Mississippi Administrative Code › Title 18 - HUMAN SERVICES › Part 6 - Division of Family and Children's Services › Chapter 1 - DFCS Policy Manual › Section 18-6-1-A - Administration › Subpart I - ADMINISTRATION › Section 18-6-1-A-I-IV - COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, ADVOCACY AND REPRESENTATION, AND DFCS OVERSIGHT

Current through June 25, 2024
DFCS shall ensure that the public continues to be
						effectively informed of its mission, programs and services through a defined
						structure of Community Involvement, Advocacy and Representation and DFCS
						Oversight. The Deputy Administrator, through assigned designees, shall be
						responsible for developing, modeling, monitoring and evaluating this structure
						at the state level. RDs shall be responsible for developing, modeling,
						monitoring and evaluating the defined regional structure and ASWSs shall be
						responsible for the same at the county level. Modifications should be made as
						needed based on the DFCS' ongoing strategic planning.
This structure of Community Involvement, Advocacy and
						Representation and DFCS Oversight includes the following activities, goals and
						qualities:
* Communicate DFCS' mission, role, functions, capacities
						and the strengths, needs and challenges of individuals, families and groups
						that it serves
* Implement all applicable laws and regulations
						concerning the service population.
* Improve existing services, filling gaps in services
* Assist eligible individuals with access to the full
						array of services by reducing barriers and improving supports and
						accommodations for persons with special needs
* Ensure oversight by reflecting the demographics and
						representing the interests of the communities served
* Ensure that DFCS partnership and oversight teams have
						experience and skills in policy development, leadership and financial
						management.
* Effectively connect DFCS to other resources and develop
						public recognition and respect
A.
DFCS Partnership and Oversight Teams
Each year the Annual Progress and Services Report (APSR)
						should contain an update on the active teams. Active teams will be evaluated
						through the strategic planning process. DFCS staff team leads will be assigned
						to each of the active teams. The assigned lead will report and communicate
						through the chain of command to keep the Deputy Administrator apprised of the
						activities undertaken and outcomes achieved by each the teams, and to produce
						reports to be included in the APSR. Examples of these teams are listed and
						described below.
1.
Citizens
					 Review Panel
Pursuant to Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act
						(CAPTA) requirements (
						42 U.S.C. §
														5101 [c]), the Mississippi Citizen Review
						Panel was created by CAPTA which is a key piece of legislation that guides
						child protection. The Citizens Review Panels (CRP) are composed of
						citizen-volunteers who are federally mandated by the Child Abuse Protection and
						Treatment Act to evaluate their state's child protective services agency.
In Mississippi there are three Citizens Review Panels
						covering the northern, central, and southern parts of the state. They each have
						the support of a university with a School of Social Work. The Citizens Review
						Panels report to a State Level Citizens Review Board. Oversight and support are
						provided by the DFCS Prevention/Protection Unit.
Panel Membership is comprised of 1) providers of services
						to abused and neglected children and families, including adoption services, and
						2) local citizens, including consumers of the Child Protective Services system
						such as foster parents, former foster children, adoptive parents, parents,
						interested business and civic representatives, educators, and members of the
						community at large.
2.
Administrative Office of Courts, Court Improvement Program
Pursuant to 1993's
Omnibus Budget Reconciliation
						Act
( P.L.
						103-66 ), DFCS partners with the Administrative
						Office of Courts in the "Court Improvement Program". Typical activities include
						development of mediation programs, joint DFCS-court training, case tracking,
						linked DFCS-court data systems, formalized relationships with the child welfare
						DFCS, improvement of representation for children and families, CFSR program
						improvement plan (PIP) development and implementation, and legislative changes.
						DFCS should work with the Administrative Office of Courts to implement
						initiatives such as the Mississippi Youth Court Information Delivery System
						(MYCIDS) program for DFCS and Court information systems interface. The Division
						partnered with the Administrative Office of Courts to develop the Uniform Rules
						of Youth Court Practice.
3.
Multidisciplinary Team Meetings
The Multidisciplinary Child Abuse Review Teams were
						initiated pursuant to the C
hildren's Justice Act
( P.L.
						99-401 ) to develop a standard response to the investigation and prosecution of
						all child abuse cases and to function in a manner that causes the least
						possible trauma to the children and their families. The Team accomplishes this
						by inviting all disciplines involved in child abuse cases to work
						collaboratively using the team approach. These teams may be formed through
						agreements between DFCS, the courts and local stakeholders.
4.
Child Death Review Panel
The Child Death Review Panel was authorized by MISS. CODE
						ANN. §
													41-111-1
						to "foster the reduction of infant and child mortality and morbidity in
						Mississippi and to improve the health status of infants and children." The
						state's child fatalities are reviewed by a multi-disciplinary statewide panel,
						including Mississippi Department of Human Services, in order to make
						recommendations for child fatality prevention.
5.
Foster Care Review Teams
Mississippi's Foster Care Review program was implemented
						to meet the federal periodic review requirement found in Title IV-E of the
Social Security Act
. (
See
also MISS. CODE
						ANN. §
													43-15-13(3)).
						The Foster Care Review program provides clients with an opportunity to
						participate in their case planning and Workers with an opportunity to discuss
						their practice on a case-by-case basis. Reviewers are based throughout the
						state and review each child's case every six months. Parents, their
						representative support systems, relatives, service providers, children in care
						and their
guardians-ad-litem
are engaged as a team to oversee,
						assess and develop appropriate plans for foster care cases.
6.
State, Regional and Local Planning
					 and Implementation Teams
These are teams which are organized for the purpose of
						addressing findings from CQI reviews or responses to needs identified by other
						administrative or partnership teams at the state, regional or county levels.