the Columbia Plateau, the Sierra Nevada, and the Basin and Range Region. The average temperatures in Nevada range from high of 104.5 degrees Fahrenheit to a low of 19.5 degrees Fahrenheit. The highest temperature recorded in Nevada is 125 degrees Fahrenheit. This record high was recorded on June 29, 1994 in Laughlin. The lowest temperature in Nevada, -50 degrees Fahrenheit, was recorded on January 8th, 1937 at San Jacinto. Nevada is the driest state in the United States. It is made up of mostly desert and semiarid climate regions. The average annual rainfall per year is about 7 inches.

Nevada was made famous by the 1859 discovery of the Comstock Lode, the richest known U.S. silver deposit. Nevada is the largest gold-producing state in the nation. It is second in the world behind South Africa. Nevada is the gambling and entertainment capital of the United States.

The United States Census Bureau estimated that the population of Nevada was 2,700,551 for the 2010 United States Census.1 Based on The United States Census Bureau July 1, 2015 estimates, the Nevada population was projected to be 2,890,845 for 20152 (an increase of 7.0% from the 2010 U.S. Census). Based on the July 1, 2015 estimate from the NV State Demographer3, the majority of Nevada's population is located in southern Nevada with Clark County at an estimated population of 2,118,353 or 73.1%. Washoe County is the next largest populated county, located in northern Nevada, with a population of 441,946 or 15.3%. The remaining population of 337,285 or 11.6% is spread across the 15 rural counties. Based on the September 30, 2015 Estimate from the NV State Demographer4 Nevada's population has a varied racial background that has changed considerably from 2010 to 2015. Estimate reports that the majority of the population was White not of Hispanic Origin (53.3%), down from 55.7% in 2010; African Americans not of Hispanic Origin (8.5%) up from 8.1% in 2010; American Indian, Eskimo, or Aleut not of Hispanic Origin (1.1%) down from 1.2% in 2010; Asian or Pacific Islander not of Hispanic Origin (8.9%) up from 8.4% in 2010. Hispanic Origin of any race population has increased by 12.9% over the last 5 years, growing from 26.6% in 2010 to 28.2% of Nevada's total population in 2015. Based on the March 2016 Estimate from the NV State Demographer, expected population in Nevada in 2016 is 2,926,703, an increase of 1.0% from 2015.

1 US Census Bureau (2010). quickfacts/table/PST045215/32 retrieved May 6,2016

2 US Census Bureau (2010). quickfacts/table/PST045215/32 retrieved May 6,2016

3 4

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Figure 1.1 Nevada Population growths from 2005 to 2015.

Figure 1.2 Nevada Population growths at year intervals.

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Economy and Trends

The following information is from the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation (DETR), Economy in Brief, March 2016, Economic Summary, on p.1, p.10 & p11:

For the 63rd consecutive month, non-farm jobs grew in the Silver State on a year-over-year basis. In March, Nevada payrolls increased by 35,500 jobs, for a growth rate of 2.8 percent, relative to the same month last year. Additionally, this is the 44th month in a row that year over year job growth in the Silver State has outpaced the nation. For the month, there was a seasonally adjusted increase of 6,500 jobs, relative to February. We expected payrolls (not adjusted for seasonality) to increase by 4,400 this month, but 10,900 jobs were actually added, leading to the seasonally adjusted increase. Specifically, the private sector added 5,800 jobs to payrolls, seasonally adjusted, while the public sector added 700 jobs over the month.

The construction super sector continues to have the highest percentage growth rate, up 9.1 percent with the addition of 5,900 jobs year-to-date, relative to the first three months of last year. Trade/transportation/utilities employment experienced the largest nominal growth this month, adding 9,200 jobs to payrolls year-to-date, for a growth rate of 3.9 percent. Mining and logging, the only sector to contract, continued to trend downward through the early months of this year, off 800 jobs from last year.

The job growth figures typically reported in our Overview represent the net effect of thousands of individual labor market "transactions." In any given quarter, in excess of 100,000 jobs may be gained and/or lost in Nevada. The Bureau of Labor Statistics' Business Employment Dynamics (BED) series offers insight into these transactions and allows us to examine gross job gains and losses from a variety of different perspectives, albeit on a lagged basis, and provides insight into labor market "churn."

Figure 1.3 Nevada percent change of job growth from 2012 through 2016 YTD.

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Figure 1.4 Nevada monthly unemployment rate April 2014 through March 2016 YTD.

Welfare Indicators

The following information is extracted from the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Welfare and Supportive Services The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program provides time limited cash assistance to low-income families with children so they can be cared for in their own home. TANF also seeks to reduce dependency by promoting job preparation, reducing out-of-wedlock pregnancies, and encouraging the formation and maintenance of two-parent families. As an economic indicator, TANF reveals information on the relative well-being of Nevada's low-income families. The number of recipients in the program is strongly influenced by the ups and downs of the business cycle. In January of 2016, 26,707 individuals were receiving assistance. Since January of last year, the level of assistance decreased by 12.75 percent, or 3,902 less recipients. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as "food stamps" provides the means to increase food purchasing power to raise the nutritional level among lowincome households and is the first line of defense against hunger for thousands of Nevadans. In January of 2016, 439,141 Nevadans participated in the program. Over the year, the number of participants receiving assistance increased 6.57 percent or 27,085 more participants.

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