March 2012Vol. 13, No. 2Update on WPIC Projects
The Western and Pacific Child Welfare Implementation Center (WPIC) partners with public child welfare systems in the eight States and two territories within the Administration for Children and Families' Regions 9 and 10. Among its goals are to work with States, Tribes, and territories to improve collaboration; promote shared accountability for child welfare outcomes; and institute strategies that will improve the quality and effectiveness of services for families, youth, and children.
"Each project offers us different lessons learned, lessons that are relevant to projects with other States and Tribes," said Kim Pawley Helfgott, WPIC associate director.
WPIC's quarterly e-newsletter provides readers with project updates and, according to Helfgott, "Offers the opportunity to connect key stakeholders and learn from each implementation process to overcome barriers to implementation."
The current issue of the e-newsletter highlights three projects underway in Alaska, Navajo Nation, and Los Angeles. The projects have achieved measures of success using data in decision-making, enhancing collaboration and leadership capacity, and overcoming barriers to implementing systems changes.
In Alaska, a 3-day leadership summit brought together Native youth leaders, Office of Children's Services management staff, representatives of the Alaska Court Improvement Project, and Alaska policymakers to discuss meeting the challenges of leadership, systems change strategies, Tribal-State collaboration, and the overrepresentation of Native Alaskan children in child welfare. The summit resulted in strengthening partnerships among Tribes and State child welfare leaders and a plan of action for implementing policies and practices.
Tribal caucus representatives in Alaska traveled to the Navajo Nation, where the Navajo Nation Department of Social Services shared how they integrate culture, language, and traditions throughout their child welfare programs and services. The staff explained how they collect data, support families, implement policies and procedures, and build partnerships across child-serving agencies in culturally appropriate ways.
The Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services officially launched Kids Information Data Systems for Leadership and Accountability (KIDS LA) with technical assistance from WPIC, the National Resource Center for Child Welfare Data and Technology, and Casey Family Programs. A large focus of the program is a data dashboard that tracks indicators for the department’s priority outcomes of safety, permanency, and well-being. KIDS LA is scheduled for full implementation by the summer of 2012.
For more information about WPIC and its programs and resources and to register for its quarterly e-newsletter, visit its website:
Related Item
CBX last wrote about WPIC in "The Western and Pacific Child Welfare Implementation Center" (October 2010).
