CAFCA  BRIEF UPDATE

January 2005

January General Membership meeting:

Friday January 21, 2005. 9:00-10:30 at American Human Association, 63 Inverness Dr. East, Englewood. Come find out about American Humane Association’s children’s services projects, including one in which CAFCA members could participate and potentially receive some funding. Guest speakers: Leslie Wilmot, Director of the Front Porch Project, Sonia Velasquez, new VP for Children’s Services, and Myles Edwards, Director of Research. American Humane Association's Front Porch Projectâ is a national initiative created to help community residents become more involved in the safety and well-being of children, recognizing that one person can make a significant difference in the life of a child.  The Front Porch Project training sessions are the core of this project. They are designed to help participants examine and understand their role in the lives of children and families, as they acquire new skills and learn safe intervention methods to promote child safety and family well-being.  Now, more than ever, parents, family members, friends, neighbors, community members, and service providers all need to share in the responsibility for the safety and well being of our nation's children.  The implementation design of this project includes the identification of a sustainer organization (possible $$ for CAFCA members who fill this role) and project team, as well as the delivery of a Train-the-Trainer session that supports continued outreach and positive community outcomes. Refreshments will be served. The CTS meeting will follow at 10:30 a.m., same location.

Directions: Take I-25 to Exit 196, Dry Creek Rd. Go EAST on Dry Creek to Inverness Drive North. Go RIGHT on Inverness Drive North and follow it for .9 mile to 63 Inverness Drive East.  It will be on your left. Park in the front (west) or south lot. Ph # 303 925-9489.

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MARK YOUR CALENDARS NOW!!
Monday, February 28^th
CAFCA’s ANNUAL LEGISLATIVE LUNCHEON
“Have a Heart for Kids”
MAGGIANO’S, DENVER PAVILIONS
11:30 a.m. –1:30 p.m.

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CAFCA Welcomes New Members
CAFCA extends a warm welcome to the following new members: Denver Children’s Home, Emily Griffith Center, Bethany Christian Services and Jefferson Hills.  We look forward to renewing friendships and welcoming new ideas.

2005 Legislative Session
Beginning Friday, January 21, 2005, and continuing every Friday for the next 6-8 weeks, Peg will be meeting with Mendez Steadman lobbyists from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. to review new bills and discuss pending bills. Mendez Steadman is located at 1370 Pennsylvania Ave., Suite 400 ,Denver. The Public Policy Committee invites every CAFCA board member and committee chair to attend or send a representative to these meetings. Other members who are interested may also attend. Peg and members of several committees reviewed draft bills even before the session began. This activity will increase dramatically for the next 4-8 weeks. If you are interested in reviewing bills or testifying on bills, please contact Peg.  Beginning January 24^th bill summaries and CAFCA’s position on tracked bills will be available on the CAFCA website at www.cafca.net. This information will be updated weekly throughout the session. Complete bills may be viewed and downloaded from the General Assembly Web page: www.leg.state.co.us.

CAFCA Committee News
Adoption, Carol Lawson, Chair
Committee members developed a protocol for issuing alerts when a birth mother is suspected of contacting multiple agencies regarding relinquishment. 
Legislative Issues:
Out of State Facilitators – CAFCA will review any proposed legislation brought by CDHS this session. If the state does not have specific legislation, Peg will request that CDHS form a task force to look at what the problem is and how legislation could address it in 2006. 

CPA Performance Bond – there is currently no bill to review, but the concept is targeted to adoption agencies going out of business.  The state is concerned about the cost of scanning agency documents if they are turned over to the state. Suggestions include adding an additional licensing fee for new agencies to cover this cost, requiring that scanning of documents be part of every CPA’s yearly audit and require that old documents be scanned over a period of time.  It was suggested that licensing rules be tightened regarding new agencies with the possibility of limiting the number of new adoption agencies.

State Certification for International Adoptions – There were many questions about the focus of this bill. Peg will discuss with Dana Andrews and advise at the next meeting.

Records of Adult Adoptees – This bill provides adult adoptees with access to their original birth certificates and adoption records at the age of 18. Committee members shared their areas of concern. Carol, Megan and Peg will share these with Rep. Coleman, the bill sponsor.

Expedited Notice to Putative Fathers in Expedited Relinquishment – Rep. Schultheis is carrying this bill which expands the voluntary relinquishment process to include written notice to putative fathers of the birth mother’s plans regarding relinquishment and a corresponding requirement that the putative father file a paternity action. 

