Date
June 15, 2022

Minutes

  1. Welcome & Introductions

    1. DFCS Deputy Commissioner for Child Welfare Mary Havick updated the council

      on the transition of D’Arcy Robb into role as the interim Family First Director.

    2. Council encouraged to provide feedback during the meeting and to drop their

      names and represented agencies in the chat box.

    3. Participants—Elena Evans (GPAC), Sheri Cody (Together GA CCI), Paul Blough

      (AFPAG), Diana Rugh Johnson (Court Improvement Program), Angela Tyner ( GA CASA), Helen Robinson (The Carter Center for Mental Health), Shemeka Frazier Sorrells (Casey Family Programs), Joycelyn Evans (DJJ), Beth Vineyard (RCCL), Marvis Butler (DCH/Georgia Families 360), Jeannie Galloway (DPH), Alison Evans (Immediate past president Together GA), Brian Russell (Together Ga CPA), Emily Acker (GATS), Eric John (Council of Juvenile Court Judges), Shyniece Howard (DJJ), Polly McKinney (Voices), Judge Render Heard, Sally Buchanan (Together GA President), Melissa Carter (Barton Child Law & Policy), Sarah Bess Hudson (MAAC), Mary Havick (DFCS), D’Arcy Robb (DFCS), Tiffany Bivins (DFCS) and Shannon Stokes (DFCS).

  2. Georgia’s Family First Approach

a. Deputy Commissioner Havick shared that Georgia’s approach and

implementation plans for Family First remains the same—intentional planning to build the infrastructure in Phase 2 that will provide evidence-based services and solidifying the CQI process.

3. Phase 1 Family First Work
a. DFCS Interim Family First Director D’Arcy Robb shared that an RFP is close to

being released. Everyone will be notified once the RFP posts and the council may direct people to the procurement registry for specific details about the RFP

process. Director Robb explained that information about the RFP cannot be

shared even internally and that these rules are in place to ensure a fair process.

  1. Council members were asked in their roles as Family First ambassadors to assist

    in messaging to the community that the RFP is part of the phased approach to begin providing Family First services and that the community can look for future opportunities to come.

  2. D’Arcy Robb shared that a lot of internal work has been occurring over the last few months to run up to the initial rollout of services. Multiple workgroups such as the Implementation Team, CQI Team, and Readiness Team are completing tasks to get us ready for Phase 1 rollout.

  3. D’Arcy Robb provided an update on technical support partnerships.

    1. Chapin Hall are national experts in Child Welfare and are assisting

      multiple states in designing their Family First work. Chapin Hall has been supporting and helping guide Family First work in Georgia since Fall 2020. Chapin Hall helped facilitate the Prevention Services Workgroup in Spring 2021 and design the provider survey administered in Winter 2021. They are currently assisting with implementation and CQI design around specific Family First services.

    2. Carl Vinson Institute of Government at UGA began providing additional support about six months ago and intend to provide long-term support to DFCS. Assistance with receiving, analyzing, and reporting out data to drive service provision is being provided. Carl Vinson has great familiarity working with evidence-based programs and are experts in this area.

  4. Prevention Plan Update

    1. The Prevention Plan is Georgia’s state plan for Family First implementation.

    2. Family First Program Director Tiffany Bivins thanked everyone for their review of

      and feedback on the narrative draft of the Prevention Plan completed in Summer

      2021.

    3. In October 2021 Georgia opted to submit the narrative draft to our federal

      regional partners to gain initial feedback to make sure Georgia is on the right track and the right information is included in the plan. Feedback has been received back from our federal regional partners and is currently being incorporated into the final narrative draft. In addition to narrative edits, the pre- print with policy is also being prepared for full submission with the plan.

    4. Tiffany Bivins shared the difference between claiming IV-E funds and Family First Transition Act funds. Although an approved plan is required to claim IV-E funds, it is not required to begin providing services. Therefore, Transition Act fund will be used to finance services in Phase 1.

  5. Phase 2 Priorities & Planning

  1. D’Arcy Robb shared that while Georgia is ramping up for Phase 1 for services, we are also planning for Phase 2

  2. Phase 2 will concentrate on setting up additional sites to support long-term service needs in a way that is financially sustainable. Transition Act funds will be used to expand EBP service availability in the interim.

  3. Phase 2 will focus on establishing an ongoing pattern of using the CQI process to impact services. CQI feedback will assist in helping Georgia learn and improve Family First service delivery.

  4. Concentration on communication and involving community with both internal and external supports.

6. Closing Thoughts & Questions

  1. Feedback solicited from council in regard to the need to host a webinar in July

    2022 to provide a similar update to the community or wait until Fall 2022. Based on feedback from the council, a webinar will be provided in July 2022 along with a newsletter update.

  2. A question was asked regarding if changes have been made to the EBPs Georgia will offer under Family First. D’Arcy Robb informed the group that no changes have been made. The EBPs remain FFT (Functional Family Therapy), MST (Multi- systemic Therapy), BSFT (Brief Strategic Family Therapy), PAT (Parent as Teachers) and HFA (Healthy Families America/Home Visiting Program).

  3. A question was raised regarding a time frame for Phase 2. D’Arcy Robb shared that currently there is no timeframe set for Phase 2, but that we will be working to set that timeframe. Phase 2 will be conducted in a way to take advantage of the timeframe to ensure Transition Funds are used.

  4. Reminder to council members to share the link to the RFP once it is released and encourage folks within the community to go look at it.

  5. Clarification provided regarding Georgia’s Federal Regional Office contact. Darren Jackson is the Federal Region IV liaison with the Children’s Bureau. Mr. Jackson is very familiar with Georgia DFCS due to his previous employment and experience with the agency.

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