RELEASE: January 21, 2004

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Davy Announces DYFS Progress on Immediate Actions:
State is Halfway Toward Goal of 100 New Foster Homes

Human Services Commissioner-designate James M. Davy today announced that in the past week the Division of Youth and Family Services (DYFS) progressed nearly halfway toward its goal of licensing 100 foster homes by mid-February.

The department’s Office of Licensing has licensed 47 new foster homes since last Wednesday, when Davy outlined seven immediate actions designed to improve the DYFS while the department continues to craft a sweeping, long-term reform plan for the state’s child welfare system.

The plan – due to be submitted by Feb. 18 to Children’s Rights Inc. and a panel overseeing DYFS reforms – was required under the settlement of a class-action lawsuit filed by Children’s Rights on behalf of the state’s foster children. Fifteen teams of people, totaling dozens of departmental managers and staff, worked through this past weekend to complete a first draft of the plan.

“I am pushing hard for these tasks to be accomplished because we need to just get this job done,” Davy said. “I want to commend DYFS staff for their hard work and dedication. I firmly believe we have the talent and the commitment to get the job done for New Jersey’s children.”

Last week, Davy authorized re-deployment of licensing staff and overtime pay to speed up processing for roughly 60 homes with pending licenses. In addition, Davy announced that home studies on potential foster parents would begin while they are in training so that licenses can be issued soon after training is completed. That process is underway – foster parents in training have been identified and their home studies will begin next week.

Following is a list of the remaining six immediate actions and a progress report:

• Safely close up to 6,000 cases that no longer require DYFS intervention.

Status: The Department of Personnel approved overtime for DYFS supervisors and casework supervisors, some of whom are not normally eligible for overtime, to review cases targeted for closing. The reviews will begin Friday.

• Increase transportation and child care services to ensure that foster children do not spend their days in DYFS district offices.

Status: Case aides have been deployed, and overtime pay approved, to provide transportation for children who are waiting in district offices. Beginning today, Davy will receive daily reports on children brought to DYFS offices needing placement, the times that they arrived, the length of time they stayed, and the places where they were finally transported.

• End the practice of allowing newborns to remain in hospitals after they are medically cleared to leave.

Status: Beginning Friday, an experienced social worker will be reassigned as the boarder baby coordinator for Newark to work with families to identify homes for children who cannot go home with their birth parents.

• Redo safety assessments of 6,000 children in out-of-home placement.

Status: DYFS employees will be trained in conducting the safety assessments beginning Monday. DYFS has identified three outside agencies that will be hired to monitor the assessments. In addition, independent entities such as the Office of the Child Advocate, Children’s Rights, and the child welfare panel will spot-check the assessments.

• Bolster foster parent recruitment and retention

Status: DYFS is in discussion with the Hispanic Information Center to add 10 foster home beds for Latino children, addressing a critical need in the state’s foster care system.

• Expedite medical screenings for children going into foster care.

Status: DYFS began discussions this week with the New Jersey Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics to help establish a pool of pediatricians who will be on-call and available to DYFS district offices when a child needs a physical exam. Also, Davy said, DYFS will hire 10 additional nurses to conduct some physicals; the agency’s current nurses will be issued cell phones so they are instantly reachable; and all district offices will establish private areas for medical screenings.