Rules:  
Revision of Volume VII adoption rules is moving slowly. Carol serves on this workgroup and is proposing greater differentiation among general foster care, cradle care, domestic adoptions, foreign adoptions, and foster care licensing and day care licensing. 

Next Scheduled Meeting: March 10^th 9:00 AM – Adoption Options, 2600 S. Parker Road, Suite 2-320, Aurora, CO. Committee meetings will generally be conducted on a bi-monthly schedule with off-month meetings if necessary.

Foster Care, Bonnie McNulty, Chair
At its December meeting, the committee identified the need for more information about the state Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) so agencies could move forward on an outcome-based model of best practice. To this end, a workshop has been scheduled for February 9th: Understanding the State PIP, presented by Joe Sprague.  This training will also include information on what statistics the state keeps and how they are interpreted. By understanding the PIP, a provider can effectively communicate to the state and county how their procedures are addressing the PIP. There are only 4 spaces left, so sign up now!  Progress on revising the Foster Care White Paper continues. New sections will include information on Dedicated Family Homes, a short overview on Professional Parenting, and Treatment Foster Care. A February publication date is anticipated.

Next meeting: Thursday, January 20^th at Starbucks in the REI building, I-25 and 20^th, 8:30-10:30. 

CTS, Patty Erjavec, Chair
At the December CTS meeting, members heard from Bruce Berger, a Medicaid consultant with Maximus, regarding Medicaid Dos and Don’ts with respect to rate setting concepts. The group discussed and identified the concepts to be included in the RTC bill, with a draft bill to be distributed as soon as available. At the January 21 meeting, to be held at the American Humane Association following the General Membership meeting, committee members will welcome several new CAFCA members and invite them to participate in CTS and CAFCA activities. The meeting agenda will include: RTC legislation, the CDHS RFP/Procurement Process, proposed Volume VIII (HCPF) rules, the System of Care Initiatives, and the Mental Health and DYC providers group. The RTC bill proposes a framework for developing a rate setting process that includes a base range, outcome measures, incentives, and several other parameters. If CDHS is to implement the RFP process for fiscal year 2005-06, the proposed rules must be finalized by May at the latest.  CAFCA’s two major issues with these rules are the per diem recovery and the list of options for establishing a rate setting process.  CAFCA has proposed a 10% recovery for each undocumented service (rather than a full per diem) based on the number of components in the therapeutic milieu and a legal argument of “substantial performance.”

Public Policy, Cyndi Dodds, Chair
In January the Human Services Board heard initial rules regarding Dedicated Family Homes (HB1271) rules, revisions to definitions of receiving homes, respite care and pattern of misdemeanors, and implementation of SB 04-137 regarding county obligations for foster care home visits and case closure requirements.  The proposed HCPF Volume VIII RTC rules have not yet been scheduled for hearing, but will likely be on the February or March agenda. Bob Tiernan, chair of the CPA Network’s Legislative Committee, reported that the Network is working on a bill that requires counties to continue to pay the case management fee for a child when the child is in the process of being adopted, or what many unofficially term “adoptive status.”  Some counties terminate this payment during this interim status, possibly jeopardizing their qualification for IV-E dollars. Bills described elsewhere in this issue under their respective committees include: Notice in Expedited Relinquishment Cases, RTC Rate Setting, Adult Adoptees Records, and Performance Bonds for CPAs.  

The House Health and Human Services Committee invited its “natural constituents,” including CAFCA, to appear before it and present an overview of the organization and its top legislative issue for 2005. Peg appeared on behalf of CAFCA on January 17^th and provided committee members with CAFCA folders containing historic information, a list of members, all three white papers (on Adoption, Foster Care and Residential Care) and a summary of CAFCA’s legislative issues: 1) To ensure a sustainable system of services to at-risk children and families into Colorado’s future and across the continuum of needed care, by avoiding short-term, artificial fixes that result in the elimination of essential services and sectors; and 2) to assure that this sustainable system is flexible enough to allow for braiding and blending of funds to provide services to children and families more effectively. Peg will also be meeting with each of the 17 new legislators to introduce them to CAFCA and its members. 

The idea of converting facility schools to charter schools has surfaced again. There will be a meeting to discuss this option on February 10^th at 1:30 p.m. at the Talking Books for the Blind building, 1^st and  Sheridan. All who are interested are encouraged to attend. Peg has reviewed the Charter School Act and created a chart identifying Facts, Statutory Cites and Concerns/Problems to highlight the barriers and problems with this concept.  The Act allows and requires significant governmental (i.e., school district) intrusion into the management of the school program. Peg has provided CDE representatives with copies of this chart.

