Name: Improving Permanency Outcomes Project
Target Population: Children who have been in out-of-home care for longer than 8 months with a reunification case plan. Children in out-of-home care with alternative permanent planned living arrangement designations that do not include reunification, adoption, or guardianship.
Geographical Area: The project will work with 8 of the 36 counties throughout Oregon. Selected branches represent both urban and rural areas, including the major metropolitan area of Oregon and large rural counties with small offices.
Summary: Oregon has been working within a system of care perspective since the mid-1990s. This project will further expand this approach in the target communities. The focus is on achieving permanency for two different child populations:
- Children in out-of-home care with a plan of reunification
- Youth and other children who currently do not have reunification, adoption, or guardianship as their permanency goal
Anticipated outcomes are to improve permanency, increase family and youth participation in case planning decisions, and reduce the likelihood of abuse or reentry into care for the children served.
The project will adapt and test approaches developed in the field of children's mental health to create a more comprehensive system of care that will significantly advance practice reform in Oregon. Key principles that will guide the efforts are: to plan services collaboratively with family members; build service plans on strengths and needs rather than deficits of children and families; and to individualize services, using flexible funding when necessary.
For more information:
Patrick Melius
Project Manager
Oregon Department of Human Services, Children, Adults, and Families
Phone: 503.945.6953
Email: patrick.j.melius@state.or.us