Common use of Shelter Use Clause in Contracts

Shelter Use. This period, DHS’ efforts to reduce shelter care resulted in fewer children in DHS custody experiencing fewer nights in a shelter than last period. Most notably, for the youngest children in custody (ages 0 to 1), DHS has successfully ensured no child in this age group has experienced a shelter stay for the fourth consecutive period. While DHS has not yet eliminated shelter care for children between the ages of two and five, DHS has continued to ensure such placements are rare, with five children in this age group experiencing a shelter stay this report period. Lastly, and importantly, for children six years of age and older, DHS achieved an important reduction in shelter care this period after consecutive periods of declining or stagnant performance. The primary two practices DHS has utilized to reduce shelter care are: multidisciplinary staffings, which are used to identify needs-based placements for children placed in shelters, and a heightened authorization process, which requires DHS leadership to sign off on shelter placements for all children. Last period, the Co-Neutrals found that DHS had not maintained sufficient efforts to implement these practices adequately to reduce shelter care. This period, the Co-Neutrals report that DHS’ targeted and revitalized efforts resulted in a finding that DHS made good faith efforts in all of its shelter work. In the area of multidisciplinary staffings, this period, DHS developed and implemented an enhanced statewide staffing model that establishes a series of clear protocols staff must complete before, during and after a child’s staffing to expeditiously identify and secure a needs- based placement outside of a shelter. The development of this statewide staffing model, which is administered by shelter leads in each of the state’s five regions, has created a uniform framework to guide and support each region’s efforts to reduce the length of time children remain in shelters. As discussed later in this section, the new shelter staffing model establishes heightened expectations that all children placed in shelters must be consistently and rigorously staffed, and if implemented and assessed well, the new model should support DHS’ efforts to urgently secure needs-based placements for children outside of shelters. In the area of preventing shelter placements, DHS undertook an analysis, finalized in March 2018, of the shelter authorization process and found in some cases the department did not adequately exhaust all potential placement options for a child prior to shelter placement. In response to these findings, during this period, DHS increased its efforts to ensure an exhaustive search of alternative needs-based placements is completed and documented prior to authorizing a shelter placement. This period, the Co-Neutrals observed DHS refocus and strengthen its efforts to substantially and sustainability reduce shelter care for children in DHS custody. These efforts yielded a positive decline in shelter usage for children in DHS custody. The department must remain steadfast in its commitment to eliminate shelter care for children 12 years of age and under and significantly reduce shelter care for children 13 years of age and older. It is vital that DHS maintain its continuous and rigorous efforts to strengthen and build practices that ensure children receive, as often as possible, needs-based placements that support their well-being and permanency. The Co-Neutrals find DHS made good faith efforts to achieve substantial and sustained progress toward the shelter Target Outcomes.

Shelter Use. This period, DHS’ efforts to reduce shelter care resulted in fewer children in DHS DHS’ custody experiencing a shelter stay and significantly fewer child-nights in a shelter than last period. Most notablyFor the fifth consecutive period, for DHS successfully ensured that no child in the youngest children in custody age group (ages 0 to 1), DHS has successfully ensured no child in this age group has ) experienced a shelter stay for the fourth consecutive period. While DHS has not yet eliminated shelter care and, for children between the ages of two and five, DHS has continued to ensure such placements are rare, with five children in the department reported the lowest number (four) of shelter nights during this age group experiencing a shelter stay this report periodreform. Lastly, and importantly, for children six years of age and older, DHS achieved an important reduction significant reductions in shelter care this period after consecutive periods period, reporting the lowest number of declining or stagnant performanceshelter nights for teens in DHS custody. The primary two practices DHS has utilized to reduce shelter care are: are multidisciplinary staffings, which are used to identify needs-based placements for children placed already in shelters, and a heightened authorization process, which requires DHS leadership to sign off on approve shelter placements for all childrencare before children are placed there. Last periodOver the last year, the Co-Neutrals found that DHS had not maintained sufficient increased its efforts to implement these practices adequately ensure that rigorous searches of alternative needs-based placements occur prior to reduce authorizing a shelter care. This period, the Co-Neutrals report that DHS’ targeted and revitalized efforts resulted in a finding that DHS made good faith efforts in all of its shelter workplacement. In the area of multidisciplinary staffings, this periodaddition, DHS developed and implemented an enhanced statewide staffing model that establishes a series of clear protocols staff must complete before, during and after a child’s staffing to expeditiously identify and secure a needs- needs-based placement outside of a shelter. The development of this statewide staffing model, which is administered by shelter leads in each of the state’s five regions, has created a uniform framework to guide and support each DHS region’s efforts to reduce the length of time children remain in shelters. As discussed later in this section, the new shelter staffing model establishes heightened expectations that all children placed in shelters must be consistently