CFSP 5 Year Plan - RI Department of Children, Youth & Families

esources, and help the FSU worker to organization the information needed for full
disclosure presentations.
RI Foster Parents Association – this program provides an educational and
supportive service for current foster families and assists with recruiting efforts to
attract new foster families. The program is an advocacy organization that supports
recreational and skill development activities for foster families and youth in care.
Tsetse Art Gallery – this provides a therapeutic Harmonious Art program for
youth in group homes and treatment facilities who have been traumatized, often
through sexual abusive situations. The art program serves approximately 40 youth
annually between the ages of 7-14.
Staff Development and Training: Title IV-B, subpart 1 funds are not currently supporting
training activities. The IV-E Training Plan is included in the appendices. These services are
supported through state revenue and IV-E reimbursement. There have been three new core
curricula implemented in the past two years; one pre-service for Child Support Technicians
(CST) and two in-service for social caseworker II classifications and for the CSTs. In addition,
the Department implemented a training curriculum for Juvenile Probation and Parole staff, as
part of the Program Improvement Plan. This curriculum contains core requirements as well as
topical subjects. A training of trainers (TOT) approach was established to implement the
training and ensure that the curriculum could be maintained. A copy of the Juvenile
Corrections training curriculum is included in the appendices.
The Department also supports staff development training relating to juvenile sex
offender treatment. This training has been developed through collaboration with a consortium
of DCYF contracted providers and Day One (Sexual Assault and Trauma Resource Center) for
workers in DCYF’s contracted residential facilities, contract monitoring staff, juvenile probation
and parole staff, as well as outpatient clinicians who provide services to this population. The
curriculum for this series of trainings is also included in the appendices.
Policies and Procedures for Abandoned Newborns: The Department promulgated its policy
regarding activities and procedures relating to abandoned infants in February 2003, following
the enactment of Rhode Island’s Safe Haven for Infants Act (RIGL 23-13.1). This policy sets
forth guidance to allow a parent to anonymously relinquish an infant (less than 30 days old)
without facing prosecution, provided that certain conditions apply regarding the manner in
which the infant was voluntary placed with staff in a medical or public safety facility and that
there is no evidence that the infant has been harmed, or the victim of abuse or neglect.
PROGRAM AND SERVICE DEVELOPMENT -
Family Support -
The Parent Support Network of Rhode Island was begun primarily to assist families of
children with serious emotional disturbance (SED) who had no formal involvement with the
79