Statewide Quality Assurance Report

Florida Department of Children and FamiliesCase Management Services - 2009-2010 Quality Assurance Reportservices and funding for youth to take these ideas into consideration and allow their voices to beheard.Sarasota (12 th Circuit) Roundtable ReportThe Teen Advisory Council of the 12 th Circuit feels that our voice is important because wehave a better understanding of what occurs to youth in care and how to improve the overallfoster care system. We feel that there are several areas of foster care that can be improved.Some of our concerns center around state and federal funding, placements, staff, currentprocedures, and some of the obstacles faced by the youth both in care and those who havetransitioned out of care.The local advisory board meeting occurs monthly at the same location and at the sametime. We take responsibility for notifying the potential participants and the members that are inattendance are regular council members. We attend these meetings in order to ensure that ourvoice is heard and to attempt to have input on the needed modifications to the foster caresystem. The ages of the participants in the Quality Assurance Youth Perspective Roundtablemeeting were from 14-21. There was not a good representation of the youth that were placedwith relatives or non-relatives.We would like for there to be more financial allocations for the staff that work at theshelters and group homes. We suggest that there be more extensive trainings as to the needs ofteenagers and a better understanding of what foster youth have gone through and how thisimpacts their behaviors. They should also be required to have more than a High Schooleducation and should have ongoing in-service trainings that focus on communications andappropriate confidentiality practices. The youth would also like to have the opportunity toparticipate in the development of policies and procedures. This would allow the youth toprovide feedback from their perspective.All Case Managers need to be accessible when we need them. There are times when weleave messages and do not receive call backs for several days. Typically, when we are calling it isbecause we need immediate assistance and are dealing with a situation in that moment. Wewould like for there to be a back up in place at all times particularly when staff are on leave orare out of the office.Office of Family Safety | Page 47