Final Report - RI Department of Children, Youth & Families

TRANSMITTAL LETTER
organized plan) to developing a structure for a new system of care that is family-centered,
community-based and in which programs and services are measured against agreed upon
outcomes.
The reports and the recommendations of the two planning committees are included as
appendices to this document. The vision and structure outlined in the body of the Task Force
report is based on the recommendations of the Ideal System of Care Committee. Our vision
recognizes that the resource needs identified in the other two committee reports can be
effectively addressed only through a true “paradigm shift” which ensures that we move to
structures and processes which emphasize community-based prevention, strengthen families
and communities and more clearly define the parameters used to determine when a child or
youth is placed out-of-home. These details must be used to inform the work of those who are
tasked with planning and improving Rhode Island’s new System of Care.
As the leaders of the Task Force, we believe it important to point out two critical partners for
moving ahead – the judiciary and the provider and advocacy communities.
Rhode Island enjoys a very active and involved Family Court bench which unquestionably
seeks to ensure that children and their families are provided with the highest quality of
services and supports available. The reality, however, is that the authority for expenditures
and the control of those expenditures is extremely diffuse. As long as this diffusion
continues, the State will have difficulty focusing on priorities, achieving the best possible
outcomes and controlling expenditures. The challenge before us is to more clearly define
roles within our system and thereby achieve greater quality, greater accountability and a more
cost effective approach to delivering services and supports to children and their families.
Likewise, Rhode Island’s provider and advocacy communities are aggressive in providing
input and feedback, especially in regard to the functions and practices of DCYF. Two-thirds
of DCYF’s expenditures flow to private providers. We must continue to include these voices
at the table while recognizing that some perspectives represent narrow interests and arriving
at consensus for significant and critical improvements can be elusive.
Finally, the Task Force strongly endorsed the Children’s Cabinet as the principle body to
oversee the implementation of these recommendations. The Cabinet has become a truly
effective vehicle for interagency collaboration and systems reform. We encourage you to use
the Cabinet as the steering authority for the System of Care Implementation Committee
modeled after the successful Welfare Reform and Starting RIght Committees. As described in
this report, we see the Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF) as the lead
agency staffing this committee with additional staffing commitments from each of the other
executive departments that have the authority and responsibility for the delivery of health,
human and educational services to our children, youth and families.
System of Care Task Force Report (January 2003) 8