and rigorously staffed, and if implemented and assessed well, the new model should support DHS’ efforts to urgently secure needs-based placements for children outside of shelters. In the area of preventing shelter placements, DHS undertook an analysis, finalized in March 2018, of the shelter authorization process and found in some cases the department did not adequately exhaust all potential placement options for a child prior to shelter placement. In response to these findings, during During this period, DHS increased its efforts to ensure an exhaustive search effectively focused on implementing and supporting caseworkers’ understanding of alternative needs-based placements is completed and documented prior to authorizing a these shelter placementreduction practices, which resulted in better outcomes across all shelter Metrics. This For this report period, the Co-Neutrals observed DHS refocus and strengthen its efforts to substantially and sustainability reduce shelter care for children in DHS custody. These efforts yielded a positive decline in shelter usage for children in DHS custody. The department must remain steadfast in its commitment to eliminate shelter care for children 12 years of age and under and significantly reduce shelter care for children 13 years of age and older. It is vital find that DHS maintain its continuous and rigorous efforts to strengthen and build practices that ensure children receive, as often as possible, needs-based placements that support their well-being and permanency. The Co-Neutrals find DHS made good faith efforts to achieve substantial and sustained progress toward each of the five shelter use Target Outcomes. DHS committed that it would “ensure all children are cared for in family-like settings” and “stop its use of temporary placement in shelters for all children under 13 years of age.” In the Metrics Plan, the Co-Neutrals selected the number of “child-nights” spent in shelters as the measure to assess Oklahoma’s progress in eliminating and reducing shelter use. One “child- night” is defined as “one child in a shelter at midnight.” The total number of child-nights is calculated by summing the number of children in shelters at midnight for each night of the reporting period. The Pinnacle Plan includes an exception for shelter placement if the child is part of a sibling set of four or more being placed together. The Co-Neutrals have also allowed for the exception to place a minor parent with their child if necessary to keep the parent and child together (note that the child must, in fact, be placed with their minor parent).13 However, while the Co-Neutrals approved these exceptions, they are not automatic. For each child or youth in need of placement, DHS has committed to undertake reasonable efforts to place the child in a family-like setting, regardless of whether the child meets an exception. This report period, DHS achieved the Target Outcome of zero child-nights in shelters for children under two years of age. From its baseline of 2,923 child-nights, DHS has successfully eliminated shelter care for this youngest cohort of children for over three years. 3,500 3,000 2,500 2,000 Baseline Jan - 14 Jul - 14 Jan - 15 Jul - 15 Jan - 16 Jul - 16 Jan - 17 Jul-17 Jan-18 Jul-18 Jan-19 Jan-June For children ages two to five, the original recorded baseline was 8,853 child-nights. For this period, June 30, 2018 to December 31, 2018, two children spent a combined total of four nights in a shelter. This is DHS’ best performance to date for this measure, bringing the department markedly close, within four nights, of meeting the Target Outcome of zero child-nights for this age group.

Shelter Use. This period, DHS’ efforts to reduce shelter care resulted in fewer children in DHS DHS’ custody experiencing a shelter stay and significantly fewer child-nights in a shelter than last period. Most notablyFor the sixth consecutive period, for DHS successfully ensured that no child in the youngest children in custody age group (ages 0 to 1), DHS has successfully ensured no child in this age group has ) experienced a shelter stay for stay. DHS achieved the fourth consecutive period. While DHS has not yet eliminated most significant reductions in shelter care for children between the ages six and older and reported its lowest number to date of two and five, shelter nights for teens in DHS has continued to ensure such placements are rare, with five children in this age group experiencing a shelter stay this report period. Lastly, and importantly, for children six years of age and older, DHS achieved an important reduction in shelter care this period after consecutive periods of declining or stagnant performancecustody. The primary two practices DHS has utilized to reduce shelter care are: are multidisciplinary staffings, which are used to identify needs-based placements for children placed already in shelters, and a heightened authorization process, which requires DHS leadership to sign off on approve shelter care before children are placed there. ▇▇▇ has committed to complete rigorous searches of alternative needs-based placements for all children. Last period, the Co-Neutrals found that DHS had not maintained sufficient efforts prior to implement these practices adequately to reduce authorizing a shelter care. This period, the Co-Neutrals report that DHS’ targeted and revitalized efforts resulted in a finding that DHS made good faith efforts in all of its shelter workplacement. In the area of multidisciplinary staffings, this periodaddition, DHS developed and implemented uses an enhanced statewide staffing model that establishes a series of clear protocols staff must complete before, during and after a child’s staffing to expeditiously identify and secure a needs- needs-based placement outside of a shelter. The development of this statewide staffing model, which is administered by shelter leads in each of the state’s five regions, has created a uniform framework to guide and support each DHS region’s efforts to reduce the length of time children remain in shelters. As discussed later in this section, the new shelter staffing model establishes heightened expectations that all children placed in shelters must be consistently and rigorously staffed, and