The group also discussed concerns about the number of children being placed in milieu care by school districts.  Counties are not participating in the placement of these children, and education funding does not cover the therapy provided. Children so placed have mental health needs equal to those in child welfare and DYC. Peg suggested that CAFCA members work on gathering data and contacts to support evidence of this cost-shifting trend that results in school districts and DYC being forced to take responsibility for DHS children.  Working with CAFCA members, Peg recently developed leads and contacts and approached Denver Post reporter David Olinger to write a series of articles on the impact of methamphetamines on the child welfare system. Several stories ran on December 28^th. 

Next Meeting: Tuesday, February 1^st, 11:30 – 2:00. Note the earlier starting time to allow for finalization of the Public Policy Strategic Plan, goals & objectives, to be presented to the board on February 14^th. Because we anticipate a larger than average attendance for this meeting, the location will be 2660 Larimer St., Denver in the lower level, smaller conference room. Members will receive the written summary of the 12/7 planning session when the meeting reminder and agenda are emailed.

Membership/Communications, Jim Worthen, Chair
There was little response at the December General Membership meeting regarding the committee’s idea of hosting a spring employment/volunteer recruitment fair. If you have an interest in participating in such a fair, please contact Jim Worthen,  Namaqua Center at (970) 669-7550. The committee has a dedicated core of CAFCA members but is actively seeking new members and their ideas. Next meeting: January 27, 2-4 p.m. at   Devereux  Cleo  Wallace  Center , 8405 Church Ranch Blvd , Westminster 

Training Committee, Renee Johnson, Chair
This Association committee develops the annual conference agenda as well as all of the educational workshops and trainings offered during the year.  Mark your calendars for Friday, July 22, 2005 for the Annual Conference.  Charlie Applestein will be the featured keynote speaker and a workshop leader. The committee has already lined up many other top-notch presenters. A much-loved aspect of this conference is the annual awards presentation. Please begin thinking about your nominees for awards in the following categories: leadership, advocacy, foster care worker/parent/family, counselor/case manager/therapist, treatment team, educator/education team and child care worker.

The Bulletin Board: Trainings and Other Opportunities

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The  Colorado Trust
Just released  its RFP for anti-bullying programs. For more information, click on:

www.thecoloradotrust.org/index.cfm?fuseAction=InitiativesGrantees.details&initiativeID=304

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Federation of Families,  colorado chapter

TABOR Effects Explained

Colorado's constitution was amended 12 years ago to impose a strict formula-based limit on state spending (Tax Payer’s Bill of Rights or TABOR). 

Now other states, urged on by national anti-tax groups, are considering similar limits on spending based on population growth and changes in consumer 

prices. Three new papers from the Center on Budget and Policy focus on 



Colorado and reveal that such growth formulas sharply reduce public services and hinder state and local governments' ability to respond to 

changing circumstances. The papers below are available through the Colorado Fiscal Policy Institute, www.cclponline.org or by clicking on each link.  

Two papers document outcomes in 



Colorado and the third is an analysis of the "population plus inflation" growth formula contained in most new TABOR proposals. 

Direct links are provided below.  This may be helpful when communicating budget issues to board members, donors, constituents and those in 

other states.



Is Colorado’s TABOR Creating Jobs?

By Nicholas Johnson and Karen Lyons

http://www.cbpp.org/1-13-05sfp.htm 38K

http://www.cbpp.org/1-13-05sfp.pdf 23K, 2pp.

Public Services and TABOR In Colorado

By Nicholas Johnson and David H. Bradley

http://www.cbpp.org/1-13-05sfp2.htm 24K

http://www.cbpp.org/1-13-05sfp2.pdf 28K, 6pp.

But two new analyses show that Colorado's economy [http://www.cbpp.org/1-13-05sfp.htm] 

and public services [http://www.cbpp.org/1-13-05sfp2.htm] are faring poorly under TABOR.

The Flawed "Population Plus Inflation" Formula; Why TABOR's Growth Formula Doesn't Work

By David H. Bradley, Nicholas Johnson, and Iris J. Lav

http://www.cbpp.org/1-13-05sfp3.htm 91K

http://www.cbpp.org/1-13-05sfp3.pdf 67K, 14pp.

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Save the Date!

17th Annual ColoradoChild & Adolescent Mental Health Conference

April 10 - 12, 2005

Colorado Springs Sheraton, 

Colorado Springs, CO 

More information available soon at http://ccamhc.org