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Dept. of Human Services

Multnomah County family decision meetings

Project Length: The project was initially implemented in August 2000. The contract for services is renewed on an annual basis.

Cost: Annual cost is $55,312. or $4,609. per month for contracted services per branch.

Number Served: A minimum of 72 families and 122 children receive Family Decision Meeting Services (FDM) or 6 families per month in each of the 6 branch offices receive services.

Major Goals:

  • Within 60 days of a child's placement in substitute care the position will conduct a statutory Family Decision Meeting. The meetings will follow the state and statutory requirements for meeting content.

  • he position will enhance and augment the effectiveness of the current FDM and address particularly the pre-meeting phase including adequate preparation of the participants in the FDM meeting to better facilitate the family's participation and collaboration in their family plan.

Project Synopsis:

  • Safety plans, including placement options and concurrent plans are developed for each child with the collaboration of family, agency, and other professionals in Family Decision Meetings. Both child safety needs and attachments needs are addressed in the meeting plan. The FDM uses a strengths needs approach in the creation of the family plan. The use of the FDM process enhances the Agency goals in involving parents and relatives in decisions regarding their children, as well as increased placements with relatives whenever possible.
  • The family plan: The facilitator distributes the family service plan to the meeting participants at the end of the initial FDM meeting. The hand-written plan includes:

      1. the service activity
      2. the person responsible for activity
      3. the time frame for completion of the activity
      4. the signatures of family members in attendance at the meeting. The facilitator will ensure that the hand-written family plan is signed by all family members participating in the meeting. Family member signatures will signify the family member's acknowledgment of the content of the family plan and their attendance at the meeting.
Within 7 days of the meeting type-written family meeting notes including the family plan and services are sent to the participants. The family plan and services are sent to the participants and meet all the following statutory requirements of ORS 417-375 and will include at a minimum:

    1. The expectations of the parents of the child and other family members;
    2. The services CAF is to provide
    3. Time lines for implementation of the plan;
    4. The benefits of compliance with the plan:
    5. The consequences of noncompliance with the plan;
    6. A schedule of subsequent meetings, if appropriate.
 
Page updated: September 21, 2007

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