Child welfare care in California is a tale of how governmental agencies tend to look at the short-term solution rather than the long-term plan. Here is an example:
In 2015, Governor Jerry Brown signed AB 403 into law. Known as the Continuum of Care Reform, the goal was to reduce the number of placements a child would have in the foster care system. Also, the bill wanted the child and their family to have as much of a voice in the process.
These principles were not new, but how the State of California administered them changed. As part of the Continuum of Care Reform, group homes for foster youth were to be converted into Short Term Residential Therapeutic Programs, or STRTP’s. Instead of warehousing youths for years who could be better served in foster homes or with family, the new STRTP’s would take youths with more severe emotional problems. Each facility had to develop new guidelines for its programs. All facilities, regardless of size, were to be considered for a new license from the Department of Social Services. However, many facilities decided to close or were denied their licensure. As it turned out, most of these facilities were small, 6-bed homes. As these small homes, they lacked the resources and clout of larger facilities who were handed their new STRTP licenses. Subsequently, many good programs closed altogether or sought different licensures.
Turn to 2018. The Federal Government passed the Family First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA). In it, the federal government, as with AB 403 above, required youths to be placed with their families and avoid being in the foster care system. But with this new legislation came the guideline for the Qualified Residential Treatment Program (QRTP). While similar to the STRTP above, it has one major distinction. If a facility has over 16 beds, it can be classified as an Institution for Mental Disease (IMD) by the Federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. If it is classified as an IMD, it may not be eligible for Medi-Cal funding which could jeopardize the care its youths receive.
The point here is that six years ago, larger STRTP’s survived as a result of the State’s unintended consequence of emphasizing larger programs over smaller ones. Now in 2021, this priority has turned out to limit these large facilities and favor smaller ones. If residential facilities are to be successful as placements for youths who cannot thrive in a home setting such as their parents or a foster home, more effort and thought must be given about what these homes will be in 10 to 20 years.
Praxes provides consulting and program development to behavioral health organizations, including STRTP’s. For more information, please contact us.
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PRAXES is a nationwide behavioral health software, consulting, and training company. No one in the behavioral health industry has a better reputation, and if you give us the chance, we’ll show you why! At PRAXES, our services improve the efficiency and structure of behavioral health agencies serving children and families nationwide. PRAXES brings over 45 years of administrative and clinical expertise. With more than 100 client companies nationwide, we offer the expertise to advance the quality of behavioral health services. We accomplish these goals through our new clinical decision software, our training of best practices, and helping companies meet regulatory standards. At PRAXES, we believe in being creative and fostering new ways to serve children and their families. Our vision is to empower the families our agencies serve with skills that not only improve their functioning, but help them to thrive in their everyday lives. When you give us the chance, you’ll be connected directly to our friendly staff, so you can expect immediate attention to your inquiry. So, don’t wait, call now!
Dan Thorne has unique perspectives on the field of mental health. As a clinician, he has had over 40 years of experience working with clients in the Southern California area. After obtaining his Bachelor’s degree from the University of California at Irvine, he worked with children in the Orange County Juvenile Hall. Here he honed his earliest techniques on at-risk children. After that, he obtained his Master’s degree in Counseling from California State University, Fullerton.
In the 1990’s, Dan turned his attention to the clinical and administrative side of behavioral health organizations. For three years, he was the Assistant Administrator of Starting Point, a chemical dependency facility in Costa Mesa, CA. In 2001, he took an opportunity to be the Director of Harbor View Community Services Center in Long Beach. When he arrived, the Center had only 80 clients and 13 staff. When he left, there were over 400 clients and 75 staff. Dan created several programs through their contract with the Los Angeles County Departments of Mental Health and Child and Family Services. Under his guidance, Harbor View became one of the leading providers of children’s services in Los Angeles County.
While improving the results of the client’s parents at the Center, Dan reflected on his experiences as a parent. His children themselves had special needs such as mental and intellectual challenges, and Dan knew the toll it takes on the parent. In order to help the child, the parent has to be healthy. From this concept, he created his parenting program. After years of refining it, teaching it to his staff at the Center, and then taking the results and comments from these efforts, he became the developer of the current PRAXES program. It is a culmination of Dan’s personal trials and tribulations as a parent along with empirical results and research of over 40 parenting programs.
Our vision at PRAXES is to advance the strength of parents and caregivers of children with special needs (mental health, intellectual, or physical) through education, support, and empowerment. Thus, they can live healthy and functional lives while caring for the child.
Apogee is a clinical decision software designed to help behavioral health practitioners with their treatment and patient engagement. It provides evidence-based and research-based components. Not only do they consist of elements from such practices as Cognitive Behavior Therapy, Seeking Safety, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Functional Behavior Analysis, but also the Intensive Models for Parents, Youth, and Children.
PRAXES has over 30 years of accreditation experience. We know what it takes to get your organization accredited. Whether it’s Joint Commission, CARF, or COA, our team can provide an evaluation of your current status and review the standards which need improvements. We will assist you with the policies, documentation, and training required to be accredited.
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