if implemented and assessed well, the new model should support DHS’ efforts to urgently secure needs-based placements for children outside of shelters. In the area of preventing shelter placements, DHS undertook an analysis, finalized in March 2018, of the shelter authorization process and found in some cases the department did not adequately exhaust all potential placement options for a child prior to shelter placement. In response to these findings, during During this period, DHS increased its efforts focused on building the skills and capacity of all caseworkers to ensure an exhaustive search of alternative needs-based placements is completed and documented prior to authorizing a implement these shelter placementreduction practices. This For this report period, the Co-Neutrals observed DHS refocus and strengthen its efforts to substantially and sustainability reduce shelter care for children in DHS custody. These efforts yielded a positive decline in shelter usage for children in DHS custody. The department must remain steadfast in its commitment to eliminate shelter care for children 12 years of age and under and significantly reduce shelter care for children 13 years of age and older. It is vital find that DHS maintain its continuous and rigorous efforts to strengthen and build practices that ensure children receive, as often as possible, needs-based placements that support their well-being and permanency. The Co-Neutrals find DHS made good faith efforts to achieve substantial and sustained progress toward each of the five shelter use Target Outcomes. DHS committed that it would “ensure all children are cared for in family-like settings” and “stop its use of temporary placement in shelters for all children under 13 years of age.” In the Metrics Plan, the Co-Neutrals selected the number of “child-nights” spent in shelters as the measure to assess Oklahoma’s progress in eliminating and reducing shelter use. One “child-night” is defined as “one child in a shelter at midnight.” The total number of child-nights is calculated by summing the number of children in shelters at midnight for each night of the reporting period. The Pinnacle Plan includes an exception for shelter placement if the child is part of a sibling set of four or more being placed together. The Co-Neutrals have also allowed for the exception to place a minor parent with their child if necessary to keep the parent and child together (note that the child must, in fact, be placed with their minor parent).13 However, while the Co-Neutrals 13 Children who meet the criteria for one of the two exceptions are included in the shelter outcomes data. For this report period, DHS reported that none of the children who experienced a shelter stay met the exception criteria. approved these exceptions, they are not automatic. For each child or youth in need of placement, DHS has committed to undertake reasonable efforts to place the child in a family-like setting, regardless of whether the child meets an exception. This report period, DHS achieved the Target OutcomesOutcome of zero child-nights in shelters for children under two years of age. From its baseline of 2,923 child-nights, DHS has successfully eliminated shelter care for this youngest cohort of children for over three years. 3,500 3,000 2,500 2,000 For children ages two to five, the original recorded baseline was 8,853 child-nights. For this period, January 1, 2019 to June 30, 2019, three children spent a combined total of 60 nights in a shelter. Compared to last period, this represents one additional child in this age group who experienced a shelter stay, and an increase of 56 shelter nights. Of the three children ages two to five who were placed in a shelter, two of them experienced two nights each and the third child experienced 56 nights. For children ages six to 12, DHS reported 4,600 child-nights compared to 5,453 during the previous six-month period, a 16 percent decline in shelter utilization. These shelter nights represent 144 unique children, which is seven more children than DHS reported spent a night in a shelter last period. 23,12722,288 25,000 20,000 15,000 10,000 5,000 0 Neither DHS’ Pinnacle Plan nor the Compromise and Settlement Agreement require that emergency shelter usage for children 13 years and older be completely eliminated. However, the department committed that children ages 13 and older would be placed in a shelter only if a family-like placement is not available to meet their needs, and further, that shelter nights for children ages 13 and older would be reduced to no more than 8,850 nights. Lastly, under the Pinnacle Plan (Point 1.17), DHS committed to not place any child over age 13 in a shelter more than one time and for no more than 30 days within a 12-month period. For this report period, the number of unique children ages 13 and older who spent a night in a shelter decreased from 257 children in the last period to 226 children this period. DHS reported 9,141 child-nights for this oldest group of children, which represents a ten percent reduction from last period when DHS reported 10,178 child-nights. As shown in Figure 13 below, this is the fourth consecutive period DHS has positively reduced the number of shelter-nights teens experienced in a shelter. Further, DHS reported for this period the lowest number of shelter- nights for teens under this reform. 25,342 24,935 25,108 24,552 30,000 25,000 20,000 15,000 10,000 5,000 DHS has substantially reduced shelter usage for children of all ages in Oklahoma over the past six years. As Table 8 below illustrates, DHS has reduced by over 70 percent the total number of nights children experience in shelters since the start of this reform. DHS has importantly achieved the most significant percentage reduction for children five years of age and under and, for children ages six and older, the department achieved the greatest reduction in the total number of shelter-nights. Compared to the baseline period, DHS has reduced shelter-nights for children ages six and older by 27,041: the volume of this reduction is more than the total number of child- nights in a shelter (13,801) reported this period for children of all ages combined. This represents substantial and sustained progress.