To: Board of Supervisors
From: DHHS: Social Services
Agenda Section: Consent
SUBJECT:
title
Professional Services Agreement with Changing Tides Family Services for the Provision of Supervised Visitation Services
end
RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors:
1. Approve, and authorize the Chair of the Board to execute, the agreement with Changing Tides Family Services for fiscal year 2019-20 to provide supervised family visitation services to Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) - Children and Family Services clients, referred by Child Welfare Services in an amount not to exceed $529,441; and
2. Direct the Clerk of the Board to route the fully executed agreement to DHHS - Contract Unit for further processing.
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SOURCE OF FUNDING:
Social Services Fund
DISCUSSION:
Supervised visitation is required by court mandate. It is also the best practice for families to reduce trauma faced by children who have been removed from their homes, and move toward reunification as appropriate. Supervised visitation is required during an ongoing investigation when a child has been removed from a home due to alleged abuse and/or neglect. Any child taken into temporary custody is required by Juvenile Court rules to have supervised visitation with one or both parents or guardians before a detention hearing takes place. The court may further require supervision for visitation after a detention hearing based on the best interests of the child. This court mandate for supervision continues until the court determines that it is no longer needed.
DHHS-Child Welfare Services (CWS) is required to provide the supervision for family visits in compliance with the court orders which dictate frequency and other provisions. This has presented a challenge to the department. Supervised family visitation encompasses more than just the time spent in the actual visit; transport time can be considerable to and from the rural areas of the county...
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