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Director's Message
October 22, 2004
To: DHS Employees
From: Gary Weeks, Director
Responding to Critical Incidents
At times, our work here at DHS revolves around dealing with alarming situations. Consider the following real-life examples:
- the serious injury or death from abuse or neglect of a child in the state's custody;
- a criminal investigation of a staff member; or
- a foster parent accused of abusing a child.
We call these "critical incidents." If we could eliminate having to deal with these altogether, we would. Unfortunately, we know that these kinds of incidents will happen from time to time. We here at DHS need to be prepared to deal with "critical incidents" in the best, most effective ways possible.
Two New Initiatives
This week, the Governor announced two new initiatives to strengthen our ability to do just that. The two new initiatives are:
- A new protocol to ensure a more timely and coordinated response when critical incidents occur in the child protective services system; and
- A policy change allowing DHS caseworkers statewide to have direct access to criminal history information through the state's Law Enforcement Data System (LEDS).
Both of these initiatives will help strengthen the public accountability of the state's child welfare system and help us respond quicker and more decisively. The changes will also give our caseworkers critical access to criminal information when making determinations on emergency placements and other safety issues. The Critical Incident Response Team (CIRT) process will be operational Nov. 1 and LEDS access will be available to our caseworkers in 90 days.
Holding Ourselves Accountable
As public servants, we all are held to a higher standard of accountability and conduct. In the future, when a critical incident occurs the director will within 24 hours activate the CIRT. That team will be made up of: the assistant director of CAF, the deputy for field services, the child protective services manager, the manager for safety and permanency, a communications specialist, an assistant attorney general, a local law enforcement representative, and any other individuals the director may appoint.
Key to the new CIRT process is a review of the "critical incident" and a reporting out within 30 days on any system changes that may need to be made in policy, procedures, training, practices, and personnel assignments.
Through the CIRT process, if we find issues that need to be dealt with, systems that could run better, or processes that need to be fixed, we will immediately begin to make those changes.
You should not view changes that may come from the CIRT as an indictment on how we've handled issues in the past. We are constantly growing and learning as an organization. The purpose of the CIRT is to demonstrate a sense of urgency and responsibility to respond, as well as clear accountability to the public.
As we implement the Governor's new initiatives, we should recognize that we can always find ways to work better, smarter, and faster.
Bringing Health Care to Students
Healthy kids are more productive, get better grades in school, and have less absenteeism and dropout problems.
Schools have known this for years. DHS is an active partner in various locations across the state to help keep kids healthy and make this a reality. We help fund school-based health centers in various parts of the state and provide in some cases health insurance for low-income, uninsured kids.
To date, there are 43 School Based Health Centers in 14 counties, where kids can get treatment for ailments and illnesses without leaving school. Most recent data shows that 24,274 students in Oregon used these centers during one school year alone.
In the next biennium, we have a proposal in our budget to expand these student health centers to 5 more counties across the state. We want to do this because we know every day we are helping kids not have to spend time away from school, bringing them services like immunizations, and in some cases, maybe even saving a life.
That's what happened at a Lane County center, where an uninsured athlete came in with chest pains. It turns out he had a serious heart murmur and needed evaluation, treatment and possibly surgery. Without the convenience of the school center, he may have faced serious complications, or worse.
Food for thought
" Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing."
Theodore Roosevelt (1858 - 1919), Speech in New York, September 7, 1903
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This message is intended for all Department employees. Please read it electronically, if possible. Managers and supervisors are asked to share the message each week with employees who do not have email access.
If you have a disability and need a document on this Web site to be provided to you in another format, please send an email to dhs.forms@state.or.us or call (503) 945-7021, fax (503) 373-7690 or TTY (503) 947-5080. If you know of others who need this accommodation, please let them know it is available.
Oregon Department of Human Services
Director's Office
500 Summer St. NE E15, Salem, OR 97301-1097
Phone: (503) 945-5944
Fax: (503) 378-2897
TTY: (503) 947-6214
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